Hákarl, the Icelandic national food that is subjectively exotic, is a food that is made by fermenting the meat of sharks.
Fermentation of meat is a process used to produce many exotic foods globally. It involves meat being in a controlled environment for prolonged periods of time that allow bacteria and other microorganisms to consume sugars on the meat. Below is an image of meat in the process of fermentation.
Meat after fermentation is often more acidic and exhibits a unique flavor that cannot be obtained through other methods. Therefore, Hákarl has a unique flavor and odor that can only be created by fermenting shark meat.
Hákarl is created from the type of Greenland shark that inhabits the oceans around Iceland. The meat of the Greenland shark must be processed in order to safely prepare as food due to the fact that the shark releases urine through its bloodstream and tissue which results in its meat containing large amounts of urea and trimethylamine oxide that is poisonous for human consumption.
The traditional method of Hákarl fermentation is laying a beheaded shark in a hole dug through sand with gravel content, covering the shark with sand and gravel, and then laying stones on the sand and gravel in order to press liquid out of the shark thus speeding up the fermentation process. After the materials are laid, the shark is left to cure for approximately six to eighteen weeks depending on the season. Then, the shark is cut into pieces that are hung to dry for a few months. The shark meat will develop a brown crust during this drying period.
After the drying period, the brown crust is peeled and the shark meat is prepared for consumption.
