Posted on 12/07/2023 12:00:46 PM PST by DallasBiff
With a distinctive odor and gelatinous texture, lutefisk is definitely an acquired taste. Unlike salmon and tuna, you can't actually go out fishing for lutefisk, because it's not a specific fish itself; rather, it's a form of whitefish (traditionally cod) that is air dried until hard. Then, the fish is softened by soaking it in water and lye before consuming.
The word lutefisk itself translates roughly to "lye fish," says Smithsonian Magazine. Considered peasant food, this method was used to preserve any leftover fish that wasn't sold or cooked. While it originated in Scandinavia (particularly Sweden and Norway), lutefisk has fallen out of favor there and is not considered especially popular in the "old country." However, some Scandinavian Americans eat lutefisk regularly, and it is now eaten more frequently in the United States than in all of Scandinavia combined.
If you're interested in trying this divisive dish, there are a few things you should know (like how you eat it and where it is even sold) before taking the plunge.
Read More: https://www.mashed.com/197530/what-does-lutefisk-actually-taste-like/
(Excerpt) Read more at mashed.com ...
Lutefisk is a bipolar food. You either love it or you hate it.
Years ago I went to a Lutefisk dinner at a church with a lot of Norwegian Lutheran members. They also had an alternative main course meat that was preferred by many (but not all) non-Norwegians married to Norwegian spouses.
I have found after traveling the world that local delicacies that the natives go gaga about at best smell like cat food and at worst smell like cat vomit
I’m with you. One of the most disgusting things to ever cross my lips. One bite - NEVER AGAIN.
The stench. OMG. My in-laws are Norwegian and they eat it for new year’s. WHY ?????
I used to eat lutefisk at church events around Advent-time.
‘Nuff said!
Yankee Kimchi.
We were out to lunch today, 3 of our group are Norwegian and the subject of lutefisk was discussed.
No thanks. This is one of those things you eat before you get to the point of eating out of garbage cans.
A lot of Lutheran churches in the Midwest have lutefisk dinner fundraisers. Ham balls or beef meatballs are almost always available as an alternative.
One if my mother’s older sisters married a Norwegian, he liked salted herring, they sold it up in northern Michigan at the IGA, it came in a wooden box. He liked it so much he would get boxes of it at Christmas. That and those red long John’s.
Super salty... saltier than kippers even.
I’ll take a fire grilled Angus cheeseburger, fries and a Coke instead of lutefisk.
The lye is what makes lutefisk so tasty....
I do not like green eggs and ham
Lutefisk too said Sam I am
5.56mm
No thanks.
Lutefisk is dried cod that is soaked in a lye solution then throughly rinsed. This is done before you purchase it. If done right it still firm and has a gelatinous texture and a mild flavor. It is baked and you drizzle warm bacon bits and grease over it and also a mustard sauce. A side dish of cooked dried peas (like thick pea soup) is served with it. It was all washed down with plenty of beer and aquvate. I spent seven Christmas holidays in Norway and would have lutefisk at least twice a season. I liked it though not as much as baked pork rib roast which was also a holiday special.
The fermented fish is called rakfisk, different thing.
The way i had it prepared, it was a soft fish texture, buttered popcorn taste. I would try it again.
Good old salted herring is primo stuff. Never had any lutefisk, but I’ve heard all sorts of comments on it, mostly bad. I wouldn’t touch it with someone else’s hand. But the dried smoked herring ,in my opinion, is good. Used to get it once in awhile, but can’t find it locally any more.
I recall (vaguely) having Christmas dinner at my grandparents small home. They had a large room in the basement with a big dinner table set up in it. I only recall it being used at Christmas. Cramped and dimly lit.
And there was lutefisk. I don’t recall ever eating it. All of my grandparents came from Norway. My sister (still in Minnesota) was going to a friend’s house soon for a lutefisk dinner. She said the friend uses a good cream sauce (with cheese??) that she likes.
I recall hearing something about Grav-loks. Fish (salmon?) that is buried (grave - I suppose for storage in the cool earth??).
“...baked pork rib roast which was also a holiday special.”
Christmas Eve was a great night spent at my rich uncle’s home. My aunt was Norwegian background, so I guess that is what the pork ribs were about. We always had stuffed sausages and sauerkraut too, probably from the uncle - not sure what his background was (Irish I think?) I loved those sausages and it was such a treat for me.
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