Stegt flæsk

Stegt flæsk is a cherished traditional Danish dish consisting of fried pork belly, typically accompanied by potatoes and a creamy white sauce garnished with chopped parsley. The pork belly is sliced into strips about a quarter-inch thick. Esteemed as Denmark's national dish, this culinary delight enjoys widespread popularity throughout the country. The term "stegt flæsk" translates directly to "fried pork belly" in Danish. Unlike bacon, stegt flæsk is lightly salted but never smoked, and you won't find it sold smoked in Denmark.

This dish is often savored during specific times of the year, with a quirky tradition of eating it on election nights, playfully linking it to politicians' promises.

Pork plays a fundamental role in Danish cuisine, featuring in various dishes such as flæskesteg (roast pork), flæskeæggekage (scrambled eggs with fried pork), leverpostej (pork liver pâté), and stegt medister (minced pork sausage). Danish food culture is rich with pork dishes and pastries. Stegt flæsk has even permeated Danish music, with songs dedicated to it by artists like Jimi and René and Tobias Trier. Remarkably, KiMs, a Danish potato chip producer, once released a stegt flæsk-flavored chip!