Lutefisk

[Guy]

Have you ever had Lutefisk?

 

[gothicfeline]

ewwwww yes ewww

 

[gothicfeline]

ok I hate fish normally but fermented fish in lye. was the single grossest thing I have ever eaten

 

[Guy]

ok I hate fish normally but fermented fish in lye. was the single grossest thing I have ever eaten

I heard that its like fish jello

 

[gothicfeline]

ya

 

[Guy]

ya

 

[ThePrincessLuxy]

So...the lye pickles it? Pickled fish is tasty. The gelatinous part of it is kind of weird, but...I'd definitely try it.

 

[gothicfeline]

Lutefisk is dried whitefish (normally cod, but ling is also used) treated with lye. The first step is soaking the stockfish in cold water for five to six days (with the water changed daily). The saturated stockfish is then soaked in an unchanged solution of cold water and lye for an additional two days. The fish swells during this soaking, and its protein content decreases by more than 50 percent, producing a jelly-like consistency.

When this treatment is finished, the fish (saturated with lye) is caustic, with a pH of 11–12. To make the fish edible, a final treatment of yet another four to six days of soaking in cold water (also changed daily) is needed. Eventually, the lutefisk is ready to be cooked.

In Finland, the traditional reagent used is birch ash. It contains high amounts of potassium carbonate and bicarbonate, giving the fish a more mellow treatment than would lye. It is important not to marinate the fish too long in the lye because saponification of the fish fats may occur.

lye is a base. not an acid like vinegar

 

[ThePrincessLuxy]

Lutefisk is dried whitefish (normally cod, but ling is also used) treated with lye. The first step is soaking the stockfish in cold water for five to six days (with the water changed daily). The saturated stockfish is then soaked in an unchanged solution of cold water and lye for an additional two days. The fish swells during this soaking, and its protein content decreases by more than 50 percent, producing a jelly-like consistency.

When this treatment is finished, the fish (saturated with lye) is caustic, with a pH of 11–12. To make the fish edible, a final treatment of yet another four to six days of soaking in cold water (also changed daily) is needed. Eventually, the lutefisk is ready to be cooked.

In Finland, the traditional reagent used is birch ash. It contains high amounts of potassium carbonate and bicarbonate, giving the fish a more mellow treatment than would lye. It is important not to marinate the fish too long in the lye because saponification of the fish fats may occur.

lye is a base. not an acid like vinegar

Ah, I got my OH- and H+ mixed up. Interesting. I must try it sometime!

 

[Nordling]

It's barely edible. I can eat it if it's dumped on potatoes and drowned in white sauce. The potatoes and sauce tend to mask the gelatinous texture.

Eat it with pickled herring, lefse (Scandinavian flatbread), and wash it all down with lots and lots of Aquavit.

 

[Guy]

It's barely edible. I can eat it if it's dumped on potatoes and drowned in white sauce. The potatoes and sauce tend to mask the gelatinous texture.

Eat it with pickled herring, lefse (Scandinavian flatbread), and wash it all down with lots and lots of Aquavit.

What is it like by it self?

 

[Nordling]

What is it like by it self?

Kind of like fishy snot.

 

[Guy]

Kind of like fishy snot.

Did you watch the Youtube video I posted?

 

[Nordling]

Not yet. I will now. I'm eating pizza and didn't want to ruin it.

I do recommend trying lutefisk at least once in your life. It won't kill you and you'll know for yourself whether you like it or not (there are people who do).

 

[ThePrincessLuxy]

Not yet. I will now. I'm eating pizza and didn't want to ruin it.

I do recommend trying lutefisk at least once in your life. It won't kill you and you'll know for yourself whether you like it or not (there are people who do).

I'm just trying to imagine how it wouldn't taste like soap then. NaOH + lipids/fats = saponification. That's exactly how soap is made. lol. Does it taste like soap? Better question, IS it soap? lol

 

[Nordling]

I'm just trying to imagine how it wouldn't taste like soap then. NaOH + lipids/fats = saponification. That's exactly how soap is made. lol. Does it taste like soap? Better question, IS it soap? lol

lol no. Think hominy. Which is also cured in lye. The long rinse cycle gets rid of any soapiness. More like raw fish, but more gelatinous.

 

[Guy]

@Nordling

 

[Nordling]

Ha! If only he'd eaten it with boiled potatoes.

 

[Brad]

It's not bad. I used to eat it when I was young. I was adopted by a Swedish family and it was a holiday tradition.

 

[BettyDemure]

Uhg, that and pickled herring - I know which part of the table to steer clear of on Christmas.

 

[David_Lee_Loca]

I've heard of it and I'm even pretty sure there's places in my town that serve it. I consider myself pretty open minded when it comes to trying new food, but lutefisk is one of those things you'd have to pay me money to try.

 

[Guy]

I've heard of it and I'm even pretty sure there's places in my town that serve it. I consider myself pretty open minded when it comes to trying new food, but lutefisk is one of those things you'd have to pay me money to try.

What have you heard about it?

 

[David_Lee_Loca]

What have you heard about it?

From what I've heard, it actually pretty bland, it smells funny, and the texture is like snot.