Bowl of Lapskaus
(click to enlarge)

Lapskaus / Labskovs


Norway: Lapskaus   |   Denmark: Labskovs
Makes:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 10-1/2 cup
***
5 hrs
Best		 Of Latvian / Lithuanian origin (see History), this stew was adopted in all the northern seaport countries. This recipe is for Brun Lapskaus - Light Lapskaus is made with Pork.
The Norwegian version is very popular in the American Midwest. With the addition of diced bacon Labskovs becomes Skipper Labskovs. For more on the Danish version, see Comments. For Liverpool version see Scouse.




2
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14
2
6
5
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1/4
2
4
4
1/2
2/3
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ar
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ar
ar
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#
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oz
#
oz
oz
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c


c
T
t
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Beef (1)
-- Roots
Onions
Potatoes (2)
Carrots (3)
Parsnip (3)
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Olive Oil
Thyme sprig
Bay Leaves
Stock, Beef (4)
Salt
Pepper
-- Garnish
Parsley
-- Serve with
Pickled Beets (5)
Dark Bread
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Prep   -   (45 min)
  1. Trim the BEEF of excess fat and cut into pieces about 1-1/4 inch on a side.
  2. Cut ONIONS into quarters lengthwise and slice crosswise about 1/4 inch wide.
  3. Peel POTATOES and cut into cubes about 3/4 inch or a little less. Hold in cold water until needed.
  4. Peel CARROTS and PARSNIPS (IF used). Cut into pieces 1/2 to 1 inch long depending on size. Split large end of Parsnip into quarters before slicing.
  5. Prepare LEEK (IF used) and slice thin (white and light green only). Mix with Carrots.
  6. Chop PARSLEY coarse for garnish.
Run   -   (2-3/4 to 4-1/4 hrs depending on beef cut)
  1. Select a large heavy bottomed Dutch oven or similar - I use a 5-1/2 quart multi-ply sauté pan, which is sufficient for up to 1-1/2 recipes. Heat Oil. Stir in Beef and fry stirring until the Beef is lightly browned on all sides - not too dark, or it will harden.
  2. Stir in the Onions. Fry, stirring often, until translucent.
  3. Stir in Bay Leaves, Thyme and Stock. Bring to a boil, cover and turn to a simmer until meat is nearly tender. This can be as little as 1 hour for Chuck, as much as 2-3/4 hours for Shank.
  4. Drain Potatoes and stir in along with Carrot mix. Bring back to a boil, cover and turn to a simmer for 30 minutes or until meat and carrots are tender.
  5. Adjust liquid as needed, by adding boiling water or simmering with the lid off.
  6. Season to taste with Salt and Pepper.
  7. Serve hot, garnished with Parsley and with Pickled Beets on the side, In Norway it is usually served with plenty of liquid, but in Denmark it varies from lots of liquid all the way to no liquid. I prefer it with plenty of liquid.
NOTES:

  1. Beef:

      Weight is after removing all bones and excess fat. Chuck is good, but tougher stewing cuts can be used with a little more cooking. Shank is excellent, but needs more preparation and longer cooking.

  2. Potatoes:

      I use White Rose potatoes which hold up well, but not too well, in stews. Avoid "Yukon Gold" type potatoes which disintegrate into mush if cooked just a little long, and have a different flavor. For details see our Potatoes page.

  3. Carrots, Parsnip:

      I have not seen use of either of these in Danish recipes, nor Leeks either. For Danish just use more Potatoes if you want "authentic". In Norway Parsnips may be replaced by Celery Root, Rutabaga, Parsley Root, or a combination.

  4. Stock:

      When preparing to do a recipe of this sort, I buy the Beef a day ahead, large chunks with bones. I trim the meat as needed, and make plenty of stock with the bones and offcuts. If I do this far ahead, I freeze the meat until needed. For details of making and storing stock, see our recipe Soup Stock / Broth - General Method.

  5. Pickled Beets:

      It would be considered a mortal sin to serve these stews without Pickled Beets. See our recipe Pickled Beets.

  6. History:

      This stew is of East Baltic origin (Latvian Labs kausis; Lithuanian Labas kausas) both meaning "Good Ladle" or "Good Bowl". It was adopted in many other northern seaports: Liverpool Scouse, Wales Lobsgows, Norwegian Lapskaus, Danish Labskovs. In some countries it has evolved into mashes made from similar ingredients: German Labskaus, Swedish Lapskojs and Finnish Lapskoussi All refer back to a sailor's stew of salted meat and root vegetables, originally thickened with sea biscuits. In early times the beef was not browned, as the kitchens were not equipped for that, but nearly all modern recipes call for browning for extra flavor.

  7. Comments:

      Photos and recipes I've seen of Danish Labskovs do not include carrots, parsnips, or rutabaga, but may include a whole lot more potatoes. Some Danish recipes call for Russet Potatoes, with a result more similar to the mashes of Germany and Sweden than to the stews of Norway and the British Isles. Personally, I prefer these stews with carrots as in Norway, England and Wales. In Norway and Denmark, the meat is traditionally fried in Butter, cooking oils having been scarce in the region until modern times. I use Olive Oil, which is more practical because keeping the temperature low is not so critical - I've got other stuff to watch.
  8. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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