Grilled Pork Belly in Parsley Sauce, also called Stegt Flaesk from Denmark, is a dinner platter that is perfect for a night in. The potatoes and pork belly create a hearty base for the dish, while the Parsley Sauce adds a nice, light finish to the top. Travel to Denmark from your kitchen with this delightful recipe!
“Hello Reader! I try my hardest to research recipes as best as I can before posting to ensure I am representing each culture correctly. If this recipe is from your country and I have made a mistake or you have suggestions for how to make it more authentic, I would love to hear! Please leave a comment below letting me know what should be different, and I will rework the recipe. It is always my intention to pay homage and respect to each cultural dish that I cook. Thanks for reading!”
The national dish of Denmark is this delicious, crispy, hearty plate of Stegt Flaesk.
Stegt Flaesk is fried pork belly slices, most often served with potatoes and covered in a deliciously creamy parsley white sauce. It’s a comfort food dish that can be found cooked in homes on a weekly basis in Denmark, where pork is widely available and enjoyed.
Stegt Flaesk has everything you could want in a meal. The meat is crispy, tender, and filled with delicious flavor. The potatoes are earthy and mild and leave you feeling full and satisfied.
The sauce over the top provides the perfect amount of cream and herb flavor to balance out the heaviness of the meat and potatoes.
All in all, it’s a dish everyone can love, and there’s a reason it is so popular in Danish cuisine. The ingredients are simple and affordable and the dish can come together simply or be dressed up for just about any occasion.
Recipe Origin
The full name ”Stegt Flæsk med persillesovs” translates to “Fried Pork Belly with Parsley Sauce”. It’s difficult to say exactly where this dish came from. In this part of the world, pigs have been kept as livestock since the Stone Age and even then people were frying and enjoying pork belly.
Around the 1800s Danes began adding potatoes and cream sauce to the fried pork belly and Stegt Flaesk was shared from kitchen to kitchen until it became a staple.
Even the poorest homes could get their hands on some pork and potatoes, and it is a favorite of families, especially during cold winter months when a warm meal like this can warm you from the inside out.
This dish is one that brings people together–even on the toughest days of the year, like election day.
It’s a Danish tradition to prepare Stegt Flaesk, “Election pork belly”, along with plenty of strong drinks, to enjoy on election night. The pork lard is an idiom for all the promises politicians make during their campaigns and the dish is something everyone can agree on.
Why Make This Recipe
- Travel to “Denmark”: This recipe for Grilled Pork Belly with Parsley Sauce is also known as Stegt Flæsk and is the national dish of Denmark. This Danish specialty was first created during the 1800s in rural Denmark. It has recently made a comeback in Danish kitchens, and in 2014, Danes voted the specialty as Denmark’s national dish.
- A Unique Way to Eat Pork Belly: Pork belly is a popular ingredient around the world (as seen in my recipe for Bandeja Paisa from Colombia). This Stegt Flaesk recipe features an easy way to prepare pork belly, particularly if it’s your first time trying it.
What Do I Need To Make This Recipe
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
- Parsley Sauce: The parsley sauce begins with a blonde roux (the easiest of roux) and then mixes with milk and parsley to create a delectable sauce that coats the dish. Do not skip the nutmeg in the parsley sauce, it changes the taste of Stegt Flaesk so much and really elevates the flavor.
- Pork Belly: I was able to find pork belly from my local butcher and I’ve also heard you can find it at Costco. The belly came in a large slab, and I had them shave me off about 1 pound, which I later cut into strips myself. Pork belly, when baked in the oven, will result in a meat dish that is reminiscent of thick bacon. The pork belly is vital to this dish so I would recommend using it if you can, but if you can’t find pork belly, here are 10 Pork Belly Substitutes.
- Potatoes: Danes typically use Kipfler Potatoes for this recipe, a variety of potatoes popular in Germany and Denmark. The skin and interior of Kipfler potatoes are yellow. I was not able to find Kipfler potatoes, so I used Petite Gold instead. You can also use fingerling potatoes if you so desire.
- Milk: I used whole milk for my version of this recipe, and this is what I would recommend when preparing Stegt Flaesk. Using a full-fat version of milk will create a thick and delicious roux! Using skim milk in your recipe could result in a watery roux.
