Jóhann Viking
Meat in Icelandic Cuisine: 5 great types of meat to know about
Icelandic cuisine is mostly based on fish recipes but this does not mean that we do not have any meat recipe to offer. Recipes of meat in Iceland may be low in numbers but the ones that do exist can dazzle an eater with its taste and presentation. What people eat in Iceland though is becoming internationally famous now. Individuals looking forward to a visit of Iceland you should know some history about its culture and traditions. This means the prospective visitors should also know about the food traditions and how they came up to be.
The History of Icelandic Food and Meat:
The ancestors of Iceland’s current residents probably found out that it would be much better if they find their food from the ocean at their doorstep. They also probably knew that the cold ocean may have better chances of having food than the freezing land itself. Till this day, this is the reason that much of the cuisine in Iceland is based on fish. Although now it is changing through the help of modern technologies and interconnection between countries. Now meat is readily is available through the supermarkets, meat shops and some animals that do roam the natural landscape of Iceland.
Tourists visit Iceland and one of the first things the visitors do is that they try out the unusual cuisine of Iceland no matter what country they are from. Queues line up at the high-end restaurants not just for seafood but for the meat-based recipes that are exclusive to Iceland. There is a different range of meat recipes available that pertain to different kind of meats. The meats can range from sheep, lamb, pork, beef, and even a horse or a whale. While the fish is culturally significant for the local dwellers, the meat is also quickly becoming a good choice for locals and tourists alike. Both of these lean meats has become a staple of what do people eat in Iceland.
Why do the people of Iceland like their food:
First of all, almost everyone like the food of their home country and second the food here in Iceland is culturally significant for local dwellers. As mentioned before, due to the cold weather and harsh living conditions in the early times of Iceland, locals had to find their food in a place where scarcity was seen everywhere. The usual meat like chicken was not available. Vegetables were difficult to grow in the country due to freezing conditions. People sort refuge to the ocean for fish and the animals that they could see in their radius. These animals were very much likely horses or sheep. Sometimes the residents could also find Lamb.
The myth about Icelandic Food:
This is how our food has become tastier and more well cooked. While we do eat culturally significant food like the fermented shark (Hakarl) but we do so on some occasions like Porrablot Feast. Our food like Lamb soup is so tasty and delicious that you will end up wanting more. Our Skyr is one of the best protein source available in abundance here in Iceland. We also have our own take on a hot dog, which is very luscious and makes your tongue and teeth dance together. In the following paragraphs, you will see these foods and others like these in more detail and you will be making reasons to try out our cuisine in no time:
Reykjavik’s Hot Dog:
Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur has been in business for over 60 years is still going well. While certain other stands and restaurants throughout Iceland offer hot dogs, this one should be tough to miss out on. It is because it has a certain taste to it with a touch of Icelandic flavor when compared to others. This recipe should be on your to-do list when you visit Iceland. The hot dog is one of the things of what people eat in Iceland.
Lamb in Iceland’s Taste:
It can also be turned into a smoked version of it. One of the traditional of smoking a lamb is Hangikjot, which translates into “Hanging meat” where the cooker hangs the lamb meat upside down on the fire rafters. This one of the meats of what people eat in Iceland
Puffin:
It is Iceland’s most iconic bird cooked to perfection, which tastes delicious too. While the hunting of Atlantic puffin is completely illegal, many parts of the country still allow it. This is why this bird is seen in a lot of menus of Iceland’s different restaurants. The meat of puffin is usually broiled or smoked. This is one of the meats of what people eat in Iceland.
Whale:
It may be controversial for some but before becoming an environmental activist with us, you should know Iceland is allowed a quota of 200 whales per year. From this quota, whales are served all over Iceland. It is very delicious, unlike sharks that are served in Iceland. It’s market is towards tourists as most locals do not eat it. This is not one of the meats of what people eat in Iceland but rather tourists do.
Seal:
Iceland also serves up seal meat, which is usually dried through hanging before being cooked to perfection. Seal meat has incredible nutritional value, and it is being used for consumption for humans for a considerable time. It is a lean meat, only has 2 % Fat and has considerable long chains of Omega 3 Fatty acids that are good for health. This is the reason seal meat is used in Iceland’s different range of cuisine. This is one of the things of what do people eat in Iceland.