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Danish Meatloaf (Forloren Hare) is Scandinavian comfort food at its best - a tender blend of ground beef and pork with just a touch of ground allspice and topped with slices of savory bacon. Served with (or without) a creamy gravy and a dollop of lingonberry jam, this is a flavorful and deeply satisfying meal for a chilly evening.
Forloren Hare which means "mock hare" originated as a thrifty alternative to roasted game. Danish home cooks fashioned ground meat into the shape of a hare and served it with gravy and lingonberries to mimic traditional game dishes. Today it is a beloved classic, humble, comforting and a staple of Danish everyday cooking.
In this version, I grind my own meat using the Ankarsrum Mincer attachment for a truly fresh texture and bake it in the Ankarsrum Clay Baker, which keeps the loaf wonderfully moist while allowing the bacon to brown beautifully on top.
For more tasty recipes featuring ground beef, check out my Easy Swedish Meatballs with Gravy or Swedish Beef Lindström.
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Why You'll Love this Recipe
- ♥️ It's hygge on a plate - cozy, comforting and hearty, especially when accompanied by mashed potatoes and lingonberries.
- ♥️ It's incredibly moist, especially if you bake it in the Ankarsrum clay baker which seals in the juices.
- ♥️ Strips of crisp bacon on top - need I say more?
Ingredients
For the Meatloaf:
Ingredient Notes:
- Ground beef and ground pork - I like using ground chuck and pork shoulder for the best flavor. You can grind it yourself or buy pre-ground. Both are delicious.
- Allspice - A traditional seasoning in many Scandinavian meat dishes, allspice adds a subtle warmth and depth that complements the pork and beef beautifully.
- Panko - Panko is a lightly textured Japanese breadcrumb available at most well-stocked grocery stores. Feel free to substitute regular dried breadcrumbs, fresh breadcrumbs or crushed saltine crackers for the panko.
For the Optional Gravy:
Ingredient Notes:
- You can use pan drippings from the meatloaf in place of the butter if you prefer.
- Soy sauce seems like a strange ingredient here but it adds a deep, savory flavor to the gravy and a welcome bit of color as well.
See recipe card for exact amounts and detailed instructions.
Variations
- All Beef or All Pork - Using a mix of beef and pork is traditional, but you can use all beef or all pork if you prefer. Using all beef in this recipe will result in a firmer, more richly flavored loaf while all pork will yield a softer, milder version.
- No Allspice - Feel free to leave out the allspice if you prefer.
- Fresh Herbs - You can add a tablespoon of chopped fresh thyme or a couple of tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley to the mix if you like.
Equipment
- Ankarsrum Mincer Attachment: Grinding your own meat with the Ankarsrum Mincer is one of the easiest ways to elevate this classic dish. Freshly ground pork and beef have a cleaner flavor, juicier texture, and better binding than store-bought ground meat. Plus, you can control the fat content and coarseness for the perfect Danish-style blend - tender yet substantial. the texture from fine to coarse grinds.
- The Ankarsrum Clay Baker: This clay baking vessel is ideal for making Forloren Hare. Its even, gentle heat keeps the meatloaf moist while allowing the bacon topping to crisp beautifully toward the end of baking. The natural clay top is pre-soaked and releases steam during baking which helps create a tender loaf with a perfectly browned top.
How to Make Danish Meatloaf
- Grind your own pork and beef if desired - I used pork shoulder and beef chuck roast with excellent results.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, onion, mustard, salt, pepper, and allspice. Stir in the breadcrumbs and let them sit for 5 minutes to soften.
- Add the ground beef and pork and knead with your hands until evenly combined, taking care not to over mix.
- Form into a loaf shape (about 10 x 4 inches). Lay bacon slices across the top, slightly overlapping. If bacon slices are too long, trim them slightly or cut them in half.
