Pinnekjott

Pinnekjott is lamb or mutton ribs cured in salt and dried, sometimes smoked, then soaked in water for a day or more to draw out the salt and steamed for hours over a layer of peeled birch sticks laid in the bottom of a pot, which is where the name comes from: pinne means stick. The meat comes off the bone easily and is served with mashed swede, potatoes and the cooking liquid, usually with aquavit and beer. It is the dominant Christmas Eve dinner in western Norway and has spread across much of the country, competing with ribbe, roast pork belly, in the east. The soaking and steaming take two days, which is part of the ritual.

What you actually see

• The dried ribs - salted and dried lamb, sometimes smoked.
• The birch sticks - a layer in the pot that the meat steams above.
• The accompaniments - mashed swede, potato and the cooking liquid.
• The two-day preparation - soaking followed by long steaming.

When to go

December, when it dominates Christmas menus in western Norway and appears in restaurants throughout the month; outside the season it is sold in supermarkets but rarely served out.

Honest expectations

It is very salty even after soaking, and the smoked versions more so. Portions are large and fatty. Restaurant Christmas dinners in December book out weeks ahead and are aimed at office parties.

Nearby

Bergen and the western fjord districts are the heartland; December menus run across the whole country.