Ski Like A NORD

Viking Stew Recipe

There’s a festive feeling all around.The air is cold and crisp. Magic twinkling lights are everywhere. The holidays are here!  This time of year is jam packed with so many fun traditions and celebrations. So … I started to wonder … What sort of winter celebrations and traditions were observed by the Vikings? 

The Vikings celebrated Yule. This end of the year festival started on December 21 to celebratethe winter solstice, the longest night of the year. This 12 day pagan festival included large feasts, copious amounts of drinking, songs, games, bonfires and sacrifices to the gods. You may find some of these Viking traditions very familiar, as many of them have been incorporated into what we all know, as Christmas.

Viking Yule symbols and traditions –

A Yule wreath or giant wheel was constructed, set on fire and thrown down a hill. This symbolized the coming and going of the sun throughout the year. It was the Viking’s wish for the sun’s return, as the previous days had become shorter and shorter.

The Yule log was a large ash tree carved with runes, which are early Norse letters. The yule log was burned for the duration of the celebration, as a wish for protection of the gods. To allow the Yule log to burn out before the end of the celebration was a dark omen and indicated bad luck to come. A piece of the Yule log would be saved to burn in the following year’s fire. 

A Yule tree was brought inside Viking homes to represent Yggdrasil, the Viking tree of life. This green tree was decorated with small carved statues of Norse gods, food and small clothing items such as, scarves, mittens and socks. 

On the longest night of the year, Vikings believed Odin, father of all the gods, would ride his unusual horse across the night sky to visit them in their homes. To encourage Odin’s visit, Viking children would leave their shoes by the hearth on the eve of the solstice. The children would fill their shoes with sugar and hay to nourish Odin’s eight legged horse, Sleipnir.

Vikings sacrificed animals to the gods. The meat was used for the feasts throughout the celebration. Wild boar and goat were popular. The main ingredient for warm and hearty meals eaten during the coldest time of year. Meat stews with root vegetables were common. Paired with some nice beer or mead, the Vikings created a hearty celebratory feast!

Viking Stew

1 pound cubed venison (cubed beef or elk can be substituted)

1 to 2 chopped onions

2 to 3 chopped carrots

2 chopped parsnips

2 chopped turnips

4 cups beef broth

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon coarse ground pepper

1 teaspoon rosemary

1 teaspoon sage

1 teaspoon thyme 

– In a large heavy pot, on medium heat, melt butter and cook onions until soft

– Add your meat choice, stirring and browning all sides

– Stir in carrots, parsnips, turnips, salt, pepper rosemary, sage and thyme

– Add beef broth and bring to a boil

– Reduce heat and simmer for 1 to 2 hours or until meat is tender and vegetables are cooked

  (Partially boil vegetables to reduce cooking time if desired)

– Serve hot with Rustic style crusty bread

Imagine all of the different variations of this stew! 

– Substitute potatoes for turnips and parsnips

– De bone and chop a rotisserie chicken for the meat and substitute chicken broth for the beef broth

– Thicken the base with some roux (flour incorporated with melted butter)

– Stir in chopped kale as the stew finishes

Have fun and use your imagination as you create your own Viking feast! 

Happy Yule to you!