Pickled herring is a traditional way of preservingherring as food bypickling orcuring.
Most cured herring uses a two-stepcuring process: it is first cured with salt to extract water; then the salt is removed and the herring isbrined in avinegar, salt, and sugar solution, often withpeppercorn,bay leaves, raw onions, and so on. Additional flavourings includesherry,mustard anddill, while other non-traditional ingredients have also begun being included in recent years.
Pickled herring remains a popular food or ingredient to dishes in many parts of Europe including Scandinavia, Great Britain, the Baltic, Eastern and Central Europe, as well as the Netherlands. It is also popular in parts of Canada such asBritish Columbia,Newfoundland, and theMaritimes. It is also associated withAshkenazi Jewish cuisine, becoming a staple atkiddushes and social gatherings. Pickled herring is one of thetwelve dishes traditionally served atChristmas Eve inRussia,Poland,Lithuania, andUkraine. Pickled herring is also eaten at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve to symbolize a prosperous New Year in Poland, the Czech Republic, Germany, and parts of Scandinavia.[1]Pickled herring withtahini is a popular dish inEgypt usually eaten in the spring holiday ofSham Ennessim.[2][3]
Pickled herrings have been a staple in Northern Europe since medieval times, being a way to store and transport fish, especially necessary in meatless periods likeLent. The herrings would be prepared, then packed in barrels for storage or transportation. In 1801 Dutch fishermen amongst the prisoners of war in theNorman Cross Prison were sent to Scotland to teach the Scottish herring fishermen how to cure fish using the Dutch method.[4]
In theNordic countries, once the pickling process is finished and depending on which of the dozens of herring flavourings (mustard, onion, garlic,lingonberries etc.) are selected, it is eaten with darkrye bread,crisp bread,sour cream, or potatoes. This dish is common at Christmas, Easter, and Midsummer, where it is frequently accompanied by spirits likeakvavit.
Soused herring (maatjesharing or justmaatjes inDutch) is an especially mild salt herring, which is made from young, immature herrings. The herrings are ripened for a couple of days in oak barrels in a salty solution, orbrine. In English, a "soused herring" can also be a cooked marinated herring.[5]
Rollmops arepickled herringfillets rolled (hence the name) into acylindrical shape around a piece of pickledgherkin or anonion. They are thought to have developed as a special treat in 19th century Berlin,[6] and the word borrowed from theGerman.
Fish cured through pickling or salting have long been consumed in the British Isles. Likejellied eel, it was primarily eaten by, and is sometimes associated with, the working class.Kipper is a dish eaten in Great Britain, Ireland, and parts of Canada. It consists of a split open herring, pickled or salted, and cold-smoked.
Red herring is similar to kippers but is whole and ungutted; it is more heavily salted and is smoked for 2–3 weeks.[7] The main UK export markets are Europe and West Africa.[8]
Pickled herring, especiallybrined herring, is common inRussia andUkraine, where it is served cut into pieces and seasoned with sunflower oil and onions, or can be part of herring salads, such asdressed herring (Russian:Сельдь под шубой,Ukrainian:Оселедець під шубою, lit. 'herring under a fur coat'), which are usually prepared with vegetables and seasoned with mayonnaise dressing.
Brined herring is common inAshkenazi Jewish cuisine, perhaps best known forvorschmack salad known in English simply as "chopped herring" and asschmaltz herring in Yiddish. InIsrael it is commonly known asdag maluach which means "salted fish".
Pickled herring can also be found in the cuisine ofHokkaidō in Japan, where families traditionally preserved large quantities for winter.
InNova Scotia, Canada, pickled herring with onions is called "Solomon Gundy" (not to be confused with the Jamaicanpickled fish pâté of the same name).
"Bismarck herring" (GermanBismarckhering) is the common name for pickled herring in Germany, and the product is sometimes sold elsewhere under that name. There are various theories as to why the product is associated withBismarck.
Pickled herring is rich intyramine and thus should be avoided in the diet of people being treated with an antidepressantmonoamine oxidase inhibitor.[9]
As with fresh herring, pickled herring is an excellent natural source of bothvitamin D3 andomega-3 fatty acids.[10][11] It is also a good source ofselenium andvitamin B12. 100 grams may provide 680 IU of vitamin D, or 170% of the DV, as well as 84% of the DV for selenium, and 71% of the DV for vitamin B12.[12][13]
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