TABLE OF CONTENTS
Best Preserved Herring Types in the World
Hollandse maatjesharing are small fish, specifically herrings, that are headed and brined or dry-salted using traditional Dutch methods and consumed after natural ripening. Only herrings caught between May 1 to August 31 can be called maatjesharing, referring to the raw fish, while the term Hollandse refers to the traditional Dutch method of production.
These herrings are slim and small with soft bones and a short fin on their back. Their taste is salty, fresh and creamy, while the meat is tender and fatty. Hollandse maatjesharing are also unique because of the strict quality controls, they must smell fresh, the brine must be of good color and clarity, and the herring must have a firm, yet tender structure.
Surströmming is a fermented fish product made with strömming, a type of herring, sourced from the cold waters of the Baltic Sea, usually in spring. The fish is salted, cleaned, and allowed to ferment before being canned. This herring is defined by a rather distinctive and strong odor that results from its fermentation process, which is initiated by a type of lactic acid enzyme in the herring’s spine and it doesn’t cease even after the fish has been canned.
Despite its strong smell, the fermented herring has an interesting flavor that is a perfect mix of piquant, savory, and acidic. There’s also an annual surströmming festival (surströmmingsskiva) in Alfta, Halsingland, which traditionally takes place on the third Thursday in August, when a significant number of enthusiastic Swedes and fans of this fermented fish delicacy gather to savor the contents of numerous bulging cans of surströmming.
In 1395, a Dutchman named Jan Pieter Beukelzoon came up with the idea of maturing freshly caught herring in brine. The name of this 'virgin herring' finds its root in the Dutch word for girls (Meisjes). The original Glückstädter Matjes herring may not be caught too young, as they should have spawned at least once.
The fishing season is limited to the end of May until mid-June off the central North Sea coast. The herring is frozen directly on board the fishing vessels and transported to Glückstadt. The herring is grooved, salted, and aged in barrels until it develops its distinct taste.
Glasmästarsill is a traditional Swedish-style preparation of pickled herring. This classic has a crunchier texture than other types of pickled herring because the bones are kept in the fish. The bones become softer for each day they remain in the preserving liquid.
Glasmästarsill is prepared with whole salted herrings, onions or leeks, carrots, and horseradish, while the pickling liquid usually consists of vinegar, sugar, water, bay leaves, allspice berries, and mustard seeds. However, every Swedish cook has their own favorite mixture, so feel free to experiment.
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