Steckerlfisch | Oktoberfest Food

Steckerlfisch is a Bavarian Fish Specialty and also a Popular Oktoberfest Food:

Steckerlfisch – Charcoal-grilled fish on a stick

A graphic food image that you’ll see at the Munich Oktoberfest is at the Fischer-Vroni Steckerlfisch stand. Here you’ll see neatly lined rows of whole fish on skewers being cooked over the very long charcoal grill. Besides being photo-worthy, the steckerlfisch is a specialty of the Fischer-Vroni Oktoberfest tent.

What is Steckerlfisch?

The world ‘Steckerl’ means ‘little stick’ in the Bavarian dialect and so Steckerlfisch translates as ‘fish on a stick’. The steckerl or stick is thread lengthwise through the gutted whole fish and arranged head-down, at an angle over the charcoal fire.

The fish is brushed with butter or marinade to make the final cooked product crispy. And, the reason for having the Steckerlfisch placed at an angle is so that the fat drains down the stick and not into the fire. Mackerel is the most common fish used, although salmon or trout can be used as well. The cooked steckerlfisch is served wrapped in paper or on a plate and eaten with pretzels or bread rolls.

The Fischer-Vroni family have been in the fish business since Karl Winter founded his fish wholesale company in 1914. It was Karl Winter who first offered “Steckerlfische” at the Wiesn. It was an instant success with Oktoberfest visitors and sales took off rapidly.

Steckerlfisch and pretzel

Where to Find Steckerlfisch

Don’t worry if you can’t make it to the Munich Oktoberfest to savour some Steckerlfisch. Although Steckerlfisch is a popular snack food at Wiesn, you can also find it being offered in many beer gardens during the summer months.

Fischer-Vroni are also present at the many folk festivals in the Bavarian region and in particular at the Munich Auer Dult and beer gardens like Hirschgarten and the Augustiner Keller. Certainly when you visit Fisher-Vroni’s own Gasthaus, the Jagdschlössl, Sterckerlfisch is a Saturday specialty in their biergarten. You can find Jagdschlössl on Red Square at Nymphenburger Strasse 162, 80634 München.

See more Oktoberfest food at Travelsignpost Oktoberfest photo gallery HERE.