Pickled herring

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Pickled herring with onions
Pickled herring with sour cream, chives, potatoes and egg

Pickled herring, also known as bismarck herring,[1] is a delicacy in Europe, and has become a part of Baltic, Nordic, Dutch, German (Bismarckhering), Czech (zavináč), Polish (śledzie), Eastern Slavic, Scottish and Jewish cuisine.




Geographic distribution[edit]

In the Nordic countries, once the pickling process is finished and depending on which of the dozens of classic herring flavourings (mustard, onion, garlic, lingonberries etc.) are selected, it is eaten with dark rye bread, crisp bread, sour cream, or potatoes. This dish is common at Christmas, Easter and Midsummer, where it is frequently eaten with akvavit. Often, it is incorporated in a Fischbrötchen.

In the 19th century, people in Berlin developed a special treat known in English as soused herring or rollmops.[2][3] Rollmops are pickled herring fillets rolled (hence the name) into a cylindrical shape around a piece of pickled gherkin or an onion. The word is borrowed from the German.

Pickled herring, especially brined herring, is common in Russia and Ukraine, where it is served cut into pieces and seasoned with sunflower oil and onions, or can be part of herring salads, such as dressed herring, which are usually prepared with vegetables and seasoned with mayonnaise dressing.

Brined herring is common in Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine, perhaps best known for forshmak salad known in English simply as "chopped herring" and as schmaltz herring in Yiddish.


In Nova Scotia, a province of Canada, pickled herring is called "solomun gundy" and is quite popular. Not to be confused with the Jamaican term for a pickled fish pâté.

Health effects[edit]

It is rich in tyramine and thus should be avoided in the diet of people being treated with an antidepressant monoamine oxidase inhibitor.[4]

Pickled herring is one of the best sources of natural vitamin D3, it is also an excellent source of selenium and vitamin B12. 100 gram 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. [5][6]

Cultural references[edit]

Pickled herring is one of the twelve dishes served at Christmas Eve in Poland, Lithuania and in Ukraine.

Herring is enjoyed as a special Shabbos food by Ashkenazic Jews world-wide. It is a staple at Kiddushes and social gatherings. Many kosher establishments have begun to formulate new fusion-style herring dishes such as Oneg-Shabbos herring, and herring with lox combinations. Younger herring consumers look for new and interesting styles, besides for the simple pickled herring with onions. Herring is typically eaten over crackers such as kichel or Tam Tams.

See also[edit]


