Karjalanpaisti (Karelian hot pot), a traditional Finnish beef and pork stew, with Daisy the cat in the background, sniffing the pot.

Karjalanpaisti, also known as Karelian hot pot, is a traditional Finnish meat stew made with beef and pork, slowly braised in the oven until deeply tender, savoury, and comforting. This classic Finnish stew relies on simple seasoning, gentle heat, and time to develop its characteristic clean, meat-forward flavour and rustic texture.

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Traditional Karjalanpaisti, Finnish beef and pork stew served with boiled potatoes and broth.

Hey, folks – I hope you all are doing well!

This is one of those deeply rooted Nordic dishes where restraint is the point. Karjalanpaisti isn’t about layers of aromatics or complex seasoning; it’s about trusting the oven, the meat, and time. So, let’s dive into this hearty finnish stew.

What Is Karelia?

Karelia is a historical and cultural region in northeastern Europe, traditionally spanning parts of eastern Finland and northwestern Russia. For centuries, Karelia has been shaped by agriculture, forest living, and long winters, which strongly influenced its food culture. Dishes like Karelian hot pot (Karjalanpaisti) reflect this tradition, relying on slow oven cooking and minimal ingredients to create deeply satisfying meals.

Karjalanpaisti emerged from this environment as a communal oven dish, traditionally prepared in ceramic pots and left to cook gently for hours in wood-fired ovens after baking bread.

Be sure also to try Karjalanpiirakka – Karelian Rye Pies with Potatoes and Karjalanpiirakka – Karelian Rye Millet Pastry.

How Karjalanpaisti (Karelian Hot Pot) Is Different from Other Stews

Unlike many European stews, Karelian hot pot is traditionally cooked entirely in the oven rather than simmered on the stovetop.
Seasoning is intentionally minimal, usually limited to salt and whole spices.
There is no thickening with flour or starch.
The liquid is water, not stock or wine.
Vegetables are traditionally absent or very minimal.
Texture contrast is key: tender cubes on top, flaky, pull-apart meat below.

Why You’ll Love This Karjalanpaisti

Deep, clean meat flavour without heavy seasoning.
Exceptionally tender texture achieved through slow oven cooking.
Naturally rich broth without stock or additives.
A classic example of Karelian hot pot, showcasing the simplicity of Finnish comfort food.
Excellent make-ahead dish that improves with time.

Karjalanpaisti (Karelian hot pot), a traditional Finnish beef and pork stew with carrots and onions, slow-braised in the oven.

Ingredients You’ll Need for This Recipe

For this Karjalanpaisti, the ingredients remain intentionally simple to stay true to tradition.

Beef and pork (about 1.4 kg total): Use well-marbled cuts suitable for long cooking, cut into large chunks to prevent drying.
Onions: Add gentle sweetness and depth without overpowering the meat.
Carrots: Contribute subtle sweetness and enrich the broth.
Salt: The primary seasoning; start conservatively and adjust near the end.
Whole black peppercorns or allspice: Adds gentle warmth without overpowering the meat.
Bay leaf: Optional, but commonly used in modern Finnish kitchens.
Water: Used both for deglazing and braising; no stock is needed.
Butter and olive oil: Used for optional browning of the meat.

How to Make Karjalanpaisti

This Karjalanpaisti follows a traditional oven-braised method with optional browning for added depth of flavour.

Preheat the oven.
Preheat the oven to 300 °F (150 °C). Use a heavy Dutch oven or another oven-safe pot with a tight-fitting lid.
Prepare the ingredients. Slice the onions and cut the carrots into large pieces. Cut the beef and pork into large chunks, about 4–5 cm. Season the meat lightly with salt.
Optionally brown the meat. Heat a mixture of butter and olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Brown the meat in batches, just until lightly coloured. Avoid hard searing. Transfer the meat to the Dutch oven.
Deglaze the pan. Add water to the hot pan, bring it to a simmer, and scrape up the browned bits. Let it simmer for a few minutes, then pour this liquid into the Dutch oven. You can use simple water instead, but there’s a ton of flavour in the pan after searing the meat.
Assemble the stew. Add the carrots, onions, whole peppercorns, whole allspice, and bay leaves, if using. Pour in additional water until the meat is just barely covered.
Slow oven braise. Cover the pot with a lid and place it in the oven. Roast for 4 hours, allowing the stew to cook gently and undisturbed.
Uncover to finish. During the final 20 minutes, remove the lid to allow the top layer of meat to lightly brown and the liquid to concentrate.
Rest before serving. Remove from the oven and let the stew rest for 15–20 minutes. The meat should be extremely tender, with structured pieces near the top and flaky, pull-apart meat at the bottom.

Best Serving Ideas

Served with boiled potatoes or mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam.
Alongside buttered rye bread.
With pickled cucumbers or beets for acidity.
Reheated the next day, when the flavours deepen even further.

More Hearty Stew Recipes

Are you looking for more hearty recipes, like this Karjalanpaisti? Be sure to check more recipes below:

I hope you like this Karjalanpaisti – Traditional Finnish Meat Stew, and you will give it a try shortly. If you make it, please let me know in the comment section of this post below, send me an Instagram message, or share your photos by adding the hashtag #havocinthekitchen.

Cheers!