Roasted Boar with Honey and Juniper (in honor of Sæhrímnir)
A shoulder of boar (or farm pork) rubbed with Northern herbs and juniper berries, slow-roasted and glazed with honey. The meat of great banquets, the kind shared after sacrifice to the gods.
A shoulder of boar (or farm pork) rubbed with Northern herbs and juniper berries, slow-roasted and glazed with honey. The meat of great banquets, the kind shared after sacrifice to the gods.
Here is the meat of the brave! Know, you who listen to me, that in my great hall with five hundred doors, my fallen warriors feast each evening on the boar and drink until dawn. You hang the beast over the cauldron, rub it with the bitter berries of the juniper and the herbs of the meadow, then glaze it with honey when its skin turns golden. He who dies with sword in hand sits at this table — so fight without fear, for death is but a threshold to my feast.
- •Boar shoulder — one piece for the company (festive meat)
- •Crushed juniper berries — a handful (resinous flavor)
- •Ramsons or onion — as needed (aromatic)
- •Honey — a good ladleful (glaze)
- •Wild thyme and lovage — a few sprigs (herbs)
- •Salt — as needed (seasoning)
Roasted Boar with Honey and Juniper (in honor of Sæhrímnir)
A shoulder of boar (or farm pork) rubbed with Northern herbs and juniper berries, slow-roasted and glazed with honey. The meat of great banquets, the kind shared after sacrifice to the gods.
Why this dish? In Valhöll, the einherjar — the warriors slain in battle whom Odin welcomes — feast each evening on the boar Sæhrímnir, cooked by the chef Andhrímnir in the cauldron Eldhrímnir, and reborn each morning. This roast boar evokes that eternal feast of Odin's chosen.
Here is the meat of the brave! Know, you who listen to me, that in my great hall with five hundred doors, my fallen warriors feast each evening on the boar and drink until dawn. You hang the beast over the cauldron, rub it with the bitter berries of the juniper and the herbs of the meadow, then glaze it with honey when its skin turns golden. He who dies with sword in hand sits at this table — so fight without fear, for death is but a threshold to my feast.
Ingredients (period version)
- Boar shoulder — one piece for the company (festive meat)
- Crushed juniper berries — a handful (resinous flavor)
- Ramsons or onion — as needed (aromatic)
- Honey — a good ladleful (glaze)
- Wild thyme and lovage — a few sprigs (herbs)
- Salt — as needed (seasoning)
Ingredients
- Boar shoulder (or pork shoulder) — 1.5 kg (festive meat)
- Juniper berries — 2 tbsp (resinous flavor)
- Onion — 2 (aromatic)
- Garlic — 4 cloves (aromatic)
- Honey — 4 tbsp (glaze)
- Thyme — 1 tbsp (herbs)
- Salt and a little water — to taste (seasoning / broth)
Method
- Crush the juniper berries with the salt and thyme, rub all over the meat. Let rest 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 150°C.
- Place the meat on a bed of onions and garlic in a dish, add a little water.
- Roast for 3 hours, basting regularly with the juices.
- Mix the honey with a spoonful of the juices, brush over the meat, then increase to 200°C for 20 minutes to caramelize the surface.
- Let rest 15 minutes before slicing and serving with the juices.
How it was made : Pork and boar held a central place in Viking-age feasts; the boar was the animal of Odin and Freyr. During blót, sacrificed animals were cooked in large cauldrons and shared among the guests, and the blood was sprinkled on altars and the faithful. No closed ovens: they roasted on spits or boiled in cauldrons.
The contemporary twist : Drizzle the slices with a reduction of the juices with honey and juniper, and name the dish “the einherjar’s share” on the menu.
Odin · Charactorium