Pylsur

Easy·15 min active + 5 min resting

Iceland's world-famous hot dog — made from Icelandic lamb, pork, and beef blend, boiled in beer-and-water, served in a steamed bun with the iconic 'two of everything' toppings: fried onion, raw onion, sweet mustard, ketchup, and remoulade.

Icelandic hot dog (pylsur) is famous worldwide, with Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur in Reykjavik (1937) being the iconic stand.

Bite into a pylsur — soft warm bun, snappy hot dog with distinctive lamb flavor (Icelandic blend), crispy fried onion adding crunch, sharp raw onion at the back, sweet-mustard tang, ketchup's gentle acidity, remoulade's creamy-pickle finish. Each bite layers all six toppings — 'two of everything' is the Icelandic way. Standing outside Bæjarins Beztu in Reykjavik with the harbor wind, this is Iceland in three bites.

Simmering in beer-water adds malty depth. The 'two of everything' (raw + cooked onion, two condiments at top and bottom) layers complexity. Pylsusinnep (sweet brown mustard) is uniquely Icelandic.

Variations

Bill Clinton's version (only sweet mustard). With added cheese. With added bacon. With sauerkraut (European). With chili sauce. Smaller appetizer version.

On the Palate

Where Pylsur sits in the Icelandic flavor cloud

Ingredients

Serves 2

4 Icelandic hot dogsSausage

2 (1 fried + 1 raw)Onion

200 ml lagerBeer

4 bunsBread

1 tbsp Dijon + sweetMustard

4 tbspMayonnaise

to tasteKetchup

1 tbspButter

How it's made

9 steps · 15 min active + 5 min waiting

1
1 min
Pour 200 ml lager beer + 200 ml water into a small pot.
2
1 min
Bring to a simmer (not boil).
Watch out
Keep the beer-water at a gentle simmer, never a rolling boil — a hard boil toughens the hot dogs and splits their skins.
3
1 min
Add 4 Icelandic-style hot dogs (lamb-pork-beef blend; or substitute high-quality European hot dogs).
4
6 min
Simmer 5 min until heated through.
5
7 min
Meanwhile, fry 1 sliced onion in 1 tbsp butter until crispy-golden.
Watch out
Fry the onion slowly until crisp and golden-brown — pull it while still pale and it stays limp, past golden it turns bitter.
6
3 min
Steam 4 hot dog buns 2 min.
7
2 min
Mix 4 tbsp mayonnaise + 1 tbsp Dijon mustard + 1 tbsp sweet pickle relish + 1 tsp capers for remoulade.
8
3 min
Build: in each bun, layer remoulade at bottom; fried onion; hot dog; raw onion; sweet brown mustard (pylsusinnep); ketchup; remoulade on top.
9
1 min
Eat immediately.