Vossapølse Lapskaus

Vossapølse Lapskaus

Recipes with Vossapølse

Lapskaus is Norwegian meat stew: cubed root vegetables and meat in a thick, savoury broth, cooked until everything is soft. Sailor and working-class households in Bergen made it from whatever they had, and the smoked sausage from Voss was a natural addition. Vossapølse gives the broth a pronounced smoke and a lamb depth that beef alone does not produce. This is a cold-weather dish, heavy and filling, with a long simmer behind it.

Prep Time

20 min

Cook Time

55 min

Servings

4

Difficulty

Medium

Ingredients

  • 300 g vossapølse, cut into 2 cm pieces
  • 300 g beef chuck or brisket, cut into 2 cm cubes
  • 600 g waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 cm cubes
  • 300 g carrots, peeled and cut into 1.5 cm chunks
  • 200 g swede (rutabaga), peeled and cut into 1.5 cm cubes
  • 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 litre beef stock
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • Salt and black pepper
  • Flatbrød, to serve

Steps

1

Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown the beef cubes in batches, turning to colour all sides. This takes 8 to 10 minutes total. Transfer the beef to a plate.

2

Add the onion to the same pot and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes until softened and lightly golden. Add the bay leaves.

3

Return the beef to the pot. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Skim any foam from the surface. Reduce to a low simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.

4

Add the swede and carrots. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the potatoes and the vossapølse pieces. Continue simmering, uncovered, for a further 20 minutes until the potatoes are cooked through and the broth has thickened from the starch. Some potatoes will break down slightly, which is correct.

5

Remove the bay leaves. Taste the broth and adjust the salt. The broth should be well seasoned from the smoked sausage, so add extra salt carefully. Serve in deep bowls with flatbrød broken alongside.

Tips

The stew improves overnight. Make it the day before and reheat gently. The potato starch continues to thicken the broth as it sits, and the smoke from the sausage spreads more evenly through the broth. Some lapskaus recipes add a splash of Worcestershire sauce or a small amount of allspice to the broth; either works but neither is necessary if the stock is good.