Frank's Recipes! Pickling Fish

Frank's Recipes
Free Recipes Archive

Free Counter by Pliner.Net
dating, lasik, search, shopping
Visitors Since July 1, 1998

This location is no longer being supported or updated.
Please adjust your browser favorites to
http://www.franksrecipes.com

MENU

ť Cookbooks
ť Hints & Tips
ť Foodservice
ť Links
ť My Awards
ť My Guestbook
ť Recipe Archive
ť Software
ť Volume Cooking
ť Where Are You
ť About

Help support this site

Cooking Hints and Tips

Pickling Fish

While the term "pickled fish" sometimes is used to include fish cured in brine, it should be applied only to those products in which vinegar is used. Only a few types of fish are preserved commercially by pickling, but almost any species may be prepared for home use.

Fish preserved with vinegar-spice cure must be fresh and of the best quality. The flavor, texture, color and keeping quality are affected by the water, salt, sugar, vinegar, herbs and other miscellaneous ingredients.

Use drinking water or water approved under all sanitary codes. "Hard" waters are unsuitable, especially those with a high iron, calcium or magnesium content. The minerals interfere with the curing process and can cause rancidity and off flavors.

Use a high-grade white distilled vinegar of 5 percent acidity (50 grain). Acidity is usually listed on the label. Do not use vinegars of unknown acidity. Ciders and other fruit vinegars may give the fish an off-flavor and color.

A high-grade, pure granulated dairy or canning salt is required. The salt must be as free as possible from magnesium compounds, as these impurities give a bitter flavor to the cured product and may cause discoloration of the fish. Noniodized salt is best for pickling.

Table (cane or beet) sugar is recommended.

Spices should be fresh and of a high grade of purity. Best results are secured by buying fresh, whole spices, and making up the mixture, by recipe at the time it is to be used. Prepared commercial mixtures are convenient and time-saving if you can obtain the desired amount.

Soak fresh fish in a weak brine of 1 cup salt to 1 gallon cold water for 1 hour.

Drain and pack fish in container made of glass, heavy food-grade plastic or enamel, holding a strong brine (2-1/2 pounds salt to 1 gallon water) for 12 hours. Keep at refrigerator temperatures between 40 and 45 F.