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Norwegian pinnekjøtt served with creamy rutabaga mash and boiled potatoes on a Nordic ceramic plate, styled in soft Scandinavian daylight.
Erik Lundström

Pinnekjøtt: Norway’s Stick-Meat Tradition — Made from Scratch

Pinnekjøtt is a traditional Norwegian Christmas dish of lamb ribs that are salt-cured, dried, soaked, and then gently steamed until tender. Served with rutabaga mash, boiled potatoes, and a spoonful of tart berry jam, it’s a festive and flavorful centerpiece of Nordic holiday celebrations — and this recipe shows how to make it entirely from scratch using fresh lamb.
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Prep Time 12 days
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 12 days 3 hours
Servings: 6
Course: Dinner / Main Course
Cuisine: Norwegian
Calories: 850
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2–2.5 kg (4.5–5.5 lbs) Fresh lamb ribs OR shoulder/shanks
  • 150 g (~1 heaping cup) Coarse sea salt

Method
 

Cure the Lamb (Salt + Time)
  1. Coat the lamb generously on all sides with coarse sea salt.
  2. Place in a non-reactive tray covered in plastic or a lidded container.
  3. Refrigerate 3–5 days. Pour off liquid (drawn out by salt) daily. The longer the cure, the deeper the flavor. 5 days is traditional.
  4. Always keep the meat refrigerated during curing and drying!
Dry & Mature the Meat
  1. Remove any excess salt (do not rinse yet).
  2. Place the ribs on a rack, uncovered, in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours, ideally 4–7 days.
Rehydrate (Soak)
  1. Place ribs in a large pot, cover with cold water. Soak 18–24 hours. Change water once halfway through. (Shoulder/shanks may need a few extra hours if very thick.)
The Classic “Stick Cooking”
  1. Line a large pot with birch sticks or a steaming rack.
  2. Add water until it just covers the sticks.
  3. Place the lamb on top, cover tightly.
  4. Steam low & slow for about 3 hours at a gentle simmer, until the meat loosens from the bone. Keep checking that water never dries out!
  5. Optional: For crispy edges, transfer the ribs to a baking sheet and broil/grill at high heat (220°C / 425°F) for 5–8 minutes, until the fat is browned and the edges are lightly crisp. Keep a close eye on them.