Contents
Stegt flæsk is a classic Danish dish featuring crispy pork belly, boiled potatoes, and a creamy parsley sauce. Officially voted Denmark’s national dish in 2014, it’s a simple yet deeply satisfying meal that embodies the heart of Danish home cooking. This article explores the history of Stegt flæsk, provides a detailed recipe, and shares tips on how to serve and enjoy this beloved comfort food.
Ingredients
- 800 g pork belly (skin on), sliced about 1–1.5 cm thick
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 kg waxy potatoes, peeled
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 500 ml whole milk, warmed
- 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the pork belly: Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F) or heat a large frying pan. Season pork belly slices generously with salt and pepper.If using the oven, place slices on a rack over a baking tray to allow fat to drip off. Roast for 40 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crispy.If frying, cook pork slowly in a dry pan over medium heat until fat renders and skin crisps.
- Cook the potatoes: Boil peeled potatoes in salted water for 15-20 minutes until tender. Drain and keep warm.
- Make the parsley sauce (persillesovs): Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in warmed milk to avoid lumps. Cook until sauce thickens, then stir in chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve: Place pork belly and potatoes on plates. Pour parsley sauce over or serve on the side. Optionally, add pickled beets or red cabbage for contrast.
Notes
Stegt flæsk: denmark’s crispy pork belly dish that feels like home 🇩🇰
If you've ever sat down to a Danish home-cooked meal, chances are you've come across Stegt Flæsk — thick, sizzling slices of pork belly, golden and crisp, served with soft-boiled potatoes and a silky parsley sauce. It’s the kind of dish that doesn’t need fancy plating or bold spices to win you over — it just feels right. Simple, satisfying, and incredibly Danish.
This isn’t just any comfort food. Back in 2014, the people of Denmark actually voted Stegt Flæsk as their official national dish, beating out a whole list of contenders. It’s not hard to see why. Crispy pork with creamy sauce and potatoes? That’s hard to beat. 🥓🥔What’s in a plate of stegt flæsk? 🍽️
At first glance, it’s a humble dish. But there’s something about the way the pork belly is cooked — until the fat crackles and the meat turns tender — that makes it unforgettable. Add some boiled potatoes and pour over a generous amount of persillesovs (that’s the parsley sauce), and suddenly you’ve got something greater than the sum of its parts. Danish families often serve it with a few extras, like pickled beets or red cabbage on the side. And of course, it goes perfectly with a cold beer. 🍺A dish with deep roots 📜
Stegt Flæsk has been around for centuries. Back in the 1800s, it was a practical dish — pork belly was affordable, easy to store, and could feed a family well. Over time, it became a beloved staple of Danish cooking, passed down from generation to generation. It’s rustic, filling, and full of character — much like Denmark itself.Why it’s so loved ❤️
There’s something special about dishes like Stegt Flæsk. They don’t pretend to be anything fancy, but they’re deeply comforting. It’s the kind of food that makes you feel looked after. That reminds you of Sunday dinners or visiting your grandparents. Even if you didn’t grow up in Denmark, there’s a good chance this dish will still feel familiar. Crispy meat, creamy sauce, and soft potatoes? That’s comfort food in almost any language.
