It tastes fantastic, though. If you happen to like fish.
this post was submitted on 12 Oct 2025
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Is it a raw fish with onions and pickled cucumber?
It's pickled herring. The Dutch put them in wooden casks where they ripen, so they become incredibly tender, very mild and just a little salty. And they don't smell bad at all. I'm German and whenever I visit the Netherlands, I make sure to have some.
Aah, it's pickled! That's why it looks raw-ish. Nice! Then I'm sure this dish has a lot of complex flavours.
Absolutely. It is complex and pleasant. Best time to have it is in late June when they celebrate the opening of the new batch at Scheveningen (Den Haag).
We have pickled herring in Germany as well. You can buy it as grocery stores. It's labelled "nordische Art" ("northern style"), and totally not the same as the real thing from the Netherlands - much more salty, less complex and not in the same league at all. So if ever you go to Germany, don't confuse the two.
This is what I tell people: it is not that salty and I taste a bit of sweetness with it (that sort of mild sweetness, hope you know what I mean).
If I travel to Germany in the future, I would love to try Mett. That's one dish people here sometimes turn their heads at, however it sounds very nice from the descriptions.
I think more people should consider the whole "when in Rome, live as the Romans do" idea when traveling, food is a great way to appreciate a country or area.
Mett is quite popular where I live (Berlin). It's basically just ground pork seasoned with a little salt. Absolutely nothing special tastewise, but when you grow up with it, it becomes sort of a comfort food. We put it on freshly baked sliced in half "Brötchen", add pepper and onions and sometimes pickles as well, depending on personal preference. Me and my pals sometimes jokingly call it "Nothack", literally "emergency minced meat", implying you always need some of it within easy reach.
Here in the US I've gotten a lot of pickled herring over the years, and "mild" is NOT how I'd describe it. It's super sour and sweet (and creamy if you get ones with sour cream, which I usually do) One of my favorite foods, but now I'm worried that I've been eating something else lol.
incidentally had some in my fridge for reference
That's something completely different. If it's super sour it's probably something like a rolmops. Also referred to as sour herring. It's very different from the fresh raw, slightly pickled herring.
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I hope there's garlic in that
Nope. It's raw fish (herring) with raw onion. The pickles are optional (and regional). You eat it by holding the tail, dipping it in the onion and then lifting it above your head and lowering it in your mouth: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/31/Haring_03.jpg/1280px-Haring_03.jpg
Oh it's not raw. It spends between a day and a week in a barrel full of salt with some of its intestines. That way, the pancreatic enzymes can make the fish even tastier!
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Do you know what? No.
Just no.
No.
Or, just my opinion: yes!
If you're ever in The Netherlands you should really give it a try. It's great!
Concur. I miss it.
Like a cartoon alley cat in a bowtie and a fancy bib...
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I love Dutch herring!
Most times of year it's referred to as Matjes Herring, which is the usual catch and tastes as nice as herring does.
At the right time of year, from around some time in June/July, you get Hollandse Nieuwe herring, where it has at least 6% fat. Has a melt in the mouth effect and even nicer.
I'm going to NL within a few weeks and cannot wait! It's the first thing I get, even before going to a coffeeshop.
It's also very good for settling my stomach and gut, as I get a lot of inflammation there. Sorts it out, can't explain the science behind that though.
TIL this is an actual food not a meme. It's just too simple of a food to be an exclusively Dutch specialty.
You described Dutch cuisine in general.
Gotta be served on a trash can lid for full effect
Looks like it's being served on an old facemask, I think the effect is there lol.
Give it to us raw, and WRRRRRRRRRIGGLING
Die Holländer sind seltsam.
Das sind nicht nur die Holländer. Quasi alles, was da oben an der Küste rumfleucht ist seltsam, sogar die Deutschen.
Keine Sorge, wir finden dafür alle weiter südlich merkwürdig und merkwürdiger, je näher es an die Berge geht.
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And you just eat the whole thing? Skin and all?
Yes (apart from the tail, bones, and head). It's honestly very nice.
Yeah, everything but the tail.
Seagull alert!
Is that the usual American response when they see food that isn’t ultra-processed?
Edit: apparently I meant ultra-processed.
This herring has been processed though. It has been cured in salt and put in a brine
Yeah, most food has been processed. That's why we have the term ultra-processed for most American food.
No, it quite literally looks like what cartoon alley cats eat in old cartoons.
It's definitely processed and also it was a funny joke because for Americans eating a fish mostly intact isn't all that common. I don't even like seafood and shockingly that doesn't mean I eat ultra processed food every meal. I know, hard to fathom something different from your own diet.
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Eww it's not even from a big brand and doesn't have 76 mystery ingredients
I think they referencing the traditional way to eat maatjes, lifting the whole thing by the tail and lowering it into your mouth
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