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Pickled my Own Herring

Pickled my Own Herring
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  • Pickled my Own Herring

    Post #1 - April 3rd, 2013, 11:48 am
    Post #1 - April 3rd, 2013, 11:48 am Post #1 - April 3rd, 2013, 11:48 am
    http://i.imgur.com/KU3spAG.jpg

    http://imgur.com/PmV7xlA

    Was at A&G Market on Belmont last week and ran into the big barrel of filleted herring. Grabbed a handful. Upon first taste, OMG the sodium content! Took a big ziplock threw the fish in there and poured milk over them and sealed it. Put it in the fridge. Left it in the bag for 12 hours. Dumped the milk and poured a fresh batch in there again. Let it sit in the fridge for another 18 hours. Dumped the milk, rinsed the fish under cold running water and patted dry. Took a cup of water, a 1/3 cup of rice wine vinegar, and two tabelspoons red wine vinegar. quarter handful of "pickling spices", the McCormick stuff in the bottle, put it all in a pan. Boiled it for one minute, added 1/4 cup sugar, then let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Took the liquid put it in a baking dish and placed it in the freezer to cool down.

    Chopped the fish into chunks, and sliced an onion thin, sliced a lemon. Placed this stuff into the mason jar. Poured the cooled liquid over it all and capped it. Placed it in the fridge for 36 hours.

    YUMMY.

    http://agfreshmarket.com/

    A&G Fresh Market
    5630 W. Belmont Ave.
    Chicago IL
  • Post #2 - April 3rd, 2013, 12:43 pm
    Post #2 - April 3rd, 2013, 12:43 pm Post #2 - April 3rd, 2013, 12:43 pm
    kenji wrote:http://i.imgur.com/KU3spAG.jpg

    http://imgur.com/PmV7xlA

    Was at A&G Market on Belmont last week and ran into the big barrel of filleted herring. Grabbed a handful. Upon first taste, OMG the sodium content! Took a big ziplock threw the fish in there and poured milk over them and sealed it. Put it in the fridge. Left it in the bag for 12 hours. Dumped the milk and poured a fresh batch in there again. Let it sit in the fridge for another 18 hours. Dumped the milk, rinsed the fish under cold running water and patted dry. Took a cup of water, a 1/3 cup of rice wine vinegar, and two tabelspoons red wine vinegar. quarter handful of "pickling spices", the McCormick stuff in the bottle, put it all in a pan. Boiled it for one minute, added 1/4 cup sugar, then let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Took the liquid put it in a baking dish and placed it in the freezer to cool down.

    Chopped the fish into chunks, and sliced an onion thin, sliced a lemon. Placed this stuff into the mason jar. Poured the cooled liquid over it all and capped it. Placed it in the fridge for 36 hours.

    YUMMY.

    http://agfreshmarket.com/

    A&G Fresh Market
    5630 W. Belmont Ave.
    Chicago IL



    Love it--a fish "quick-pickle"--brilliant!!
    "Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad." Miles Kington
  • Post #3 - April 4th, 2013, 1:22 pm
    Post #3 - April 4th, 2013, 1:22 pm Post #3 - April 4th, 2013, 1:22 pm
    Great work Kenji! Pickling my own herring is something I've been meaning to do for a while, but I've had some trouble finding salt herring.

    Are there any other places I can pick up salt herring?
  • Post #4 - April 4th, 2013, 1:36 pm
    Post #4 - April 4th, 2013, 1:36 pm Post #4 - April 4th, 2013, 1:36 pm
    turkob wrote:Great work Kenji! Pickling my own herring is something I've been meaning to do for a while, but I've had some trouble finding salt herring.

    Are there any other places I can pick up salt herring?


