History

Leverpostej is the Danish baked liver pate, traceable to 19th-century kitchens when pork liver was a staple offcut from the family pig. The pate is baked in a water bath and served warm on rye bread with bacon and pickled beets, the canonical pålæg (open-sandwich topping) of every Danish lunchbox. Schønnemann plates the smørrebrød reference version with crisp bacon and mushrooms; supermarket leverpostej tins are universal household stock.

Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Egg

Make it at home

Yield 1Hands-on 30 minTotal 2 hrDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 500g pork liver, trimmed of any tough membrane
  • 300g pork back fat or fatty pork shoulder
  • 200g smoked bacon, chopped
  • 2 large onions, finely diced
  • 30g butter
  • 4 anchovy fillets
  • 100ml double cream
  • 100ml whole milk
  • 60g plain flour
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Pickled beetroot, sauteed mushrooms and crisp bacon to serve

Method

  1. Soften the diced onion in butter over low heat for 12 minutes until completely soft and just golden.
  2. Mince the pork liver, back fat and bacon together twice through the fine plate of a meat grinder, or pulse to a smooth paste in a food processor in batches.
  3. Combine the minced meat with the cooled onion, anchovies (finely chopped), cream, milk, flour, eggs, allspice, thyme, pepper and salt.
  4. Blend the mixture again to a smooth paste with a stick blender if you want a finer texture.
  5. Line a 1kg loaf tin with greaseproof paper. Pour in the leverpostej mixture, smooth the top, lay the bay leaves over.
  6. Place the loaf tin in a deep roasting tray. Pour boiling water into the tray to come halfway up the sides of the loaf tin.
  7. Bake at 160C for 75 to 90 minutes until the centre reaches 72C and the top is deep golden brown.
  8. Cool to room temperature in the tin, then refrigerate at least 4 hours.
  9. Serve warm or cold on slices of rugbrød, topped with sauteed mushrooms, crisp bacon and pickled beetroot.

Tip from the editors. The water bath is essential; without it the edges overcook before the centre sets.

Where to eat leverpostej

Leverpostej in Copenhagen

Schønnemann ★ 4.8

Smørrebrød$$$indre-byDaily 11:30-17:00

Schønnemann on Hauser Plads in Copenhagen has served smørrebrød since 1877, with house-baked rye, a 140-bottle snaps cabinet and lunch-only service.

Signature: Marinated herring, Stegt flæsk smørrebrød, Karrysild

Order: Marinated herring with raw onion, capers and rye, plus a glass of cold akvavit.

Tip: Lunch only, closed Sunday and books a week ahead. Walk in at 14:30 for the best chance of a counter seat.

Hauser Plads 16, 1127 København K Book →

Aamanns 1921 ★ 4.6

Smørrebrød$$$indre-byMon-Thu 11:30-22:30, Fri-Sat 11:30-23:00, Sun 11:30-17:00

Aamanns 1921 on Niels Hemmingsens Gade in Copenhagen serves Adam Aamann's modern smørrebrød at lunch and a Nordic dinner menu, with a silver organic dining.

Signature: Roasted pork smørrebrød, Smoked salmon, Frikadeller

Order: The four-piece smørrebrød lunch with a glass of snaps and a beer chaser.

Tip: Open seven days for lunch and dinner; book dinner on the website.

Niels Hemmingsens Gade 19-21, 1153 København K Book →

Restaurant Sankt Annæ ★ 4.3

Nordic$$Mon-Sat 11:30-16:00, closed Sun

Restaurant Sankt Annæ in Copenhagen: nordic room. Open since 1894 a stone's throw from the Royal Palace, Sankt Annæ remains a working-Danes.

Why locals love it: Open since 1894 a stone's throw from the Royal Palace, Sankt Annæ remains a working-Danes smørrebrød lunch spot rather than a tourist set piece.

Tip: Tuesday to Saturday lunch only. Walk-ins easier after 14:00.

Sankt Annæ Plads 12, 1250 København K

Mad & Kaffe ★ 4.5

BrunchCustomisable Danish brunch board$$DKK 115-185Mon-Sat 08:30-20:00, Sun 08:30-17:00Walk-in for outdoor; reservations for indoor

Mad & Kaffe on Sønder Boulevard in Vesterbro codified the modern Copenhagen brunch board, with customisable plates and queues that snake into the boulevard.

Order: Pick three, five or seven boards: avocado, egg, sourdough, smoked salmon.

Tip: No reservations for outdoor; the queue starts at 09:00 weekends. Multiple branches across town; this is the original.

Sønder Boulevard 68, 1720 København V

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