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Home » Fish » Swedish Pickled Herring

Swedish Pickled Herring

By Hank Shaw on March 8, 2011, Updated June 23, 2020 - 128 Comments

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4.77 from 21 votes
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Finished pickled herring recipe. in jars
Photo by Elise Bauer

Herring spoils so fast it is almost always eaten salted, pickled or smoked. I’ve eaten (and made) herring in all these forms, but there is something special that makes pickled herring so popular, especially in Northern Europe.

I think it’s because the acidic twang of the vinegar and lemon counteract the rich fattiness of the herring fillets — these fish are among the foods highest in healthy omega-3 fatty acids. The addition of spices, sugar and onion add a personal touch.

This particular recipe is for Swedish glasmastarsill, or glassblower’s herring. Why it is called that I have no idea. Best I can tell it is because this pickle is always put up in glass jars, with the silvery skin of the herring facing outward. Let’s face it, folks: For a pickled little bony fish, this is as pretty as it gets.

Most pickled herring recipes start with pre-salted herring — the kind that come in cans. If you use these, skip the salt in the initial brine and soak the fish in fresh water overnight. They’ll still be plenty salty.

Having some salt in the fish is important: I once made this recipe with fresh herring that I failed to brine, and they turned to mush within 2 weeks. A disaster. You need the salt to extract extra moisture from the fish and keep them firm.

I like these just as a snack, with pumpernickel or rye bread, potatoes of any kind, hard-boiled eggs — or just on a cracker.

If you are so inclined, here is a good primer on food safety when pickling fish, from the University of Minnesota.

pickled herring recipe
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4.77 from 21 votes

Swedish Pickled Herring

A classic recipe for Swedish pickled herring called glasmastarsill, or glassblower's herring. Herring, sardines, smelt or whitefish can all be pickled this way
Prep Time30 mins
Cook Time0 mins
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: Scandinavian
Servings: 12
Calories: 95kcal
Author: Hank Shaw

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup kosher salt
  • 5 cups water, divided
  • 1 pound herring fillets
  • 2 cups distilled or white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seed
  • 2 teaspoons whole allspice
  • 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 3 cloves
  • 1 lemon, thinly sliced
  • 1 medium red onion thinly sliced

Instructions

  • Heat 4 cups of water enough to dissolve salt. Let this brine cool to room temperature. When it does, submerge the herring fillets in the brine and refrigerate overnight, or up to 24 hours. Meanwhile, bring the sugar, vinegar, the remaining cup of water and all the spices to a boil. Simmer 5 minutes, then turn off the heat and let this steep until cool.
  • When the herring have brined, layer them in a glass jar with the sliced lemon and red onion. Divide the spices between your containers if you are using more than one. Pour over the cooled pickling liquid and seal the jars. Wait at least a day before eating. Store in the fridge for up to 1 month.

Nutrition

Calories: 95kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 42mg | Potassium: 168mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 40IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1mg
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Filed Under: Appetizers and Snacks, Fish, Northern European, pickles, Recipe

Avatar for Hank Shaw

Hank Shaw

Hey there. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet's largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. I am a chef, author, and yes, hunter, angler, gardener, forager and cook. Follow me on Instagram and on Facebook.

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Comments

  1. Avatar for Dean MartiDean Marti says

    February 28, 2022 at 3:28 pm

    Do the herring need to be rinsed after the salt brine before placing in the jar??

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      February 28, 2022 at 4:42 pm

      Dean: Not necessarily, but I often give them a very quick rinse.

      Reply
  2. Avatar for Pauline BradleyPauline Bradley says

    February 9, 2022 at 2:54 pm

    My husband thought this made the best pickled herring he’s ever had!
    We will definitely make this again.

    Reply
  3. Avatar for Mark LeeMark Lee says

    December 24, 2021 at 1:01 pm

    Oh, wow! Been pickling fish a long time. This one is truly the over the top best.

    Reply
  4. Avatar for Barb ConsalviBarb Consalvi says

    December 11, 2021 at 11:28 am

    How do you seal the jars for long term storage — hot water bath or pressure canner?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      December 14, 2021 at 9:17 am

      Barb: You don’t. Pickled herring is not meant for long term storage.

      Reply
  5. Avatar for KevinKevin says

    November 30, 2021 at 3:54 am

    Do the herring fillets need to be de-boned (the fine, hair-like bones in the fillets)? Or does the vinegar soften/dissolve them? Thanks

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      December 3, 2021 at 8:36 am

      Kevin: No, the vinegar softens them enough so they won’t be bothersome.

