A Norwegian woman has garnered widespread acclaim and admiration after sharing photographs of her very first attempt at cooking a traditional British Sunday roast dinner. The culinary venture, posted on the popular UK Food subreddit, showcased a succulent pork joint sizzling in a pan, but it was one specific, crucial detail that truly captured the attention and approval of British commentators.
The Post That Started It All
Under the humble caption, "A humble Norwegian learning how to do an English roast," the user presented images of her pork joint, beautifully simmering in rich gravy and, most notably, surrounded by impeccably crispy crackling. This element of the dish, often considered a hallmark of a successful roast, became the focal point of enthusiastic responses from the online community.
Overwhelming Praise from Brits
The reaction was swift and overwhelmingly positive. One Reddit user exclaimed, "My guy! Look at the crackling. Good effort man," directly praising the achievement. Another added, "Looks good. My dad was from Trondheim, although sadly I've never been to see the rest of his family," blending culinary appreciation with personal connection.
Further comments included practical advice and wholehearted endorsement. A user advised, "Hope you served it up with the rest of the British staples, roasties, seasonal veggies, Yorkies and lovely thick gravy made with the meat juices and stock from the vegetable water." Meanwhile, another quipped humorously, "Your UK passport is in the post," symbolically welcoming her into British culture.
Additional praise flowed in, with one person gushing, "Good job on the crackling, looks amazing," and another noting, "Looks spot on. What ever method you're using is obviously working. Pity you didn't show the goose fat roast potatoes." To this, the Norwegian cook revealed, "Didn’t have goose fat unfortunately, but I have tried duck fat before! Not with this roast though."
Cooking Techniques and Cultural Insights
The Norwegian woman also shared her cooking method, explaining, "It was roasted in the oven, I used one of my pans to keep it in, as the handle comes off, and while it rests on the side I can the use that pan to make the gravy from the meat juices." This practical tip highlighted her dedication to mastering the dish.
In response to questions about cost, she noted that a joint of similar size in Norway would cost approximately £35, adding, "I’ve currently got one in the freezer as well, bought an extra over Easter when they were on offer. Will save it for next week as I’ve got family coming over from Norway to visit."
Comparing Norwegian and British Traditions
The discussion expanded into cultural comparisons, with the Norwegian explaining that such large roasted dinners are typically reserved for special occasions in her homeland. "We only really have a big roasted dinner for special occasions like Christmas to be honest, maybe a leg of lamb in Easter, but very rarely, and it’s slightly different than the English one with different sides etc. I grew up with eating fish and meatballs for Sunday dinners," she said.
She elaborated on Norwegian alternatives, stating, "We do something similar called Ribbe, which is basically pork belly, but we do different sides than a UK roast dinner, and we mainly only eat big dinners like that for Christmas. But we also do other specials Norwegian Christmas dinners like pinnekjøtt, which is basically salt dried lamb with komle (some sort of potato dumplings)."
For standard Sunday meals, she described, "I’d say our standard Sunday dinner is probably more like Norwegian meatballs (kjøttkaker) with boiled potatoes, gravy, peas, radishes and sour kale etc." This insight provided a fascinating glimpse into the culinary differences between the two cultures, making her successful foray into British cooking all the more impressive.
Overall, this heartwarming exchange on Reddit not only celebrated a delicious meal but also underscored the power of food to bridge cultural divides, with Brits warmly embracing the Norwegian's effort and declaring her 'one of us' based on that perfect, crispy crackling detail.
