Pinnekjøtt facts for kids
Pinnekjøtt is a special Norwegian dinner. It's made from lamb ribs. This tasty meal is very popular in Western and Northern Norway. But people all over Norway are starting to enjoy it. Many families eat Pinnekjøtt for Christmas. It often comes with mashed rutabaga, sausages, and potatoes. Grown-ups might drink beer or akevitt with it.
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How Pinnekjøtt is Made
Making Pinnekjøtt uses old ways to keep food fresh. This includes salting, drying, and sometimes smoking the meat. These methods stop tiny germs from growing. Even though you can buy fresh lamb anytime, Pinnekjøtt is still made. People make it at home and buy it from stores. This is because the old ways of preparing it give the meat a special taste.
Preparing Lamb Ribs at Home
At home, people salt the lamb ribs. They use salty water or rough sea salt. After salting, the ribs are hung up. They need a cool, dark, and airy place to dry. This usually happens when the weather is cold enough. In some areas, like parts of Hordaland, people smoke the fresh ribs first. This was traditionally done to stop mold from growing while the meat dried.
Cooking Pinnekjøtt
Before cooking, the ribs are cut apart. You use a sharp knife to separate each rib. Then, the ribs must soak in water. This washes out the salt and makes the meat soft again. Today, you can buy Pinnekjøtt in most supermarkets before Christmas. It comes smoked or unsmoked. It's often already cut and sometimes even soaked, ready to cook.
To cook, the ribs are steamed in a large pot. You put a little water at the bottom. People often place birch twigs in the pot. This creates a grate. It lets the meat steam instead of boiling in the water.
What "Pinnekjøtt" Means
The name Pinnekjøtt literally means 'stick meat'. No one is completely sure why it's called this. It might be because of the birch twigs used for steaming. Or, the word pinne can also mean a single rib in some Norwegian dialects.
Pinnekjøtt in Pop Culture
Pinnekjøtt has even appeared on TV! In the Netflix show Lady Dynamite (from 2017), the main character's mother makes Pinnekjøtt. She prepares it for the King and Queen of Norway when they visit Duluth, Minnesota.
See also
In Spanish: Pinnekjøtt para niños
