Pickled Salt Herring Recipes

PICKLED HERRING

Steps:

• Soak the herring in the milk for at least 12 hours or up to 24 to draw out a lot of the excess salt. Drain the herring, rinse, and pat dry. Cut off the fins and fillet the herring, leaving the skin on. Cut the fillets crosswise into 2-inch strips.
• In a saucepan, combine the water, sugar, vinegar, allspice, mustard seeds, caraway seeds, and peppercorns. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and cool the pickling mixture completely.
• Arrange the herring fillets, onion, carrots, dill, bay leaves, and horseradish in a glass dish or funky Mason jar. Pour the cooled pickling mixture into the jar so that all the ingredients are completely covered with the liquid. Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days before serving.

PICKLED HERRING

Steps:

• Soak the fillets in a bowl of cold water in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours.
• Change water twice.
• To make the pickling solution, combine water, vinegar, seasonings and sugar in a saucepan; bring to a boil.
• Stir to dissolve sugar; let cool.
• Rinse the fillets with cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
• Cut fish in 1-inch pieces removing bones.
• Peel and slice onion.
• Separate slices into rings.
• Arrange herring and onion rings in alternate layers in sterilized jars.
• Cover with pickling solution and cap.
• Refrigerate at least 3 days before serving.
• The herring will keep up to 3 weeks refrigerated.

PICKLING YOUR OWN HERRING

Steps:

• 1. Remove the heads from the herring and scale the fish. Wash well, open them, and remove the milt (roe of male fish). Clean the fish well, drain. Lay the herring and milt in water to cover in the refrigerator overnight.
• 2. The next day rub the milt glands through a sieve or mash them well, and mix with 1 tablespoon of the sugar and a few tablespoons of the vinegar.
• 3. Place in a 1 1/2-quart jar in layers the herring, onion, lemon slices, cloves, peppercorns, and bay leaves.
• 4. Add the milt gland mixture, the remaining vinegar, and as much of the remaining sugar as your taste dictates.
• 5. Cover the jar and keep in the refrigerator for at least 4 days.

PICKLED SALT HERRING

Steps:

• Clean fish. Remove heads. Soak fish in cold water for 10-12 hours, changing water a few times so fish will not be too salty. If you wish, start soaking a few hours before going to bed; change water a few times, then soak overnight. Drain fish on absorbent paper; cut crosswise into 1/2" slices without removing bones and place in a glass jar. Combine dressing ingredients and bring to boiling point. Chill. Pour over herring. Cover and let stand a few days in refrigerator before serving. Always serve this kind of herring from the jar. Taste improves the longer herring is pickled.