| Prep: 30 mins | Cook: 2 hours 30 mins – 3 hours | Difficulty: Medium | Serves: 6 |
| kcal | fat | saturates | carbs |
| 830 | 49g | 18g | 22g |
| sugars | fibre | protein | salt |
| 4g | 4g | 69g | 1.2g |
Why I Love Finnish Karelian Stew
I cannot tell you enough how infatuated I am with this traditional Finnish dish, Karelian Stew. This hearty stew, a blend of tender beef, juicy pork, and robust lamb enlivened by bold accents of onion, salt and pepper, has charmed my palate in ways I could not have predicted at initial encounter. In the manner of Julia Child, I am convinced that “people who love to eat are always the best people”. Well, I add that the stew-loving club is a unique type of club, the one that understands intimately the soul-soothing power of a well-crafted stew, which is wonderfully exemplified in the Karelian Stew.
A Blend of Culinary Cultures
Looking into my culinary heritage, growing under the culinary influence of Nigerian parents and the Southern-American tradition of Atlanta, my recipe development journey has largely been an exploration of Afro-Southern fusion. Discovering recipes that fuse the vibrancy and diversity of different food cultures has enabled me to celebrate the richness of human experiences. As I have always been inspired by renowned Ghanaian-British chef Zoe Adjonyoh, who consistently challenges and expands our culinary horizons, for this recipe I drifted a bit further North and found myself right in the heart of Finnish tradition.
Crossing Culinary Borders
Navigating through the Finnish culinary landscape, I understood that the Karelian Stew, in its unique way, resonates with the meals that radiate warmth and unity, similar to my native West African soups and the Southern meat-and-three. Motivated by these culinary parallels, I found a new way to rejoice in culinary diversity. I confidently say, the Karelian Stew is not just a dish, it’s an experience – a celebration of hearty flavours in every bite.
Perfect Pairings
One joy of navigating the world of recipes is discovering dishes that seem tailor-made to be together or share a subtle flavour connection that enhances both. For the Karelian Stew, I’d suggest pairing it with a simple yet robust Finnish Rye Bread, which has enough character to hold its own while seamlessly soaking up the full-bodied broth of Karelian Stew.
As a culinary adventurer, the opportunity to navigate these global flavours from the comfort of my kitchen brings me indescribable satisfaction. As always, I encourage you to do your culinary explorations, and while at it, remember to share the joy. After all, the heart of any recipe is sharing and communal enjoyment.
What You’ll Need
- 2 pounds of beef chuck
- 2 pounds of pork shoulder
- 2 pounds of bone-in lamb shoulder
- 2 large onions, chopped
- 2 teaspoons of salt
- 1 teaspoon of black peppercorns
- 6 cups of water
- 4 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
Method
Step One
Start by preparing your meat. Cut the beef chuck, pork shoulder, and bone-in lamb shoulder into chunks. After cutting, place them in a large pot.
Step Two
In the pot with the meat, add in chopped onions, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1 teaspoon of black peppercorns. Mix all ingredients to ensure the meat is well seasoned.
Step Three
Pour 6 cups of water into the pot. Bring the mix to a boil over high heat, then reduce it to low and simmer. Cover the pot and let the stew cook for about two hours, or until the meat is tender.
Step Four
While your stew is simmering, prepare the vegetables. Peel and chop 4 medium potatoes and 2 carrots.
Step Five
Add your chopped potatoes and carrots into the stew. Let it simmer for another 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft.
Step Six
Once all ingredients are fully cooked and tender, taste the stew. Adjust the seasoning if needed, adding more salt or pepper to suit your taste. Your Karelian Stew is now ready to be served. Enjoy hot.
