Lapskaus
A thick, homely stew of meat and root vegetables cooked down until spoon-tender and deeply savoury.
Cultural Context & History
Every valley kitchen has a pot of lapskaus in its memory — a catch-all stew that turns the week's meat and roots into something greater. Brown or pale, thick or brothy, it is pure everyday nourishment.
Ingredients
- 600 g beef chuck, cubed
- 6 potatoes, cubed
- 2 carrots, cubed
- 1/2 rutabaga, cubed
- 1 leek, sliced
- 1 litre beef stock
- 2 tbsp butter
- Salt and pepper
- Flatbread, to serve
Recommended Tools
- Heavy-based stockpotHolds a steady, even simmer through the long braise.
- Wooden spoonCrushes a few soft potatoes against the side to thicken.
- Chef's knifeCubes the roots evenly so they cook in step.
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Step-by-Step Instructions
- 1
Melt the butter in a large heavy pot and brown the beef cubes well on all sides.
- 2
Pour in the stock, bring to the boil, then cover and simmer gently for 1 hour, until the beef begins to soften.
- 3
Add the potatoes, carrots, rutabaga and leek, and simmer for a further 30–40 minutes, until the potatoes start to disintegrate and thicken the stew of their own accord.
- 4
Season generously with salt and pepper and serve hot, with flatbread alongside.
Chef's Tip
Browning the beef first makes this the dark version, brun lapskaus; for a paler, gentler stew (lys), skip the colour and simply sweat the meat before adding the stock.
Chef's Tip
Like most winter stews it only improves overnight, so make it a day ahead and reheat slowly once the flavours have settled.
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