Herring is salted in brine or dry salting. Often, the salted fish is smoked or pickled. If you add mustard, peppercorns and other spices to the herring brine, you get the spicy salted herring, beloved by many.
An easy way to pickle herring
In order to pickle herring in brine, you will need:
- 2 kilograms of fresh herring;
- 3 ½ cups of salt;
- 1 liter of filtered water.
In this recipe, water can be substituted with dry red or white wine. So the fish will need an unusual, but very pleasant taste.
Mix salt and water. Stir until all the salt dissolves without residue and a saturated solution is obtained. Cut the herring - peel, cut off the gills, remove the entrails and put in a glass or earthenware dish and fill with brine. Soak the fish for 3-4 hours, then rinse under cold, running water and dry if you want to smoke or marinate the herring, or store in brine in the refrigerator.
Dry ambassador
In order to salt the herring with dry salting, take:
- fresh gutted herring;
- coarse salt.
Pour a thick layer of salt into a glass baking dish. Rinse and dry the fish carcass, cut into fillets, fold so that the flesh is inside, and the skin is outside and put on salt. Pour another thick layer of coarse salt on top, wrap the mold with cling film and place the weight on top. Salt the herring for 2-3 days, then soak in fresh water for 2-3 hours, rinse and pickle, smoke or store in vegetable oil.
Salted herring can be stored for 4-5 months.
Spicy salted herring
For spicy salted herring, take:
- 1 kilogram of chopped herring;
- 1 liter of filtered water;
- 3 tablespoons of salt;
- 2 tablespoons of sugar;
- 1 bay leaf;
- 5 carnation buds;
- 10 peas of allspice;
- 1 teaspoon of coriander seeds.
Choose large, fatty herring with a wide back for pickling.
Prepare the brine. Pour water into a small saucepan, add salt and pepper, allspice, coriander, cloves and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, and wait for the salt and sugar to dissolve completely. Remove from heat and refrigerate the spicy brine. Put the herring in a glass or clay container, fill with brine. It should cover the fish completely. Cover with cling film. Salting should last at least 12-15 hours.
How to pickle salted herring
Salting - pretreatment of herring before pickling. To make pickled herring, you will need:
- 500 grams of salted herring;
- 2 glasses of white wine vinegar;
- ¼ glass of sugar;
- 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds;
- 5 peas of allspice;
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns;
- 2 bay leaves;
- 1 clove of garlic;
- 1 lemon;
- 1 head of red onion.
Cut the lemon into wedges and cut the onion into half rings. Rinse the herring. Pour the vinegar into a saucepan, add sugar, allspice and black pepper, bay leaf and garlic. Bring to a boil and refrigerate. Place the herring in a jar, alternating with onions and lemon slices, pour over the marinade, close the lid and refrigerate for at least 12 hours. This herring can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a month.
