Beef or pork? Charcoal, gas, or electric grill? Here you will find everything you need to know, even if you are not a grilling master, to make the perfect steak.

Beef or Pork?

This is clearly a matter of taste and each has its own deliciousness. What matters is the part of the animal from which the steak comes, the way it is cut, and of course where and how it will be cooked.

Regarding beef steaks, your basic choices are:

• Rib Steak: These are the first 4-5 ribs of the back. These are the largest steaks that the beef provides.
• Steak: Part of the back in continuation of the rib steaks. Cut into slices with the bone, it is ideal for grilling or pan-frying.
• Striploin: The rear part of the animal's back, in continuation of the steaks. It is cut into thin steaks for grilling or pan-frying. The T-bone steak includes the striploin and the tenderloin (separated by a T-shaped bone) – ideal for grill, pan, oven.
• Rib eye: It is from the upper part of the shoulder, below the rib steaks. It is a tender piece of meat, cut into steaks for grill, griddle, or oven.

For pork chops, you will choose from the following:

• Neck Chop: A chop with a high fat content that becomes very tasty on the grill
• Rib Chop and Ribs: Cut from the upper part of the shoulder and the ribs. It has moderate fat and is ideal for grilling and frying
• Loin Chop: It has little intramuscular fat and is best cooked in a pan

Do We Marinate the Meat? 

A nice marinade will add flavor to the meat you have chosen and more moisture. You can make one based on beer, honey, mustard, oregano, and other herbs such as thyme and rosemary. Traditional grillers prefer meat only with salt, pepper, and oregano. If you want something different in taste, you will find many recipes for delicious marinades on the internet. Marinating can last from 1 hour to two days. During this time, you should stir the ingredients often.

Tip: Before placing the meat on the grill or pan for cooking, dab the piece with kitchen paper to remove excess marinade, especially if it includes ingredients that "catch" and will alter the taste of the meat.

Meat Inside or Outside the Refrigerator?

Steaks, whether beef or pork, should be at room temperature to achieve the desired level of doneness inside. Take them out of the refrigerator at least 1 hour before cooking, covering them with plastic wrap to protect from dust and insects. Just before placing them on the grill, a little salt and pepper are enough (in case you haven't chosen to marinate them).

Grilling Options

The best grilling for Tsiknopempti is, of course, the barbecue grill. Choose the one that suits your space, charcoal barbecue, gas or electric grill / griddle. The final result depends on the technique!

The gas barbecue is a very good solution for you who do not want charcoal and firelighters or who live, for example, in an apartment building. To choose the right one, see the Buying Guide that will answer all your questions. The charcoal barbecue definitely gives a much better flavor to the meat, but it needs a better garden or yard and, after all, charcoal is more of a hassle. The electric one, on the other hand, is a solution of necessity if you have nothing of the above.

The 4 secrets of perfect grilling:

1. Grill on high heat

Make sure to preheat your grill so that your steaks cook perfectly. High heat, whether on a charcoal or gas grill, is essential to create an outer crust that seals in the steak’s flavorful juices.

2. Frequent flipping of the steak

Famous chefs recommend flipping for a perfect crust every 17-20 seconds, no matter what cut you’re grilling or for how long. Others prefer flipping only once, halfway through cooking, but this also depends on how tender or aged the meat is. Frequent flipping gives you more control, but some argue it disrupts proper grilling. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

3. Use a thermometer for perfect results (for beef steaks)

Using a thermometer might seem like too much, but it’s the best way to achieve the doneness you want. Check the internal temperature of the meat once it’s browned on both sides. Remove it from the heat and insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the steak, without touching the bone if there is one.

Degrees of doneness:

• for rare 50-52°C
• for medium rare 58-60°C
• for medium 63°C
• and for well done 65-70°C

Attention!

If you’ve chosen pork chops, they must be well cooked without drying out. Follow the recommended cooking times and towards the end, check if the meat is cooked through as follows: Make a small cut at the thickest part of the meat and near the bone to see if it’s still pink in the center – if so, it needs more cooking. The best grilling time for a pork chop over charcoal is about 20 minutes.

4. Let the steak rest

As soon as you take the steaks off the heat, let them rest on a plate covered with aluminum foil to retain the temperature for about 6-7 minutes. For the first 2 minutes, the steak’s temperature continues to rise, then gradually starts to fall. The meat fibers contract, locking in all the juices, so the meat stays juicy and tender.

Tips & Dips

• Serve the meat with fleur de sel and pepper (try the smoked one!), which will complete the result
• Toast some bread and sprinkle it with oregano oil, salt, and freshly ground pepper
• Assign someone to take care of crispy golden French fries. In the air fryer you'll get an equally good but healthier and quicker result
• A variety of dips, from traditional ones like tzatziki, cheese salad, and spicy cheese dip, to more gourmet options like Jack Daniel's sauce, caramelized onion chutney, BBQ, and more, will add that extra something to the taste

The essential tools of a good and organized griller

The right choice of tools will elevate your grilling experience and make you the best griller, even if you are a BBQ beginner. Make sure you have everything you need to make your steaks tender and delicious!

• Fork: Never pierce the meat while it is grilling. You will need it to take the steaks off the grill.
• Tongs: Absolutely essential for turning the steaks gently and with care during grilling.
• Silicone brush: Used to coat the meat with olive oil or your marinade to add extra flavor.
• Grill spatula: Ideal for flipping meat, burgers, and sausages, if you add them (which you will).
• Grill thermometer: We discussed above how important the internal temperature of the meat is for the desired result.
• Grilling gloves: It is very important to protect your hands from the heat of the grill, and these are made for very high temperatures.
• Griller's apron: You need it both because it gives you prestige and to keep your clothes clean while grilling.
• Extra accessories: Add to your equipment a cutting board, a good knife, and a serving platter for everything you have grilled.

Find here complete BBQ tool sets

Additionally, you will need:

The end...

You nailed the perfect grilling, all the necessary sides were there—grilled bread with olive oil and oregano, French fries, salad, the essential tzatziki, beers, wines, and all the good stuff. Now you can relax. But someone has to take care of the cleaning. Give them what they need and enjoy your cold beer with a satisfied smile on your face. The last one should cover the grill.

When are Carnival & Tsiknopempti in 2026?

The Triodion opens on Sunday, February 1, 2026.

Tsiknopempti falls this year on February 12, 2026.

Clean Monday 2026 falls on February 23, 2026, which is also when Great Lent begins.

The last Sunday of Carnival is on February 22, 2026.

Read also:

• The best grills for BBQ