description Bloater Overview
The bloater is a whole, ungutted herring lightly cold-smoked to produce a gamey, gamy flavor, associated primarily with Great Yarmouth, England, where it was a significant commercial product in the 19th century.
help Bloater FAQ
What exactly is a bloater?
A bloater is a whole, ungutted herring that is salted and lightly cold-smoked. Its traditional association is Great Yarmouth on England's East Anglia coast, as documented by [Slow Food in the UK](https://www.slowfood.org.uk/ark-product/bloaters/).
How is a bloater different from a kipper?
A bloater keeps the herring whole and ungutted, which gives it a stronger, gamey flavor. A kipper is normally split and smoked, so the two products are prepared differently even though both are smoked herring.
Why is Great Yarmouth important to bloater history?
Great Yarmouth became strongly associated with the product during the herring trade, especially in the 19th century. Bloaters were a major commercial food there, not just a modern specialty invented for tourists.
How do people eat a bloater?
It can be cooked or flaked for a meal, with the head, guts and bones removed before serving, and it was also used in traditional bloater paste. Because it is a whole smoked fish, follow the seller's handling instructions rather than treating it like boneless deli meat.
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