Much as I love Iceland when I visit earlier this year, it's responsible for the single most disgusting eating experience I've had in my life. Ju: I mean, this is a big boat. Now the shark is left to dry for about 6-18 weeks depending on the season in which this course is taken. Serving those who crave all things Icelandic. Iceland can be quite an expensive place but there is a way to do it on a more cheaper matter. Add more chili pepper if interested. chef Gordon Ramsay challenged James May to sample three “delicacies” one of which was the Icelandic Hákarl. For some reason, the fermented rotten shark gets the most hype out of all the sour cuisines above. You can taste the smell of it. And it's been done by one family in this area for hundreds of years. Especially not if you have a shot of Brennivín liquor to wash down with it! He does not have a fat layer. I mean, is it, it's OK to be - I mean, you've got, like, I've got boots on, and you've got little sandals and socks. So there is never nothing added to this meat in the process. The craziest fact about the Icelandic Fermented Shark is that the Greenlands shark which is the prime meat used to produce it is actually poisonous while fresh! Ju: I mean, I think that my tongue's just used to this now. It's not toxic. Ju: Yeah. There's no smoking. Ju: It's just, yeah. All About Hakarl Iceland's Fermented Shark. However, some still consider it a delicacy and will go through real lengths in order to get their hands on some proper good “hákarl”. Hákarl: Iceland's Buried, Rotten, Fermented & Dried Delicacy - WorldAtlas We want it to give us, like, a kick. Guðjón: It is strong. Iceland is famous for fresh fish and our delicious lamb that roams free during the summer. [both laugh] Great, I will not be taking a bite of that. Fermented shark, or hákarl in Icelandic, is (ironically) a Greenland shark that’s been buried and pressed under gravel and stone, then hung and cured for months, wherein it develops a scab-like crust. We traveled to Bjarnarhöfn, Iceland where one family has been curing Greenland sharks for hundreds of years. Ju: No. Ju: Skál, OK. Mm. So they start to tease him until the shark swallows the bait. Ju: Oh, wow. They grow in one direction. After this, you can eat it. 18 views. Now we buy them from these big trawling boats, who catch the shark accidentally. Guðjón: I've been eating the shark since before I got teeth. And the chain had to be at least 3 meters. All rights reserved. Do you ever get over that? I don't think that's ever gonna go away, maybe, but. 26 Write a comment. Ju: OK, great. The Greenland shark is the most toxic shark in the world. And it's very important that these boxes, they have these gaps on them so the liquid can leak from it. 2. So there was big waste of meat. But it's that really kind of, like, rich Stilton cheese, like, hits the back of your tongue. It's the best. Is that quite a common thing? Guðjón: And then you can also - this is like - it does not smell as intense as when we walked in. I would encourage (and challenge!) It's also different after where the shark has been, and what depth, and what temperature he was caught. In a recent interview with Time Magazine Anthony is asked what foods he would never again taste, one of the items Anthony mentioned was Icelandic fermented shark, along with Namibian warthog rectum. Then a little bit more, you could probably go blind. So when he swims, he gets this sort of thin layer of air around him. Our selection of classic dishes and tasting platters covers almost everything you need to taste, from the famous meat soup to the exciting fermented shark and rye bread ice cream. Some people say “it is the single most disgusting thing” they have ever tried then try it again and the more they try the more their taste buds get used to it and they end up really enjoying it. Ju Shardlow: Look up the list of the most misunderstood foods in the world, and fermented shark is probably on it. Guðjón: This boat is around 8 meters. Once you get over the ammonia-rich smell the taste really isn’t that bad. And no, I'm not talking about that sheep's face. At first it was the smell, then the taste. So for the first 200 years, when they were fishing them, they had to throw the meat away. Two sharks who arrive here together, they go through the process together. I'm a shark convert. I think it's because I've just, like, masticated it so much in my mouth that it's just, there we go, I got over it. Ju: What would happen if I took a bite of that now? In Iceland, that dish is hakarl, or fermented shark meat. Guðjón: This is my grandfather's shark-fishing boat. Now it's the texture, it's like, got into almost like a gelatinous kind of texture in my mouth. Either you like it, or you don't. And then we have the fillet. The truth is, locals eat foods like fermented shark meat (Kæstur hákarl), sour ram’s testicles (Súrir hrútspungar) and boiled (sometimes cured) sheep’s head (Svið) typically only during a mid-winter Þorrablót feast. And the Greenland shark is a deep-ocean, cold-ocean shark. Ju: What happens to the ammonia when it drains? Fresh meat, you will get very sick. Also, their meat is poisonous. And it's just at the sides of your tongue. Is it that they grow up in open fields? Yeah, like hair dye. For me, I kind of, I sort of miss it. Water, there is a lot of water in the meat. And then you take this here. And the meat is, it's more chewy and salty. And this is his skin. The Shark Museum at Bjarnarhofn farm on the northern side of Snaefellsnes peninsula is where visitors can get a down-home taste of ‘real’ Iceland by meeting with the friendly curator and owner who reveals fascinating details about the local Greenland shark from which traditional ‘hakarl’ is made. Hakarl was first carefully prepared by the Vikings, who knew that the meat of the Greenlandic shark is poisonous to humans without careful preparation. So, this is how that's, that's much, much thicker pieces. We've sent you an email to confirm your subscription. 