Pork in Greek and Cypriot Cooking: History and Uses

Pork is Greece's winter meat in the way lamb is its Easter meat, tied historically to the household pig slaughter that once took place in December in many rural areas, providing meat through the coldest months. Afelia, pork braised in red wine and crushed coriander seed until the sauce reduces to a dark, sticky glaze, is one of Cyprus's clearest showcases for the meat, built from almost nothing but the pork itself, wine and spice.

Cyprus in particular has an unusually developed pork-curing tradition compared with the mainland: lountza, a smoked and cured pork tenderloin, and pastourma-style cured meats both reflect a level of charcuterie skill that goes beyond simple roasting or braising, closer in spirit to the cured-meat traditions of Italy or Spain than to most mainland Greek cooking.

Pork shoulder, with its higher fat content, is the standard cut for long, slow cooking methods like kontosouvli, spit-roasted in large chunks over hours, where that fat renders gradually and bastes the meat throughout the cook, in the same role fat plays in a good barbecue brisket.

Photo: Pork Shoulder, Coppa Cut (6853905869).jpg by Ryan Snyder, CC BY 2.0.

Recipes with pork

22 recipes on the site using it.

Charred pork souvlaki skewers on a wooden board with lemon wedges and oregano

Greek Main CoursesGreek Pork Souvlaki Σουβλάκι · 32m · serves 4

A slice of pastitsio showing distinct layers of pasta, meat sauce and golden bechamel

Greek Main CoursesGreek Pastitsio Παστίτσιο · 1h 40m · serves 8

Thin strips of crisped pork gyros piled in a warm pita with tomato, onion and tzatziki

Greek Main CoursesGreek Pork Gyros Γύρος · 2h · serves 6

Greek Main CoursesHirino me Selino Χοιρινό με σέλινο · 2h 5m · serves 6

Cypriot koupepia stuffed vine leaves arranged on a plate with lemon

Greek Main CoursesKoupepia Κουπέπια · 1h 50m · serves 6

Grilled Cypriot sheftalia sausages wrapped in caul fat with charred edges

Greek Main CoursesSheftalia Σεφταλιά · 45m · serves 6

Cypriot afelia pork in a dark red wine and coriander seed sauce

Greek Main CoursesAfelia Αφέλια · 1h 30m · serves 4

A tray of Cypriot baked macaroni with a golden halloumi topping

Greek Main CoursesMakaronia tou Fournou Μακαρόνια του φούρνου · 1h 35m · serves 8

A Greek bifteki patty cut open showing melted feta inside

Greek Main CoursesBifteki Μπιφτέκι · 40m · serves 4

Greek Main CoursesKontosouvli Κοντοσούβλι · 3h 30m · serves 6

Greek Meze and AppetisersNoumboulo Νουμπούλο · 30m · serves 10

Northern Greek kavourmas preserved pork in a jar under its own fat

Greek Main CoursesKavourmas Καβουρμάς · 2h 50m · serves 8

Mani syglino cured and smoked pork with orange peel and fennel

Greek Main CoursesSyglino Maniatiko Σύγκλινο Μανιάτικο · 2h · serves 8

A bowl of Greek giouvarlakia meatball soup in avgolemono sauce

Greek SoupsGiouvarlakia Γιουβαρλάκια · 1h 15m · serves 6

Greek Meze and AppetisersLouza Tinou Λούζα Τήνου · 30m · serves 10

A slice of Greek kreatopita meat pie showing layered phyllo and filling

Greek Breads and PiesKreatopita Κρεατόπιτα · 1h 50m · serves 8

Macedonian giaprakia stuffed cabbage rolls with avgolemono sauce

Greek Main CoursesGiaprakia Thessalonikis Γιαπράκια Θεσσαλονίκης · 2h · serves 6

Greek Main CoursesApaki Kritis Απάκι Κρήτης · 40m · serves 8

A whole roasted Greek galopoula turkey stuffed with chestnut rice filling

Greek Main CoursesGalopoula Gemisti me Kastana Γαλοπούλα γεμιστή με κάστανα · 5h · serves 12

Greek SoupsSoupa Selino Avgolemono Σούπα σέλινο αυγολέμονο · 1h 55m · serves 6

Greek Main CoursesExohiko Εξοχικό · 1h 40m · serves 4

Greek Meze and AppetisersBourekakia me Kima Μπουρεκάκια με κιμά · 1h 20m · serves 8

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