Fårikål

Fårikål (Norwegian Lamb and Cabbage Stew)

Norway's national dish: bone-in lamb shoulder and young cabbage layered with whole black peppercorns and slow-simmered until the meat falls from the bone and the cabbage turns silky. Best eaten in autumn when the season's first lamb is at its prime.

Prep

20 min

Cook

120 min

Total

140 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •1500 g (3¼ lb) bone-in lamb shoulder or neck chops, cut into thick pieces; ask the butcher to portion it. Lamb neck gives the best flavor.
• •1500 g (3¼ lb) green pointed cabbage (hodekål), young autumn cabbage is traditional; substitute with small green cabbage. Do not use Savoy.
• •15 g (3 Tbsp) whole black peppercorns, lightly cracked, not ground
• •25 g (¼ cup) all-purpose wheat flour
• •1000 g (2¼ lb) waxy potatoes, peeled; use whole small potatoes or halve larger ones
• •10 g (2 tsp) fine sea salt, plus more for serving
• •750 ml (3 cups) cold water, enough to nearly cover the cabbage

Steps

1. 1 Trim excess fat from the lamb, leaving a thin layer, and salt the pieces lightly. Let stand 15 minutes at room temperature.
2. 2 Core the cabbage and cut it into 4–6 cm wedges through the core so each wedge holds together. Do not shred it.
3. 3 In a wide, heavy pot (a Dutch oven works well), lay a layer of cabbage wedges on the bottom. Scatter one-third of the peppercorns and a pinch of salt over it.
4. 4 Add a layer of lamb pieces, then another layer of cabbage and more peppercorns and salt. Alternate until everything is used, ending with cabbage on top.
5. 5 Sprinkle the flour evenly over the top layer of cabbage. This will gently thicken the cooking liquid into a light gravy.
6. 6 Pour the cold water down the side of the pot so you do not disturb the layers; the liquid should reach just below the top of the cabbage. Bring slowly to a gentle simmer over medium heat, uncovered.
7. 7 Skim any grey foam that rises during the first 10–15 minutes. Once the liquid is barely simmering, cover the pot with a tight lid, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 1 hour without stirring.
8. 8 After 1 hour, nestle the peeled potatoes into the pot around the edges so they sit in the liquid. Re-cover and cook another 45–60 minutes, until the lamb is fully tender and pulls cleanly from the bone and the potatoes are cooked through.
9. 9 Doneness check: the lamb should reach an internal temperature of at least 85 °C (185 °F) in the thickest part and show no pink at the bone; the cabbage should be translucent and silkily tender, not mushy.
10. 10 Remove the pot from the heat and let it rest, covered, for 10 minutes so the juices settle. Skim excess fat from the surface.
11. 11 Serve in deep bowls: a wedge of cabbage, a piece of lamb, potatoes alongside, and a generous ladle of the peppery broth. Traditionally accompanied by plain flatbread (lefse or rough oat flatbread) and a small dish of salt for dipping the meat.