What does Oskars Surströmming smell like?

Surströmming (say “soor-stroh-ming”) is tinned fish from Sweden that is fermented (put in a salty brine for two months) before the tins are sealed up and sold. The process of fermenting the fish creates a strong rotten egg smell.

Does anyone actually eat surströmming?

Surströmming (fermented Baltic herring or, literally, soured Baltic herring), is one of Sweden’s most infamous products and is especially popular in northern Sweden. Surströmming are normally eaten at the end of August, but I’ve met Swedes who like to bury a can outside in snow and eat some at Christmas!

Who eats surströmming?

Surströmming, a fermented herring considered to be a famous delicacy in Sweden, is also known as one of the most pungent foods in the world. And there’s one more must-have accompaniment: beer. Herring has been a key part of Swedish culture for centuries.

Can surströmming make you sick?

Can surströmming make you sick? Thanks to the association with rotted fish, many people wonder “is surströmming safe to eat?” or whether the food will make them sick. First of all, surströmming is completely safe, as the fish is fermented, not rotten.

Does surströmming need to be refrigerated?

Surströmming should always be refrigerated even when unopened – and must only be opened outdoors.

How long does surströmming last?

Three days after opening a can of surströmming, fermented herring will still hang in the air. It stays on the hair and skin, and between the strands of your fluffy coat.

Can surströmming go bad?

A bulging can of surströmming can strike lust in some Swedes and dread in others. The can of surströmming bulges with the fermentation process and some lovers of this dish would prefer to have it a year after its expiry date. In olden days this traditional northern Swedish dish was a poor man’s meal.

Why is surströmming so bad?

The surströmming has a very noxious, foul and putrid smell. It is the brine where it is fermented. The trick is to open the tin under water (such as in a water-filled bucket), so that the noxious gasses will dilute with water.

Is surströmming illegal?

Many more such tins will be popping open in Sweden over the coming months; the season of surströmming – or “sour herring” – is nearly upon us. …

How do you eat surströmming?

How to eat surströmming like a local: As the tin is pressurised, open the surströmming in a basin of water. Wash it, gut it, and wrap it in buttered tunnbröd, a type of sweetened flat bread, with slices of almond potatoes and diced onion. Accompany with beer, snaps and lots of friends.

What is the most smelliest food in the world?

1. Surströmming. Swedish for “sour herring” this fish is salted just enough not to rot, then left for 6 months. The most putrid smelling food in the world – it is said to resemble a rotting corpse.

How long does surströmming last in a can?

In spring, the spawning fish are caught between Sweden and Finland, then the heads are removed and the bodies are stored in a series of salted water solutions. After roughly two months, the partially preserved herrings are transferred to airtight tins where they continue to ferment for up to another year.