Finland Magazine

Kalakukko- Wild Food from Finland

Kalakukko- Wild Food from Finland

Kalakukko is a traditional Finnish savory pie filled with fish and pork, baked inside a loaf of rye bread. It is a specialty of the Savo region of Finland, and is particularly popular in the city of Kuopio. Kalakukko is typically made with vendace (muikku), a small freshwater fish, but other small fish such as perch (ahven) or smelt (särki) can also be used. The pork is usually salted and may be smoked or cured. The pie is baked for several hours in a hot oven, until the crust is golden brown and the fish and pork are cooked through. Kalakukko is a hearty and flavorful dish that is often served with a side of potatoes and lingonberry jam.

Ingredients:

Dough:

  • 5 dl (2 cups) water
  • 1 dl (1/4 cup) all-purpose flour
  • 800 g (6 cups) rye flour
  • 1 dl (1/4 cup) melted butter
  • 1-2 tablespoons salt

Filling:

  • 1 kg (2.2 lbs) vendace (muikku), cleaned and dried
  • 400 g (14 oz) fatty pork belly, salted
  • Salt

Instructions:

  1. Process the vendace: Remove the heads and guts from the vendace and rinse them thoroughly. Pat them dry with paper towels.

  2. Prepare the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the water, all-purpose flour, and salt. Gradually add most of the rye flour, mixing until a shaggy dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Add more rye flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

  3. Assemble the filling: On a large baking sheet, arrange the vendace in a single layer. Season with salt. Lay the pork belly slices over the vendace, overlapping them slightly. Season with more salt.

  4. Shape the kalakukko: Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a round disk about 1 cm (1/2 inch) thick. The center of the disk should be slightly thicker than the edges. Transfer the dough to a greased baking sheet.

  5. Gently lift the edges of the dough and fold them over the filling, completely enclosing it. Pinch the seams to seal. If there is any excess dough, trim it off.

  6. Score the top of the kalakukko with a sharp knife in a crisscross pattern. This will allow steam to escape during baking.

  7. Bake the kalakukko: Preheat the oven to 250°C (480°F). Brush the top of the kalakukko with melted butter. Bake for 45 minutes.

  8. Reduce the oven temperature to 125°C (250°F) and continue baking for 5-6 hours, or until the kalakukko is golden brown and the crust is firm.

  9. Remove the kalakukko from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack. Wrap the kalakukko in a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for at least 3 hours before serving. This will allow the flavors to meld and the crust to soften slightly.

Tips:

  • For a richer flavor, you can use smoked or cured pork belly.
  • If you don't have vendace, you can substitute other small fish such as perch or smelt.
  • Kalakukko can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Enjoy your delicious Kalakukko!

