Blodklubb
Dense barley-and-blood dumplings, sliced and pan-fried in butter, served with syrup or bacon.
Cultural Context & History
A frugal winter dish born of nothing wasted, blood dumplings turn the harvest into a compact, iron-rich staple. Sliced and fried the next day, they are humble northern comfort.
Ingredients
- 500 ml fresh beef or pork blood
- 200 g ground suet (beef or pork fat)
- 300 g barley flour
- 100 g wheat flour
- 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1 litre beef broth
- For serving: fried bacon, golden syrup or sugar
Recommended Tools
- Fine-mesh sieveCatches clots so the dough stays smooth.
- Deep stockpotHolds enough broth to poach the klubber gently.
- Slotted spoonLowers and lifts the dumplings without breaking them.
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Step-by-Step Instructions
- 1
Strain the blood into a large bowl to catch any clots.
- 2
Work in the ground suet, salt and allspice, then add the barley and wheat flours a little at a time until you have a thick, sticky dough.
- 3
With wet hands, shape the dough into fist-sized balls — the klubber.
- 4
Bring the beef broth to a gentle boil and lower the dumplings in carefully.
- 5
Simmer gently for 45–60 minutes, until they float and are cooked through.
- 6
Slice and serve hot with fried bacon and a drizzle of golden syrup.
Chef's Tip
Test-poach a single klubb first: if it slumps or clouds the broth, work a little more barley flour into the dough before shaping the rest.
Chef's Tip
Leftover klubber are even better the next day — slice thick and fry in butter until the edges crisp and caramelise, then serve with a drizzle of syrup.
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