Sylta is a type of meat hash, mostly eaten these days by the older generation. It is made with meat from the head of a calf or pig, that has been boiled for hours until tender, mixed with onions, garlic and spiced with allspice, cloves and bay leaf.
Sylta is served as an appetizer or starter and is still considered a flavorful part of the Swedish Christmas dinner.
Sylta
Chef’s Pencil Staff
Sylta is served at the sillbord as a starter and definitely has a required taste!
Wash the pork and the veal and trim the excess fat.
Place the meats in a large pot and cover with water. Add the onion, cloves, whole peppercorns, some salt and the bay leaves. Bring to a boil and simmer until tender for about 1 ½ hours.
Once the meat is tender and comes off the bone easily turn off the heat. Strain the broth into a separate container and leave the meat to cool off slightly.
Discard the bay leaves, cloves and peppercorns. Once the meat is cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones.
Chop the meat pieces up into small chunks or place in a food processor and chop finely.
In a saucepan, heat up 1/4 cup of water until warm and stir in the packet of gelatin until dissolved. In a large bowl combine the dissolved gelatin with the vinegar, 1 teaspoon of salt, 2 and a half cups of meat broth and combine until well-mixed.
Prepare a loaf tin and pour the liquid mixture into the tin. Add in the shredded veal and pork meat and cover with plastic film.
Place in the fridge and chill until fully set for 12 hours.
Serve chilled and enjoy!
Notes
The remaining broth can be used for cooking and flavoring other meals or for dipping bread on Christmas Eve.
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