Nordic Variations: Horrible Smells and Heavenly Tastes

Curing fish, such as herring, the old-fashioned way takes a long time. Whole, scaled herring, with their innards, are placed in layers of salt and cured in barrels that are kept for at least a month at 5ºC. The enzymes from the stomachs and entrails of the fish help to break down the muscles and to release a reasonable amount of glutamate. This is why cured herring made by the traditional method have much more umami taste than those produced industrially. The factories employ a very rapid process in which the fish are placed for a couple of days in a strong vinegar solution, which tenderizes them by bursting their cells but releases only a little glutamate.