How to Pickle Herring - FRESH & DELICIOUS Pickled Herring Recipe

[fishjonesbeach]

How to Pickle Herring - FRESH & DELICIOUS Pickled Herring Recipe



How to Pickle Herring - FRESH & DELICIOUS Pickled Herring Recipe. My favourite fishing in winter is herring fishing, my favourite thing is eating pickled herring! I have been catching and pickling herring for many years and this is my favourite pickled herring recipe for pickling these tasty gifts of goodness from the sea! The steps for the recipe I use is listed below and I go through all the steps in detail required to pickle herring from cleaning, salting and brining. There are many ways to pickle herring but this is how I enjoy them the most. You can easily change your recipe to taste such as adding different vegetables, use more sugar or vinegar and different spices. One thing in preparing pickled herring is to make sure your herring and brine is always COLD when you mix them! If you have any questions on the process please comment or send me your questions any time! Have a blessed holiday and thanks as always for watching and hope you enjoyed the video as much as we did making it.

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INGREDIENTS: You can vary EVERYTHING but this is how I enjoy my pickled herring the best! Also when pickling always make sure everything is COLD when you mix. COLD fillets, salt solution and brine ensures a firm to the taste final product.

2 Dozen fresh whole herrings - fillets, chunks or whole

Salt Solution:
4 Cups water - 1 Cup of Salt

Pickling Brine:
4 Cups of Vinegar
2 Cups of sugar
2 Cups of water
1 Full Sprig of dill
1/2 to 1 Cup baby carrots
1 to 2 Cups cucumbers
2 Medium onions
6 to 12 Scallions
Half bud garlic
Black pepper to taste


1. START YOUR SALT SOLUTION - I use about a 1 salt to 4 water mixture but you can use much less salt but make sure you use enough so you can still see some salt crystals after it boils. Gentle heat this up so the salt dissolves. When it comes to a boil let it cool down refrigerate and get it COLD.

2. CLEANING YOUR HERRINGS - While I let the salt solution boil I start cleaning my herrings. I like to scale and fillet but you can also pickle whole or chunks as well. When you are done cleaning your herring you can rinse them all off then place in the refrigerator until your salt solution is COLD.

3. MIX SALT SOLUTION & HERRING - After you salt solution is COLD you can then add your COLD herring fillets. Let this sit in the refrigerator over night. The skins will peel right off. However, I like to keep the skins.

4. MAKE YOUR BRINE - You can make your brine any time you want while your salted fillets are in the fridge in that 24 hour period. You can mix to taste using more or less vinegar or sugar. I find it best myself using 4 cups of vinegar, 2 cups of sugar and 2 cups of water. More sugar will make it sweet and tangy, more vinegar will make them tarter. More or less water will make your brine stronger or softer. Just make sure you do not use less water then vinegar. I heat this up on a low flame slowly just till it starts to boil till crystal clear and take off the heat. If there are any flavours you want to strongly infuse in the mixture this is the time to do it. I add a wreath of dill myself but any spices or flavours you really enjoy and wish to infuse such as shallots, garlic or even hot peppers can be added at this point. Let this brine cool down then refrigerate and get COLD.

5. CHOP AND ADD VEGETABLES - This is my favourite step as your brine will take on a personality. I like carrots, onion, garlic, scallions, more dill, black pepper and my favourite cucumbers! However, you can use any spice or vegetable you like in any way you like to cut them. They will pickle beautifully and make a full experience when enjoying your pickled herring. When you are done cleaning and chopping your vegetables you can add to the COLD brine and refrigerate about 24 hours.

6. MIX IT UP - Strain your salted herrings, you can rinse if you like. Take your COLD brine out of the refrigerator. Place your salted herrings in container the pour liquid brine. Add remaining vegetables and I will add more fresh dill, this is my main flavouring when I make my pickled herring. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 3 days. I do eat some a day after they take on a nice flavour. I have kept and eating them this way for over 3 months. You can use seal-able jars for longer storage.

7. SERVE!!! - You can eat these winter treats many ways. My favourite is with a nice bread. Some I eat as as and some I mix with a scoop of sour cream. I take 4 fillets chop to bite size pieces and garnish with more dill and scallions. I like to tear bite size pieces of bread and enjoy. I also like to sometimes drizzle some olive oil on top and I recently learned they serve well with cheese! I will also lay a few whole fillets on an Italian bread drizzle oil and vinegar on top and makes a nice hoagie! The possibilities are endless with pickled herring.

[halochef]

very nice! we used to mix the herring cocktail sauce. also served capers with it and red onions