Recipe: Flæskesteg - Danish Christmas roast pork (2024)

Recipe: Flæskesteg - Danish Christmas roast pork (1)

Recipe: Flæskesteg – Danish Christmas roast pork

/Posted byMartina

Recipe: Flæskesteg - Danish Christmas roast pork (2)

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Danish Roast Pork (Flæskesteg) with Caramelised potatoes (Brunkartofler)

This is the classic Christmas meal in Denmark.

Course: christmas

Cuisine: Danish

Keyword: christmas

Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

For the Pork:

  • 2 kg loin of pork with the skin on and scored all the way down to just before the flesh in lines 1cm apart (ask the butcher to do this if necessary)
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 onion
  • 1 or 2 bay leaves
  • 400-500 ml boiling water
  • few sprigs of thyme

For the Potatoes:

  • 85 g sugar
  • 25 g butter
  • 1kg small new potatoes peeled and cooked, (don’t be afraid to use tinned potatoes for this) - must be COLD

Instructions

The Pork

  • Preheat your oven to 250°C.

  • Place the pork joint skin side down (yes, ‘upside-down’) into a roasting tray. Add just enough boiling water to the tray so that the skin is submerged.

  • Put the pork in the oven for 20 minutes.

  • Use a clean tea towel to hold the pork in the roasting tray so you don’t burn yourself while you carefully pour away the water.

  • Turn the oven down to 160°C, then flip the pork over so it’s the right way up (skin up), and coat the skin with a generous amount of salt and pepper, making sure you get into the crevices created by the scoring. Be careful of your hands at this point, the pork will be hot! Stick the bay leaves into the crevices as well, then add the carrot, onion and thyme to the roasting tin, and pour 400-500ml fresh, cold water in.

  • Put the pork back in the oven for about an hour or until it is done. Check about halfway through to see if you need to top up the water if it’s starting to evaporate too much.

  • Using a meat thermometer, check the temperature of the pork after the hour. It should be somewhere between 68-70°C. Pour out the fatty residue into a bowl to use as stock for the gravy.

  • Increase the oven temperature back up to 250°C and put the roast pork back in to make the crackling. This can take a good 15 minutes, so use the grill if you want to kickstart the process (but keep a close eye on it, or else you could end up with a burnt crackling).

  • Remove the roast from the oven and check the temperature again. It should be between 70-75°C. This should mean it isn’t overcooked - pork can be terribly boring if you have to gnaw your way through it.

  • Let the roast rest uncovered for about 10 minutes. While that’s happening, make the gravy from the fat and stock - use gravy browning if required.

The Potatoes

  • Add the sugar to a cold frying pan and spread it evenly across the bottom. Melt it on a high heat while you stir for about 2 minutes, then turn the heat down to medium while you add the butter. Turn up the heat to high again.

  • Put the potatoes in a colander or sieve and run them under a cold tap, then add to the pan. As you can imagine, it’s going to splutter and spit a bit, so be careful.

  • Get the potatoes covered in caramel and brown them for between 4-6 minutes, turning them carefully. If it looks like they’re getting a bit too dry, add a drop of water (again, take care doing this).

  • Serve the caramelised potatoes along with normal boiled potatoes - as these are very sweet, they’re more of an extra side dish for the pork rather than a replacement for potatoes altogether.

Notes

NOTE: Always use potatoes that are completely cold. If you’re preparing them yourself, peel and cook them the day before. Each potato should be about 3-4cm in size - think salad potatoes. Tinned really is a good option for this dish.

Serve with warm, red cabbage.

Leftovers? Make Pytt-i-Panna.

Tags: christmas, danish, Denmark

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Recipe: Flæskesteg - Danish Christmas roast pork (2024)

FAQs

What cut of meat is Danish Flæskesteg? ›

Traditional recipe

The traditional method of preparation is to roast a joint of pork from the breast or neck without removing the rind. So as to obtain crispy crackling, a sharp knife should be used to cut the skin through to the meat in narrow strips.

