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Herring Butter – Classic Recipe
Instructions
Prepare all the ingredients you need. Boil the egg until hard. Clean the herring of guts, skin and bones – you need one fillet. Take the butter out of the refrigerator in advance so that it softens.
Grate the egg on a fine grater.
Chop the herring fillet as finely as possible.
Combine the grated egg, the herring and the butter.
Mix well until smooth and uniform. You can add a little freshly ground black pepper or a spoonful of mustard.
Place the resulting mixture on a sheet of cling film and shape it into an elongated form. Wrap it in the film and form a sausage. Put the herring-butter sausage into the refrigerator for 10 minutes, so that the mass sets a little.
Take the butter out of the refrigerator, unwrap the cling film and coat the sausage on all sides with finely chopped greens. In 10 minutes the butter has not set completely – so the greens stick well. Wrap the butter in film again and put it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, so that it sets fully.
The herring butter is ready. It is easy to slice with a knife and spread onto bread. It turned out tasty and aromatic.Enjoy your meal!
Tips
- 1
THE BUTTER MUST BE SOFT – take it out of the refrigerator 1–2 hours ahead. Cold butter will not blend with the herring.
- 2
CHOP THE HERRING VERY FINELY – an even texture matters for that «buttery» consistency. You can even put it through a mincer.
- 3
THE «SAUSAGE» SHAPE in film makes slicing easy. The film peels off readily and the butter does not stick to your hands.
- 4
THE GREENS ON THE OUTSIDE look attractive and add aroma. Parsley can be replaced with dill or a mix of the two. The same trick works with other kinds of flavoured butter.
Video
FAQ
Which herring should I choose? +
The ideal is lightly salted herring of medium cure, preferably Atlantic. Avoid spiced-cure herring (the spices come to the fore) and smoked herring (a different character of flavour). For a quick version, use ready herring fillet in a vacuum pack or in oil (drain off the excess oil). Check the ingredients: only herring, salt, water and spices – no flavour enhancers. Murmansk or Icelandic herring are reliable choices. When filleting, carefully remove the bones, especially the small «saw» bones.
Can I use other additions? +
Yes, there are variations: mustard (1 tsp into the mixture for a sharp note), 1 clove of garlic through a press (for piquancy), 50 g of grated processed cheese (for creaminess), grated apple (a sweet accent), 1 tbsp of sour cream (for tenderness), lemon juice and zest (for freshness). For a «Scandinavian» version, add 1 tsp of honey and a pinch of fennel. Experiment, but do not change the basic proportion: butter, herring and egg at 1:1:0.5. That is the classic balance.
How long does herring butter keep? +
In the refrigerator, in cling film, it keeps for 5–7 days. The next day the flavour is brighter – the ingredients exchange aromas. You can freeze it (for up to 1 month) – thaw it in the refrigerator for 4–6 hours before use. The sausage shape is handy: you can cut off a piece and return the rest to the refrigerator in the film. Do not store it open (without film) – it absorbs the smells of other foods. For long storage, «seal» the butter with hot melted butter on top.
What should I serve it with? +
The classic is on black or grey bread with herbs. On a crisp toast it makes a more «restaurant-style» serving. On a croissant sliced lengthways it becomes a «continental» breakfast. With boiled potatoes (as a side dish with herring). In tartlets as a festive appetiser. On a crunchy cracker as a canapé. With a glass of dry white wine or light beer. With vodka it is part of a traditional Russian feast. Garnish the top of the sandwich with a thin round of cucumber, a slice of boiled egg, or a small sprig of dill.
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