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1: Prepare the Pork Belly
Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit.
Lay the pork belly pieces evenly on a baking sheet and drizzle one side with olive oil.
Rub the olive oil to coat the pieces, and then sprinkle with salt. Flip the pieces and repeat with olive oil and salt on the other side.
Place the baking sheet in the oven and cook the pork belly for 20 minutes on one side, then flip and bake for 20 minutes on the other side. Flip once more and bake for another 10 minutes or until the skin is brown and crispy.
You may need to pour off some extra liquid from the baking sheet when you go to flip the pieces. Doing so will allow the meat to crisp up.
Step 2: Boil the Potatoes
While the pork belly is cooking, wash the potatoes and place them in a large pot filled with water.
Place the pot on the stove over high heat and cover with a lid. Bring the water to a boil.
Boil for about 30 minutes, until the potatoes can easily be pierced with a knife (time may change depending on the type/size of potato you choose, so begin checking the potatoes for tenderness around 15 minutes). Once cooked, drain the potatoes.
Step 3: Make the Parsley Sauce
In a medium pot, melt the butter.
Once melted, add the flour to the butter, and stir to form a paste. This is what will thicken your sauce.
Pour the milk into the pot little by little, whisking it with the contents of the pot as you go.
Once all of the milk is added, continue stirring the sauce for about 5-10 more minutes until it starts to thicken.
Add salt, pepper, lemon juice, and nutmeg to the milk and whisk to combine. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Add the parsley and mix one more time.
You can also practice your roux by making my favorite recipe for Homemade Macaroni and Cheese.
Step 4: Assemble and Enjoy
To serve Stegt Flaesk, cut the potatoes into thin rounds. Lay these on your plate. Place crispy pork belly on top of the potatoes, and then drizzle with Parsley Sauce. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- You can lay the pork belly on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet or also try cooking it on a wire rack. This will succeed in cooking the pork belly just as well.
- When making the Parsley Sauce you can also use a wooden spoon to mix. This will help break up any lumps left over from the flour. You want to make sure that your sauce is lump-free!
- Once you remove the potatoes from the stove, you can run them under a bit of cold water. Make sure the cold water is just enough to cool the potatoes down so that you can remove them from the water and cut them without burning your hands. Too much cold water and your potatoes will be cold when you serve your dish.
- Add a little extra flavor to your pork belly by sprinkling it with sea salt the night before. In the morning pat away any excess liquid with paper towels and let the meat come to room temperature before cooking.
Recipe FAQs
Pork belly is often considered by chefs to be a superior cut of pork to bacon. Pork belly is far fattier than bacon, which means that it normally carries a lot more flavor. It also crisps up beautifully making it the perfect, crunchy option for this recipe.
My recommendation would be to not sub bacon if you can help it. Though bacon and pork belly are similar, bacon is much thinner than pork belly.
Because Grilled Pork Belly is the focus of the dish, I would recommend trying to find it if possible. If your butcher doesn’t carry the cut you’re looking for, you can also ask for pork cheek.
As a last resort you can use bacon if need be.
The parsley sauce in Stegt Flaesk is pretty plain and simple. Typically in Danish kitchens, the sauce is only flavored with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. The nutmeg gives the sauce a warm and homey taste that elevates the dish so much.
The Parsley Sauce is simple, but gets a delicate touch of freshness from the fresh parsley in the recipe.
With a main protein, carb, and sauce, Stegt Flaesk is a complete meal all on its own. However, you can also add pickled beets to the side of the dish, which is a traditional Danish choice.
A roux is a mixture of flour and fat that is cooked together to thicken sauces. Depending on how long the roux is cooked before adding liquid, it can be a white roux, a blond roux or a brown roux.
The roux in this recipe is a white roux to form the base of the parsley sauce!
Did you enjoy this Stegt Flaesk recipe? If so, check out these other recipes I picked out just for you:
- Mulled Wine (Danish Glogg) in the Instant Pot
- Frikadeller (Danish Meatballs) In a Gravy Cream Sauce
- Bandeja Paisa
- What To Serve with Swedish Meatballs
- Swedish Christmas Dishes
Stegt Flaesk
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb pork belly, cut into slices about 6 inches long and ⅓ inch wide
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 lb petite gold potatoes, sub fingerling potatoes or Kipfler Potatoes if you have access to them
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- ¼ cup flour
- 2 cups milk, whole or 2%
- ¾ tsp Salt , + more to season pork belly
- ¼ tsp Black Pepper
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- Pinch nutmeg
- 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
Pork Belly Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit.
