My Recipe for Pickled Fish

[Native Hunter]

The other post about pickling got me to thinking about pickled fish. Thought I would share my recipe below. The flavoring is something I worked out through trial and error and can be adjusted to suit your particular taste:

For this recipe you will need 1.5 pounds of fish fillets that you will cut into chunks. The best fish I have tried are small panfish such as bream or crappie, but black bass or any other non-oily fish will work well too. The chunks need to be in small pieces (about one inch squares) and the thickness of the fillets should be about ½ inch. A typical bream fillet is about the right thickness, and for fish that are too thick you can cut the fillets lengthwise to get them about right.

Mix 6 cups of good clean cold water (distilled is best) with 1.5 cups of pickling salt and place the solution in a glass jar. Stir the solution well, and add the fish chunks. Place in the refrigerator overnight from 12 to 24 hours.

Remove the chunks and rinse them well with cold clean water, and then pat them dry with paper towels. Place the chunks in another glass jar and cover them completely with a good quality distilled vinegar that has an acetic acid content of at least 5%. Refrigerate this for another 12 to 24 hours being sure to stir or shake at least once or twice.

Remove the chunks and once again wash in cold water and pat dry.

At this point the chunks are already pickled, but you now need to flavor them. Mix the following flavoring solution, bring it to a boil, let it cool to room temperature, then cover the chunks with it, and place it in the refrigerator:

½ cup of soft water
¼ cup white sugar
1 tbsp Tabasco sauce
1 cup white vinegar
1 tbsp of plain pickling spices
3 whole cloves
1 tbsp pickling salt

After it sets in the fridge for 5 days it is ready to eat. It takes that long for the spices to sink in good. I like to pat my chunks dry and eat them on a cracker. This should keep in the fridge for 6 to 8 weeks, but in Man-land it will be gone long before that! Enjoy.

 

[sandbur]

Due to a specific worm that can do serious damage to people, I have seen the recommendation that all fish should be frozen for a specific period or else be cooked before/during the pickling process.

 

[Deer Kar]

What the hell is a bream? :p

Sounds like a good recipe. I like pickled northern pike the best. Takes care of those pesky Y bones.

We Yankees call Bream Sunnys. I'm with ya on pickled Northerns. I usually make a few batches every winter.

 

[biglakeba$$]

My recipe
Pickled fish
Use a 1 gallon jug
½ gallon fish chunks about 1” squares or so(use fish that’s been frozen at least 48 hrs due to some rare form of possible parasite. Freezing will kill it)
1 1/3 cup pickling/canning salt
Layer the fish in the jug and pour salt over each layer until gone
Fill jug with white vinegar with about 2-3 inches of vinegar over the top of the fish. Gently shake the jug.
Leave refrigerated for 5 full days. Gently shake/mix jug daily to ensure it stays mixed good.
Take fish and discard vinegar and salt mixture after initial 5 days of brining. Wash the fish off with cold water throuroghly.
Place fish in a bowl with cold water and fill with ice for one hour minimum.
While fish is chilling make the final brine mix.
8 cups white vinegar
7 cups white sugar
3-4 tablespoons of pickling spice
1/3 cup white zinfandel wine
Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes
Cool down brine mix in refrigerator until cold.
Slice up 2 large sweet onions.
Place layers of fish and onions in jug until full.
Pour the cold brine mix over the fish until filled.
Put in refrigerator for 3 full days.
EAT!!!!
In addition if wanted….
Add a few large jalapenos sliced(or your favorite pepper)
Add a few whole garlic cloves sliced in half.

 

[Native Hunter]

Oh I know, I was just busting his chops a little. :) Either panfish or bluegills is how we reference them.

LOL, I figured you knew. I was going to tell you a bream is what you guys use for pike bait!:D