Scandinavian · appetizer
Pickled Herring (Sill/Sild)
Pickled Herring (Sill/Sild) reads sourness 5.7, sweetness 5.6 and umami 4.5 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Scandinavian appetizer, about 24 hr 20 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.
The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10
- Umami & Savory — 5.0 / 10
- Sweet & Fruity — 5.9 / 10
- Sour & Bright — 5.7 / 10
- Bitter & Earthy — 2.0 / 10
- Rich & Fat — 4.0 / 10
- Aromatic & Spice — 3.9 / 10
The measured notes (of 18)
Sourness 5.7 · Sweetness 5.6 · Umami 4.5 · Richness 3.8 · Allium 3.4 · Marine & Briny 3.3 · Warm Spice 2.7 · Herbaceous 2.5 · Salinity 2.5 · Earthy 1.7 · Bitterness 1.5 · Floral 1.2 · Fruity 1.1 · Heat 0.9 · Smoke 0.6 · Nutty 0.6
What's in it (10)
- 1 lb salt herring fillets
- 1 cup white wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 6 allspice berries
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- fresh dill sprigs
Time & effort: about 24 hr 20 min (20 min active) · effort: medium
Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 169.9 kcal, 7.5 g protein, 4.5 g fat, 33.9 g carbs
Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.
How it's cooked (3 steps)
- Soak salt herring fillets in cold water overnight to remove excess salt, then drain and cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Combine vinegar, sugar, water, and spices to make a brine, bring to a boil, and let cool completely.
- Submerge herring pieces and sliced onion in the cooled brine and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving.
Dishes with a similar flavor shape
- Śledź (Marinated Herring) — Polish
- Escovitch Fish — Jamaican
- Potato Salad — Southern
- Chilli Crab (Mud Crab in Tomato and Sambal Gravy) — Singaporean
- Halibut in Escabeche — Spanish
Keep reading: what sourness, sweetness, umami mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.
See how this dish fits your palate — take the short taste test →
Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.