I have yet to see a roast on-the-bone – shoulder or leg. In fact, all the roasts I see in Norway, except for ribbe and any fowl, are rolled. Most roasts, especially the game ones, can be found in the frozen food section but there is also a modest selection in the fresh meat section. Sometimes certain meats aren’t available – like recently there has hardly been any pork meat in the stores in Alta and many people went without ribbe for Christmas – so it is best to plan ahead and get a frozen one to keep for a month or so if you must have roast on a certain day. Rolled roast can come pre-seasoned or marinated for todays essential ‘convenience’.
All rolled roast are very small, usually just enough for two people. I have yet to see a rolled roast that could feed ten people. There are not many butcher shops around in Norway – none in Alta, two in Tromsø and a handful in Oslo, and so on – but if you find one you may get bigger cuts or special orders. Don’t even think about trying to get a half pig or a pig-on-a-spit unless you kill it and butcher it yourself. The biggest roast I have seen here is Turkey but they are mainly sold around New Years as many in Norway have a tradition of New Years roast turkey.
