Fried salt pork belly with parsley sauce and boiled potatoes is the most voted favourite Danish dish in the annual poll. Strips of belly pork are fried crisp and served with thick white parsley sauce and floury potatoes.

Stegt flæsk was voted Denmark's national dish in 2014 in a public poll run by the Ministry of Food. The dish has roots in the farm kitchens of Jutland where salt-cured pork belly was the most reliable winter protein; the parsley sauce drew on the abundant fresh herb growing in every kitchen garden. The Aarhus version is typically served at Teater Bodega and at Restaurant Kohalen as a Wednesday lunch special.

Where to eat Stegt Flæsk med Persillesovs in Aarhus

3 editor picks for Stegt Flæsk med Persillesovs in Aarhus, ranked by editorial score. All Aarhus signature dishes · Stegt Flæsk med Persillesovs across every city.

Make it at home

Serves 450 minEasy

Ingredients

  • 800g salt pork belly strips, 5mm thick
  • 1kg floury potatoes (e.g. Sava or Bintje)
  • 60g butter
  • 40g plain flour
  • 600ml whole milk
  • Large bunch of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • Salt and white pepper

Method

  1. Fry the pork strips in batches in a dry non-stick pan over medium-high heat until golden and crispy on both sides, about 4-5 minutes per side. Keep warm in a low oven.
  2. Boil the potatoes in salted water from cold until tender, about 20 minutes.
  3. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat; whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes.
  4. Add the milk gradually, whisking continuously until the sauce is smooth and thick, about 8 minutes.
  5. Remove from heat; fold in the parsley and season with salt and white pepper.
  6. Serve the crispy pork strips over the potatoes with the parsley sauce poured over.

Editor tip. The pork strips must be very thin to crisp properly; ask the butcher to slice them at 5mm or use a mandoline. Too thick and they steam rather than fry.

Common allergens: Dairy, Gluten.