Steckerlfisch

Steckerlfisch. What about fish lovers? Any typical Munich dish out there? Steckerlfisch is the answer. Small stick fish in the Bavarian dialect is exactly what it sounds like. Fish impaled lengthways & cooked over a charcoal fire at an angle that allows the fat to run down the stick & not onto the fire.

The fish were initially whatever the nearby lakes & rivers could provide like whitefish & common bream but as imported fish became a cheap commodity, herring, fingerling & mackerel became more popular. The whole gutted fish is marinated in a hearty mixture of oil, spices, and garlic and placed next to the charcoal where they are brushed a few times with the marinade in order to gain more flavor before they are done.

This fish delicacy is particularly popular during the days of Oktoberfest from the time it was introduced in the early days of the 20th century by a local fish merchant who managed to make it a hit & a staple food of every folk festival & beer garden in Bavaria. It is usually eaten with pretzel or bread rolls & is definitely a distinctive taste of Bavarian culinary tradition.