How to Make Fårikål (Lamb & Cabbage Stew)

Fårikål is Scandinavian comfort food at its finest! It is Norway’s national dish. And the last Thursday of September has been deemed Fårikålens Festdag (fårikål feast day). This humble meal is an Autumn staple in my home!

One of my favorite things to do is to make traditional recipes from the lands of my ancestors. I know I have talked about it before. But cooking and eating the foods that have nourished my family for generations is something I love deeply.

My husband Nils and I both have Scandinavian heritage (can’t you tell by his name?). His mother’s family comes from Norway. In fact, we have visited his relatives that still live at the old family farm. I fell absolutely in love with Norway on that trip. I found it to be unbelievably beautiful. As well as very cozy (veldig koselig!). And the Norwegians have such a love of their culture and traditions.

One of those traditions that Norwegians love so much is Fårikål. In fact, it is Norway’s national dish! And the last Thursday of September is known as Fårikålens Festdag (fårikål feast day). We have a tradition in our home to make fårikål and eplekake (apple cake) every year for my husband’s birthday, which falls right around then. I think it is one of my favorite comfort foods. Once I notice the autumn chill, fårikål goes on the weekly meal rotation.

My recipe is based off of the recipe in Nevada Berg’s wonderful cookbook North Wild Kitchen. I have made a few changes to make the recipe work better for my needs, and based on the cuts of lamb I can most easily find.

Tips For Making Traditional Fårikål (Lamb & Cabbage Stew):

• I prefer the ease of using lamb stew meat instead of using a larger cut still on the bone. But the latter is more traditional.
• Sometimes it can be hard to find lamb meat in the U.S. I have made this with beef stew meat when I am unable to find lamb, and while it isn’t exactly the same, it is still delicious.
• The recipe calls for whole peppercorns, which are eaten along with everything else. If you are opposed to getting a bite of whole peppercorn, you can use ground black pepper instead.
• I always serve this over boiled potatoes with a large pat of grass-fed butter, but this is totally optional.

Tools:

• Dutch Oven or Large Stock Pot
• Knife & Cutting Board
• Measuring Cups
• Measuring Spoons

Notes on Ingredients:

Lamb: I get my lamb from a local farm. It is grass-fed. I suggest looking for grass-fed lamb at a local farm near you, as it will be the best quality. And as this dish does not have much seasoning, high-quality lamb is a must! If you don’t have access to local lamb, I have seen grass-fed lamb at Aldi. If you just can’t find lamb at all, you can use grass-fed beef.

Cabbage: I grow cabbage in my garden, so I was able to harvest some fresh. Again, since this dish is not heavily spiced, use the freshest cabbage you can find.

Peppercorns: I love the heat and flavor that biting into a whole peppercorn gives this dish. But if that doesn’t sound appealing to you, you can use ground black pepper instead. Peppercorn is a carminative spice, meaning it aids digestion.

Flour: I use organic, unbleached all-purpose flour in this recipe. You can omit it if you are gluten-sensitive. It is just used to thicken the stew a bit, but is not necessary.

Water: As always, use purified water if you can. The cabbage will release water as the dish cooks, so only a little water is needed initially.

How to Make Traditional Fårikål:

Firstly, wash your cabbage and remove the outer leaves. Core and chop into quarters.

Second, toss the lamb meat in a bowl with the flour.

Third, pour the water into your dutch oven or stock pot.

Next, place a layer of the lamb in the dutch oven or pot. Follow with a layer of cabbage. Sprinkle with a little sea salt and some of the peppercorns. Repeat until all ingredients have been used, ending with a layer of cabbage.

Place the lid on your dutch oven or pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for about one hour.

I serve this over boiled potatoes with a nice pat of butter on top.

If you try this recipe and enjoy it, I would be so grateful if you could come back and give it five stars! And I love to see your pictures of my recipes, so be sure to tag me on Instagram @verityfolkschool.

I really hope you’ll try this classic Norwegian dish! It is so hearty, warming and nourishing. And it is so quick and simple to throw together.

I would love to hear about your heritage and what recipes you make that have nourished your ancestors for generations. Please share in the comments below!

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