I guess you just have to try! Ju: I can taste the ammonia kind of smell now. There are chemical changes that are happening, that are making the meat untoxic. Please be informed the office will be closed on December 24th - 27th, 31st and 1st of January 2021 due to Holiday season. However, once the shark has been processed the shark is no longer dangerous and consumer-friendly, at least for those without a sense of smell. Just go down the hatch? How big is a shark? We don't catch them ourselves, not anymore. He has white meat. Guðjón: So, the Greenland shark, he lives so deep that he's not in our swimming waters. And in Iceland and isolated areas, this was a big waste. 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. 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. Now the shark is left to dry for about 6-18 weeks depending on the season in which this course is taken. We don't want it too hard, and not too mushy. This is not for everybody. So these are the thinner pieces. So 400 years ago, probably accidentally, they discovered the process to use the meat. The third and last step is then to lay stones on top of the sand which is done in order to press the shark. Guðjón: And now you feel it, it's coming up in your nose. Guðjón: Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's really nice. Fermented shark, called Hákarl, is a … And here the meat is ready to eat. And they used the oil from the liver. 109 Guðjón: We are working with similar bacterias, like when you're doing cheese. Ju: It's just like, kind of feel it in my heart and my soul now. Arctic Adventures. Ju: No. And the teeth, they grow up. Guðjón: This is my grandfather's shark-fishing boat. Today, mostly brave foreigners try the shark on a dare after a drunken night of partying into the wee hours in Reykjavik. Just like we are marinating the shark. But before, fresh meat, something small, you would get very sick. since. The taste of the Icelandic fermented shark is very smell-based. The food in Iceland is excellent, superb even so you will have plenty of other opportunities to try some tasty things. Serving those who crave all things Icelandic. Ju: Yeah, that's what I'm getting at the moment. Ju: And I just, you know when you have a really strong shot of alcohol, and you get that kind of, like, burning. Ju: All right, I'm just gonna try to chew this a bit. 2. Ju: And these, I mean, would these hurt humans, or...? Guðjón: I've been eating the shark since before I got teeth. USD, Jet Boat up Gullfoss Canyon & Taste Local Craft Beer, 126 In an interview with Time Magazine Anthony was asked what foods he would never again taste. And then I'll have one also. Just, it's just natural process, from the beginning till the end. Ju Shardlow: Look up the list of the most misunderstood foods in the world, and fermented shark is probably on it.But here in the west of Iceland… 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. Even if you never become a fan the Icelandic Hákarl is something you will want to try when in Iceland. I would encourage (and challenge!) 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. Now it's the texture, it's like, got into almost like a gelatinous kind of texture in my mouth. But it's that really kind of, like, rich Stilton cheese, like, hits the back of your tongue. Two sharks who arrive here together, they go through the process together. And according to them, the shark is the healthiest food that is made in Iceland. Add more chili pepper if interested. Either you like it, or you don't. Fermented Shark, Rotten Shark Greenland sharks are the world’s longest-living vertebrates, often partially blind, and can grow up to 24 feet long. However, some still consider it a delicacy and will go through real lengths in order to get their hands on some proper good “hákarl”. He's running his family business of shark curing here in Bjarnarhöfn. Ju: What happens to the ammonia when it drains? [laughs]. So total use of meat is around 8%. The preparation of “kæstur hákarl” is a time-consuming process as what follows after this curing period is the drying period. Isolated in the North Atlantic, Iceland evolved unique culinary traditions since the time of the Viking colonizers. Anthropologist, social media guru, Icelandic nature and food enthusiast. You haven’t been to Iceland unless you have eaten fermented shark. Ju: Yeah. So he needs more time, but these here are ready. The boat's name is Síldin, which is "herring" in English. This is from maybe 5-meter-long shark. Do you see that? The sharks are rarely caught intentionally, and instead the market for shark meat has emerged from accidental catch in other fisheries. Ju: Yeah, the second one was the kicker, yeah. Guðjón: Here we have a piece of the fillet. This way fluids are better released from the shark the actual fermentation process is shortened. The shark meat is fermented for 9 weeks before it is ready to eat and is traditionally eaten uncooked in little chunks. Fresh meat, you will get very sick. All rights reserved. So he's got somewhere around, I don't know, 4,000 set of teeth over his lifetime, or more. Guðjón: Exactly. It's named after the milk product, skyr. You know. But here in the west of Iceland, it is a regional delicacy. Only after a long curing process it becomes safe to eat. And then death after that. Ju: Sorry, guys, like, really prepare yourselves. 