Canning salmon questions?

[WP]

I am interested in canning some salmon (as well as tuna!) What techniques and processes have you dogs used for salmon..smoked and fresh? I usually fillet my salmon and can can it with skin on or off. For smoked I prefer skin off but am flexible. I haven't found much information for this yet so any help is appreciated.
WP :grin:

[Aqua-Holic]

WP...Fish_n_Russ posted some extension sites on the "proper care of tuna again" thread pertaining to canning and smoking. For fresh...we soak it (skinned) in a solution of salt water for one hour....pack the jars leaving 1 inch head space and can at 11 lbs pressure for 100 minutes. I picked up a deep fryer propane burner for $29 dollars at Walmart so we can do it outside. For smoked... we brine it overnite in a solution of salt,water and brown sugar. We leave the skin on for smoking....it keeps the fish from sticking to the racks. If the smoked is to be canned...we smoke it for about 1 1/2 hrs or 2 pans of chips..skin it and then can as above.

[Bendman]

This is what I do. Filet your salmon don't worry about the bones they cook away. Cut them into pint size chunks, leave one inch head space. Put one teaspoon of salt and one teaspoon of vinegar. It’s really yummy. I did over fifteen cases this year . Salmon sandwiches are sooo good

[deepsix]

Don't be afraid to experiment. I have dropped garlic cloves and jalapeno peppers into tuna while canning. It gives it a little extra zing and makes for a little variety.

[Deepslayer]

Dave I have not personally canned smoked salmon, but my parents used to be tied into the snow birds and they canned as a group. For all canned fish they recommended immediately gutting and gilling, since botulism is found in the gut and gills and then storing on ice. They used their usual brining solution 3X brown sugar 1x salt coat fish dry and refrigerate overnight and then rinse and dry before smoking. Since the fish would be crumbly after smoking, they would cut it in can size pieces before smoking. They would then smoke it for 2 hours or less. (They said if you smoked it longer it was too smokey) After smoking they would leave it in the smoker for another two or three hours to dry thoroughly. Then immediately can following USDA recommendations.
When I was a teenager I could eat a whole case of this in less than two days - YUM YUM!
,Ed

[Joe]

I put my salmon in a 1/2 lb. salt / 1 gallon water brine for 1 hour. Then stuff the jars (1/2 or pints) leaving 1/2" head space. My canner calls for 80 minutes at 15 pounds pressure.

I do both skin on and skin off and I don't think it makes much difference as far as oil content or quality of meat. Probably more a matter of preference. If you do leave the skin on be sure and blow off the scales with a garden hose. Otherwise you get a bunch of scales floating around in your fish.

For smoked fish I also only smoke it for 2 hours using 1 pan of chips. Then can it like normal.

Either way it is very tasty.

Take a gutted salmon and from the inside cut off the ribs and smoke them. Leave the skin and scales on the fish. Take the backs and cut them into jar size chunks, 1/2" shorter than the jars.

Use tail pieces to finish filling the jars.

For smoked fish don't brine it, put fish into smoker for 1-1/2 to 2 hrs at 85 degrees or cooler.

Put fish (smoked or not) into jars and then put 1/2-3/4 teaspoon salt per pint. Put on lids and fill pressure cooker. Purge the pressure cooker and cook for 110 min at 10 psi or higher.

Everyone that tries my smoked canned fish likes it. It isn't dry, salty or over smoked.

[ 07-27-2003, 11:32 AM: Message edited by: Keta ]

[Jimmy Carl Black]

Keta- that sounds killer!

Printing out your post now and installing it into the archives.

-JCB

JCB,
If we ever get a chance to fish together again I'll bring along some.