What Is Solomon Gundy? The Jamaican Pickled Fish Explained
Solomon gundy is a Jamaican spiced paste of pickled smoked herring. Here is what it is and where to buy the ingredients.
African Stores Editorial Team
The short answer
Solomon gundy is a Jamaican spiced paste, or pate, made from pickled smoked herring, and sometimes shad, blended with scotch bonnet pepper, onion, vinegar and spices into a savoury, tangy, salty and spicy spread. It is a much loved appetiser, eaten on crackers or bread, and it is closely tied to Jamaican tradition. The name is thought to come from the old term salmagundi. Because it is made from fish, it is worth a note for anyone with a fish allergy. In the UK the smoked herring and ingredients are sold by Caribbean and African food shops.
What to remember
- Solomon gundy is a Jamaican spiced paste made from pickled smoked herring.
- It is blended with scotch bonnet, onion, vinegar and spices into a savoury, tangy, spicy spread.
- It is a much loved appetiser, eaten on crackers or bread.
- The name is thought to come from the old term salmagundi.
- It contains fish, and the smoked herring and ingredients are sold by Caribbean and African food shops in the UK.
For Jamaican people in Britain, solomon gundy is a bold taste of home and celebration. It is the dish of spicy herring paste with crackers at Christmas, the punchy appetiser at the family gathering, the tangy, fiery spread that means the holidays and good company. Making solomon gundy far from home brings back celebrations and family tables, the warmth of home in every bold, tangy bite.
There is real heritage in it too, in a delicacy so tied to Jamaican tradition and to the old art of pickling and spicing fish. It reflects a whole culture of preserving, seasoning and celebrating with food, and to make a good solomon gundy is to keep that alive. Making it for family who grew up on it, or introducing an adventurous friend to their first taste, is a small act of welcome. That bold, tangy taste of home is the gift of solomon gundy.
What Solomon Gundy Actually Is
Solomon gundy is a traditional Jamaican delicacy, a spiced paste or pate made chiefly from pickled smoked herring, and sometimes smoked shad, pounded or blended with hot scotch bonnet pepper, onion, vinegar and spices until it becomes a thick, savoury spread. The flavour is bold: salty and rich from the smoked fish, tangy from the vinegar, and spicy from the scotch bonnet, all at once, which makes it a punchy, moreish appetiser. Its curious name is generally thought to come from salmagundi, an old English term for a mixed, seasoned dish.
Solomon gundy belongs to the world of Jamaican dishes we cover in our guide to Jamaican food, part of the island's tradition of pickled, spiced, boldly flavoured foods. It shares that tangy, peppery, pickled character with dishes like escovitch fish, and it relies on the same fiery pepper we cover in our guide to the scotch bonnet.
How Solomon Gundy Is Made and Eaten
Making solomon gundy starts with the smoked herring, which is usually soaked and boiled to soften it and reduce the salt, then boned and flaked. The fish is then pounded or blended with onion, plenty of scotch bonnet pepper, vinegar and spices such as pimento, or allspice, black pepper and sometimes a little oil, until it forms a thick, spreadable paste. The vinegar both flavours and helps preserve it, and the mixture is often left to sit so the flavours mature and mingle.
Solomon gundy is eaten as an appetiser or snack, spread on crackers, water biscuits or bread, a little going a long way because it is so intensely flavoured. It is a favourite at gatherings and over the holidays, and it keeps well in the fridge thanks to the vinegar and salt. Because it is made from fish, it is worth noting for anyone with a fish allergy. This is general food information rather than dietary advice. Salty, tangy and fiery, solomon gundy is a bold Jamaican delicacy.
Solomon Gundy in Jamaican Food Culture
Solomon gundy holds a special place in Jamaican food culture as a traditional delicacy, especially loved as an appetiser at gatherings, parties and over Christmas and the holidays, when a dish of it with crackers is a familiar sight. It is a taste of the island's history of preserving and spicing fish, and its bold, unmistakable flavour is bound up with celebration and hospitality. For many Jamaicans, solomon gundy on a cracker is a nostalgic taste of home and family occasions.
Every maker has their own recipe, their own balance of salt, pepper and vinegar, but the smoked herring, the fiery scotch bonnet and the tangy vinegar are always at its heart. For Jamaican people, solomon gundy is a nostalgic taste of home and celebration, and for the adventurous eater exploring Caribbean food it is a bold, characterful delicacy to try. This article is general food and cultural information. Bold and tangy, solomon gundy is a treasured Jamaican classic.
Where to Buy the Ingredients in the UK
Making solomon gundy at home in Britain is very doable, as the ingredients are available. Caribbean and African food shops sell smoked herring, and sometimes smoked shad, along with the scotch bonnet peppers, onions, vinegar and spices like pimento you need to make it, and you may also find solomon gundy sold ready-made in jars in some shops. Good smoked herring and plenty of scotch bonnet are the keys to a proper solomon gundy.
If you want to make solomon gundy, a Caribbean or African food shop can point you to the smoked herring and the peppers and spices. You can find African food stores near you or look up Caribbean food stores near you, where these ingredients are familiar items. Pounded into a bold, spicy paste, solomon gundy brings a real taste of Jamaica to your table, especially spread on a cracker.
Frequently asked questions
What is solomon gundy?
Solomon gundy is a Jamaican spiced paste, or pate, made from pickled smoked herring, and sometimes shad, blended with scotch bonnet pepper, onion, vinegar and spices into a savoury, tangy, salty and spicy spread. It is a much loved appetiser, eaten on crackers or bread, and it is closely tied to Jamaican tradition, especially the holidays.
What is solomon gundy made from?
Solomon gundy is made chiefly from pickled smoked herring, and sometimes smoked shad, which is soaked, boiled and boned, then pounded or blended with onion, scotch bonnet pepper, vinegar and spices such as pimento and black pepper into a thick, spreadable paste. The vinegar both flavours it and helps it keep.
Why is it called solomon gundy?
The name is generally thought to come from salmagundi, an old English term for a mixed, seasoned dish of chopped ingredients. Over time and in Jamaica the name became solomon gundy and attached to this particular spiced pickled fish paste. It is a curious, memorable name for a very distinctive delicacy.
How do you eat solomon gundy?
Solomon gundy is eaten as an appetiser or snack, spread thinly on crackers, water biscuits or bread, with a little going a long way because it is so intensely flavoured. It is a favourite at gatherings and over Christmas, and it keeps well in the fridge thanks to the vinegar and salt. Its bold, tangy, spicy flavour makes it moreish.
Where can I buy the ingredients in the UK?
Smoked herring, and sometimes smoked shad, along with scotch bonnet peppers, onions, vinegar and spices like pimento, are sold by Caribbean and African food shops, and some also sell solomon gundy ready-made in jars. You can find African food stores near you for the smoked herring and everything the delicacy needs. African Stores lists African and Caribbean food shops across the UK, so you can find one near you.