Traditional Hákarl Tasting Board

A beautifully presented Icelandic hákarl tasting board featuring cubed fermented Greenlandic shark in two styles — the milder white 'skyrhákarl' belly meat and the more pungent brown 'glerhákarl' body meat — served the traditional way alongside ice-cold Brennivín schnapps, rye flatbread, and pickled accompaniments. This is Iceland's most iconic and storied delicacy, with roots going back centuries. The ammonia aroma is famously intense, but the flavour is complex, deeply umami, and utterly unforgettable. A true cultural adventure on a board.

Recipe details

Yield
4 people
Prep time
20 minutes (plus months of fermentation if making from scratch — this guide uses pre-fermented hákarl)
Cook time
0 minutes (no cooking required)
Total time
20 minutes total

Ingredients

  • 150g Pre-fermented hákarl (skyrhákarl — white belly), cut into 1.5cm cubes (Available from Icelandic specialty importers or online — Víkin brand is widely exported)
  • 150g Pre-fermented hákarl (glerhákarl — dark body meat), cut into 1.5cm cubes (Stronger, more pungent flavour than the belly — the classic style)
  • 200ml Brennivín Icelandic schnapps, well chilled (The traditional chaser — nicknamed 'Black Death'. A caraway-flavoured aquavit. Absolutely non-negotiable for the full experience.)
  • 8 pieces Laufabrauð (Icelandic leaf bread / rye flatbread), broken into rustic shards (Substitute with any thin dark rye crispbread if unavailable)
  • 1 small red onion Pickled red onion, thinly sliced and quick-pickled in white wine vinegar (Adds brightness and cuts the intensity of the shark)
  • 3 tbsp White wine vinegar (For quick-pickling the onion)
  • 1 tsp Sugar
  • ½ tsp Flaky sea salt (For the quick pickle and board seasoning)
  • 40g Butter (unsalted, cold), sliced into thin pats (Spread on the rye bread as a base — traditional and delicious)
  • small handful Fresh dill, fronds picked (For garnish — classic Nordic herb pairing)
  • 20–24 Cocktail toothpicks or small forks (Traditional serving method — keep the two styles clearly separated on the board)

Instructions

  1. Start by making your quick-pickled onion. Thinly slice 1 small red onion into rings and place in a small bowl. Add 3 tbsp white wine vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, and ¼ tsp flaky sea salt. Toss well and set aside — it will soften and turn bright pink within 15 minutes.
  2. While the onion pickles, remove 150g of skyrhákarl (white belly hákarl) from its packaging. Hold it at arm's length the first time — that ammonia hit is famous! Set it on a clean cutting board and allow it to breathe for 2–3 minutes, which actually mellows the aroma very slightly.
  3. Using a sharp knife, cut the skyrhákarl into even 1.5cm cubes. Transfer to a small plate and spear each cube with a cocktail toothpick. Keep these to one side of your serving board.
  4. Now cut 150g of glerhákarl (dark body hákarl) into 1.5cm cubes in the same way. These are the classic, more pungent pieces. Spear each with a toothpick and arrange on the opposite side of the board from the belly pieces — clearly separate so guests know which is which.
  5. Break 8 pieces of laufabrauð (or rye crispbread) into rustic hand-sized shards and arrange them across the center of the board.
  6. Slice 40g cold unsalted butter into thin pats and arrange near the flatbread on the board.
  7. Drain the now-pickled onion rings (discard the liquid or save it for another use) and pile them into a small ramekin or directly onto the board in a neat mound.
  8. Pick the fronds from a small handful of fresh dill and scatter them artfully over the board — a few fronds over each cluster of hákarl and some on the flatbread section.
  9. Pour your well-chilled Brennivín into four small shot glasses (approximately 50ml each) and place them alongside the board. The schnapps is not just a drink — it is THE palate cleanser between bites and the traditional chaser after the hákarl. Do not skip it.
  10. Label the two hákarl styles on the board if you like (a small folded card works perfectly) — 'Skyrhákarl' for the white mild pieces and 'Glerhákarl' for the dark pungent ones. Invite your guests to start with the milder white pieces, follow with a nibble of buttered rye flatbread and pickled onion, then shoot the Brennivín. Then go in on the glerhákarl. That is the traditional, time-honoured Icelandic way.
  11. Serve immediately while the Brennivín is cold.