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!”
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 speciality as their 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 recipe features an easy way to prepare pork belly, particularly if it’s your first time trying it.
- 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. I added some onion powder and garlic powder to my Parsley Sauce to give it a bit more flavor than the traditional Danish recipe calls for.
What’s In This Recipe?
- Pork Belly: I was able to find pork belly from my local butcher. The belly came in a large slab, and I had them shave me off about 1 lb, 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. If you’re looking for Pork Belly Substitutes, there are some substitutes I can recommend.
- 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 Yukon 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.
How to Make this Recipe
Step 1: Bake the Pork Belly
To bake the pork belly, lay a wire rack across a roasting pan and place the pork strips on this rack.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for 20 minutes, then flip the pork belly. Bake for another 20 minutes, and flip one more time, finishing the meat off with ten more minutes until necessary.
The pork belly should be brown and crispy.
Step 2: Boil the Potatoes
Wash the potatoes with a scrub brush, making sure to remove all of the dirt.
Fill a large pot with water, then add the potatoes into the water. Place the pot on the stove and turn the heat to high, allowing the potatoes to cook uncovered.
Boil the potatoes for about 20 minutes (this could change depending on what type of potato you use), until they are cooked through and can easily be pierced with a knife.
Remove the pot from the stove and set aside.
Step 3: Make the Parsley Sauce
In a medium pot, melt the butter. Add the flour to the butter, forming a paste. This is what will thicken your sauce.
Pour the milk into the pot little by little, mixing it with the contents of the pot as you go. Use a whisk to combine.
Once all of the milk is added, continue stirring the sauce for about 5-10 more minutes until it starts to thicken.
Add parsley, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder to the Parsley Sauce and whisk to combine.
You can also practice your roux by making my favorite recipe for Homemade Macaroni and Cheese.
Step 4: Assemble and Enjoy
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
- If you don’t have a wire rack to cook the pork belly on, you can lay the pork belly on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. 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.
Recipe FAQs
Is Pork Belly Better than Bacon?
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.
Can I Substitute Bacon for Pork Belly?
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.
What Does Parsley Sauce Taste Like?
The parsley sauce in Stegt Flaesk is pretty plain and simple. Typically in Danish kitchens the sauce is only flavored with salt and pepper.
We found this, at least in my home, to be a bit bland, which we remedied by adding garlic powder and onion powder. We refrained from adding more spices than this as I didn’t want to stray too far from the traditional Danish methods.
The Parsley Sauce is simple, but gets a delicate touch of freshness from the fresh parsley in the recipe.
Did you like this recipe? Make sure to check out these other recipes I’ve picked out just for you:
- Homemade Macaroni and Cheese
- 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
Grilled Pork Belly with Parsley Sauce (Stegt Flaesk) from Denmark
Ingredients
- 1 lb pork belly, cut into slices about 6 inches long and ⅓ inch wide
- 2 lb yukon gold potatoes, or Kipfler Potatoes if you have access to them
- 2 Tbsp butter
- ¼ cup flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit.
- Place a wire cooking rack in a roasting pan. Add the pork belly to the wire rack and drizzle with olive oil on both sides. Salt lightly.
- Place wire rack in roasting pan 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. Bake until the skin is brown and crispy. Mine took a total of 50 minutes.
- Wash the potatoes and place them in a large pot filled with water. Place the pot on the stove over high heat and bring 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 of potato you choose). Allow the potatoes to cool slightly so that you can handle them.
- In a medium pot, melt the butter. Add the flour to the butter, and stir forming 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 parsley, salt, and pepper to the milk and whisk to combine.
- 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!
Notes
- 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 speciality as their 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 recipe features an easy way to prepare pork belly, particularly if it’s your first time trying it.
- 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. I added some onion powder and garlic powder to my Parsley Sauce to give it a bit more flavor than the traditional Danish recipe calls for.
- If you don’t have a wire rack to cook the pork belly on, you can lay the pork belly on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. 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.
Leave a Reply