Smørrebrød med Rullepølse (Danish Open Sandwich with Spiced Rolled Meat)

About This Recipe

Smørrebrød med Rullepølse is a real, traditional Danish dish, known as Danish Open Sandwich with Spiced Rolled Meat. Rye bread topped with thin slices of herb-spiced rolled pork or veal, a classic Danish open-faced sandwich.\n\nSmørrebrød is a centuries-old Danish tradition of elaborately topped open sandwiches on dense rye bread, with rullepølse — a cold cut of rolled, spiced and pressed meat — being one of its most traditional and beloved toppings.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Danish home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 4 slicesdark Danish rye bread (rugbrød)
• 3 tbspbutter(softened)
• 1lettuce leaf, per slice
• 200 grullepølse (Danish spiced rolled pork) or thinly sliced cold cuts
• 2 tbspDanish remoulade sauce
• 1red onion(thinly sliced)
• 2 tbspchopped fresh chives
• 1lemon(cut into wedges)

Instructions

1. 1

   Butter the bread

   Spread each slice of rye bread generously with softened butter, all the way to the edges.

2. 2

   Add lettuce

   Lay a lettuce leaf on each buttered slice as a base layer.

3. 3

   Layer the meat

   Arrange thin slices of rullepølse or cold cuts over the lettuce, slightly overlapping.

4. 4

   Add remoulade

   Spoon or pipe a line of remoulade sauce over the meat.

5. 5

   Garnish

   Top with thinly sliced red onion and a scatter of fresh chives.

6. 6

   Serve

   Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side, eaten with a knife and fork as is traditional for smørrebrød.

Variations

• •

  Use liver pâté (leverpostej) instead of rullepølse for one of the other most classic Danish smørrebrød toppings.

• •

  Add pickled cucumber slices for extra crunch and acidity.

• •

  A vegetarian version uses egg slices and cress instead of meat.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.

Frequently Asked Questions