Stegt flæsk (fried Pork Belly)

This dish was one of my favorite's growing up.  We didn't have it often, just enough that it was a treat.  Or at least I considered it such.   I remember it being referred to as a 'poor man's pork chop', but it's not that anymore.
With pork belly being considered a trendy dish, it's harder and harder to find just plain pork belly cut into strips, and it's not that cheap anymore either.
And yes, this is the part of the pig that's usually made into bacon.

This is also the national dish of Denmark, and rightly so.   It's generally served with a persillesovs (parsley sauce), potatoes and a vegetable, usually beets.   You can read all about it here.

I did a slight twist on this when I made it for myself last month, cause I didn't have any parsley, but I did have some stuvede spinat (Creamed Spinach) and that went very nicely with the flæsk.

But I wanted the whole shebang, the persillesovs, the new potatoes, cause they just go so well together.

So I made it again, and it hit all the right notes, perfectly cooked, tasted almost as good as my mom's did, and I just 'nydes' (savored) every bite.    I closed my eyes and was transported back to the farm and my childhood for an instant.   It was so 'hyggelig' (cosy and comforting)

I make this the way my Mom did, I get out my little meat tenderizer and whack the strips of flaesk into submission, then dip it in egg and seasoned flour before frying it, or just use the seasoned flour, I did a couple both ways this time.

And ate them all.

And for those who might be interested, here's how the recipe looks in an old cookbook my mother had.

Danish Translation is this, and pardon me if I get any of it wrong, but I'm kinda rusty.  And some of it is paraphrased, a little, cause the straight on translation will sound weird.
Cut the Pork belly  into slices, then put into some water for about 15 minutes,take out and dry off.  Then dip the slices in egg and then into bread crumbs, and cook until light brown in a little butter.   Take the fat out of the pan and wipe out the pan, then put one tablespoon (or soupspoon) of fat back into the pan.  Fry some apple slices and serve with the fried pork.  You can also cook them without dipping them in breadcrumbs first, this will give you more fat in the pan. 

 

yield: 2 servingsAuthor: Sid's Sea Palm Cooking (adapted from many recipes, mostly my mother's)print recipe

Stegt Flæsk ( Fried Pork Belly)

prep time: 10 MINScook time: 10 MINStotal time: 20 mins

This is the national dish of Denmark and rightly so. This is the way my Mor (Mom) made it and the way I like it. Stegt Flæsk should be served with new potatoes and Parsley Sauce, but anyway you do it is just fine with me.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 lb. Pork Belly slices (uncured bacon)
• 1 egg, whisked with 1 tablespoon water
• 1/2-1 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Pepper

Parsley Sauce

• 1-2 tablespoons of fat from the cooked pork
• 1-2 tablespoons of the seasoned flour used for the pork
• 1- 1/2 cups milk
• 1-2 tablespoons chopped parsley

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Mix the flour with the salt and pepper. 
2. Whisk the egg in a small bowl, suitable for dipping. 
3.  Heat a 10 inch skillet on medium low heat, spray with some nonstick spray. 
4. Lay the slices of pork belly out on a cutting board and use a meat mallet to tenderize the meat, by striking them several times on each side. 
5. Dip the slices into egg and then into the seasoned flour. Lay in the heated skillet and fry until golden brown on each side. The meat will shrink back up as it cooks. 
6. Take  the fried pork out of the pan and set aside to keep warm while you make the sauce. Pour off the fat from the pan and add 1-2 tablespoons back in. Whisk in 1-2 tablespoons of the seasoned flour and make a roux. Let it cook for just a minute or so and then add 1 cup of milk, whisking it in and letting it cook until thickened. If too thick, add a little more milk. Turn the heat down, and then add a tablespoon or two of freshly chopped parsley. (I keep some in the freezer at all times)

All recipes and their respective images are either original or adapted and credited, and are all the sole property of Sid's Sea Palm Cooking © 2011-2020, with all rights reserved thereof.

This recipe and many more Danish Recipes are in my cookbook Hygge- Danish Food and Recipes Dansk Mad og Opskrifter til et Hyggeligt Hjemme, available on Amazon. Also available as an ebook.

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