What did early medieval Scandinavians eat? It is an intriguing question that is difficult to answer. Part of the difficulty is that what has been written about them, was written after their time period, and is considered by many modern historians to be inaccurate. Some information is available through what has been written within the Icelandic Sagas. Another resource that has provided a wealth of information is the excavation of midden pits, latrines, and old fireplaces. By recovering the remains of plants and animals as well as the various kinds of cooking vessels archeologists and food historians are able to hypothesize what could have been eaten based on what has been discovered.
This is an example of such a recipe. I took two recipes, one for Kettle Worms from Daniel Serra's "An Early Meal" and the other for Guest House sausages, and combined them to create my own sausage.
If you have not purchased Daniel Serra and Hanna Tunberg's "An Early Meal; A Viking Age Cookbook and Culinary Odyssey", do so. It is full of plausible recipes based on extensive research. I also recommend visiting the Ribe Viking Center website to learn a little more about early Scandinavians.
Bronwyn's Kettle Worms to be Eaten Cold with Mustard- Serves 8
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound 80/20 ground beef
2 slices of uncured bacon minced
1 small apple cut into small dice
1 shallot (you could use ramps, leeks or wild garlic)
Thyme, salt, and pepper to taste
Plastic wrap
Instructions
Mix together the first three ingredients along with a couple of tablespoons of water until the meat becomes sticky
Add apples, shallot and your seasoning, and continue to mix until all are well incorporated
Divide the meat mixture into fourths. Roll each out into a log of similar size and shape.
Wrap each in plastic wrap and tie off the ends. NOTE: The plastic wrap will be taking the place of sausage casings you would need to remove if serving cold.
While you are wrapping your meat, place a pot of salted water on the stove and bring it to a simmer.
Place your sausages into the water and allow to simmer until they are cooked through. Remove from the heat.
NOTE: If you have a smoker, prepare it, and smoke your sausages instead. Instead of cooking them thoroughly in the water, cook them only long enough that they will hold together. Remove the plastic wrap, and then smoke overnight or for several hours. I personally find that simmering them first in the water keeps them moist.
I used commercial whole grain stone ground mustard, but if you are looking for one that is slightly more fitting, I recommend this recipe for mustard.
For more information on what has been discovered (food and cooking ware), I recommend the following resources:
Sources:
Hald, Mette Marie et al. "Fragments Of Meals In Eastern Denmark From The Viking Age To The Renaissance: New Evidence From Organic Remains In Latrines". Journal Of Archaeological Science: Reports, vol 31, 2020, p. 102361. Elsevier BV, doi:10.1016/j.jasrep.2020.102361. Accessed 12 Sept 2022.
Hurstwic: Food, Diet, And Nutrition In The Viking Age". Hurstwic.Org, 2022, http://www.hurstwic.org/history/articles/daily_living/text/food_and_diet.htm. Accessed 12 Sept 2022.
København, Nationalmuseet. "Meat And Fish". National Museum Of Denmark, 2022, https://en.natmus.dk/historical-knowledge/denmark/prehistoric-period-until-1050-ad/the-viking-age/food/meat-and-fish/. Accessed 12 Sept 2022. Ribe Viking Centre: Viking Cooking At Home". Ribevikingecenter.Dk, 2022, https://www.ribevikingecenter.dk/en/learn-more/viking-slow-food/recipes/guest-house-sausages-served-with-root-vegetables.aspx. Accessed 12 Sept 2022. Viking Diet: Why You Should Eat Like The Vikings Did!". Sons Of Vikings, 2021, https://sonsofvikings.com/blogs/history/eat-like-a-viking. Accessed 12 Sept 2022.
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