2. And then he had been working on this boat at least since he was 14. That was before refrigerators and modern technology. So these are the thinner pieces. Because, if the matter is, dissociated, the scent is what really makes it such a challenge to swallow. Guðjón: Yeah. Just, it's just natural process, from the beginning till the end. Guðjón: Now it's that far in the fermentation that you would be fine. Guðjón: Next, I'm gonna open it up, and you're going to put your head in it. At first it was just like chewing a piece of ham. There are chemical changes that are happening, that are making the meat untoxic. A short list of what you can expect to see: fermented shark, boiled sheep head, liver sausage, sour ram testicles, smoked lamb, dry fish, and plenty of local beer and liquor. But here in the west of Iceland, it is a regional delicacy. We don't catch them ourselves, not anymore. Finding the small fish stall I asked for the fermented shark, and a little grin came over the face of the lady. And we make these handles in the skin for grabbing them, lifting them up, hanging them up. The sharks are rarely caught intentionally, and instead the market for shark meat has emerged from accidental catch in other fisheries. Fermented shark, Hákarl, or rotten shark as people often refer to it is quite possibly the most famous dish in Iceland. If you are sensitive to strong smell you are more likely to dislike the shark but if you are a fan of strong cheese, for example, and don’t mind the smell you might just fall into the latter category. Or you can simply purchase the product at a local grocery store or at Kolaportið flea market during the weekend and taste in a setting of your choosing. My grandfather bought this boat 1929, when he was 19 years old. This jaw here, here you go. And these points, if you look closely, you see the points in the skin. [Ju laughs] And then you're gonna explain the smell you feel. Though it is a dish not many could bring themselves to sample, hakarl is a meal rooted in history and tradition. Guðjón: Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's really licorice, yeah. We could drink it. Do you see that? Guðjón: So, the Greenland shark, he lives so deep that he's not in our swimming waters. Hakarl is a shark that is fermented and then dried out over several months, and is a national dish of Iceland. Just like we are marinating the shark. Most Icelandic restaurants will have it on the menu all year round for travelers and locals to try. It makes the meat not toxic. Ju: It's the meatiest fish I've ever seen, yeah. Guðjón: Everything you feel is probably 10 times more than what I feel. So, would you recommend eat it before smelling it? Due to its rich ammonia concentration, eating its fresh meat could even lead to death. And this is his lower jaw. Súrir Hrútspungar (Sour Ram's Testicles) That brings us to ram's testicles, a tricky one to justify, no … So, this part of the process, is this the most important part to get the taste of it, or the curing? USD, Jet Boat up Gullfoss Canyon & Taste Local Craft Beer, 126 Especially not if you have a shot of Brennivín liquor to wash down with it! He has white meat. And they used the oil from the liver. Guðjón: We are working with similar bacterias, like when you're doing cheese. Guðjón: It's good. These dishes can be traced back to the revival of the festival in the 1950s. I was gonna say, it actually doesn't, it's, the aftertaste is kicking in now, yeah. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. Founded in 1998 as mail order shop and online since 2001 nammi.is has long enabled online shoppers to shop Icelandic items online. Fermented shark, Hákarl, or rotten shark as people often refer to it is quite possibly the most famous dish in Iceland. Find out all about it! It's Greenland shark that's been laboriously fermented, dried, and cured. What do Icelanders miss when they are away? Another option would be to go to the restaurants around Iceland which specialize in Traditional Icelandic Food and they are most likely to have it on their menu. Ju: Oh, yeah, yeah. He described it as reminiscent of “. 3 Write a comment. In addition to airline food he lists Icelandic fermented shark as the most disgusting thing he had ever tasted, alongside Namibian warthog rectum. Eurovision Movie: 5 Iceland References You Might Have Missed, Iceland Ranks First on Children’s Rights Index. Guðjón: Exactly. So, here we have the thinner pieces. When the chef here says that he specializes in Icelandic specialties, he means it. The boat's name is Síldin, which is "herring" in English. You know. And then I'll have one also. Ju: What is that doing in the scientific process of it? Anthropologist, social media guru, Icelandic nature and food enthusiast. Guðjón: This was used for, in Iceland, this was used for sandpaper. But before, fresh meat, something small, you would get very sick. That's exactly how it tastes. It’s become almost a right of passage. Fermented Shark, Rotten Shark Greenland sharks are the world’s longest-living vertebrates, often partially blind, and can grow up to 24 feet long. You can stroke the skin one way, but it's harder to stroke it the other. This is just all my life. Guðjón: Here we have a piece of the fillet. [both laugh]. Get top travel stories & special offers to your inbox, The fermentation