Traditional Greenlandic Buffet

“We usually eat it with soy sauce and this aromat salt”, the helpful waitperson tells me and points out these condiments as I serve myself a pink, gelatinous food.

I’m standing in front of the impressive selection of dishes at the traditional Greenlandic Buffet at the Hotel Sisimiut. Some of it I recognize – prawns (Greenlandic, of course), smoked salmon, a selection of cooked meats and fish – but this is new. 

The label reads “whale blubber”, and while I’m very keen to try at least a little bit of everything, I’ve taken the safe option of limiting the portion size at this stage. Perhaps I’ll come back for more once I’ve taste-tested…

Traditional Greenlandic food

Traditional Greenlandic food is unlike most other places in the world. Fruit and vegetables don’t grow in the harsh Arctic climate, so the diet primarily revolves around meat. Greenlanders have been hunting and eating fish, seal, whale, ducks, reindeer, hare, and ptarmigan (grouse) for thousands of years. And while these meats continue to form the basis of the country’s cuisine, they are now supplemented with imported fresh produce and goods. 

Seafood

I start with the seafood selection. In addition to the blubber, my plate includes dried capelin, dried cod, baked cod, baked wolffish, smoked salmon, smoked halibut, unpeeled prawns, lumpfish roe, snow crabs, and another Greenlandic delicacy – mattak. 

If you’ve ever wondered how the Inuit survived for thousands of years without citrus fruits to ward of scurvy, this is the secret. Usually served diced into small cubes, it consists of the skin of a whale, a layer of cartilage, and a thin layer of fat. Turns out, whale skin is a very rich source of Vitamin C, and it’s actually pretty good! The texture takes a little adjustment, but I’ll happily grab some more on my next trip to the buffet table.

For those who are squirming at the thought of eating whale, remember that whale hunting is an important part of Greenlandic culture and is a local meat that is hunted sustainably (there are government regulated quotas).

Meats like chicken, pork, and beef all need to be imported – so it is a good idea to reassess what meat options are most environmentally sound when visiting this unique environment. Although there was none at this particular buffet, dishes made from whale meat are common in Greenland and it is not unusual to find whale products in the supermarkets and things like whale pizza in restaurants!

Terrestrial meats

My next plate is reserved for the dishes that originate on land. These are a little easier to approach for most international visitors, with baked reindeer, musk ox, and lamb the stars of the buffet. Reindeer and musk ox have been food staples in Greenland for thousands of years and run wild in the enormous backcountry.

They are still hunted in their natural environment (there are no farms), and this stress-free life makes their meat very tender. In many homes, they are often served with a sauce made from local crowberries that grow in abundance everywhere in Greenland.

Lamb is a relatively new addition to Greenland but is very popular – particularly as part of a Kaffemik (a celebration feast). The lambs are raised free-range on farms in South Greenland resulting in a very flavourful meat.

The importance of land-based animals to Greenlandic culture is recognized in two of the country’s UNESCO World Heritage areas.  Kujataa in South Greenland showcases the earliest introduction of farming to the Arctic (by the Norse) and the continuation of farming practices to the present day by the Inuit. Aasivissuit-Nipisat in the Arctic Circle region is an ancient hunting corridor along which present-day Greenlanders continue to travel from the ocean to the reindeer breeding grounds near the ice sheet.

Greenland’s national dish

I return to the buffet table for my third course – Greenland’s national dish: Suaasat. This is a robust stew made with potatoes, onions, rice or barley, and seal meat. The flavour of the seal is very strong, and these days, it is often swapped out for a different meat. However, the idea is the same – a hearty meal to ward off the cold.

Dessert

I’m already full by this stage, but I still check out what’s available as far as desserts go. A nice selection of cheeses (imported from Denmark) and a variety of different cakes – including the very common “Greenlandic Cake” with raisins. I decide to forgo dessert on this occasion as I’d indulged in a similar plethora of cakes at a local Kaffemik, and I was more interest ed in focusing on the older traditional foods on this occasion.

Traditional Greenlandic Buffets 

To experience a traditional Greenlandic buffet, you need to time your visit accordingly. Most places only offer them once per week, and only a handful offer them all year round. Popular Greenlandic buffets include:

• Hotel Sisimiut – once/week, all year round
• Restaurant Roklubben  (Kangerlussuaq) – once/week, most of the year
• Many of the hotels in Ilulissat – once/week, Summer only

If the timing doesn’t work for you, look for Greenlandic-tasting plates or fusion dishes made with local ingredients for a taste of Greenland.

P.S. I decided not to go back for a second helping of the whale blubber. It is not so much taste as the texture that I didn’t enjoy. Oh, and my brain flat-out rebelling at the thought of what I was putting in my mouth.

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