Leverpostej - Liver Paste - Danish Food Culture <

Danish Food Culture and Cooking Recipes

*A Part of the Danish Cultural Heritage*

Danish Specialities and Recipes

Danish Liver Paste
"Leverpostej og Rugbrød" - The Danes favourite pork spread on Rye bread

The National Spread -“Leverpostej” - Liver Paste - is the Danes most popular and favourite spreading on their open Danish sandwich - “Smørrebrød”. “Leverpostej” - is a must to eat for nearly every Dane - no matter any age - as this national spread has been - and is the first choice - when you say “Smørrebrød”. The basic ingredients are chopped pork liver and lard with onions. Liver paste “Leverpostej” has a high concentration of nutrient values like vitamin A and B2 as well as iron. The Danes just love their liver paste - which is a must at the traditional Christmas and Easter cold buffet tables - and is served slightly warmed. Many tons of liver paste are consumed every day and year in Denmark - as every Dane eats one liver paste open Danish sandwich at breakfast - lunch or in the evening at supper time. Home made - and freshly baked liver paste - is quite a Danish tradition - that is originated from the old rural kitchens placed in different regions with each their recipe ad variety to prepare and bake one of the Danes most popular and delicious spreading’s. There are about 100 different types of liver paste in Denmark.

Grandma's homemade Liver Paste (Leverpostej)
(Bestemor's hjemmelavet leverpostej)

A simple everyday “Leverpostej” Recipe" from the Old Danish country kitchen. Here’s an everyday “Leverpostej” recipe - where all the ingredients can be purchased abroad.

Ready-made Liver Paste

The Danish "Leverpostej" is produced in many variations - and from many types of recipes that belongs to different regions. The final sort of liver paste can be purchased everywhere in Denmark.

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Preparation time ½ hour - Baking time 1½ hour

- Put pork liver - pork fat and onions through a meat grinder.

- Blend the pork liver once - the lard and onions two or three times. Melt butter - add flour - add milk and cook.

- Add the creamy sauce to the minced liver - then add 3 eggs and spices to your taste. Salt - pepper - allspice and nutmeg. Beat well until almost smooth.

- Bake in loaf pan - set in a shallow pan of water - or in small aluminium foil trays. Bake the liver paste for 1½ hours in a preheated oven at 180C - 350F.

- When baked - serve and eat lukewarm or cooled.

- Serve sliced - or as a sandwich spread on rye bread. Best with melted pork lard spread first - and then the liver past spread on the bread - with preferred toppings like crispy bacon - fried mushrooms - pickle beetroot - sour pickles etc.

-Liver Paste is a real "porky" tasting delicacy - and the Danes national spread and favourite treat!

Christmas traditions
Luke warm Liver Paste (Leverpostej) is a must and a tradition to serve at Christmas in Denmark at the cold buffet lunch table together with numerous other pork dishes.

Ready-made "Leverpostej"
You can also buy various and numerous ready-made Liver paste (Leverpostej) in supermarkets - at the butcher and various grocery stores.

See Eating-Leverpostej - with more info about Liver Paste and traditional Danish Food Culture

Velbekomme - Enjoy your meal!

Toppings - and preparing a simple “Leverpostejmad” on Rye Bread
The Danes use numerous toppings - as supplement and decoration on top of their “Leverpostejmad” - open Danish liver paste rye bread sandwich - such as - mushrooms - bacon - gravy jelly - red pepper - cucumber - marinated beetroot - pickled gherkins - onions - fried onions - salted meat etc. The best way to prepare a simple “Leverpostejmad” - as the Danes prefer it is to spread a thick layer of lard on rustic rye bread - then a bit of salt - hereafter spread a solid layer of “Leverpostej” - and at last a plain flat topping like marinated beetroot or cucumber.

The Simple “Leverpostejmad”

The quick and simple everyday "Leverpostejmad" is a must in the Danish school children’s lunch boxes. First spread with lard and salt - then spread the liver paste. Add a plain topping like cucumber or pickled beetroot.

The luxurious "Leverpostejmad"

The luxurious "Leverpostejmad" with many kinds of toppings like jelly gravy - bacon - onions and mushrooms that decorates the "Smørrebrød". Pork lard beneath the liver paste improves the final taste.

The Danes use numerous kinds of toppings as a supplement to their
very dear "Leverpostejmad" - open Danish
liver paste sandwich
on rye bread

DANES EAT 18-20 MILLION TONS "LEVERPOSTEJ" EVERY YEAR

Liver Paste with Bacon

One of the Danes favourite versions of "Leverpostej" on rustic rye bread is lukewarm Liver Paste with Bacon.

Facts about “Leverpostej” - Liver Paste
Liver Paste - “Leverpostej” is more Danish than the Evangelical Lutheran Church - and the Danish monarchy. In brief there are more Danes that eat “Leverpostej” than there are members of the Danish Church or supporters of the royal family - which is a much admired institution in Denmark. It's a fact that 95 percent of all Danes eat “Leverpostej”. 60 percent eat “Leverpostej” daily. The Danes eat 18-20 million tons of “Leverpostej” every year - 5 kilo per Dane - and 60 million aluminium trays are backed yearly. And over 90 percent of all Danes over 10 years make one or more “Leverpostejmad” - an open Danish Liver Paste Sandwich every single day - with all sorts of toppings - and the delicious "Leverpostej" is a "must" in every daily lunchbox - in the Danes Picnic Basket or at the Buffet Bar.

Read more: Leverpostej