- Lay 1.5 lb pork belly pieces evenly on a baking sheet and drizzle one side with olive oil.
- Rub 1 tbsp olive oil to coat the pieces, and then sprinkle with salt. Flip the pieces and repeat with olive oil and salt on the other side.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven and cook the pork belly for 20 minutes on one side, then flip and bake for 20 minutes on the other side. Flip once more and bake for another 10 minutes or until the skin is brown and crispy. You may need to pour off some extra liquid from the baking sheet when you go to flip the pieces. Doing so will allow the meat to crisp up.
Potatoes Instructions
- While the pork belly is cooking, wash 2 lb potatoes and place them in a large pot filled with water.
- Place the pot on the stove over high heat and cover with a lid. Bring the water to a boil.
- Boil for about 30 minutes, until the potatoes can easily be pierced with a knife (time may change depending on the type/size of potato you choose, so begin checking the potatoes for tenderness around 15 minutes). Once cooked, drain the potatoes.
Parsley Sauce Instructions
- In a medium pot, melt 2 tbsp butter.
- Once melted, add the ¼ cup flour to the butter, and stir to form a paste. This is what will thicken your sauce.
- Pour 2 cups milk into the pot little by little, whisking it with the contents of the pot as you go.
- Once all of the milk is added, continue stirring the sauce for about 5-10 more minutes until it starts to thicken.
- Add ¾ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, 2 tsp lemon juice, and a pinch of nutmeg to the milk and whisk to combine. Adjust seasonings to taste.
- Add the 1 cup of chopped parsley and mix one more time.
Assembly Instructions
- To assemble, lay the potatoes on your plate. Place the crispy pork belly next to the potatoes, and then drizzle everything with the Parsley Sauce. This dish is often served alongside pickled beets. Enjoy!
Notes
- Parsley Sauce: The parsley sauce begins with a blonde roux (the easiest of roux) and then mixes with milk and parsley to create a delectable sauce that coats the dish. Do not skip the nutmeg in the parsley sauce, it changes the taste of the dish so much and really elevates the flavor.
- Pork Belly: I was able to find pork belly from my local butcher and I’ve also heard you can find it at Costco. The belly came in a large slab, and I had them shave me off about 1 pound, which I later cut into strips myself. Pork belly, when baked in the oven, will result in a meat dish that is reminiscent of thick bacon. The pork belly is vital to this dish so I would recommend using it if you can, but if you can’t find pork belly, here are 10 Pork Belly Substitutes.
- Potatoes: Danes typically use Kipfler Potatoes for this recipe, a variety of potato popular in Germany and Denmark. The skin and interior of Kipfler potatoes are yellow. I was not able to find Kipfler potatoes, so I used Petite Gold instead. You can also use fingerling potatoes if you so desire.
- Milk: I used whole milk for my version of this recipe, and this is what I would recommend. Using a full-fat version of milk will create a thick and delicious roux!
- Using skim milk in your recipe could result in a watery roux.
- You can lay the pork belly on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet or also try cooking it on a wire rack. This will succeed in cooking the pork belly just as well.
- When making the Parsley Sauce you can also use a wooden spoon to mix. This will help break up any lumps left over from the flour. You want to make sure that your sauce is lump-free!
- Once you remove the potatoes from the stove, you can run them under a bit of cold water. Make sure the cold water is just enough to cool the potatoes down so that you can remove them from the water and cut them without burning your hands. Too much cold water and your potatoes will be cold when you serve your dish.
- Add a little extra flavor to your pork belly by sprinkling it with sea salt the night before. In the morning pat away any excess liquid with paper towels and let the meat come to room temperature before cooking.
Michael says
I think I just died and went to hog heaven. My new favorite breakfast. Wouldn’t change a thing. Pork belly turned out nice and crisp.
The Foreign Fork says
So glad you loved it Michael! Thank you for the review!!