norway foods

Exactly what does a typical Norwegian Christmas dinner consist of? If you have searched around a bit, you might have found several choises. But the strange thing is, all these choises might just be correct. I will now try to list some of the things a typical Norwegian might eat on Christmas eve.

Note that when I mention areas in which courses are eaten, do not take this as an absolute. People eat different things based on heritage and preferences. What I mention is just the general impression of things. The side dishes, like potatoes and so on, may also be different from area to area. Some people, for example, might eat mashed potatoes with lutefisk. Now, onto the food!

Pinnekjøtt (stick meat)

What: Steamed, salted meat
Usually served with: Potatoes and kålrabbistappe (mashed rutabaga)
Area: Vestlandet, western parts of Norway

This is probably the most smelly version of Christmas food here in Norway. When entering a food store with pinnekjøtt, a distinct smell greets you the moment you enter. Some hate this smell, others love it. While I am not too fond of the smell myself, the meat itself tastes pretty good. Pinnekjøtt is meat steamed in a cattle upon wooden sticks. One places the sticks at the bottom of the cattle, fills it up with water until the sticks are covered, and places the meat on top. We usually buy meat directly from the store, so that we don’t have to add salt and smoke it ourselves.

Smalahove (mutton head)

What: Cooked sheap head
Usually served with: Potatoes and kålrabbistappe (mashed rutabaga)
Area: Vestlandet, the parts around Voss

Not much to say about this dish really. I have never tried it, and I doubt I ever will. Somehow, it seems kind of unappealing… However, it is considered a delicacy. Some brave souls in the western parts of Norway are still eating and carrying on the tradition.

Lutefisk

What: Whitefish in different variants cooked in soda lye
Usually served with: Potatoes, ertestuing (mashed peas) and bacon.
Area: North-West and Northern parts of Norway. Popular among Norwegian-Americans (something which I find rather amusing. xD).

While I have never tried lutefisk myself, I would love to someday. While most of the people in my family aren’t too fond of the taste, my grandfather loves it. Older people tend to be more fond of lutefisk than the younger ones, at least here in Norway. The use of it in America I am a bit more unsure of, but I think it is eaten during the Consitutional day of Norway, 17. mai.

Ribbe (pork ribs)

What: Pork ribs
Usually served with: Potatoes, surkål (sauerkraut), other vegetables (like carrots, peas, etc.) and brown sauce made out of the fat of the rib obtained during the cooking.
Area: Østlandet, Eastern parts of Norway.

Tada~! This is what I eat on Christmas eve, the traditonal pork ribs. It usually takes a couple of hours cooking the ribs, but one gets to do a lot of other chores waiting for it like cooking potatoes, sauerkraut, vegetables, etc. One might even decorate tables. While most of the other food examples are pretty unique, pork ribs is a pretty known thing for most people. The crispier the ribs are, the better it is. It has almost become a competition, getting crispy ribs. Norway even have a S.O.S. phone line for people needing help with their pork ribs.

Side dishes
There are many other food examples served during Christmas dinner, and many of the courses above might contain several of these. At home, we usually have meatcakes and sossages in addition to the pork ribs. Here’s a little list:
- Medisterkaker (meatcakes made of medister farce)
- Medisterpølser (sossages made of medister farce)
- Sossisser (small sossages made of medister farce)
- Cod

Other dinner variants
There are also more options when it comes to the main meat dish itself. Popular food might be turkey and rakfisk.