Tsiknopempti - Smokey Thursday Traditional BBQ Day Before Lent

Tsiknopempti is the special day of the year where Greeks and Cypriots all over the world consume large amounts of grilled meat just before the arrival of Lent.

As a rule, Greeks don't need a reason or an excuse to overdose on bbq food but for those people who fast for 40 days during Easter Lent then Tsiknopempti is a great opportunity to eat as much grilled meat before the fasting starts.

The name Tsiknopempti can be translated to Smokey Thursday and other variations of the name include, Grilled Thursday, Stinky Thursday, Smoke Thursday and BBQ Thursday.

Pempti is the Greek for Thursday so hence why Tsiknopempti is always on a Thursday.

Along with the obvious Souvla and Souvlakia kebabs on Tsiknopempti Greeks and Cypriots fire up their charcoal BBQs and Foukous and grill all types of meat including lamb, pork, chicken, Lountza, Loukaniko, and Pastourma sausages and Halloumi.  

As long as it's meaty and as long as there is lots of BBQ smoke then you can't go wrong.