Killer kebabs

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Posted at 11:05AM, 23 May 2008 by Graham Holliday - Blogger

Gregg's defended them, but I won't. Not the British slopfest anyhow. The Doner Kebab may be Britain's favourite apres pub grub, but it ain't good in any way, shape or form. The latest research suggests dining on a Doner is akin to dining on a drip tray laden with lard. Our friends over at Word of Mouth have more.

Scientists have found that the average doner kebab contains the equivalent of a wine glass full of cooking fat. Nutritionists warn that eating two a week could cause a heart attack within 10 years.

This is nothing terribly new, of course. You don't have to be Georges Auguste Escoffier to feel that bucket of grease scythe a path to your stomach as you enjoy your unhealthy hit. Research in 2002 suggested the iconic rotating spit of congealed lamb is not all it appears to be.

According to a sampling programme carried out by the Lincolnshire Government in 2002, of eight kebabs tested three were "unsatisfactory" in that they contained meats other than lamb. One only contained one per cent of sheep meat. Commenting on the findings Manchester Online said, "a doner kebab was found to contain 5.8g of trans fat per portion compared to 0.87g in a Big Mac and fries.

Scientists have found that the average doner kebab contains the equivalent of a wine glass full of cooking fat.

However, head abroad and it's a dfferent picture. Turkey, the land of the kebab - as Gregg suggests - offers a far healthier version. Having never visited the country, I can't vouch for Turkey. However, I can vouch for the France and the North African kebab shop owners who rustle up a lean and light number, low in grease and high in flavour. You can even see the meat. This isn't the lumpen hulk of lamb spam you see in Britain. There are chunks of flesh.

While this possibly healthier continental version might not soak the lager up as well as the British version, I'll wager it's way more enjoyable and won't tempt a heart attack. Maybe we just need to rethink the kebab from the ground up... but, enough of this seriousness... here is a slideshow of some fabulously imaginative kebab shop names.

Comments

Joff

1 June 2008, 1:07AM
Joff

I'm not convinced, after all that sampling programme was only conducted in a small part of the country around 6 years ago. From my experience, even kebab shops these days are more health conscious and whilst it's still possible to get a nice greasy doner for the early hours walk home, you can often also get chicken or lamb kebabs made from semi-decent meat. Don't forget some inspired "kebabberies" even make their own elephant legs, using ingredients far superior to those from the local cash and carry.

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Kat

27 November 2009, 10:50AM
Kat

There are lots of British kebab shops that give you an alternative to the Doner. A grilled chicken or lamb kebab in a pitta is healthier than your average lunch time sandwich.

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Tim Brice

29 January, 12:47PM
Tim Brice

I will declare a vested interest concerning the "kebab world". I have been running London restaurants for about 25 years, including River Cafe, Kensington Place, Jo Allen, Baltic etc etc I am presently consulting for a group of three Turkish restaurants (kebab shops) and am amazed at the consistent quality of the food and in particular the meat. This is bought through our own meat buyer direct from Smithfield market and the lamb butchered, filleted and marinated on the premises to create the doner spit and the other shish. All the bread is made on the premises twice daily. Producing a far greater meat product that many other top end restaurants. Give us a try at Best Mangal and do the "doner challenge"

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