Stegt Flaesk: Denmark's National Pork Belly Dish
This Danish national dish doubles as Denmark's iconic comfort food: crispy fried strips of pork belly alongside soft boiled potatoes drizzled in a creamy parsley sauce.
Ingredients
Stegt Flaesk
- 1.5 lbs pork belly
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp sea salt
- 1 kg new potatoes
Creamy Parsley Sauce
- ¼ cup butter
- 3 tbsp flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- pinch of nutmeg
- 15 g parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 392°F (200°C).
- Cut the pork belly into slices that are long and thin. You can aim for around 6 inches long and half an inch wide as the standard.
- Lay the strips onto an elevated baking/wire rack so the air can circulate underneath the pork slices.
- Brush with olive oil and season with sea salt and then flip it over and do the same to the other side.
- Place the rack in the middle of the oven and bake for 40 minutes until it’s golden and slightly crisped off and then flip it over so the undercooked side can get more heat. Place it back in the oven for another 20 minutes until the pork belly is brown and crispy.
- While the pork is baking, boiling a large pot of salted water. Add the potatoes and cook for around 20 to 25 minutes, until tender. You should be able to easily pierce the potatoes with a fork. Drain and set aside.
- In the meantime, melt 1/4 cup butter in a pot or saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, stir in 3 tablespoons of flour until it becomes a smooth, thick paste. Don’t let it burn – we want a blond roux!
- As soon as the paste is smooth, slowly pour in 2 cups of milk, whisking to combine. Add salt, pepper, and a generous pinch of nutmeg. Continue to stir for about 5 minutes until the cream sauce is smooth and thick.
- Finally, add in the chopped parsley and stir through to combine. Turn off the heat. Your creamy parsley sauce is ready to go!
- Once your pork is finished, plate it up. Add the boiled potatoes and drizzle with creamy parsley sauce or serve the sauce separately. Enjoy!
