Thursday is not going to be a banner day for vegetarians in Greece. The country is currently indulging in the great annual feast of barbecued meats as part of the celebrations for Tsiknopempti, one of the most important dates on the calendar in Greece.
Tsiknopempti, meaning literally “Smelly Thursday,” or even “Charred,” “Smoky,” or “Barbeque” Thursday, because of the smell of the grilled meat in the air, is a vital part of the traditional celebrations for Carnival season.
On this particular Thursday of each year, outdoor barbecues are set up everywhere (and just about anywhere) throughout the country: in neighborhood squares, church courtyards, and by the roadside, the result being that the aroma of grilled meat (the “tsikna”) pervades the air.
According to Greek Orthodox tradition, the people who await the forty-day fast before Easter and observe the weekly Wednesday and Friday fasts, have this particular Thursday to eat as much meat as they desire.
This may be important for the maintenance of one’s health as well since there will be no meat or eggs and very little fish consumed during Lent. Just as importantly, people are allowed to party all night long, just before the beginning of the holy days.
The Tsiknopempti custom
The name “Tsiknopempti” originated from the fact that, on the particular day in many places around Greece, fat from pigs would be melted and people would gather in homes for barbecuing. The widespread smell of charred meat from households that could afford it led to the naming of the day as “Tsiknopempti.”
The custom is said to go as far back as the Bacchanalian feasts of the Ancient Greeks and Romans, which survived with only a few changes up until Christian times. Consumption of food and drink on this Thursday undoubtedly celebrates earthly pleasures, but now this is combined with having to fortify oneself before the rigorous Lenten fast.
In the older days, aside from barbecuing meat, the tradition also involved dressing up and having fun with your neighbors. In the villages, people walked around in groups from house to house, knocking on doors and asking for a treat and some wine, which were both consumed on the road.
Those who offered wine and treats also had to leave their homes and join the group as it continued along on its way, partying. The custom also included some “minor damage” to the outside of houses in the village, as the celebrants would knock down flower pots and spill the dirt. They would then smear their faces with the dirt and party on until the following morning.
Though “Tsiknopempti” has nowadays largely lost its religious dimension for most Greeks, the ritual remains strong and is widely celebrated by hordes of meat enthusiasts, families, couples, and friends. Traditional Greek tavernas—those with paper table cloths, copper wine jugs and an overall down-to-earth atmosphere—become major draws on this day.
How much meat do Greeks eat?
In earlier times, meat consumption, or even being able to afford meat, was a sign of wealth. Meat consumption in Greece began soaring in the 1970s after the rise of the middle class when people started eating much more meat than they had ever eaten before.
Today, Greeks don’t eat as much meat as an observer might think. It appears that the traditional Mediterranean diet still predominates, and Greeks consume a great deal less meat than those in most other European countries.
Drawing on data from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, in 2024, Greeks ate 78.9 kilograms (174 pounds) of meat per capita annually, much less than in Western Europe overall. Central and Northern Europeans, and even Spaniards and Italians, seem to enjoy meat much more than the average Greek. The British with 84.08 kg (185 pounds) also seem to have a particular weakness when it comes to the pleasures of meat consumption.
Hong Kong, at 136.31 kilograms (301 pounds) per capita, eats more meat than any other country in the world on an annual basis. Its citizens have a particular predilection for pork and chicken, accounting for over 80 percent of the meat eaten.
The US sits in second place, consuming 128 kilograms (282 pounds) per capita annually, followed closely by Australia, where people chow down an average 121 kilograms (266 pounds) of meat per capita and about 111 kilograms (244 pounds) in Mongolia.
Argentina enjoys 110 kilograms (242 pounds) of meat per capita annually, according to the World Population Review, placing it fifth in the world for overall meat consumption. The country consumes more beef than any other, and its steak is widely renowned as some of the best in the world.
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