Former kebab shop worker reveals what happens to doner meat after closing time

A former kebab shop worker has supplied the answer to one of life's great mysteries, just what do they do with the leftover meat at the end of the day?

Let's face it, you don't go to a kebab shop for the greatest quality meat, and it's probably best not to think too hard about the doner meat they slice off for your meal.

The kebab shop is a beacon of hope for many Brits heading home after a night out and thinking too hard about the quality of the doner meat is rather like looking a gift horse in the mouth.

Then again, as they shave meat off that fleshy cylinder skewered on a spike for you, your mind might wonder what happens to it once it's finally closing time and everyone goes home for the night.

Curiosity killed the cat but satisfaction brought it back, and today you're going to get the satisfaction of knowing what happens to that cylinder of meat.

Fortunately, inquisitive Brits who've been pondering this answer have received it in the form of someone who 'worked in a kebab shop for years' and answered this very conundrum on Reddit.

They wrote: "Most kebab places will get through them though, and are very fussy about putting a new one on near the end of the night.

"I’m sure anyone who’s ever got a kebab where it seems half warmed, all scraggy bits that look like they’ve been chopped up, diced, sliced all sorts will wonder what they’ve got.

"But that’s when it’s running low and they use the edges, the top and bottom. As it usually shaves off with a slight inwards curve. Like a ( shape.

"That’s why some of the better more authentic Turkish ones, use a huge sword like blade to slice it off.

"Next day when you go in you turn it on to warm, and any GOOD kebab shop will shave off about 2 layers. The amount of spices and s**t in it, it’s pretty safe to eat, most wrap it with several bags and stuff and cover it during the night.

"The most your ever gonna need to reheat it for is one more day the next day. It won’t last much longer before being sold!"

Others joined in to back up this answer, saying that some places will stick it in a fridge until the next day, but generally the doner meat cylinder will be wrapped up overnight and the next day the top layer or two will be scraped off.

Someone else said that 'lazy places will leave it out', while the good kebab shops would 'let it cool down, wrap it in cling film and freeze it'.

There are actually official government guidelines for this and apparently what you're supposed to do is let the thing cool down for about half an hour, shave off all the cooked meat (that cylinder will still be raw in the middle) and then put it in a fridge or freezer.

Any meat that's two days old ought to be thrown away.

Now you know, which is half the battle.

Featured Image Credit: Yonca60/Getty fhm/Getty

Topics: Food And Drink, UK News, Reddit

Joe Harker

Joe graduated from the University of Salford with a degree in Journalism and worked for Reach before joining the LADbible Group. When not writing he enjoys the nerdier things in life like painting wargaming miniatures and chatting with other nerds on the internet. He's also spent a few years coaching fencing. Contact him via [email protected]

@MrJoeHarker