Svið (Singed Sheep's Head)

Svið is a nose-to-tail classic born from a time when no part of the sheep went to waste. The head is singed to remove the wool, split lengthwise, and simmered until the meat on the cheeks, tongue, and jowl is meltingly tender. It's a fixture of þorramatur, the midwinter feast of preserved and traditional foods, and it's still sold pre-prepped at Icelandic butchers and grocery stores today, ready to simmer at home.

Ingredients

• 2 sheep's heads, singed and split lengthwise by the butcher (brain typically removed)
• Cold water, to cover
• 2–3 tbsp coarse salt
• For serving: rófustappa (mashed swede/rutabaga) and mashed potatoes

Preparation

• If any stray wool remains, singe it off briefly over an open flame, then scrub the head thoroughly under cold running water.
• Place the split heads in a large pot and cover generously with cold water. Add the salt.
• Bring slowly to a boil, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface.
• Reduce to a gentle simmer and cook, partially covered, for 1.5–2 hours, until the cheek and jowl meat is fork-tender.
• Lift out carefully and let rest 5 minutes before serving.
• Serve halved, still warm, with mashed swede and mashed potatoes alongside. Traditionally eaten by hand, working the meat off the skull starting with the cheek, tongue, and eye.

Chef's tips

• Buy heads already singed and split — almost no one in Iceland does this step themselves anymore.
• Salt the water generously; the head is otherwise unseasoned and the broth is the only source of flavour.
• If serving to guests unfamiliar with the dish, offer the cheek meat first — it's the mildest and most approachable cut.

Want to taste it the local way?

If you'd rather taste dishes like this the way locals do — perfectly prepared and explained on the spot instead of at your own stove — NordExplore runs small-group food tours around Reykjavík, including the Reykjavík All In One Food Tour – Eat, Drink & Explore with Locals, where hangikjöt, hákarl, and other þorramatur specialties are tasted alongside a local guide who can walk you through them.