Search

Pickling with Distilled Vinegar

One of the most wide spread uses of distilled vinegar is pickling. While the use of more exotic vinegar to preserve food is to be vigorously encouraged,  there are some important advantages to pickling with distilled vinegar.  (see Indian Summer article)

Pickling fish makes good uses of distilled vinegar. Most fish pickling recipes call for distilled vinegar because the cultures where fish is most often pickled tend to use distilled vinegar more than other types. Some of them don't even seem to know that there are other types of vinegar.

According to Michigan State University Extension, pickling preserves fish for shorter periods than freezing, salting or canning.

While vinegar will slow or halt the growth of  spoilage  bacteria,  gives flavor and softens bones it use as a preservatives somewhat limited  because enzymes continue to act, softening and spoiling the pickled fish.

The percentage of acetic acid  of the vinegar is very important. You need at least five  percent  acetic acid.  The final pickling solution should contain at least 2.5 percent acetic acid, no less than one part vinegar  for each  part water. If the pickling solution tastes too strong, you might add more sugar or some herbs and spices rather than dilute it with water.

Pickled fish  must be refrigerated When properly preserved, they should keep for 4 to 6 weeks at 40  degrees Fahrenheit.

This recipe is courtesy of Michigan State University Extension.

Basic Brining Procedure
  1. Clean fish thoroughly and cut into serving size pieces.
  2.   Soak  fish in weak brine made of 1 cup salt  to  each gallon cold water for 1 hour.  Drain.
  3.   Make saturated brine with 4 cups salt to each  gallon cold  water.  Soak fish in saturated brine for 12 hours in a refrigerator.  Soak small fish like smelt for four hours.
  4.  Rinse fish in fresh water.

Dry salted fish are also suitable  for pickling. Freshen salted  fish  for several  hours  in  cold water  in  a refrigerator.  Then  follow  the  recipes  for  cooking  and packing.

PICKLED FISH
Prepare fish as in  the  Basic  Brining Procedure. Continue with the following directions.

10 lb. fish (brined and cut)   1 clove garlic, crushed
5 cups water                      (optional)
2 qt. distilled vinegar                  1 oz. white pepper
1/2 lb. sliced onions             (optional)
2 oz. mixed pickling spices    
Crushed red pepper
                                (optional and to taste)

  1.   In large kettle, bring to a boil  water,  vinegar, onions and spices.
  2.   Add fish and simmer for 10 minutes or until  fish  is easily pierced with a fork.
  3.   Remove fish from liquid and spread in a single  layer in a shallow pan.  Refrigerate for rapid cooling.
  4.   Pack cold fish loosely in clean glass jars.
  5.  Add onion slices, lemon and bay leaves if desired.
  6.  Strain the vinegar solution, bring to a boil, and pour into jars to cover the fish.
  7.  Seal immediately.
  8.  Store in the refrigerator.  Use within 6 weeks.

This  recipe makes 6 to 8 quarts of pickled fish. It  is suitable for all kinds of freshwater fish, especially  carp, herring, smelt and mullet (sucker).

Let us know how this turns out if you try it.