Biksemad — Danish Hash

Biksemad — Danish Hash © kvalifood.com

Biksemad is the leftover cook’s best friend — boiled potatoes, fried meat and onion crisped up in a pan with lard. It’s a dish that lives and dies by technique: the potato cubes need to sit undisturbed on a hot pan to build a proper crust. A fried egg with a runny yolk is non-negotiable, with pickled beetroot on the side.

Ingredients

Yields 4 servings

  • 2–3 dl onion, finely chopped
  • 1/2–3/4 kg cooked potatoes, cold, cut into cubes
  • 60 g lard, butter or margarine, to taste
  • optional: 200–300 g fried pork (or bacon), cut into cubes
  • salt, freshly ground pepper
  • 1–2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Accompaniments

  • fried eggs
  • pickled beetroot
  • Worcestershire sauce

Directions

Meat and onion

Brown half the fat in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over high heat. Fry the meat cubes until golden and crisp. Remove them. Add the remaining fat and fry the onion until translucent and golden.

Potatoes

Add the potato cubes to the pan in a single layer. Do not stir. Leave them undisturbed over good heat for 3–5 minutes until a golden crust forms on the underside. Turn in large pieces — do not stir. Repeat until the potato cubes are golden and crisp on all sides.

Bringing it together

Mix in the meat cubes and heat everything through. Season with salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce.

Serving

Serve immediately with fried eggs with a runny yolk and pickled beetroot on the side. Worcestershire sauce on the table.

Notes

  • Do not stir the potatoes — they need to sit undisturbed on the pan to build a proper crust
  • Use cold, day-old potatoes — freshly cooked potatoes are too wet and won’t hold their shape
  • Lard gives the best flavour and crispness; use butter and oil as an alternative
  • The runny egg yolk acts as an informal sauce — it belongs here
  • Biksemad is by definition a leftovers dish — proportions vary depending on what’s available