My wife is an excellent cook. She possesses that all important instinctive understanding of flavors and combinations you cannot learn, so the few times she manages to get me out of the kitchen, I’m always in for a treat. She has plenty of different dishes on her menu, and a few of them are dishes that I’m actually not allowed to even try to make myself. They’re her dishes. Period.
One of the things she would never dream of letting me prepare, is the annual Danish Christmas Curry Herring. It’s her signature dish. Traditionally eaten at Christmas lunches across Denmark all Christmas days except Christmas Eve (which is the big day in Scandinavian Christmas celebrations), it is based on a classic pickled herring and then spiced up with apples, cornichons and curry – for a smooth exotic taste where the orient meets the North. Delicious!
How to Make Danish Curry Herring:
1. Prepare the Herring
Place the whole herrings in cold water and soak overnight to remove excess blood. The next day, fillet the fish, removing skin and pin bones. Rinse well and cut into roughly 1-inch pieces. 
2. Make the Pickling Brine
In a bowl, mix the vinegar and sugar until the sugar has fully dissolved. This may take a minute or two — keep stirring until the liquid is completely clear.
3. Pickle the Herring
Layer the herring pieces in a clean glass jar with the sliced onions, bay leaves, cloves, and crushed allspice. Pour the vinegar mixture over the fish, making sure everything is fully submerged. Seal and refrigerate for 48 hours.
4. Prepare the Curry Dressing
Once the herring has finished pickling, drain it well. In a bowl, combine the curry powder, diced apple, cornichons, pickled onions, mayonnaise, sour cream, and chives. Fold in the herring gently so the pieces stay intact.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Rest Before Serving
Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. The flavors soften and settle with time.
6. Serve
Serve chilled, spooned onto slices of dark rye bread. No garnish needed.
Recipe Notes
Using jarred pickled herring is a perfectly acceptable shortcut and cuts the prep time dramatically. Drain well before mixing with the curry dressing.
Curry powder varies widely. Use a mild, classic blend rather than something aggressively spiced.
The dish improves after a day in the fridge and keeps well for 3–4 days.
FAQ
Can I make this without fresh herring?
Yes. Jarred pickled herring works well and is commonly used today. Choose plain pickled herring rather than one already seasoned.
What kind of curry powder should I use?
A mild, European-style curry powder. Avoid blends heavy on heat or smoke.
Is this meant to be sweet?
Balanced is the goal. Sweetness from the apple and pickling brine should never overpower the fish.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes, and you should. It’s better after resting overnight.
Mrs Bergman’s Danish Curry Herring
- Total Time: 48 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 1x
Description
The classic Danish curry herring, courtesy of Mrs Bergman herself. Serve on top of dark rye bread.
Ingredients
For the pickled herring
- 2 Fresh herrings
- 1 Onion, sliced
- 1 Red onion, sliced
- 1 1/3 cups of vinegar
- 1 cup of Sugar
- 2 Bayleaves
- 3 Cloves
- 2 Tablespoon of all spice peppercorns, crushed
For the curry seasoning
- 3 Tablespoons of curry powder
- 1 Red apple, finely diced
- A handful of cornichons, chopped
- A handful of small pickled onions, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon of mayonnaise
- 1 Tablespoon of sour cream
- A bunch of chives, chopped
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
For the pickled herring
- Soak the herrings overnight in cold water.
- Fillet them by removing bones and skin. Rinse and cut into 1 inch slices.
- In a glass jar, place the herring in layers with onion and spices.
- Mix vinegar and sugar until the sugar has dissolved.
- Pour over the herring, and make sure that all the fish pieces are covered.
- Close with a lid and leave in the refridgerator for 48 hours.
For the curry seasoning
- Slowly mix all the ingredients with the pickled herring.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Leave in the fridge over night.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 48 hours
If you liked this, you are going to love these favorite Danish recipes:
How to Make Danish Rye Bread (No Sourdough)
How to Make Flæskesteg: Danish Pork Roast with Crispy Crackling
Brunede Kartofler – Danish Caramelized Christmas Potatoes
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to soak the herring overnight, and why is this step important?
Yes, soaking the herrings overnight in cold water is crucial to remove excess blood, which helps improve the overall flavor and texture of the fish.
What type of vinegar should I use for the pickling brine?
You can use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar for the pickling brine, as both will provide a good balance of acidity to complement the herring.
How should I store the pickled herring once it’s prepared?
After pickling, store the herring in a clean glass jar in the refrigerator, ensuring it is fully submerged in the vinegar mixture for optimal flavor.
I made this for New Years, was delicious! Love herring!
Made this for Christmas this year, was fantasic!
I have made this several times since the recipe first popped up here, glad to see the updates. It’s a wonderful recipe!
Curry herring is amazing, and this is the perfect recipe!!
Would have been useful for he recipe to include “drain the herrings from the vinegar before adding to the curry sauce!
No need to drain, that pickle juice is awesome!
Hi,
I’m going to make your Karry sild for my Julefrokost on Christmas Day… Can’t wait to introduce friends to the cuisine of what was my adopted country for six years (along with flaeskesteg,rødkål, risalamande…)! How far in advance can I make these?
I suppose they will keep for a week, but wanted to check what your experience had been with timing and storage!
Dear Dana,
As you are adding fresh dairy to the mix, I wouldn’t complete the final stage (the curry part) more than a couple of days in advance max. The pickled herring itself will keep for a week easily.
I’ve never tried curry herring – only normal pickled ones. Looks and sounds great!!