      Reply
    • Avatar for Dale DowneyDale Downey says

      May 16, 2022 at 3:50 am

      Greetings; I live in Hong Kong and to my knowledge we do not have Herring fish here. My question is can i pickle any other fish that would come out as wonderful as pickled herring.
      Sincely, dale downey

      Reply
  6. Avatar for Bobbe AndersonBobbe Anderson says

    November 19, 2021 at 7:32 pm

    Just clarifying, the fish is put in the brine raw and it’s never cooked?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      November 20, 2021 at 7:20 am

      Bobbe: Yes, that is correct.

      Reply
  7. Avatar for mia venstermia venster says

    July 21, 2021 at 3:13 pm

    I am originally from Belgium where pickled herring is found everywhere. I moved to the USA years ago and found pickled herring in Florida grocery stores which I bought weekly. In 2015 I moved to Ecuador and have been living 4 years on its’ coast.. Just recently I bought a couple of pounds of fish named Corneta in our beach fishermen stands and thought it would be suitable to use in your recipe. It was a success!!! A few of the expats, familiar with pickled herring ,were impressed. I doubled all ingredients for 2 pounds of fish. I am making another batch tomorrow. So very happy to have encountered your recipe!
    Thank you so much

    Reply
  8. Avatar for RogerRoger says

    July 13, 2021 at 7:00 am

    great recipe. Novice pickler here but this was so easy and SOOOOO tasty that it has whetted my appetite to try more. Just out of interest, is there any difference in Kosher salt and ordinary cooking/table salt?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      July 20, 2021 at 11:04 am

      Roger: Yes. Kosher salt has no additives, and it is coarser than table salt, which almost always has iodide, at least here in the US.

      Reply
  9. Avatar for RobertRobert says

    August 14, 2020 at 2:10 am

    Great recipe! I just made it with trout and it tastes fantastic. Reduced the vinegar a little, increased sugar and added dill. Just person preferences, but base recipe is awesome.

    Reply
  10. Avatar for Nejat SalihNejat Salih says

    July 16, 2020 at 10:53 am

    Great recipe I followed the recipe exactly , although it was delicious, I found the vinegar taste a little too strong for my taste. So I decided to exchange 40% of the vinegar for plain water . And everyone that’s tried it liked it . A matter of taste .
    One of my Swedish friends also gave the same recipe, but used apple cider vinegar instead.
    It is amazing

    Reply
  11. Avatar for Aaron McculloughAaron Mccullough says

    May 7, 2020 at 7:43 pm

    Worked great for Lake Superior smelt!

    Reply
  12. Avatar for KevinKevin says

    March 25, 2020 at 11:00 pm

    Following your recipe, has left me in a serious pickle!!

    Reply
    • Avatar for KamilaKamila says

      May 14, 2021 at 11:05 am

      Supper tasty recipe. I just made this with fresh caught Atlantic Shad followed the recipe just as is.The only difference is I brined for 2 days followed by leaving it in vinegar pickling solution for 3 days before eating. Worked out great as Shad is a big fish full of bones the vinegar completely disolved the bones.

      Reply
  13. Avatar for Fanny L SloanFanny L Sloan says

    January 18, 2020 at 8:26 am

    For me, it is expensive to buy sardines, and not always in season, so I tried with tilapia, and it is really good too! . I only miss the skin.

    Reply
  14. Avatar for EddieEddie says

    January 3, 2020 at 6:31 am

    I’ve been trying to find a recipe where I can it so I don’t need to take up a bunch of room in the fridge. Do you know any?

    Reply
  15. Avatar for MS ALICE WILDEMS ALICE WILDE says

    January 2, 2020 at 2:08 pm

    Can’t wait to try it, thanks a lot.

    Reply
  16. Avatar for Ellen McMartinEllen McMartin says

    November 11, 2019 at 12:34 pm

    This is the same recipe that my dad used. The only difference was that he used fresh herring and the milk glands were removed from the fish and used as part of the brine. So I am sure you had to make sure you had so many female fish in the batch. I can’t get fresh herring in Wyoming. So I haven’t had any homemade in years.

    Reply
    • Avatar for DaleDale says

      January 14, 2022 at 4:42 pm

      I’m afraid you misunderstood your Dads teachings.
      Milt, not milk.
      Female fish don’t lactate.
      Male fish,,,,,,, fertilize eggs.

      Reply
      • Avatar for HeidiHeidi says

        February 7, 2022 at 10:19 am

        I have a similar recipe fm my cousin. He was carrying on the Scandinavian traditions. His uses pickling spice in place of all the others. I made a small batch with some Minnesota crappies, and it came out excellent. Thank you!

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Hi, my name is Hank Shaw. I am a James Beard Award-winning author and chef and I focus my energies on wild foods: Foraging, fishing, hunting. I write cookbooks as well as this website, have a website dedicated to the intersection of food and nature, and do a podcast, too. If it’s wild game, fish, or edible wild plants and mushrooms, you’ll find it here. Hope you enjoy the site!

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