Leverpostej (Danish Liver Pate) is a wonderful pork liver pate that is lighter in texture than normal pate and is served hot on rye bread for the most exquisite of eating experiences. If you’ve never tried it then you have seriously been missing out!
What is Leverpostej?
Leverpostej, pronounced Liwer-po-stigh is a traditional Danish pork liver pate that is served hot on rye bread and garnished in various ways.
Danes make and eat Leverpostej all year round and it usually makes an appearance at Christmas (Jul) which is when my mum used to make it.
Wanting to recreate the pork liver pate that my mother used to buy from the Danish Centre when I was a child, I set about doing some research as this was not a recipe that she had ever made.
Taking her advice I created a stripped back version of all the recipes I could find to get something resembling what I had eaten.
I also wanted to create something a little healthier so used milk instead of cream and fatty bacon bits rather than pure pork fat from a butcher.
Many of the recipes called for anchovy paste which was winced at by my mother so I decided a slug of Worcestershire Sauce might be a winning compromise!
I had never made Leverpostej until today and I don’t know why I’ve never done it before as it was so easy, so cheap, and far more delicious than anything shop bought.
Not that you can buy anything remotely similar in UK supermarkets. I made 3 small foil tins of pate (just like the originals) for about £1.30 compared to the shop bought variety which can cost around £2.00 for one slim pre-packed slither.
If you have children and they are a bit squeamish I suggest you don’t show them the raw liver as I managed to put my daughter off completely.
Her brother though was fine and helped whizz the mixture in the blender. He later wolfed down his open Danish sandwiches asking if there were any more, as did his dad.
My husband insisted on having cooked red cabbage with the pate.
I wasn’t up for cooking this as well, so was very pleased (when he failed to find any in Ikea) that the Polish section in my supermarket had jars of cooked red cabbage and apple.
Hence, we were spoilt with fried mushrooms and bacon on the warm pate as well as warmed red cabbage.
It was like being a kid all over again, I was in food heaven!
The Leverpostej must be removed from their water bath immediately once cooked.
Serving Suggestions
Danish Pork Liver Pate should be served as an open sandwich on rye bread and topped with any of the following:
- Homemade cooked red cabbage (or from a jar, often with apple), hot or cold.
- Fried mushrooms and bacon lardons.
- Pickled cucumber (Asier) or raw cucumber slices.
- Pickled or cooked sliced beetroot.
- Crispy onions.
- Sky (aspic) as per the traditional Danish open sandwich called Dyrlægens Natmad.
Storage
Store cooked pate in its tray with lid on in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Can you Freeze Leverpostej?
Yes, raw pate freezes well in foil trays with a lid on. Simply defrost in the fridge for 24 hours before baking.
Alternatively, you can freeze the cooked pate, then thaw it in the fridge before serving cold or reheating.
How do you reheat Danish Liver Pate?
Reheat Danish Liver Pate in the oven at 175°C (350°F) loosely covered in foil for about 10 – 15 mins or until it reaches an internal temperature of 72°C (160°)F.
More Danish Open Sandwiches (Smørrebrød) Idea
- Egg & Prawn Open Sandwich
- Ploughman’s Open Sandwich
- Micro Quail Egg & Smoked Ham Danish Open Sandwich
- Kartoffelmad (Danish Potato Sandwich)
- Herring Smørrebrød
Leave a comment and rating below when you’ve made this recipe; I love getting your feedback! You can also share your pictures by tagging @FabFood4All over on Instagram.
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Leverpostej (Danish Liver Pate)
Equipment
- 1 cook’s knife
- 1 Measuring jug
- 1 Chopping Board
- 1 Food processor (blender)
- 3 small foil trays or loaf tin
Ingredients
- 500 g / 1lb pork liver
- 300 g / 10oz unsmoked bacon lardons the fattier the better
- 1 medium onion roughly chopped
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 2 tbsp flour
- 125 ml / 4 fl oz milk
- dash Worcestershire Sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 175℃ (350℉).
