Minced Pork Patties

Minced pork patties © kvalifood.com

Minced pork patties (hakkekarbonader) are flat pork patties dusted in flour and fried in butter — simpler than frikadeller and quicker to make. There is no forcemeat mixture with milk and eggs; the patties are shaped directly from minced pork, dusted with flour and fried until crisp. A light pan gravy is made from the drippings. Serve with boiled potatoes and salad.

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

  • 500–600 g minced pork
  • salt, pepper
  • 2 tbsp flour, for dusting
  • approx. 70 g butter or margarine
  • 100 ml stock

Sides

  • boiled potatoes
  • pan gravy
  • salad

Method

Shaping

Season the minced pork with salt and pepper and mix lightly. Divide into 4–5 portions and shape each into a flat, round patty about 1.5 cm thick. Dust the patties in flour on both sides and shake off the excess — a thin coating, not a thick layer.

Frying

Brown the butter in the pan over medium-high heat until golden. Add the patties and fry for 5–7 minutes on the first side until a golden crust has formed — do not move them. Turn carefully and fry for 5–7 minutes on the other side until cooked through. Transfer to a warm plate.

Gravy and serving

Add a little more butter to the pan if needed. Pour in the stock and scrape up the drippings. Bring to a boil and season to taste. Pour over the patties and serve with boiled potatoes and salad.

Notes

  • Karbonader differ from frikadeller in that they have no forcemeat mixture — just meat and flour, no milk, eggs, or roux
  • The flour coating naturally forms a light crust during frying
  • Patties resemble krebinetter but have no full breading (flour-egg-breadcrumbs); krebinetter is the breaded variant
  • Cooking time depends on thickness — pierce with a sharp knife: clear juices = cooked through
  • Freezing: approx. 3 months