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Most Popular Types of Meat in Greece

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toniiv

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When I went to Greece I didn't see chicken much. I saw pork, goat, lamb, beef, and turkey the most, but I did see some chicken.

What types of meat are most popular? Does it depend on the region?

Mostly, I saw a TON of seafood last time I was there.
 
Pork and chicken. Greece is known for having really good pork.

Lamb and goat is actually not as wide spread unless you're in tourist locations. Greeks serve lamb for tourists because that's what they expect, but in reality, Greeks only eat lamb on Easter.


As far as seafood goes, none of it is fresh unless it's next to the sea. If you can't see the sea then you don't eat seafood, unless you're okay with eating frozen seafood. The reason people in Athens (and other cities on the sea) have trouble finding fresh seafood is because Greece doesn't allow commercial fishing the way the USA does, so you have small family owned businesses going out and catching what they can and then selling it.. because they don't catch as much as commercial fishermen, the fresh fish gets bought out very quickly, so now you're back to eating pork or chicken if you're on the mainland. On the islands there is more of a mix of seafood in your diet than on the mainland.
 
I have memories from the tiny island of Paxos where the chicken truck, filled to the brim with squawking birds, arrived in the village each week. My young daughter was horrified having only seen it previously, packaged in the supermarket. ellinasgolfer 0320 - great answer!
 
Lamb and goat are quite popular meats in Greece and are commonly featured in various dishes. Dishes like souvlaki (skewered and grilled meat), gyros (rotisserie-cooked meat), and moussaka (a layered casserole) often use lamb or goat meat. Chicken is indeed less prevalent than some of the other meats you mentioned, but it's still a part of Greek cuisine. You can find dishes like chicken souvlaki, and chicken-based stews, and if you're looking for a different preparation, you can even make delicious Greek chicken thighs in oven.
 
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anthony.gaines said:
Lamb and goat are quite popular meats in Greece and are commonly featured in various dishes. Dishes like souvlaki (skewered and grilled meat), gyros (rotisserie-cooked meat), and moussaka (a layered casserole) often use lamb or goat meat. Chicken is indeed less prevalent than some of the other meats you mentioned, but it's still a part of Greek cuisine. You can find dishes like chicken souvlaki, and chicken-based stews, and if you're looking for a different preparation, you can even make delicious Greek chicken thighs in oven.
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No, they are not. You will not find lamb in a gyros or souvlaki. Just about every single souvlatzidiko you visit in Greece will only offer pork or chicken souvlakia/gyroi. I don't like to gate keep, but this is just wrong, especially for goat because even less people eat goat. Anyone who has ever lived in Greece knows this, and for some reason, people who were raised "Greek" and have never lived in Greece think Greeks love to eat lamb and goat as part of their regular diet, and it's just not true. The truth is that most people who claim to be Greek outside of Greece know little to nothing about the country (culture, food, language, everyday life) and misinformation gets spread all over the internet.
 
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