- Blitz the liver, bacon and onion in a food processor or blender until fairly smooth (you’ll probably need to poke down the onions from the sides).
- Mix in the rest of the ingredients until well distributed.
- Pour mixture into a well greased loaf pan or 3 smaller foil trays.
- Put warm water into a deep baking tin so that it comes half way up the side and bake for about 1 hour.
- If the pate starts to brown too much, place some foil loosely over the top (shiny side down).
- Once cooked (the juices should run clear when tipped) invert onto a dish and cover with fried bacon bits and button mushrooms if desired.
- Serve hot on rye bread for the best eating experience along with cooked red cabbage or fried mushrooms and bacon bits. Can also be enjoyed cold.
Heindrich Brase
This was my first try. It came out delicious. I cooked a kilogram of pork liver. Can I freeze the cooked paté in the foil container.
Camilla
Hi Heindrich, so happy to hear that. Yes you can freeze pate. Just be sure to keep the container airtight (maybe put in a food bag and suck out the air) and consume within 3 months (defrost overnight in fridge).
John B
My mom has a recipe from her Grandmother and I think they called it Finka. Is it the same thing?
John B
Camilla
Hi John, not heard of Finka I’m afraid.
Tom
I think what is meant here would be ‘finker’
Adrianne
Do you cook the bacon prior to mixing with the liver or is it raw? Making for my Danish father in law for new years! Hope it brings back great memories!
Camilla
Hi, the bacon is added raw.
Didi
Hi Camilla; I was an exchange student at a Folk Highschool way back in 1976… and I still dream of the leverpostej I had both at the school and with the Family I lived with up in Fjerritslev. I tried to make some from an internet recipe years ago and it was dreadful.. I am very excited to try your recipe! Mange tak!
Camilla
Awesome Didi, do let me know how you get on:-)
Lene
Hi Camilla
I’m a Danish born Australian and came with my parents to Australia when I was 4 years old. In 2018 I visited some family in Copenhagen and fell in love with Danish liver paste. Am also vegan now, so as we speak I’m baking the paste after swapping TVP (textured vegetable protein) for the pork and plant based bacon along with ground flaxseed for the egg and soy milk for the milk. Will let you know how it comes out!
Camilla
Hi Lene, that sounds very inventive! Hope you succeed in your quest:-)
Jodi James
Camilla,
When I was in Herning, DK many years ago as an exchange student. My host father found it odd that my first try of Leverpostej I put onions on it, but as an American, I had never heard of anything different to go with liver.
After that, I began to eat it the way that my host family did, with thinly sliced cucumbers on it.
In your article you stated that your daughter would not try it. See if she would be willing to after it is cooked, with some fresh raw cucumber on it.
I found with the Cucumber there was no lingering taste from the liver when I had “Smørbrød med Leverpostej.” It was common practice to spread butter on the “femkorn” (the bread they used for the open-faced sandwiches) before spreading the leverpostej on it. That may have also been regional.
I am looking forward to trying your recipe to see if it is how I remembered it from when I was 17. (too many years ago to admit here)
Camilla
Hi Jodi, thank you for your suggestion. I’m afraid my daughter is now a pescatarian (having been a vegetarian too) as she just never did like meat really. Did you also try pickled Asier (pickled cucumber) with leverpostej, that’s lovely too! My daughter did ask to have herring on rye bread the other day having avoided it for the past 18 years and really enjoyed it so at least the Danish genes are making a mark:-)
Jan
The thought of adding fat to any recipe grosses me out. However, your recipe calling for bacon put a whole new spin on it. Thanks for sharing this recipe and for using both metric and US measurements. Please add the baking temperature to complete the perfection! Can’t wait to try it. Thank you!
Camilla
Hi Jan, when I was a kid we grew up with pounds and ounces and then sometime in the 70’s I think the UK went metric. I had no idea that this was US measurements, I thought those were cups. We have digital scales that can measure ounces, grams, mls etc so what sort of scales do you use? When I was growing up I used my mothers caste iron ones with the little weights that went on one side. Is that what Americans still use? I have said the oven temperature on the first line of the recipe.
