Sursild
Pickled herring in a bright sweet-sour brine with onion, bay and peppercorns — the koldtbord anchor.
Food-safety callout · Refrigerated pickled fish
Read before preparing this recipe
This recipe starts with commercially salted herring and is a refrigerated pickle, not a shelf-stable canning method.
- Keep the herring and finished pickle at 4°C (40°F) or colder.
- Do not store at room temperature or treat the jar as shelf stable.
- This editorial recipe does not establish a tested shelf life; follow the fish supplier’s use-by guidance.
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Cultural Context & History
Herring built and fed the Norwegian coast for centuries. Cured then steeped in a spiced vinegar brine, sursild is the tangy cornerstone of every festive cold table.
Ingredients
- 4 salted herring fillets (spekesild), soaked
- 1 onion, sliced into rings
- 100 ml vinegar (7%)
- 150 ml water
- 150 g sugar
- 1 tsp whole allspice
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 2 bay leaves
Recommended Tools
- Glass preserving jarNon-reactive and keeps the fillets fully under brine.
- MandolineShaves the onion into fine, even rings.
- Small saucepanDissolves the sugar cleanly as the brine boils.
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Step-by-Step Instructions
- 1
Soak the salted herring in cold water for 1–2 hours to draw out the excess salt, then pat dry and cut into 2-cm pieces.
- 2
Combine the vinegar, water, sugar, allspice, mustard seeds and bay in a pan, bring to the boil and stir until the sugar dissolves, then leave to cool completely.
- 3
Layer the herring and onion rings into a sterilised glass jar and pour over the cooled brine so everything sits fully submerged.
- 4
Seal and refrigerate for at least 48 hours before eating.
Chef's Tip
The brine must be stone cold before it meets the fish. This is a refrigerated pickle, not a shelf-stable preserve; follow the herring supplier’s use-by guidance rather than assuming a long home shelf life.
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