Video: Easy Pickled Fish
Krissie Mason 02.24.17
It’s no secret the Northerners love pickled northern pike. We are not talking herring. This is a completely different flavor and texture note.
Folks of German, Swedish, Norwegian and Finish descent make up a large segment of the population in Minnesota and Wisconsin. With that heritage comes traditional recipes from the crisp salty air of seaside mother countries, where canning and eating the bounty of the sea is as common as throwing a hamburger on a grill in the United States. Check out how to make easy pickled fish in the video below!
What You’ll Need
Halibut, northern pike, or other firm white fish. (Skin on is ok, but be sure to de-scale.)
Thin sliced red onion
Black peppercorns
Juniper berries
Fresh rosemary
Bay leaves
Kosher salt, or coarse salt
Red wine vinegar
Blush wine
Quart jar
Steps to Success
Start by dicing fish into 1.5 – 2 inch chunks, and slicing some red onion thin. Drop fish into the jar, add some onion, salt, bay leaves and rosemary in alternating layers. Continue until the jar is full.
In a small sauce pan, add 2 cups water, approximately ¼ cup red wine vinegar, about ¾-1 cup of blush or rose wine, some peppercorns, and a few crushed juniper berries. Set on stove and bring to boil.
Pour hot liquid over the fish and into the jar.
Set jar into a pan of boiling water. Allow to gently boil for about 20 minutes to finish cooking the fish. Remove, screw on the lid, and let cool for a few minutes. (This will hermetically seal the jar, preserving freshness until ready for consumption.)
Refrigerate for 24-48 hours to allow the flavors to deepen before eating.
Take your pickled fish with a little Aquavit, crusty buttered bread, and eat until you are full. Lean back in your favorite woolen sweater, pat you belly in delight, and utter “Uff Da”!
About the Author: Raised a Minnesota farm-girl in a hunting family, Krissie Mason (above) is an outdoorswoman, food enthusiast, and has been reconnecting with her culinary country roots and family hunting traditions of late. She is the brains and brawn behind Scratch + Holler media, and a regular contributor to several outdoor websites. Krissie fully supports a field-to-fork wild food chain, and especially enjoys expanding pantries and stretching wild game palates with her ambitious and delicious wild game recipes.
Images and video by Krissie Mason
