I’m about to try what might be the worst food of my life, and I don’t say that lightly.
Fermented shark, also known as hákarl, is a traditional Icelandic dish that’s been eaten for centuries. It’s considered a national delicacy, a cultural staple, and locals love it.
However, for many visitors, consuming it proves to be a challenge.
The dish starts out as a highly toxic shark, specifically the Greenland shark. Unlike most fish (yes, sharks are fish), the Greenland shark’s flesh contains natural toxins that make it unsafe to eat fresh.
So, instead of cooking it right away, Icelanders developed a preservation method that’s pretty intense. The shark is buried underground and left to ferment for weeks.
Then, it’s dug up, cut into strips, and hung up to dry for several more months. By the end of the process, the toxins are gone, and the shark is safe to eat.
Shark fermenting.
Before I even got close enough to taste it, I could smell it. And it’s… aggressive.
Think ammonia and strong, fermented fish.
“It’s fantastic,” one person tells me without hesitation, and several more locals confirmed that they truly do enjoy it.
So clearly, this isn’t just some gimmick food. It’s deeply tied to Icelandic culture and history. For generations, this method of fermenting shark wasn’t about flavor but survival. In a harsh climate with limited resources, people used whatever they had, and they made it last.
Now, hákarl has become a symbol of tradition, which means there’s only one thing left for me to do. Try it.
Trying fermented shark.
The texture is firm and slightly chewy, almost like a dense cube of fish. But the flavor is where things really hit. It’s sharp, pungent, and lingers in your mouth.
Somehow, it tastes exactly how it smells.
Would I eat it again? Honestly, probably not, but I understand why it exists, why it matters, and why people who grew up with it actually enjoy it.
That said, if you ever find yourself in Iceland and someone offers you fermented shark…
Just know exactly what you’re signing up for.
It’s definitely an experience.