Recipe byThe ZestyPlate Kitchen
Fårikål: Norway's national dish of lamb and cabbage slowly stewed with whole peppercorns until the meat falls from the bone. Hearty, simple autumn cooking.
Fårikål is Norway's national dish, and it's comfort at its plainest: lamb and cabbage layered up with whole peppercorns and left to simmer slowly until the meat slips off the bone. There's barely anything to it, yet the long, gentle cook turns simple ingredients into something deeply warming. This is autumn in a pot, traditionally eaten with boiled potatoes and plenty of the savoury broth.
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Prep 15 min
Cook 165 min
Total 180 min
Easy
Scale:
- 3 Lbs Lamb
- 1 head White Cabbage
- 3 tablespoons Whole Black Peppercorns
- 3 tsp Salt
- 1 1/2 cups Water
- 5 tablespoons Flour
Preparation
- Cut the lamb into large pieces.
- Slice the cabbage into large wedges, keeping the core attached.
- Lay a layer of lamb in the base of a large pot, fatty side down, and scatter over peppercorns and salt. Add a layer of cabbage wedges, then carry on layering lamb, peppercorns and cabbage, finishing with cabbage.
- For a thicker stew, sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of flour over the lamb as you layer (optional).
- Pour in the water, bring to the boil, then cover, lower the heat and cook gently for 2 to 3 hours, until the lamb falls from the bone.
- Serve with boiled potatoes and fresh parsley, ladling the broth generously over the top.
Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen
- Lay the lamb fatty-side down at the base so it bastes the cabbage as the fat renders.
- Bone-in lamb gives the richest broth, since the bones lend body and flavour.
- Keep the heat low and unhurried. Push it and the meat stays tough instead of going meltingly soft.
- A little flour between the layers thickens the broth into a light, glossy sauce if that's how you like it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Whole peppercorns are traditional and bring gentle warmth without taking over. Some people tie them in muslin to fish out later, but most just leave them in.
Bone-in shoulder or neck pieces are ideal. They're fatty and full of flavour, and they turn beautifully tender over the long cook.
Definitely. Like a lot of stews, fårikål is even better the next day once the flavours have settled. Reheat it gently.
Boiled potatoes are the classic choice, with plenty of the peppery broth spooned over the top.
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