News

21.06.25
News
Outdoors
Food
Finland
Finnish
Suomi
Travel
Travelling
Travel Finland
Magazine
Travel Magazine
Finland Magazine
Magazine Finland
Wild Food
Finnish Lapland
Lapland
Lappi
Taste the North
21.06.25
News
Finland
Finnish
Suomi
Travel
Travelling
Travel Finland
Magazine
Travel Magazine
Finland Magazine
Magazine Finland
Good morning Finland – Part 5
20.06.25
News
Culture
Food
Wellbeing
Finland
Finnish
Suomi
Travel
Travelling
Travel Finland
Magazine
Travel Magazine
Finland Magazine
Magazine Finland
Lapland
Lapland Magazine
sauna
Finnish Lapland
Lappi
kainuu
kainuunmaakunta
Midsummer – Finland’s Summer Highlight
20.06.25
News
Finland
Finnish
Suomi
Travel
Travelling
Travel Finland
Magazine
Travel Magazine
Finland Magazine
Magazine Finland
Good morning from Finland
Good morning Finland – Part 4
19.06.25
News
Finland
Finnish
Suomi
Travel
Travelling
Travel Finland
Magazine
Travel Magazine
Finland Magazine
Magazine Finland
Good morning from Finland
Good Morning, Finland – Part 3
18.06.25
News
Wellbeing
Outdoors
Finland
Finnish
Suomi
Travel
Travelling
Travel Finland
Magazine
Travel Magazine
Finland Magazine
Magazine Finland
Lapland
Finnish Lapland
Lappi
Summer Morning Yoga Moment
18.06.25
News
Finland
Finnish
Suomi
Travel
Travelling
Travel Finland
Magazine
Travel Magazine
Finland Magazine
Magazine Finland
Good morning from Finland
Good morning Finland – part 2
17.06.25
News
Finland
Finnish
Suomi
Travel
Travelling
Travel Finland
Magazine
Travel Magazine
Finland Magazine
Magazine Finland
Good Night from Finland
Good Night from Finland
17.06.25
Finland
Finnish
Suomi
Travel
Travelling
Travel Finland
Magazine
Travel Magazine
Finland Magazine
Magazine Finland
Good morning from Finland
Good morning from Finland
16.06.25
News
Outdoors
Finland
Finnish
Suomi
Travel
Travelling
Travel Finland
Magazine
Travel Magazine
Finland Magazine
Magazine Finland
kainuu
kainuunmaakunta
Autumn 2025
15.06.25
News
Outdoors
Finland
Finnish
Suomi
Travel
Travelling
Travel Finland
Magazine
Travel Magazine
Finland Magazine
Magazine Finland
Moment in the Birch Forest
14.06.25
News
Culture
Finland
Finnish
Suomi
Travel
Travelling
Travel Finland
Magazine
Travel Magazine
Finland Magazine
Magazine Finland
Finland Culture
Finnish Culture
sauna
Finnish sauna
log sauna
Finnish Sauna Day
12.06.25
News
Outdoors
Food
Finland
Finnish
Suomi
Travel
Travelling
Travel Finland
Magazine
Travel Magazine
Finland Magazine
Magazine Finland
Wild Food
Restaurants
Restaurant
Lapland
Finnish Lapland
Lappi
Lapland - Posio
09.06.25
News
Finland
Finnish
Suomi
Travel
Travelling
Travel Finland
Magazine
Travel Magazine
Finland Magazine
Magazine Finland
event
events
Sport
Power, Grit, and Finnish Elite Athletes – Finland’s Strongest Man Final
09.06.25
News
Food
Finland
Finnish
Suomi
Travel
Travelling
Travel Finland
Magazine
Travel Magazine
Finland Magazine
Magazine Finland
Wild Food
Culture
Restaurant
Restaurants
Flavours from North Savo
07.06.25
News
Finland
Finnish
Suomi
Travel
Travelling
Travel Finland
Magazine
Travel Magazine
Finland Magazine
Magazine Finland
Celebrate Midsummer in the Land of Giants
06.06.25
News
Outdoors
Finland
Finnish
Suomi
Travel
Travelling
Magazine
Travel Finland
Travel Magazine
Finland Magazine
Magazine Finland
AI Art Finland
Finland AI Art
Art AI
AI Art
AI Finland
AI Finland Media
Finland AI
Finland AI Media
Suomi AI
Suomi AI Media
AI Suomi
AI Suomi Media
AI
Lapland
Finnish Lapland
Lappi
Lapland Evening
05.06.25
News
Culture
Finland
Finnish
Suomi
Travel
Travelling
Travel Finland
Magazine
Travel Magazine
Finland Magazine
Magazine Finland
AI Art Finland
Finland AI Art
AI Art
Art AI
AI Finland
AI Finland Media
Finland AI
Finland AI Media
Suomi AI
Suomi AI Media
AI Suomi
AI Suomi Media
AI
Lapland
Finnish Lapland
Lappi
The Roar of Rapids, the Silence of Finland
04.06.25
News
education
job
Jobs and Education Take the Spotlight
04.06.25
News
Outdoors
Finland
Finnish
Suomi
Travel
Travelling
Travel Finland
Magazine
Travel Magazine
Finland Magazine
Magazine Finland
AI Art Finland
Finland AI Art
AI Art
Art AI
AI Finland
AI Finland Media
Suomi AI Media
AI Suomi
Finland AI
Finland AI Media
Suomi AI
AI Suomi Media
AI
Lapland
Finnish Lapland
Lappi
The Colors of Silence
03.06.25
News
Outdoors
Wellbeing
Luxury
Finland
Finnish
Suomi
Travel
Travelling
Travel Finland
Magazine
Travel Magazine
Finland Magazine
Magazine Finland
Lapland
Finnish Lapland
Lappi
Posio-Unique Wilderness hotel
01.06.25
News
Outdoors
Finland
Finnish
Suomi
Travel
Travelling
Travel Finland
Magazine
Travel Magazine
Finland Magazine
Magazine Finland
Lapland
Finnish Lapland
Lappi
Northern Adventure Etched in the Heart
01.06.25
News
Outdoors
Finland
Finnish
Suomi
Travel
Travelling
Travel Finland
Magazine
Travel Magazine
Finland Magazine
Magazine Finland
Wild Food
Lapland
Finnish Lapland
Lappi
Inari-Kota restaurant
30.05.25
News
Outdoors
Finland
Finnish
Suomi
Travel
Travelling
Travel Finland
Magazine
Travel Magazine
Finland Magazine
Magazine Finland
Lapland
Finnish Lapland
Lappi
Visit Kilpisjärvi – Where the Fells Touch the Sky
30.05.25
News
Outdoors
Culture
Finland
Finnish
Suomi
Travel
Travelling
Travel Finland
Magazine
Travel Magazine
Finland Magazine
Magazine Finland
Lapland
Finnish Lapland
Lappi
Where Silence Glows – A Journey into Lapland’s Soul
28.05.25
News
Food
Culture
Finland
Finnish
Suomi
Travel
Travelling
Travel Finland
Magazine
Travel Magazine
Finland Magazine
Magazine Finland
Wild Food
Restaurant
Restaurants
Finnish food culture 2025
27.05.25
News
Outdoors
Finland
Travel
Travelling
Travel Finland
Magazine
Travel Magazine
Finland Magazine
Finnish
Suomi
Lapland
Finnish Lapland
Lappi
The Magic of Lapland in Hiking Boots
26.05.25
News
Finland
Finnish
Suomi
AI Art Finland
Finland AI Art
AI Art
Art AI
AI Finland
AI Finland Media
Finland AI
Finland AI Media
Suomi AI
Suomi AI Media
AI Suomi
AI Suomi Media
Travel
Travelling
Travel Finland
Magazine
Travel Magazine
Finland Magazine
Magazine Finland
AI
Snowy Owl
25.05.25
News
Culture
Finland
Finnish
Suomi
AI Art Finland
Finland AI Art
AI Art
Art AI
AI Finland
AI Finland Media
Finland AI
Finland AI Media
Suomi AI
Suomi AI Media
AI Suomi
AI Suomi Media
AI
AI Art Finland
22.05.25
News
Outdoors
Finland
Finnish
Travel
Travelling
Travel Finland
Magazine
Travel Magazine
Finland Magazine
Magazine Finland
Suomi
Silence, Trails & Firelight – Finnish Nature Moments 2025