What You Need to Know
Gibbing is the process of preparing salt herring, in which the gills and part of the gullet are removed from the fish, eliminating any bitter taste. The liver and pancreas are left in the fish during the salt-curing process because they release enzymes essential for flavor. The fish is then cured in a barrel with one part salt to 20 herring. Today many variations and local preferences exist in this process.
Steps
- 1.
Hollandse Nieuwe (Netherlands): Creates the characteristic mild flavor and soft texture of young salted herring
- 2.
Surströmming (Sweden): Modified gibbing process contributes to the intense fermentation
- 3.
Matjes (Germany): Partial gibbing yields a sweeter, milder cured herring