of shark meat can be traced back to the Viking age but this outlandish act of preserving food was just one of the many steps Icelanders took to make sure they had enough to go on throughout the year. What makes the Icelandic Viking horse unique? Guðjón: And now you feel it, it's coming up in your nose. And it's very important to have the skin on, because the meat, it's so loose itself that if it's no skin, then the meat just basically stretch. Let's find out! Well, fermented shark is an Icelandic delicacy and one of the small Nordic island’s national foods. FERMENTED ROTTEN SHARK. If you can't find it please check your spam folder. It's amazing, though, how much of it is in the smell. Today fermented shark or “kæstur hákarl” is it is called in Icelandic is simply a way for Icelanders to stay in touch with their roots and ancestry. And then in the drying process, it loses, like, 50, 70%. We're here to find out what it tastes like. This is not for everybody. Hakarl - Icelandic fermented shark is indeed one of the most typical food you should try. So, this is just, like, all my life. Update, June 2018, after Bourdain's untimely death: When Anthony Bourdain visited Iceland to eat the worst food he'd ever taste The traditional Icelandic method of fermentation is to first gut and behead the beast, second is to place it in a shallow hole which has been dug in gravelly sand. Hákarl, Iceland's Fermented Shark or even the Rotten Shark is one of the weirdest things to eat in Iceland yet by some it is considered a delicacy. Guðjón made me try some fermented shark cubes dipped in Icelandic schnapps. It is hard to say beforehand about which group you will find yourself in. It tastes much better than it smells. But my family used to catch them and hunt them. People go in two parts, even Icelanders. Now this is a chemical process and we are, there are a lot of interesting things that we are even still discovering. We're here to find out what it tastes like. Something like that. What is the liquid that's coming off, then? Like, nothing at all. The preparation of “kæstur hákarl” is a time-consuming process as what follows after this curing period is the drying period. And in the drying, the piece, it gets this dried crust around it. This crust is removed before the shark is enjoyed. This is from maybe 5-meter-long shark. He used to catch sharks and other fishes in this boat. The taste of the Icelandic fermented shark is very smell-based. Ju: So what exactly does it take to make it safe to eat? Fresh meat, you will get very sick. USD. since. And this is so healthy that you can't eat too much. This one is not stiff enough. And then death after that. Only after a long curing process it becomes safe to eat. This way fluids are better released from the shark the actual fermentation process is shortened. Ju: And I just, you know when you have a really strong shot of alcohol, and you get that kind of, like, burning. And according to them, the shark is the healthiest food that is made in Iceland. From fishing to cube, the whole process takes six months. Today, mostly brave foreigners try the shark on a dare after a drunken night of partying into the wee hours in Reykjavik. And it's been done by one family in this area for hundreds of years. Isolated in the North Atlantic, Iceland evolved unique culinary traditions since the time of the Viking colonizers. Guðjón: Ammonia. Spinei explains that while she has tried fermented shark in Iceland, fermented skate has a much stronger flavor and is a difficult dish to enjoy for a non-native. Is this your, I mean, this isn't your personal supply bottle. And then death after that. Guðjón: This basically does everything. Hákarl, or fermented shark, is a traditional Icelandic food dating back to the early days of Iceland’s Viking past. So it loses a lot of weight here. Read more: Iceland’s Ark of Taste: some of the flavours will seriously challenge your tastebuds. So 400 years ago, probably accidentally, they discovered the process to use the meat. What would happen to me? So total use of meat is around 8%. But here in the west of Iceland, it is a regional delicacy. But before, this was eaten, like, with a meal, like, for something extra. One way to know if you are being offered a fermented shark … Today, this is eaten like a snack for special occasions. [both laugh] But yeah, this is really rough. Now it changes a little bit to maybe a little like a licorice flavor. It was an accident. Ju: Wow. And then it's actually, like, stinging my tongue, stinging the back of my tongue. But I recommend to everybody, at least give it a try. [both laugh] Ju: I'm pretty sure that's a cure for something. Due to its rich ammonia concentration, eating its fresh meat could even lead to death. One shark will give from 30 to 40 pieces of fillet. How do you feel about that? This is one of the places where you can regularly sample hakarl, fermented shark. It is like sandpaper, yeah. Hákarl, or fermented shark meat, is one such dish. Guðjón: Yeah. This is due to a high content of urea and trimethylamine oxide in the shark’s system caused by its utter lack of a urinary system. An Iceland Backpacking Trip: Best Tips and Tricks. There’s no denying Iceland is known for having some pretty atypical dishes, at least to many visitors. Ju: Want it even stronger? Guðjón: I guess so. And these are all, like, good. The fish bones are gelatinous, and the smell is reminiscent of what you’d find in a chlorinated pool, but for many Icelanders, fermented skate is … Subscriber It's like, you know when these people have really terrible, like, 1970s walls, where they, yeah. 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