University of MN Extension has the basic instructions for pickling fish. Just scroll down to the pickling section.

Hope this helps.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: UMN Ext - Preserving Fish

I would not cook the fish first. Here is how we do it, along with the link to the brochure we provide :
We also stress the use of only 5% acidity vinegar or higher, not 4 %.
My husband just made some pickled salmon a few weeks ago. Packed the raw fish into the jars. He and everyone who ate it said it was wonderful.

You can decide for yourself what you want to follow, but I do know this worked very well. He boiled the brine, then cooled it.
I would not seal the jars. Sealing jars without processing is not a USDA tested method.
You will find that some universities do their own independent studies and so there are things you will find different on different sites.

Here is a link that might be useful: Pickling fish.

She dent cook the fish either. Thanks so much for the links!

Sorry. Didn't cook is what I meant. Of course, she sealed and kept on pantry shelf which I won't do.

This recipe sounds quite good. I can't speak for it personally because my experience is with salmon and sturgeon. I'd recommend freezing the fish before pickling because it kills any parasites.

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: Pickled Pike

Hello All,

Thanks the fish pickling info, but a question for the experts:

Why don't we read how to can the final product? All sorts of recipes out there, but not much talk of the canning requirements...Any ideas?

I'd like to store the product for longer than a couple of weeks in the fridge, and I note that one can purchase pickeled herring in sealed jars, for instance.

Thanks!

You can't do it for shelf storage or longer than that at home. Sorry, but commercial things and home prepared foods are 2 different things.
Not other than freezing and I think that would be not so good for a pickled fish.
If you seal the jars up, then botulism can grow in the jars. That was why I am surprised they tell you to seal them on the one site. It will keep better by just putting the lids on the cold product. It does only keep six weeks.
You need to make fresh batches. The plain fish can be frozen, then defrosted and used to pickle. We did that with the salmon. Worked fine for us.

Thanks Linda Lou,

But I don't understand, and to become educated it is best (for me at least) to understand, beyond just rote or rules. For instance, one can bottle dill pickles or jalapeno peppers after they are done pickling, and in a relatively short hot water bath, even.

Why not pickled herring? All of these products are low acid, but the acid of the vinegar precludes botulism spores...

I don't doubt there is some reason for not bottling pickled herring, but I'd like to know why. It occurs to me that those jarred pickled herring are maybe kept in the market's fridge too. Is this true (anyone out there)?

The freezing is an option, but not that great of one: like tomatoes, green beans, apples, or venison, fish often come to one in large amounts, but infrequently...And as well, we don't much like frozen fish (or venison). Would much prefer to can it.

Thanks again, Roof

You can pressure can fish - NCHFP provides the instructions and so does the U of MN site linked above - but it must be pressure canned, not BWB and no added liquids. Fish has a much higher botulinum potential than do peppers or any vegetable so you really can't compare them in terms of safety.

But personally I don't think I would care for pickled fish that had then been pressure canned for 100 mins. Yech!

The jars you buy in the store have been irradiated prior to canning to kill the bacteria and canned in high pressure autoclaves. We can't do that at home.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: NCHFP - How to can fish

Yep, what Dave said...
The ph and density of fish is not the same as a vegetable.
Each food will absorb the acid in different ways. The cells of the fish and the cells of veggies are two different things.
Dave is also right, they have special equipment and also often use chemicals we can't use at home.Irradiation is one method they use. Besides, all we have is about a $20 BWB canner and between $100 to $200 pressure canners. Not the multimillion commercial equipment.
You just can't compare the two processes.
Here pickled fish is kept in the fridge at the stores. I have not looked at the labels but will try to remember to do so in the future.

I think it will keep a fairly long time in the fridge. I've got a barramunde filet and a salmon filet so I think I'll give it a try.
I'm surprised that fish has a higher botulism risk. I would have thought stuff from the ground would be the highest.

It will keep safe for six weeks maximum in the fridge.

I don't know that fish has a higher botulism risk than other low-acid products. It would be interesting to see documentation on that.

Botulism is characterized as a rare disease as the incidence is low. However, the mortality rate is high, as opposed, say, to diabetes, where the incidence is higher but the mortality rate is considerably lower.

In other words, it's not likely you'll get it but if you do, say your prayers.

Botulism appears in different food products by region and by culture. Alaska has the highest number of cases of food-related botulism of any state in the union, despite its low population. This is due in large part to native practices of fermenting whole fish, beaver tails, whale flippers, birds and other foods before consumption. The risk has been increased by the modern practice of putting the fermenting meats and fish in airtight plastic containers.

However, the fact that there are more cases of botulism from meats doesn't necessarily mean that meats are more risky than green beans. Maybe they are; I don't know.

The basic problem with canning pickled fish has already been addressed - there is a vast difference between the resources (including testing facilities) available to the commercial purveyor as opposed to the home food processor.

Even then, there are cases of botulism associated with commercial products, so they aren't infallible either.

Carol

Hard to figure things out sometime. The one and only case of botulism that I have seen in my medical career was an infant. They never did find out what caused it but they suspected honey. Honey is a biggie for causing botulism in babies.
I've worked with botox, given hundreds/thousands of injections. It truly is dose dependent, unlike some organisms so this is probably why we don't see more cases, despite the prevelance of the organism. The biggest risk is to babies, especially under one year of age.
Still, there are lots of other problems to worry about as well. Wonder if the prohibition on pickling fish processing it has more to do with quality of product when it's pressure cooked?
What's the canned fish taste like? My husband eats enormous amounts of canned tuna from the store. I was thinking it might be good to can some for him.

Thanks all the answers and the elements that remain questions. I am not about to experiment!

TracyDr; home canned fish is extradordinarily good!....if one likes canned fish. For instance, canned tuna salmon, trout, mackerel, and others are far better than store bought. Other meats are too, but again, if that's what one likes.

When nature is operating correctly, in this and many other parts of the country, there is enough salmon to seriously entertain canning it. Regardless how good, one can only eat so much fresh or smoked salmon and canning is a valuable option. Same with herring or sardines etc.

But pressure canning pickled sardines or herring doesn't sound very appealing!

Cheers, Roof

PS.....off topic, what about corned beef. Anyone can that?

Tracy, were you asking about canning tuna? It's wonderful, you wouldn't buy the store brands by choice once trying it.

But, you're in Phoenix? Getting the tuna fresh and at a cost that would work for you could be difficult...those of us more coastal are able to 1)fish for it ourselves, or 2) buy it from the boats at the docks where it hasn't incurred handling and travel/shipping expenses :)

Yes,being in a desert does make it less practical but can still get reasonable prices and freshness at the Asian market if I watch for specials.

If you can get good tuna at a reasonable price, try canning a small batch. I think you'll find the difference in quality is considerable (with the exception of some very pricy "gourmet" canned tunas).

However, I do prep and can tuna outdoors on a propane burner. It is a smelly, messy process. The oil is extremely viscous and will adhere to everything.

There have been previous threads on canned fish. You might do a search and check them out.

Carol

I'll have to try it. Thanks for the warning on smell. Maybe an outdoor job in the fall when things cool off.