    My next foray will be to get whole herring filet them myself brine it then make the pickled stuff. I was lucky to run into the barrel at A&G. I'll get the fish at Fresh Farms in Niles IL.
  • Post #5 - December 18th, 2014, 6:22 pm
    Post #5 - December 18th, 2014, 6:22 pm Post #5 - December 18th, 2014, 6:22 pm
    Hi,

    Last year, I bought salt herring just before Christmas. It was fresh in a salt brine, not dry salted. However, from talking to another patron picking through the barrel, I learned these needed desalinating.

    It wasn't easy finding guidance on what to do, though I found Joan Nathan's recipe for pickling your own herring. While I had access to filets, she had whole fish.

    While Joan Nathan had one rest their herring in water overnight. The guy at the store used two changes of water over a day or so.

    This summer in Minneapolis, I bought some made-on-the-premises creamed herring at Ingebretsen's. The butchers were so kind and chatty, I asked them about how they prepared their herring for picking. Their herring has two changes of water before pickling, spending about 90 minutes in water each time. Actually, one was 60 and the other 90 minutes, but I cannot remember which was first. In any case, far shorter than I had envisioned. My companion suggested Ingebretsen's likely began with a higher quality fish than what I obtained. Always, always there are variables I can and cannot control.

    I plan to pick up some salted herring Friday or Saturday, so they will be ready by Christmas.

    If anyone else has had experience pickling their own herring, please comment or link to resources.

    Ingebretsen's
    1601 East Lake Street,
    Minneapolis, MN 55407
    612-729-9333

    If you are into Swedish food, crafts and culture, this is a must stop store. They also offer cooking classes, crafts, knitting and needleword. Their cookings classes were on Aebleskivers, Krumkake, Kransekaka and lefse. They had the equipment available to make these as well.
    Cathy2

    "You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
    Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways,
  • Post #6 - December 18th, 2014, 9:55 pm
    Post #6 - December 18th, 2014, 9:55 pm Post #6 - December 18th, 2014, 9:55 pm
    If you are into Swedish food, crafts and culture, this is a must stop store. They also offer cooking classes, crafts, knitting and needleword. Their cookings classes were on Aebleskivers, Krumkake, Kransekaka and lefse. They had the equipment available to make these as well.


    Not to be a purist, but these are all Norwegian specialties, not Swedish.
  • Post #7 - December 20th, 2014, 2:38 pm
    Post #7 - December 20th, 2014, 2:38 pm Post #7 - December 20th, 2014, 2:38 pm
    sundevilpeg wrote:
    If you are into Swedish food, crafts and culture, this is a must stop store. They also offer cooking classes, crafts, knitting and needleword. Their cookings classes were on Aebleskivers, Krumkake, Kransekaka and lefse. They had the equipment available to make these as well.


    Not to be a purist, but these are all Norwegian specialties, not Swedish.

    I appreciate the correction. :D
    Cathy2

    "You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
    Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways,
  • Post #8 - December 20th, 2014, 2:47 pm
    Post #8 - December 20th, 2014, 2:47 pm Post #8 - December 20th, 2014, 2:47 pm
    Hi,

    I read the comments to the Joan Nathan recipe. I saw where some people pour the pickling liquid hot over the fish, which cooks and pickles. Others put it on cold, though sometimes the finished product is mushy.

    I made Joan's last year and it was a bit mushy. I'd prefer not as mushy, though uncertain about the hot pickling juice over cold.

    Regards,
    Cathy2

    "You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
    Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways,
  • Post #9 - September 24th, 2015, 6:37 pm
    Post #9 - September 24th, 2015, 6:37 pm Post #9 - September 24th, 2015, 6:37 pm
    I'm trying to duplicate the taste of the Noon Hour herring in wine sauce without much luck. Due mostly to the lack of a good wine sauce recipe to follow.

    Most of the herring ( in wine sauce) that I've found, seems only to contain onion, mustard seed and allspice berries. I'm not seeing what I'd refer to as the McCormick spice mix floating in the solution.

