Finnish Lamb and Cabbage Stew with Cranberries (grain free, dairy free, paleo, AIP)

This is a very traditional Finnish recipe. I got the inspiration to this from a cook book from 1910. I made it in a slow cooker but included also instructions for making it on the stove top. You could also cook it low and covered in the oven. I can imagine this being served in Finland with boiled and peeled potatoes but I have left them out because we are not eating night shades right now.

Lamb and cabbage stew (Lammaskaali)

1 head of white cabbage
2 lbs lamb shoulder (with bones)
1 tbsp lard, coconut oil or fat of your choice, optional
2 tbsp sea salt
2 bay leaves
Fresh or dried marjoram
water
OPTIONAL: 10 whole allspice berries (leave out if you are on AIP and haven't introduced fruit/berry/seed based spices back yet)

1. Cut the cabbage in eight sections. Remove the hard center.
2. Cut the lamb in chunks or steaks and break the bones if necessary.
3. If you wish, brown the meat slightly in lard or other fat in a cast iron frying pan. Remove the meat from the pan and add some water in it. Bring to boil and save the broth for the stew. (Tthis step can be skipped too.)
4. Arrange the meat, cabbage wedges and spices in layers in a slow cooker crock or a pot.
5. Add the liquid from the frying pan to the pot or the crock and just enough water to prevent the stew from burning. Check during cooking if water needs to be added.
6. Cover and simmer for 3-4 hours on the stove in the pot or cook on low in the slow cooker for about 8 hours. You can remove the bones and cut the meat in bite size pieces before serving but it is not necessary.
7. Serve with crushed cranberries.

Crushed Cranberries (Karpalosurvos)

Cranberries, fresh or frozen
Raw honey

Crush cranberries with a potato masher or a vegetable stomper (or pulse a few times in a blender) and add honey to taste. No need to thaw them if they are frozen. The crushed cranberries will keep in the fridge in a jar for a while. If you happen to have freshly picked lingonberries, feel free to replace the cranberries with those. :)

PS. I have a one gallon coconut oil giveaway in my blog! Check it out!
PS2. For more paleo and autoimmune paleo recipes, check out Phoenix Helix AIP round table where this recipe appears as well.