Fenalår fra Norge

Fenalår fra Norge is a smoked leg of mutton traditionally produced in Norway and believed to have been around since the Viking era. The meat comes from lambs living in the mountains of Norway that are slaughtered in autumn. The meat is salted and left to dry for 3-6 months (traditional variety) or 5-9 months (matured variety) in a controlled environment.

There are two types of Fenalår fra Norge found on the market, the traditional one with bone, and the riper, less salted and boneless one. The production method used today is based on Norway’s long history of hanging mutton legs to dry in the fresh mountain air to preserve the meat to use during the cold winter.

In 2015 Norwegian producers signed their first contracts for the export of this delicacy and Fenalar already became an exclusive dish in French and Swiss restaurants. Fenalår fra Norge is traditionally eaten during the Christmas holidays in Western Norway and is often served with thin crisp bread or rømmegrøt – a sour cream porridge.