    Although I've found recipes for pickled herring using white vinegar and pickling spices like in McCormick pickling spices, which also contain clove as well as other spices. The end result being a strong vinegar taste along with a clove taste. Not really the sweet wine taste with a hint of allspice one would find in the Noon Hour brand.

    So I'm wondering if I shouldn't be using a white wine vinegar, cut with an amount of sugar, a bay leaf, mustard seed, and some allspice berries only. I'm working with a pound of salted herring fillets which have gone through a good cold water soak and water change. It seems I now have to determine the correct proportions of the mentioned ingredients, especially the sugar content.

    If it sounds as though I'm moving in the correct direction, could someone offer their thoughts or confirmation on the type of vinegar and the sugar to vinegar ratio I might want to use? Thank you in advance for your consideration to my questions.
  • Post #10 - September 25th, 2015, 11:53 am
    Post #10 - September 25th, 2015, 11:53 am Post #10 - September 25th, 2015, 11:53 am
    Have you seen these two - they both call for wine:

    http://www.justapinch.com/recipes/appet ... -fish.html
    http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/883- ... three-ways
    Leek

    SAVING ONE DOG may not change the world,
    but it CHANGES THE WORLD for that one dog.
    American Brittany Rescue always needs foster homes. Please think about helping that one dog. http://www.americanbrittanyrescue.org
  • Post #11 - September 26th, 2015, 7:20 am
    Post #11 - September 26th, 2015, 7:20 am Post #11 - September 26th, 2015, 7:20 am
    Leek, I have not seen those two recipes. Thank you for posting them. In looking them over, I see they call for a good amount of sugar as a ratio to the vinegar. I'm thinking that may be my problem, not enough sugar, thus the strong tart vinegar taste.

    I was at my local fish market recently getting some of the wine sauce herring, and was talking with the woman about it. Without getting too nosy, she did mention that she uses white wine vinegar. Also that she periodically changes this vinegar, as it takes on a dark cloudy appearance over time. I might be able to swap her a dozen or two of quail eggs for a little more information in regards to the sugar amount.
  • Post #12 - September 27th, 2015, 6:39 pm
    Post #12 - September 27th, 2015, 6:39 pm Post #12 - September 27th, 2015, 6:39 pm
    HI,

    Vinegar in vegetable pickles softens over time. What tastes harsh when just produced can be quite acceptable some weeks later.

    Thinking out loud, when we buy commercially pickles herring, we don't usually know when it was produced and how long it has been lingering. It is possible the vinegar softened while waiting.

    Some years ago, Cook's Illustrated had an article on quick pickles. They commented on the phenomena I referred to in the first paragraph. Their work-around was a mixture of rice vinegar and some white wine vinegar. You can find a copy of this recipe here.

    What I don't know and it may require some research from your side: how important is the relative strength of vinegar when pickling salted, uncooked fish. This is a seviche-like process, which may be sensitive to factors I am unacquainted with. It may be important, it may not, though I do not know.

    You may want to test this in a small batch making side-by-side comparisons. Instead of being stuck with a lot you don't particularly enjoy.

    Please keep us posted, because I do want to learn more about this and there is relatively little information.

    Regards,
    Cathy2

    "You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
    Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways,
  • Post #13 - September 28th, 2015, 12:12 pm
    Post #13 - September 28th, 2015, 12:12 pm Post #13 - September 28th, 2015, 12:12 pm
    Cathy, I have the cream part worked out to my satisfaction, which is the backwards way of doing this herring thing. I had gone to my local fish market and purchased some herring in wine sauce to which I added the cream ingredients. I didn't realize that the herring in wine sauce recipe was such a hard thing to come up with. My supplier of salted herring fillets, the Nordic House, is out of fillets at the moment. When the next shipment arrives, I'll get my order placed so that I can experiment further on the wine sauce recipe. I have some ideas I want to try which I think will get me there.
  • Post #14 - September 28th, 2015, 12:49 pm
    Post #14 - September 28th, 2015, 12:49 pm Post #14 - September 28th, 2015, 12:49 pm
    Hi,

    My Mom loves herring in cream sauce. I have been pickling the herring, then adding to sour cream before serving.

