innsætt

Innssætt is a traditional Icelandic dish made from fermented shark meat. The shark used is typically the Greenland shark or porbeagle shark, which contain high levels of urea and trimethylamine oxide, making the flesh poisonous when fresh. The fermentation process, often involving burying the shark in sand for several weeks or months, allows these toxins to break down, rendering the meat edible.

After fermentation, the shark meat is cut into cubes and hung to dry for several more months. The resulting product has a very strong, pungent smell and a distinctive ammonia-like flavor. It is often described as an acquired taste and is considered a delicacy in Iceland, particularly during the midwinter festival of Þorrablót.

Innssætt is traditionally served in small portions and is often accompanied by a shot of Brennivín, a potent Icelandic schnapps, which is sometimes referred to as "Black Death." The dish is a significant part of Icelandic culinary heritage, representing a historical method of preserving food in a harsh environment where other food sources might have been scarce. While its consumption has declined somewhat in modern times, it remains an important cultural symbol.