Karjalan Paisti Recipe

Name: Karjalan Paisti (Karelian Hot Pot)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 360 min
Total time: 370 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 pound beef stew meat, chopped into 1 inch pieces; 1 pound pork stew meat, chopped into 1 inch pieces; 1 pound lamb stew meat, chopped into 1 inch pieces; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 2 large onions, sliced; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 teaspoons peppercorns; 8 whole allspice; 2 bay leaves; 3 cups water

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 6 hrs

Total: 6 hrs 10 mins

Servings: 5 to 6 servings

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Karelian Hot Pot or Karjalan Paisti in Finnish is a traditional meat stew from the region of Karelia (now split between Finland and Russia). It’s commonly made with a combination of pork and beef but other proteins, like lamb, can be used. Finnish hot pot is typically seasoned with black peppercorns, allspice, and bay leaves.

Hot pots or hotchpotch, as they are also known, exist in every cuisine. These rich, vegetable-meat stews can include whatever is on hand, thus a “hodgepodge.” Some cultures use organ meats, pig ears and feet, and oysters. In the Karelian region it is traditionally served at family gatherings during Easter.

This Finnish stew is braised in a slow cooker so once everything is chopped it’s a real hands-off recipe. Serve Karelian Hot Pot, as the Finns do, with mashed potatoes and cranberry or lingonberry preserves on the side.

1 pound beef stew meat, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 pound pork stew meat, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 pound lamb stew meat, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large onions, sliced
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons peppercorns
8 whole allspice
2 bay leaves
3 cups water

Brown beef, pork, and lamb stew meat on all sides in olive oil over medium-high heat. Place half of the sliced onions in the bottom of a slow cooker, cover with half of the meat, and sprinkle with half of the salt, peppercorns, allspice, and a bay leaf. Repeat the layers.
Pour in 2 cups water, cover slow cooker and allow to cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours. Add up to the remaining 1 cup water if necessary as it cooks.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
534	Calories
25g	Fat
5g	Carbs
71g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 5 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories	534
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 25g	32%
Saturated Fat 9g	43%
Cholesterol 223mg	74%
Sodium 506mg	22%
Total Carbohydrate 5g	2%
Dietary Fiber 1g	3%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 71g
Vitamin C 2mg	12%
Calcium 57mg	4%
Iron 5mg	30%
Potassium 779mg	17%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.