    Some stores that cater to Eastern Europeans will have herring filets. I believe I bought some at Shop and Save (not Pete's as stated before) for less than $3 per pound.

    How much are you paying at Nordic House? Where is Nordic House, I looked to find one in California.

    Regards,
    Cathy2

    "You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
    Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways,
  • Post #15 - September 29th, 2015, 3:03 am
    Post #15 - September 29th, 2015, 3:03 am Post #15 - September 29th, 2015, 3:03 am
    Cathy,

    Try this: http://www.nordichouse.com/detail.aspx?ID=267

    I was working with a 2# batch of the pickled herring.

    Remove pickled herring pieces from container and place in another container to which add the following:

    2 C. sour cream
    1/4 C. Heavy cream
    1/4 C. liquid from pickled herring
    2 1/2 - 3 T. sugar (sweeten to taste)
    1 thinly sliced onion

    Would you like to share your pickling recipe?
  • Post #16 - September 29th, 2015, 8:43 am
    Post #16 - September 29th, 2015, 8:43 am Post #16 - September 29th, 2015, 8:43 am
    Hi,

    I have tried Joan Nathan's linked above as well as the New York Times linked above. I liked the NYT over Joan's.

    I make this once a year around Christmas. So I have not done as much as you seemed to have. I am certainly going to give your cream recipe a shot.

    Maybe Christmas will come early this year, because you are certainly stirring my thoughts on this.

    Regards,
    Cathy2

    "You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
    Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways,
  • Post #17 - January 29th, 2016, 6:31 pm
    Post #17 - January 29th, 2016, 6:31 pm Post #17 - January 29th, 2016, 6:31 pm
    Lots of action during the holiday season at Shop & Save's serve-yourself herring hut on Archer. Salted fillets were on sale for $2.99 per pound, while plump whole Norwegian herring could be had for $3.59 per fish.

    Image

    Image

    Shop & Save
    5829 S Archer Av
    Chicago
    773-349-8900
    http://www.shopandsavemarket.com/
  • Post #18 - February 1st, 2016, 4:15 pm
    Post #18 - February 1st, 2016, 4:15 pm Post #18 - February 1st, 2016, 4:15 pm
    Rene G–

    Were the whole herring totally pickled, or just mildly fixed? (I'm always looking for a way to make very mild matjes, oily and rich but way low on salt...)

    Geo
    Sooo, you like wine and are looking for something good to read? Maybe *this* will do the trick! :)
  • Post #19 - February 2nd, 2016, 7:06 pm
    Post #19 - February 2nd, 2016, 7:06 pm Post #19 - February 2nd, 2016, 7:06 pm
    Geo wrote:Were the whole herring totally pickled, or just mildly fixed? (I'm always looking for a way to make very mild matjes, oily and rich but way low on salt...)

    Always happy to hear from a herring fan! At Shop & Save, both the whole fish and the fillets (as well as, I think, all other bulk herring I've seen for sale in Chicago) are sold in strong salt brine, without additions like vinegar, spices or sugar. The fish is so salty that before using it must be soaked in water, at least overnight. I'm sure many customers then pickle it in spiced, sweetened vinegar along with some sliced onions.

    Here are some shots of the fillets, taken in a previous year. It was a little earlier in the holiday season, so demand was even higher among their predominantly Polish clientele. Shop & Save simply set the out the large shipping drum, without bothering to transfer the herring to the usual smaller presentation barrels.

