How to eat surstromming

The Best Way to Eat Swedish Surstromming

If wondering how to eat surstromming, the first thing to know is that it shouldn’t be consumed directly from the can. Surstromming should be the crowning glory of a meal, not merely taken as a snack. Surstromming fish, otherwise known as fermented herring, is typically served with freshly boiled potatoes, chopped onion, bread and butter, and a delicious cold drink, such as milk or a light pilsner beer.

The bread itself is the Swedish version of flatbread, known as tunnbröd, and this can be served soft or crispy. In some parts of Sweden, the surstromming is made into a sandwich, using hard buttered tunnbröd. Other variations include serving mashed potato, rather than boiled, and having the addition of Västerbotten cheese.