Porilainen is a Finnish dish made with pork sausage and served between two slices of bread. It is believed to have originated in the mid-20th century and is popular at fairs and festivals. The sausage is flavored with garlic and can be served with lettuce, tomato, onions, and condiments.
Porilainen is a popular dish served in Finland, which is located in northeastern Europe. While the term porilainen cannot be translated directly into English, a rough translation would be sausage burger. This dish looks like an American hamburger or hot dog, but is traditionally made with pork sausage and not beef.
While little is known about the origins of this meal, many believe it takes its name from the city of Pori. Others claim it was named after the hampurilainen, or hamburger. In the Finnish language, these two terms sound very similar, leading some to speculate that this sausage burger was simply named after the similar looking burger.
Some people in Finland trace the history of porilainen back to the mid-20th century, when university students were eager to find a hearty, filling dish they could prepare and consume fairly quickly. Local students and restaurateurs began placing thick slices of grilled sausage between two pieces of bread, creating a tasty and portable meal. This recipe also allowed students to grill sausage in their dorms or student accommodation on the small grills they used for cooking.
Today, anyone can buy porilainen from Finland’s many street vendors. This meal is also popular at fairs and festivals, and makes a quick and convenient meal or snack for anyone on the go. It contains only basic ingredients and is easy to prepare regardless of cooking skills.
The standard porilainen consists of a 0.5 cm thick (about 1 cm) thick slice of sausage. This sausage usually comes from prepackaged pork sausages, but bratwurst can also be used as a substitute. Grilled onion or spiced sausage is also popular in this dish.
Once the sausage has been grilled, it is placed between two slices of bread to make a sandwich. This dish is almost served on white bread as well, although sour rye bread and malt are much more popular in other areas of Finnish cuisine. Porilainen is always served on slices of bread and never on buns or hamburger buns. It can be served on two slices of bread from the same loaf or on two different varieties in flavor and texture.
While this sandwich can be flavored or seasoned in many ways, the garlic flavoring is strongly related to porilanien. Diners then add sausage with lettuce and tomato, sweet raw onions, and pickle relish. Some people also use condiments like ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise.
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