Danish Meat and Potato Hash with Bacon
Danish meat and potato hash with bacon is a version of biksemad, the Danish dish made with leftover roast meat and cold boiled potatoes fried together until crisp. Here, smoky bacon lardons and onion add flavour, and each portion is topped with a fried egg. It takes 40 minutes from start to finish and feeds four, with pickled beetroot on the side.
- Total
- 40 min
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Serves
- 4
- Per serving
- 450kcal
Buying and preparing Danish meat and potato hash with bacon
Biksemad is a way to use up a Sunday roast, so use cold, cooked potatoes and meat. Potatoes boiled the day before dice neatly and brown well, because they have dried out. Anything freshly boiled tends to break up in the pan.
Cut everything to a similar size, about 1.5cm, so it cooks evenly. Bacon lardons are a good short cut, but streaky bacon cut into small pieces works just as well.
Method for Danish meat and potato hash with bacon
Tap a time to start a timer.
- Prepare Dice the cold potatoes and cooked meat into pieces of about 1.5cm, and finely chop the onions. Pat the potatoes dry with kitchen paper.
- Cook the bacon Put the lardons in the large frying pan over a medium heat, with no oil. Cook for , stirring now and then, until the fat has run and they are lightly crisp.
- Soften the onions Add the onions and cook for until soft and translucent.
- Crisp the potatoes Add the butter and oil, then the potatoes and meat. Turn the heat up a little and cook for , leaving the mixture alone for a minute at a time between turns, so that it forms a golden crust. Season with black pepper and taste before adding any salt.
- Fry the eggs While the hash cooks, fry the eggs in a small pan with a little oil for until the whites are set. Check that the hash is steaming hot all the way through.
- Serve Divide the hash between four warm plates, top each with an egg and serve with pickled beetroot.
What to serve with it
The traditional Danish accompaniments are pickled beetroot, a fried egg and a few shakes of Worcestershire sauce, with rye bread and butter alongside. Another Danish favourite is air fryer Danish meatballs, and a potato omelette is a good way to use up more cold potatoes.
Common problems and fixes for Danish Meat and Potato Hash with Bacon
- The potatoes are soft and mushy rather than crisp.
- They were too warm or too wet. Use potatoes that have been boiled and chilled, pat them dry, and do not stir the hash too often.
- The hash is steaming rather than frying.
- The pan is too crowded. Use a 30cm pan, or fry in two batches and combine at the end.
- The hash is too salty.
- Bacon and cooked meat both add salt. Season with pepper first, taste at the end, and use unsmoked, less salty bacon if you prefer.
Frequently asked questions about Danish Meat and Potato Hash with Bacon
What meat can I use for Danish meat and potato hash with bacon?
Leftover roast pork or beef is traditional. Cooked ham, gammon or sausages also work, cut to the same size.
Can you freeze it?
It is best eaten fresh, as potatoes turn grainy when frozen. Leftovers keep for up to 2 days in the fridge and should be reheated in a frying pan until steaming hot.
What is biksemad?
Biksemad is the Danish word for this dish: a fry-up of leftover meat and potatoes, usually served with a fried egg, pickled beetroot and Worcestershire sauce.
Can I use raw potatoes?
Parboil them for 8–10 minutes, drain and leave to steam dry before frying. Raw diced potatoes need far longer and tend to burn.
How did you like the recipe?
4.9 / 5 · 56 ratings
