Hangikjöt með Uppstúf (Icelandic Smoked Lamb with White Sauce)
Local name: Hangikjöt með uppstúf
In short: Smoked lamb simmered until tender and sliced thin, served with a sweet, nutmeg-scented white sauce, boiled potatoes, green peas and red cabbage. It takes about 1 h 55 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 1 h 40 min
- Resting
- 15 min
- Total
- 1 h 55 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 620 kcal
Hangikjöt, which means hung meat, is lamb that has been cured and smoked, and it is the centerpiece of the Icelandic Christmas table. It is simmered gently, sliced thin and served hot or cold with uppstúf, a white sauce with a little sugar and nutmeg that balances the salt and smoke. Boiled potatoes, green peas and sweet-sour red cabbage complete the plate. Outside Iceland, a smoked lamb leg or a smoked ham joint is a fine stand-in.
Instructions
- Put the lamb in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming off any foam, then lower the heat.
- Simmer gently, partly covered, for 70 to 80 minutes, until a thermometer in the thickest part reads 71°C (160°F) and the meat is tender. Do not let the water boil hard.
- Turn off the heat and leave the lamb in the broth for 15 minutes so it stays moist.
- Meanwhile, boil the potatoes in salted water for 15 to 18 minutes, until tender. Drain and keep warm. Cook the peas in boiling water for 3 minutes and drain.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute without browning.
- Whisk in the warm milk a little at a time until smooth. Add the sugar, nutmeg and salt and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring, until the sauce coats a spoon and tastes mildly sweet.
- Lift out the lamb, slice it thinly against the grain and arrange on a platter. Serve hot with the potatoes, uppstúf, peas and pickled red cabbage.
Tips
- Hangikjöt varies in saltiness. Taste the cooking water after 30 minutes, and if it is very salty replace half of it with fresh hot water.
- Leftover hangikjöt is excellent cold, sliced thin on rye bread with butter. Keep it in its cooking broth in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Questions and answers
What is hangikjöt?
Icelandic smoked lamb, traditionally cured and smoked over birch wood or, in the old way, dried sheep dung. It is served at Christmas and other holidays, hot or cold.
Where can I find hangikjöt outside Iceland?
It is rarely sold abroad. A smoked lamb leg from a specialty butcher, or a boneless smoked ham or gammon joint, gives a similar result.
Why is the white sauce sweet?
Uppstúf has a little sugar and nutmeg that balance the salty, smoky meat. It is the traditional partner on Icelandic Christmas tables.
How long does it take to make Hangikjöt með Uppstúf (Icelandic Smoked Lamb with White Sauce)?
About 1 h 55 min in total: 15 min of preparation and 1 h 40 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Hangikjöt með Uppstúf (Icelandic Smoked Lamb with White Sauce)?
About 620 kcal per serving, with 43 g of protein, 45 g of carbohydrates and 28 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 620 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 43 g |
| Carbohydrates | 45 g |
| Fat | 28 g |
| Fiber | 6 g |
| Sugar | 11 g |
| Sodium | 1950 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
