SANDRA'S ALASKA PICKLED KING SALMON

A rewarding and delicious appetizer
to often enjoy over the long
upcoming winter months...

Yields:
(1 case of 12 pint-size jars)

Posted by Sandra

EQUIPMENT:
--1 large glass vessel (I use a gallon-size glass jar with a lid), i.e., run through dishwasher on hottest setting beforehand
--12 wide-mouth pint jars with lids and rings (I use Mason Jars), all sterilized 10 mins. in boiling water beforehand

INGREDIENTS:

***CURING:

-1 (12-lb.) king salmon filleted, and cut into finger-sized chunks (20 cups)
-----------remove skin, and then bones with needle-nosed pliers
-1 lg. pkg. pickling salt
-1 lg. pkg. dark brown sugar

BRINE:

-6 cups water
-4 cups white vinegar
-½ cup pickling spice
-2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
-½ cup sugar
-2 large yellow onions, quartered, and thinly sliced
-1 large lemon, quartered, and very thinly with rind intact, and de-seeded (add sparingly to jars)

METHOD:

Cut fish into finger-sized chunks. Put into gallon jar the following: 1 layer of fish; 1 layer of pickling salt just to cover; and 1 layer of brown sugar just to cover as well. Continue sequence until the jar is filled, and then place lid on jar. Store jar in refrigerator, or other cool and dark place for 2 weeks. Remove fish from jar and wash fish chunks for 1 hour in a clean water bath, changing water every 15 minutes (and breaking chunks apart before each rinse), for a total of 4 times throughout process.

Meanwhile, mix brine ingredients together in a large pot and bring to a rolling boil for 5 minutes. Cool, and strain; reserving pickling spices in a separate small bowl for use later on.

Place 1 layer of rinsed fish into bottom of sterilized pint jars, top with a few onions slices, a one ¼ slice of lemon, and lightly sprinkle some of the reserved pickling spices; ending with the top two layers being the onion and a 1/4 slice of lemon so the fish will be completely emerged in brine in each pint jar. Continue sequence until jars are filled. Fill jars almost to the top with brine, and run a knife around side of jar to release air bubbles. Clean rim and outside of jars with a damp paper towel, and then place rims and lids on jars.

Be sure to write with a permanent marker “Pickled King Salmon, __/__/__ [date initially refrigerated], and expiration date __/__/__, [which is within 6 month’s time].”

Patience ~ Your pickled fish will be ready to eat in only three days...I like to eat this by placing a piece of pickled king salmon on a wheat thin cracker spread with cream cheese, with a slice of onion from the jar; repeat until jar is gone...

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TIP: Some say you can refrigerate jarred pickled salmon longer, but I like to be ‘better-safe-than-sorry’ and I go with the 6-month rule ;-)