Pickling Your Own Herring Recipes

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.

PICKLED FRESH HERRING

Steps:

• Prepare brine by boiling together the vinegar, water, and sugar. Stir and cool. Clean, skin, bone and cut herring into slices. Place one layer sliced herring in wide mouth gallon jar. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoons pickling spices, 1 teaspoons peppercorns, and onion slices over herring. Repeat layers of herring, onion slices, and spices, using all the herring. Cover with cooled brine. Refrigerate 3 days before using.

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.