Still, no the herring in mustard sauce isn’t pickled - Zetterstrand’s is boiled and Hagdahl’s are boiled or grilled. One sauce recipe is close to Zetterstrand’s above, and the other features only butter and mustard.

In 1896, Charles Emil Hagdahl’s cookbook has two herring recipes (p 282) that feature a mustard sauce on the side. From the rest of her herring recipes, it is clear that herring was a common dish on smörgåsbord. So, let us here instead take a look at the mustard-covered version.Īnna-Maria Zetterstrand‘s cookbook from 1863 features a recipe for fresh herring boiled in vinegar, which is served with a sauce of butter, flour, vinegar, mustard, yolks, and cream (p 161). We’ve already looked at the history of herring in Sweden in the article about plain pickled herring. Herring in mustard sauce - a Swedish classic? Luckily, it’s not difficult at all.Ĭlick here to get straight to the recipe for herring in mustard sauce. But for special occasions? Home-made is the way to go. Actually, I’d go as far as to say that most people unknowingly like this type of mustard because of its sugar contents…īy now, you’ve probably declared me a mustard herring snob, but I do devour a few of the Abba jars of herring in mustard sauce from time to time. And, the taste of mustard? It only lingers in the background.

That’s when I realize how incredibly sweet-tasting the store-bought herring in mustard sauce is. The sensation! The flavor! A strong but well-balanced kick of mustard, a hint of sweetness, a lusciously creamy sauce…

(No, I’m not sponsored, but I have loved this place since I was a child.)Ī few years ago, I casually speared a few pieces of mustard herring from their buffet and went back to my seat to enjoy my starter. All lunches and dinners are served buffet-style, starting with a generous smörgåsbord of herring, cheese, and salad. And let me tell you, this place takes craftsmanship seriously when it comes to food. It was founded in 1905, although they apparently had an inn there already in the 16th century. Järvsöbaden is a magical boarding house and hotel in Järvsö in Hälsingland. What on earth were you really eating before? This is the real thing, this is what it’s supposed to taste like! When it comes to herring in mustard sauce, I divide my herring-eating into before and after tasting Järvsöbaden’s version. Then, one day, you taste the homemade version and realize - there’s no going back. Have you ever had this food experience? For years, you’ve enjoyed eating something from the stores.

A red herring without mustard