What is the best cut of pork for Christmas? ›

The pork loin, belly and leg are the best cuts for roasting, while the shoulder requires a slower cook (see Jamie's recipe below). Choose cuts with a generous layer of fat as this will keep the meat moist and add flavour throughout the cooking process. 2. Remove pork from the fridge at least an hour before cooking.

Should you bake a pork roast covered or uncovered? ›

Tenting can be suitable for some cuts of meat, but if you want a crunchy crust on your roast, then it's best to leave it uncovered. If you notice that the roasted pork is browning too much, you can lightly cover it with aluminum foil. However, do not cover it for the last 5-10 minutes in the oven.

What is the meaning of flaeskesteg? ›

roast pork {noun}

What is the most eaten meat in Denmark? ›

Meat is very popular, pork ranking as the most frequently served. Cuts are often prepared in the frying pan and accompanied by gravy and potatoes.

What is a traditional Danish Christmas dinner? ›

Christmas Roast duck

No Christmas dinner without duck. Roasted duck is the most popular dish among people in Denmark at Christmas Eve, consumed by an estimated three out of four Danes on 24 December. Another popular dish is flæskesteg, which is roasted pork with crackling. 15.11.2021.

What is the most flavorful pork roast? ›

Shoulder (spare rib)

Most often the bone is removed, then the meat is rolled and tied to a neater joint. It has a really excellent flavour, as meat from nearer the head of the pig is always more succulent, with a little more fat to keep it moist.

What is the most traditional Christmas meat? ›

Turkey is definitely the most traditional meat for Christmas dinner and you can take a look at our wide selection of whole, rolled and diced turkeys here – perfect for your traditional Christmas dinner!

What is the most expensive pork cut? ›

In conclusion, the Iberian pork tenderloin is the most expensive cut due to its excellence in flavor, texture, and exclusivity. However, other scratches, such as the Iberian Secret and the Iberian Feather, also stand out as high-end options in gastronomy due to their unique qualities.

What liquid should I cook pork in? ›

Water: A cup of water helps the pork tenderloin stay moist during cooking. Wine: Red wine lends complexity and enhances the flavor. Soy sauce: Soy sauce adds savory flavor. Garlic: Fresh garlic lends a bold flavor.

Should I put water in the pan of a pork roast? ›

Place pork roast (fat side up) into large roasting pan with 1 cup water in the bottom. Bake for 4-5 hours or until desired tenderness. (I typically go 5 hours for pull apart pork roast) Add water as needed during cook time to prevent burning on the bottom of pan.

Should you sear a pork roast before baking? ›

Searing meat adds flavorful crust, but it has nothing to do with juiciness,” they write. This recipe is seared first, making for a nicely browned and crisp crust. The outside of the meat is seasoned with a rub that also flavors a simple pan sauce made with sherry. Let the roast rest before carving.

What are the cuts of pork in Denmark? ›

According to Adamant Kitchen, there are 3 main cuts of pork used for Flæskesteg in Denmark: the loin (Svinekam), the side (Ribbenssteg, very much like a thick cut of pork belly), or a piece cut from the back near the neck (Nakkekam, which seems to be a shoulder cut similar to coppa with a thick fat cap and rind but I'm ...

What are Danish sausages made of? ›

Scandinavian sausages are usually made of 60–80% finely ground pork, spiced with pepper, nutmeg, allspice or similar sweet spices (ground mustard seed, onions and sugar may also be added). Water, lard, pork rind, potato starch flour and soybean or milk protein are often added as fillers.

Is Danish steak good? ›

Tip: Danish cuts are great to try as a sharing dish. Sampled next to other cuts, you can really taste the difference. We do not recommend having this meat cooked more than medium rare, as this can result in a dry and chewy steak (due to the moisture lost during ageing).

What is the tenderest cut of pork roast? ›

Loin: The area between the shoulder and back legs is the leanest, most tender part of the animal. Rib and loin chops are cut from this area, as are pork loin roasts and tenderloin roasts.

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