Rob
OMG, just made this recipe for a friend who was missing it from childhood memories! Definitely going to become a regular in my house. Such a simple recipe and wow what an outcome! Thank you.
Camilla
Aaw, that’s wonderful Rob, so happy to hear this, thanks for sharing:-)
Stefan Sillen
Great recipe. I’m Swedish so I use pork belly (fläsk). I also use marjoram and little bit of ginger. On a piece of sourdough with dill pickles oh my god!. Spic it up!
Camilla
Sounds fab, I’ve yet to embark on sourdough making!
Tara
This looks amazing! So comforting paired with the rye bread. Thanks for sharing my Kartoffelmad!
Camilla
Thank you, a pleasure Tara:-)
Fred
Had this often as a child/young man. Paternal grandparents emigrated from Denmark.
Love it. Made it a couple years ago. Anxious to try it again. Found pork liver in NC, when I lived near Charlotte, but no sources here on Central Florida coast. Hoping calf’s is an acceptable substitute.
As I like anchovies, I wonder how much to put in recipe?
Fred
Camilla
Hi Fred, my mum used to serve us pan fried calves liver as a child which was so good but I don’t think it would be good in this pate, I’ve never come across any pate made with calves liver. Could you not find an online supplier to send it to you frozen perhaps? I would google other pate recipes that contain anchovies and use that as a guide. Good luck!
Cheryl
Our Danish Sisterhood group here in the States made this in small loaf pans for its market last fall. They encouraged shoppers to buy two and freeze one to serve in slices gently fried at Christmastime..
Camilla
Aaw, that’s just wonderful to hear, thank you so much for sharing:-)
Danish Wife
So you think you could make this with lamb or beef liver?
Camilla
I have only ever seen and eaten pate made with chicken or pork liver and this pate that I grew up eating is always made with pork liver.
Paul Wilson
Never tried it – looks interesting.
Camilla
Seriously the best pate ever and nothing like anything you an buy in Britain!
Susie
Have you ever frozen after cooking? I made a double batch and wondered since I already have the oven going.
Camilla
No I haven’t I’m afraid!
Maya Russell
This looks very delicious. I have never made pate before but ought to try this as my father-in-law is low in iron.
Camilla
Oh do Maya it’s so gorgeous and nothing like any pate you’ve ever had before;-)
tiggerific1973
I love pate but I am only the only one in the family who does!
Camilla
Aah but this is like no pate they will have ever tried – I defy anyone not to like this hot pate on a slice of rye:-)
Jane Davies
Never tried making pate myself but I love the stuff I buy ! Will have to give it a go 🙂
Geoffrey Clark
pate on toast mmm….
Ursula Hunt
Never made Pate but love it so this recipe is great
Paul Wilson
Looks really tasty.
Susie
Thank you. I am looking forward to making this Saturday. My mother-in-law’s family is from Denmark and I believe this will surely retain my standing as favorite daughter-in-law. 😉
Camilla
Aah, I’d love to know how it went down – Danish pate is just out of this world:-)
Susie
I’m sure this sounds like a rookie question, because it is, the bacon bits, they are not cooked before being introduced to the blender with other ingredients, right?
Camilla
They are raw:-)
Paul Wilson
Great idea. I would never have thought to make my own pate.
Tracy Nixon
Not a fan of liver myself but have printed this off for my mum who loves it! She buys the pate a lot for her and the cat (yes the cat!) so I’m sure she would like to try some home made! Thank you!
Camilla
This is far superior to any pate you can buy:-)
Heather Haigh
I really like the sound of that.
Lisa Williams
that looks so delicious I have never ventured into Danish food but if it is all like this I will be trying to find a lot more of it 🙂
Camilla
Oh you can’t beat a Danish warm liver pate!
Gitte
Oh boy, that looks so delicious. Makes me wanna go dig out the last Leverpostej that I have in the freeze but I am saving that for when my son comes home from school. 🙂
Camilla
Thank you, that means such a lot coming from a Dane!