Making this traditional Icelandic sausage is a sustainable practice that has been bringing communities together for centuries.
Slátur pronounced similarly to its English translation, slaughter, is an Icelandic word for all the edible parts of the Icelandic sheep. Today it refers to the sausages made using the sheep’s innards–lifrarpylsa and blóðmör–and sláturgerð, the process of making slátur, is often a family and community affair. While reducing food waste has become a trend in many places, sláturgerð has been a tradition in Iceland since its settlement more than a thousand years ago. And so it goes that come October, once the sheep have been gathered from the highlands in the great sheep round up known as réttir Réttir – An Icelandic Slice of Life and returned their respective farms, the business of slaughtering begins and nothing goes to waste.
Along with the various cuts of meat that are produced, the blood and organs are also collected. From what could easily be discarded is produced blood puddings, breads and porridges and tasty and nutritious sausages. Lifrarpylsa is a sausage made by combining sheep innards with flour and sheep fat which is then stuffed into casings, made from the sheep’s stomach, that are then sewn shut. Blóðmör is made in the same way but uses sheep’s blood instead of innards.
These days, both can be purchased ready-made in any Icelandic grocery store but some families still hold to the sláturgerð tradition as it is an occasion for dispersed family members to return to the farmstead and lend a hand. Making enough sausages to last through the winter means all hands on deck.
Everyone is assigned specific tasks to perform throughout the evening of sausage-making, even children, all the while sharing and learning from each other, chatting and enjoying each other’s company. It is a laborious activity that can go into the wee hours of the night, but it is well worth it.
Many slátur dishes have long since been abandoned but lifrarpylsa and blóðmör remain and eating a cold piece of lifrarpylsa with some grjónagrautur (rice pudding) is still fairly common for Icelanders, young and old. Looking for a new way to enjoy Icelandic lamb? Check out our recipes for a new twist on an Icelandic culinary mainstay.