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. So, in these boxes, the meat loses about around 30%. And the chain had to be at least 3 meters. And we make these handles in the skin for grabbing them, lifting them up, hanging them up. That was before refrigerators and modern technology. An Iceland Backpacking Trip: Best Tips and Tricks. Guðjón: Yeah. Guðjón: Yeah. You can stroke the skin one way, but it's harder to stroke it the other. He used to catch sharks and other fishes in this boat. Find out all about it! Guðjón: Yeah, yeah. But, after all, what does one expect when consuming rotting, dried, fermented shark flesh? So they start to tease him until the shark swallows the bait. And then, of course, the shark on his own. Guðjón: To know if it's ready, we check the texture. So it loses a lot of weight here. Once you get over the ammonia-rich smell the taste really isn’t that bad. Especially not if you have a shot of Brennivín liquor to wash down with it! We could drink it. At first it was the smell, then the taste. Is that quite a common thing? The Greenland shark is the most toxic shark in the world. 2. I won't, though, but. Because, if the matter is dissociated, the scent is what really makes it such a challenge to swallow. And it's been done by one family in this area for hundreds of years. Ju: Guðjón cures about 60 sharks a year. The different depth and what chemicals are high or low in. Well, fermented shark is an Icelandic delicacy and one of the small Nordic island’s national foods. That stays white. It's amazing, though, how much of it is in the smell. Ju: Oh, wow. Ju: Oh, yeah, there's some more resistance one way. It's Greenland shark that's been laboriously fermented, dried, and cured. This is one of the places where you can regularly sample hakarl, fermented shark. While attempting to eat it, Ramsay spat it out, but May was able to keep his down and even offered to eat it again. People go in two parts, even Icelanders. 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. Is this your, I mean, this isn't your personal supply bottle. 3. So, this is just, like, all my life. So, you let it stay there for maybe 20 seconds. Now it changes a little bit to maybe a little like a licorice flavor. 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. © Copyright 2020. This period can last a few months and during this time the strips will develop a brown crust. Due to its rich ammonia concentration, eating its fresh meat could even lead to death. Ju: OK, great. Guðjón: This basically does everything. Is it that they grow up in open fields? And he changes his teeth around every three weeks. And it's just at the sides of your tongue. Also, their meat is poisonous. Just shark, shark, shark. 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. First, people didn't know this was a chemical process. Greenland shark is the most toxic shark in the world. Guðjón: The ammonia is, the liquid here is, that's fine. Hakarl was first carefully prepared by the Vikings, who knew that the meat of the Greenlandic shark is poisonous to humans without careful preparation. Guðjón: Yeah. And in the drying, the piece, it gets this dried crust around it. But how do the locals feel when they have been away from the land of ice and fire for a while? Like, nothing at all. It is hard to say beforehand about which group you will find yourself in. 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. Greenland shark is the most toxic shark in the world. I'm a shark convert. Shark gives your taste-buds a slight slap and could maybe be compared to some of the more pungent cheeses you can get, while skata is a full-scale assault that can – literally – leave you crying. Following is a transcript of the video. The now cleaned cavity is then rested on a small mound of sand and the shark later covered with sand and gravel. 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. Update, June 2018, after Bourdain's untimely death: When Anthony Bourdain visited Iceland to eat the worst food he'd ever taste 17 Write a comment. And then, if I... you see how smoothly it cuts. Somehow, out of all the delicious and fresh ingredients Iceland has to offer and the organically greenhouse-grown vegetables and fruits this peculiar phenomenon became the token food for our beloved country. What would happen to me? And it also works like, gives him a little bit more insulation in a cold ocean. [both laugh]. That's exactly how it tastes. So for the first 200 years, when they were fishing them, they had to throw the meat away. So, this is how that's, that's much, much thicker pieces. Guðjón: I guess so. Hakarl - Icelandic fermented shark is indeed one of the most typical food you should try. Hákarl: Iceland's Buried, Rotten, Fermented & Dried Delicacy - WorldAtlas The shark does have a reputation internationally. And he has white meat. One of those „delicacies“ and one of Iceland‘s national dishes is the fermented shark or kæstur hákarl, which we, of course, offer a taste of on our Reykjavik Food Lovers Tour for those who dare to try. Ju: What is that doing in the scientific process of it? This crust is removed before the shark is enjoyed. Somehow, out of all the delicious and fresh ingredients Iceland has to offer and the organically greenhouse-grown vegetables and fruits this peculiar phenomenon became the token food for our beloved country. It's like, you know when these people have really terrible, like, 1970s walls, where they, yeah. Iceland can be quite an expensive place but there is a way to do it on a more cheaper matter. It's like eating bread to you now? This is very old. And then you take this here. Most Icelandic restaurants will have it on the menu all year round for travelers and locals to try. Ju: Do you know what it is? 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. 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. 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 … This one is not stiff enough. They grow in one direction. Spending time traveling you often spend much of your money of food especially when traveling to Iceland. [both laugh] Ju: I'm pretty sure that's a cure for something. And then he had been working on this boat at least since he was 14. Greenland shark is fermented for up to 12 weeks, and then hung out to dry for several months, resulting in what can only be described as a full assault on the senses. Something like that. 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