A Norwegian-style Turkey Stuffing for Those Who Don’t Love Turkey

I’m not much of a turkey kind of a guy, but I gladly eat this stuffing by itself.

Thanksgiving is upon us, and while many have long decided what proper turkey stuffing should be, I will throw out one more recipe for consideration.

This stuffing’s deep-rooted traditions can be traced back to a 1981 Norwegian housekeeping magazine. Not a dish as iconic as lutefisk, but on the flip side, it’s not cured in lye.

It’s a pork-forward stuffing, light on carbs and heavy on flavors. If anything, I would compare it to a pâté as opposed to your average American stuffing. If you have some good crusty bread, it works great as a topping.

This was the only stuffing picture I could find: A 2012 photo taken on an iPhone 4S that was run through Instagram’s Valencia filter. It looks more like queso than anything else and is not illustrative of the end product. Rather, it’s a photo proving that I actually have, at some point, cooked this recipe. 🤷‍♂️

• ¾ lb ground pork, finely chopped

• ½ lb pancetta, finely chopped

• 8 oz can of mushrooms, chopped

• 1 white onion, finely chopped

• 2 eggs

• ¼ cup bread crumbs

• ¼ cup white wine vinegar

• ¼ cup sour cream

• ¾ chopped parsley (or cilantro for an oomph)

• Black pepper

1. Sear onions and mushrooms in a pan.

2. Stir in ground pork and pancetta—let flavors meld for a few minutes.

3. Pour in white wine vinegar and let simmer until the mixture starts to dry—about 10-15 minutes.

4. Add mixture to a Dutch oven and stir in the remaining items.

5. Bake at 375 degrees until the consistency is fairly dry. About an hour.

This stuffing can be a meal in itself, no turkey required and goes great with a Topo Chico Cup.