You might find that wild sheep in Norway tastes like a mix between a deer and a sheep. The wild sheep is the most sustainable type of meat you can eat in Norwegian restaurants. In the 17th century, a local rescue operation outside Bergen, in Austevoll, luckily saved the wild sheep from extinction.
"I was born and raised in Austevoll with two parents who were chefs. The wild sheep have always been an important ingredient here at Bekkjarvik Gjestgiveri, and as a child I got wild sheep for dinner at least once a week", says former Bocuse d'Or- winner Ørjan Johannessen. Ørjan is now the Head Chef of the family-run hotel in Austevoll, just outside Bergen.
Ørjan Johannesen. Foto: Visit Bergen
The wild sheep’s importance to the coastal landscape
The wild sheep roam freely in the coastal landscape in Western Norway throughout the year. While homeowners elsewhere in the country often have to fence in their animals so as not to lose them, residents in places like Austevoll actually have to put up fences to prevent the wild sheep from entering their gardens and eating whatever they can find of bushes and trees.
"The taste is directly linked to what they eat. They become lean, the fat is good and the fact that they eat heather, seaweed like kelp as well as grass, gives a unique taste that can remind you of a mix of sheep and deer. They graze in the field, on the mountain, and down by the sea. They eat at overgrown places which makes the coastal landscape fantastic.", says Johannesen.
Rescued from extinction
Wild sheep have not always played an important part in the coastal landscape in western Norway. In the 17th century, Norwegian wild sheep faced extinction, but a local rescue operation in Austevoll luckily managed to save the breed. Today. there are several sheep farmers around Bergen who raise wild sheep.
"Here we have great conditions for wild sheep. I do not have much heather, but there is a lot of forest which is great especially during winter", says sheep farmer Helene Olli Sollid at Gripen Gard og Rurale Tidsreiser north of Bergen.
Foto: Visit Bergen
For Helene, it is also important to preserve the original wild sheep breed and avoid wild sheep mixing with the Norwegian white sheep. She delivers meat, wool and pretty much everything from the wild sheep to restaurants and eateries throughout the Bergen region.
"Wild sheep can be used for everything, and we make use of the whole animal. The skin and fur are completely unique and have fantastic qualities. We simply love the wild sheep!", says Johannessen.
Eat wild sheep – and feel good about it!
Wild sheep is the most sustainable type of meat you can get in Western Norway and has become an important part of western Norwegian food culture.
"For us, all good food is sustainable. The wild sheep grazes locally, they are slaughtered in local slaughterhouses and delivered to restaurants in this region. That gives us not only the best quality, but also a good sustainable product," says Johannessen.
At Bekkjarvik Gjestgiveri, guests come from both Norway and abroad to taste the wild sheep, which is not easy to get elsewhere in Norway. Johannessen concludes by saying that the guests have often heard of wild sheep, but it is not so easy to get outside the western region. “Our guests think it is great to eat something that is so unique and has such a rich history as the wild sheep," he says.
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