Cookbook:Beer and Rye Bread Porridge (Øllebrød)

Beer and Rye Bread Porridge (Øllebrød)
Category	Porridge recipes
Difficulty

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Øllebrød (Danish for Beer Bread) is a Danish bread porridge, easily made from (dry) rye bread using this very simple recipe. Together with salmon (and other fish), pork, rye bread, beer and potatoes, øllebrød was an important nutritional element of traditional Danish cuisine until the 1800s. A Danish family usually had a big pot on the stove in which they threw leftover bread and beer dregs. This was served as an everyday meal, morning and afternoon. The pot was seldom emptied, so it was a kind of continuous meal.

Ingredients

• 1 loaf of day-old rye bread (preferably without whole grain)
• Malt beer (preferably a sweet dark stout)
• Sweetener, as desired (e.g. sugar or honey)
• Lemon juice (optional)

Procedure

Variant I

1. Put the rye bread to soak in beer for 6–12 hours.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil, and simmer slowly for about 1 hour. Add more beer if it's too dry; the consistency should be like that of oatmeal. If you want it sweet you can mix in some sweetener. For a fresher taste, add a touch of lemon.
3. Serve with whipped cream if you're introducing this meal to someone who is not Danish.

Variant II

1. In the evening, cut away the crust from the rye bread, and cut it into cubes.
2. Put the bread in a pot and cover it with beer (or water) and a lid. Set aside.
3. In the morning, add sweetener if using, then heat it all up.
4. Stir until it steams vigorously, adding water if it gets too dry.
5. Serve with milk for a warm, very solid breakfast.

Notes, tips, and variations

• Feel free to use whatever beer that is the cheapest, as the alcohol is going to vaporise anyway. You can also substitute the beer with water, if you want.