What are the different variations of súrmjólk?
Súrmjólk is Icelandic soured milk, thinner and more acidic than yogurt, sold in cartons like milk and eaten at breakfast with cereal. It is not the same as skyr, which is thick and strained, and it is not kefir. Sources describe it mainly as a plain product with some flavored versions, so there is no official list of types.
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In this article
What is súrmjólk?
Súrmjólk, Icelandic for sour milk, is a cultured milk that one yogurt site describes as yogurt made the Icelandic way, though it says soured milk fits better. It is thinner than yogurt, closer to a drinkable liquid than a thick set product. The taste is quite acidic, and the same source says it takes time to get used to. In Iceland it is sold in cartons in stores, packaged much like milk.
What are the variations of súrmjólk?
The main variation is plain versus flavored. That source notes that súrmjólk comes in several flavors in Iceland. Beyond that, we found no official classification of types, so be cautious about lists that name kefir, rjómi or other products as variations; they are different foods. If you shop for it, check the carton for the flavor, fat level and ingredients.
| Product | What it is |
|---|---|
| Súrmjólk, plain | Thin, tart soured milk, drunk or poured on cereal |
| Súrmjólk, flavored | Sweetened or fruit-flavored versions sold in some stores |
| Skyr | A thick, strained Icelandic dairy product, classed as a cheese on one guide |
| Yogurt | Thicker, set cultured milk |
| Kefir | A different, fizzier fermented milk drink |
How is súrmjólk different from skyr?
Skyr is thick, smooth and spoonable. A travel guide explains it is made by heating skimmed milk, cooling it, adding live cultures (sometimes with rennet) and then straining off the whey, with about four cups of milk making one cup of skyr. Súrmjólk is not strained in that way and stays liquid. It is a drink or a pour-over, while skyr is a spoon food.
How is súrmjólk eaten?
- Poured over cereal at breakfast.
- With bread or cheese.
- Occasionally alongside meat or herring, according to one source.
Can you make it at home?
The pages we read do not give a method. As a general approach, soured milks are made by adding a live culture to milk and letting it ferment until tart. Use a starter bought for that purpose or a plain cultured product, and keep everything clean. The result will differ from the Icelandic carton.
Where can you buy it?
Mainly in Iceland. Outside Iceland, the closest substitutes are thin cultured milks such as buttermilk or drinkable plain yogurt, though the taste is not the same.
People also ask
Is súrmjólk the same as skyr?
No. Súrmjólk is a thin soured milk; skyr is thick and strained.
What does súrmjólk taste like?
Quite acidic and tart; one source says it takes time to get used to.
How do you eat súrmjólk?
Usually at breakfast over cereal, or with bread or cheese.
Sources
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