pickling salmon question

[HammondSeaRanger]

Ok I am on my second attempt at pickled salmon. My last "tester" batch turned out good. My question is this:

After the fish is OUT of the salt brine and rinsed, Can i complete the PICKLING process in large PLASTIC jars or do I have to stick with GLASS?

The man that taught me to pickle was a purest and said glass only, but I see store bought pickles in plastic in the stores ... opinions?

Matt

[fishkisser]

Stick with glass ...

[Incredible_Bulk]

Glass fo'sho -- don't risk it.

P.S. Lemme know how it is. I've not had pickled Salmon. Pickled herring I've had, not pickled salmon.

[Jsail]

I say glass!
My concern would be the seal. With plastic verses glass I would think that glass would be a stronger smoother edge for a vacuumed seal.
On the other hand, if this pickled fish will spend it's life in the fridge until supplies dwindle, then I don't know that it matters.

[pdxkevin]

Isn't it illegal to get fish drunk?



Agreed - stick with glass. A small pin-hole in plastic is harder to detect than one in glass is only one reason to consider going glass. Another is having the fish absorb some of the chems from the plastic, maybe or at the least have the plastic alter the taste.

[DogZilla15]

I tried pickling steelhead years ago.... What a waste of good fish. Eggplant is proof that some people will eat anything......

[STGRule]

Glass. And are you going to share?

[HammondSeaRanger]

Ok glass it is.

Next question ...

the fish gets eaten up pretty quick so I have not stored long term. I would like to be able to store or even ship the fish to family.

Does pickled fish HAVE to be refridgerated? If I seal it in a glass jar how long will it keep refridgerated vs. non refridgerated?

[Jsail]

I use to know a guy in Depoe Bay that had shelves full of pickled fish. He used the jars with the glass lids and wire clamps. You mentioned salt but not a brine so I don't know if we are talking the same product.
Be curios I looked it up and found this http://extension.oregonstate.edu/cat...pnw/pnw183.pdf
According to them you have to refrigerate.
I would try canning after salting.
Salt cure the fish and then can like you would vegetables. Add the salt cured fish to the jars and pour in the boiling brine. Add lids and it will seal as it cools.
I put up pesto in jars every other year. I make the pesto put in jars, cover with a new canning lid (that came out of the hot water) and then use the lid sealer from my vacuum packer. I know that last for years in the freezer and comes out like fresh.
As the article says and what we have learned canning tuna, botulism is the enemy that you are trying to prevent. I would look for an answer to that in the salt curing.
I would bet money that the Norwegians of long ago stored pickled fish for long periods.
Good luck, let us know how yours work out.
Here is another bit of info http://www.extension.umn.edu/distrib...on/DJ1087.html

[Chrome Bumper]

We have springer in an unsealed jar it the frig, 8 month old, eats fine.

Plastic would work, but glass doesn't absorb stuff, and cleans up easier, and looks prettier.

Meat needs preservatives if you want to store them un-refrigerated and not PRESSURE canned. So yes pickled fish can be preserved by pickling, but the salt and acid level required might not be the best for flavor. Besides spoilage refrigeration does something else for a lot of foods, it preserves the taste and texture. So if your pickled salmon get warm the flavor and texture may degrade.

Oxygen will discolor and wash the flavor out, this reaction happens faster at warmer temps, another reason to keep it in the frig.

The acid level for pickled fish will stop botulism I believe.

Learned from a 90 YO fisherman from Astoria, old school Norwegian.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_preservation

[Soulakala]

Here is what I know based on my dad and myself a total of 80 yrs combined of pickling fish. You can hold the fish outside the fridge as along its in salt and not salt brine and in a cool place. Once you freshen the fish (soak out the salt) its fridge time. Even after you pickle the ph usually changes as the fish takes in the pickle so its best to fridge. As far as what you put it in; use glass if your holding the fish a month or so, plastic for short term and I use zip lock bags as most of my fish is gone the week I pickle. Heck I have to hord and hid a few jars to allow the pickle time to flavor the fish the way it should be. As far as picking fish to pickle select only fatty fish like kings or herring or even black cod. Pickling drier fish such as halibut, steelhead, and even coho is less than great, but can be in the good or ok range. Good luck and enjoy a great taste treat

[Chrome Bumper]

Smelt are oily.

[HammondSeaRanger]

thanks for the info. knew i could get the answer here ...

[iwanttofish]

Pickled fish


2 ½ quarts of fish cut into 1” squares
Brine overnight in 2 cups of pickling salt dissolved in 8 cups of water.
Rinse well in cold water.

Boil 2 quarts of white vinegar
2 cups of sugar
5 table spoons of pickling spice while cooking


Cut up 3 onions and 4-5 table spoons of chopped garlic

Cool solution before adding fish!!

Combine all ingredients in glass or ceramic crock or jar
Let sit in refrigerator for 4-5 days

[HammondSeaRanger]

PICKLING SALT? I HAVE BEEN USING KOSHER SALT WHAT IS PICKLING SALT AND WHERE DO I GET IT? I DON'T LIKE ROCK SALT AS I HAVE ISSUES DISOLVING IT AND KOSHER SALT IS CLEANER.

Originally Posted by iwanttofish

Pickled fish


2 ½ quarts of fish cut into 1” squares
Brine overnight in 2 cups of pickling salt dissolved in 8 cups of water.
Rinse well in cold water.

Boil 2 quarts of white vinegar
2 cups of sugar
5 table spoons of pickling spice while cooking


Cut up 3 onions and 4-5 table spoons of chopped garlic

Cool solution before adding fish!!

Combine all ingredients in glass or ceramic crock or jar
Let sit in refrigerator for 4-5 days

[STGRule]

Kosher is fine too.

Like pickling salt, kosher salt is free of iodine, which can react adversely with certain foods. Some brands of kosher salt contain yellow prussiate of soda, an anti-caking agent, but unlike the anti-caking additive in table salt, it doesn't cloud pickling liquids. The only drawback to using kosher salt for pickling or canning is that the grains are coarser and flakier, and can't be packed as tightly into a measuring cup as pickling salt. This raises the risk that the salt won't be properly measured. To get around this problem, measure by weight instead of volume.

[HammondSeaRanger]

MMM... Me wonders if pickling salt wouldn't be better in my smoked fish brine.??