    Image

    Image

    Image
  • Post #20 - February 3rd, 2016, 2:16 am
    Post #20 - February 3rd, 2016, 2:16 am Post #20 - February 3rd, 2016, 2:16 am
    Those fillets are exactly what's used in making your own pickled herring. Here's, though, a recipe using the salted fillets in something other than pickling:

    Fried salted herring fillets with onion sauce:
    (2 portions)
    4-5 salted herring fillets
    1/2 cup coarse rye flour
    butter for frying

    Onion sauce:
    2 yellow onions, sliced
    1/2 cup water
    1 tsp butter
    1/3 cup milk
    1/3 cup half and half
    pinch of chicken bouillon (if that's how you roll...)

    Serve with:
    boiled potatoes
    boiled peas
    Garnish with fresh dill

    Start by placing salted herring fillets in plenty of water and letting them de-salt for about 8 hours. Change the water a few times. Test (if you want) by breaking off a bit of fillet and tasting if it is still too salty to eat.

    Dry de-salted fillets well and dredge in rye flour. Fry in butter on medium-high heat until golden brown - about 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and keep warm.

    Place onions in a clean pan with butter and water. Bring to boil. Stir and continue stirring as water boils off. When onions are soft and begin to get golden, add the milk, half and half and bouillon. (If you'd like a slightly thicker sauce add a pinch of flower to the sauting onions after the water has boiled off). Stir until combined.

    Serve the fillets with the sauce, some potatoes, peas and a little dill. Goes great with beer, plenty of water and high blood pressure medication.
  • Post #21 - February 3rd, 2016, 1:42 pm
    Post #21 - February 3rd, 2016, 1:42 pm Post #21 - February 3rd, 2016, 1:42 pm
    Bridgestone!

    Great to hear from you as well as a great addition to the question, "What to do with salted herring?"

    Do you buy the fillets or the whole fish? I have made pickled herring with both, though skinning and deboning the whole fish was more tricky. I found a way to remove the fillet where the fine bones stayed with the skeleton.

    I did prepare the pickled herring somewhat to the NYT's recipe. I used rice vinegar instead of white, because it has a softer taste. I skipped pickling spices altogether, because sometimes they make everything taste the same. Nobody missed the pickling-spice-taste, though they were satisfied with the final taste.

    I will buy extra fillets next time for a meal.

    Regards,
    Cathy2

    "You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
    Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways,
  • Post #22 - February 18th, 2018, 1:37 pm
    Post #22 - February 18th, 2018, 1:37 pm Post #22 - February 18th, 2018, 1:37 pm
    Dirk's has fresh Maine herring right now. Whole.
    Leek

    SAVING ONE DOG may not change the world,
    but it CHANGES THE WORLD for that one dog.
    American Brittany Rescue always needs foster homes. Please think about helping that one dog. http://www.americanbrittanyrescue.org
  • Post #23 - February 19th, 2018, 3:13 pm
    Post #23 - February 19th, 2018, 3:13 pm Post #23 - February 19th, 2018, 3:13 pm
    Used to help my grandmother make chopped pickled herring. Or should I say, I turned the hand grinder that was attached to the table like a vise. For whatever reason, she'd make me drink pineapple juice w/it. Nasty combo.
    "In pursuit of joys untasted"
    from Giuseppe Verdi's La Traviata
  • Post #24 - February 20th, 2018, 3:20 pm
    Post #24 - February 20th, 2018, 3:20 pm Post #24 - February 20th, 2018, 3:20 pm
    Jazzfood wrote:Used to help my grandmother make chopped pickled herring. Or should I say, I turned the hand grinder that was attached to the table like a vise. For whatever reason, she'd make me drink pineapple juice w/it. Nasty combo.


    Farshmak

    Chopped salted herring - barrel is the best
    Chopped hard boiled eggs
    Granny Smith apple
    NO vinegar

    Mix it together, add sweet or green onions by taste.

    Now you are ready for a slice(or 2) of sourdough rye bread thinly covered with a butter.
    Obviously, your herring spread goes on the top of it (as much as you can possibly fit).
    Not sure about pineapple juice, but this great appetizer is quite perfect right after the shot of vodka or anything moonshine related.

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