A typical and very tasty Icelandic dish
Hákarl (« shark » in Icelandic) is a traditional Icelandic dish made from part of a Greenland shark or a Laimargue (sleeper shark), which has been hardened by a special fermentation process and left to dry for four to five months.
Hákarl, an Icelandic dish, is usually served during the Thorrablot festival, in mid-winter. It’s best eaten with a shot of « Brennivin » (a strong spirit made from potatoes). This unique dish has been described by some as having a powerful cheesy flavor, while others have announced that it’s the most abject thing they’ve ever tasted, almost akin to solid urine (!). But it’s not the taste or smell that’s « sensational », it’s where it comes from: rotten shark meat.
Wikimedia – Xfigpower
Killed, gutted and deboned (or more correctly « decartilaged »), shark meat is divided into large pieces, washed and then buried under gravel. This « meat » is first left to rot for between 6-8 weeks and a few months, depending on the season. Next, the meat is dug up, washed and left to dry in a special hut for 2-4 months. Once the curing process is complete, the meat’s brown rind is removed and the remaining white flesh is cut into small square pieces to be served at the table.
Flickr – smee
So the meat is not cooked. Served in this form, as a dish, it is unique in itself, defying all sanitary conditions and health hazards. So, inevitably, the question arises: why not eat fresh shark meat?
The Brennivin and the Hakarl – Flickr – eworm
The reason for this is actually quite simple: fresh shark meat, at least from this region, is toxic. In Iceland, the predominant shark species are Greenland sharks, which have no urinary tract and must therefore secrete urine through their skin (sweat). As a result, the high level of uric acid that has become highly concentrated in the shark makes eating even a small piece very unhealthy. Allowing shark meat to rot for a long time removes the acid from the flesh, making it easier to digest.
Icelandic specialties – Wikimedia – The blanz
One also wonders how the Icelanders came up with this idea. How did they discover that shark meat had to rot for several months before being eaten? In any case, if you’re lucky (or unlucky) enough to try this Icelandic « specialty », it’ll be a real taste test!