- If using the clay baker, bake the meatloaf covered for the first 45 minutes. If not using the baker, place the loaf on a greased, foil-lined baking sheet and bake for about 60 minutes or until the internal temperature of the loaf reaches 160 degrees F.
- Remove the lid from the baker, if using, and pour off any accumulated juices. Bake uncovered for and additional 20-25 minutes or until the internal temperature of the loaf reaches 160 degrees F. Prepare gravy, if desired, and serve.
Expert Tips
- If you are using the clay baker, be sure to carefully drain the juices from the baker prior to the last 20-25 minutes of baking to give the bacon a chance to crisp up.
- Let the loaf rest for 10-15 minutes before serving. This will help redistribute the juices back into the meat and help the loaf hold together when sliced and served.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can mix and shape the loaf up to 24 hours in advance. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake. Remove it from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking so it isn't ice cold going in to the oven. This will help it bake evenly.
Absolutely! I like to wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap and then transfer them to a freezer bag or other freezer-safe container. Reheat slices from frozen (no need to thaw first) as needed in the oven until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. I generally bake them at 325 degrees F in a small baking dish covered with foil with a couple of teaspoons of water for about 25 minutes.
Yes, simply omit the bacon if you prefer.
What to Serve with Danish Meatloaf
Lingonberry jam, the optional gravy and mashed potatoes are very traditional accompaniments. This Vegetarian Jansson's Temptation (Swedish Potato Casserole) would be very nice alongside as well. These green beans with dill caper butter would round out the meal nicely!
Other Danish Classic Dishes to Try
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
If you tried this Danish Meatloaf (Forloren Hare) recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Recipe
Danish Meatloaf (Forloren Hare)
Equipment
- Ankarsrum Clay Baker optional
Ingredients
- For the Meatloaf:
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 small onion grated
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 4-8 thin slices of bacon
- For the Gravy Optional:
- 2 tablespoon butter or pan drippings from meatloaf
- 2 tablespoon flour
- 2 cups beef stock or broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- Pinch of allspice
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Lingonberry jam for serving optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F . Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and lightly grease with vegetable oil or spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, onion, mustard, salt, pepper, and allspice. Stir in the breadcrumbs and let them sit for 5 minutes to soften. Add the ground beef and pork and knead with your hands until evenly combined, taking care not to overmix.
- Form into a loaf shape (about 10 x 4 inches) on the prepared sheet pan. Lay bacon slices across the top, slightly overlapping. If bacon slices are too long, trim them slightly or cut them in half.
- Bake for about 50 - 65 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
- Transfer the loaf to a plate and tent with foil. Let rest for 10-15 minutes before serving. Reserve 2 tablespoons of drippings from the sheet pan to use for making gravy, if desired.
- To make optional gravy, place a large skillet over medium heat. Add butter or reserved pan drippings. Once the butter has melted and any foaming has subsided or the pan drippings are sizzling, whisk in flour, and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in broth, then cream, and simmer until thickened, about 5-10 minutes. Add soy sauce and a pinch of allspice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Slice the meatloaf and serve with gravy and lingonberry jam if desired.
Baking in a Clay Loaf Pan (a few tweaks):
- Fill the lid with water and let it sit for about 15 minutes before baking.
- Don't preheat the oven with the pan inside. Start in a cold oven to prevent cracking.
- Lightly grease the interior of the clay baker and pour the water out of the lid. Shape the loaf on a piece of parchment and then transfer to the clay baker. Cut the slices of bacon in half so they fit the width of the baker (you should only need 4 slices altogether) and lay them over the top.
- Bake the meatloaf covered for the first 45 minutes at 400°F.
- Remove the lid and carefully pour off any drippings and fat that have accumulated in the clay baker. Return the baker to the oven, uncovered, and bake for an additional 15-25 minutes or until the internal temperature of the loaf reaches 160° F. If pan juices continue to accumulate in the baker, pour them off as needed (this helps the bacon crisp up on top).
- Let rest 10-15 minutes before slicing.
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