Surkål

Ingredients

The dish

• 1large white cabbage, about 1.2 kg, shredded fine
• 50 gbutter or pork fat
• 150 mlwater or stock
• 100 mlwhite vinegar
• 2 tbspsugar
• 1 tbspcaraway seed
• 1 tspsalt
• 1apple, grated, optional
• 1 tbspplain flour, for thickening

To serve

• ribbe — roast pork belly
• pinnekjøtt
• or medisterkaker

Directions

1. Shred the cabbage as finely as you can. This is not a fermented sauerkraut despite the name — Norwegian surkål is soured with vinegar in the pan, which is why it is made on the day rather than a month ahead.
2. Melt the butter in a heavy pot and add the cabbage with the water, vinegar, sugar, caraway and salt.
3. Cover and cook very gently for an hour, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is completely soft and has reduced by more than half.
4. Add the grated apple, if using, for the last 20 minutes.
5. Taste and balance the vinegar and sugar. Surkål should be clearly sweet-sour, and different cabbages need different amounts — adjust it at the end rather than trusting the quantities.
6. Sprinkle over the flour and stir it through, then cook uncovered for five minutes until the liquid thickens and coats the cabbage rather than pooling underneath.
7. It is better made a day ahead and reheated, which is what most Norwegian households do before Christmas.
8. Serve hot alongside ribbe or pinnekjøtt.

Technique

• This is not sauerkraut. It is cooked and soured with vinegar in an hour, not fermented for a month.
• Balance the sweet and sour at the end. It is the whole seasoning of the dish.
• Caraway is not optional in Norway. Without it, it is simply braised cabbage.

Substitutions

• Red cabbage for rødkål, which is the same method with the addition of blackcurrant syrup.
• Cider vinegar for white, which is rounder.
• Pork fat in place of butter, which is traditional and better with ribbe.

Variations

• Rødkål, the red version, is served alongside it at Christmas.
• A fermented Norwegian surkål also exists but is much less common than the cooked one.

History

The Norwegian counterpart to sauerkraut, seasoned with caraway and served at Christmas with ribbe and pinnekjøtt.

Frequently asked questions

What is Surkål?

Surkål is a fermented & pickled from Norway: shredded cabbage soured with vinegar and caraway, beside pork ribs. The Norwegian counterpart to sauerkraut, seasoned with caraway and served at Christmas with ribbe and pinnekjøtt.

How long does Surkål take to make?

Surkål takes 20 min of preparation and 1 hour 15 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes serves 8 as a side. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Surkål?

Yes, within limits. Red cabbage for rødkål, which is the same method with the addition of blackcurrant syrup. Cider vinegar for white, which is rounder. Pork fat in place of butter, which is traditional and better with ribbe.

What is the most important thing to get right in Surkål?

Shred the cabbage as finely as you can. This is not a fermented sauerkraut despite the name — Norwegian surkål is soured with vinegar in the pan, which is why it is made on the day rather than a month ahead.