Lutefisk-eating Champion

Posted on Sat, Oct. 09, 2004
Associated Press

Lutefisk lover downs pounds of fish in mere minutes

MINOT, N.D. - Jerry Osteraas isn't hard to find at the Norsk Hostfest. He's usually posted near the lutefisk booth promoting - and eating - the translucent fish dish he gobbles down with lightning speed.

The Madison, Minn., man claims to be the national lutefisk-eating champion, having downed 8 pounds, 4 ounces in one sitting.

He's at Minot's annual Scandinavian heritage festival to promote the delicacy along with his hometown, which touts itself as the lutefisk capital of the world.

Osteraas, who is of Norwegian heritage, said he has been eating lutefisk - and liking it - since he was a kid. He's been involved in eating competitions since 1988.

"The most I've ever eaten is 1 pound in five minutes," Osteraas said. "The first time I ever did it, I ate 7 pounds in one hour."

That was in Madison, which hosts an annual state competition. Last year's national competition was in Washington state, where Osteraas said he ate 3 pounds in an hour.

There are national rules when it comes to eating lutefisk for prizes, Osteraas said. Competitors are allowed to eat as much as they can in five minutes. A three-minute rest period follows before lutefisk lovers start gobbling up more of the jellylike fish.

"Sometimes it's flaky, sometimes it's not," Osteraas said. "You've got to get rid of it in five minutes. I just keep scooping it in."

Osteraas claims he could actually eat 9 pounds of lutefisk in a sitting if he had butter as a complement. That helps the fish slide down easier; otherwise, Osteraas admits he might feel a little sick after swallowing several pounds.

"Sometimes I can feel it, but butter makes a difference," Osteraas said.

He said lutefisk is essentially white cod that is often processed off the coast of Norway, dehydrated and sent to the United States. It is then put in a solution that often contains lye, which swells it back to its original state. It is then boiled or baked.

"I always bake it," Osteraas said. "The trick is to put it in cold water and bring it to a boil, then shut it off. Don't overboil it. You can also prepare it in a dishwasher or a microwave."

Osteraas almost didn't make it to Minot after his daughter delivered a baby, but he and his wife made it just in time.

"We've had such a great time," Osteraas said. "We've been going nonstop."