Pickled Northern Pike (From Dean Cummings Originally)

Read the entire procedure before starting.
The entire process take about 2 weeks.
Ingredients:

4 one pint mason jars

12 fillets from 6 small hammer handle pike cut into 1" by 1" bit sized chunks

Step 1:
Make a salt brine (boil water and salt in ratio below)
1 Cup salt to 4 Cups water as needed.
Let the brine cool. VERY important to leet it cool all the way.
Put fish chunks in jars
Fill jars with brine
Cover jars (If using a metal lid, put plastic wrap between brine & lid)
Leave in refridgerator for 48 hours.

Count the jars that were filled. This will be used for scaling the pickling brine later

Step 2:
Drain salt brine (do not rinse)
Re-fill container(s) with white vinegar
Let sit another 48 hours.

Step 3:
The pickling mix (scale as necessary)

The recipe below makes enough brine for 4 jars. Scale accordingly. Put in 4 quart sauce pan on stove

4 C White Vinegar
2 C Sugar
8 Bayleaves
4 tsp Mustard Seeds
2 tsp Peppercorn
2 tsp Whole Allspice

Boil for 5 min. Then let cool. Again VERY important to let it cool all the way.

Drain and rinse fish
Put fish in jars

Peel & Slice one small lemon

Peel and slice 1 small white onion.
Make the slices about 1/2" thick. Then quarter the slices

Put 1 piece of Lemon & Onion (3-4 rings or to your taste)
in each jar. Add cooled mixture. Leave at least 1/4" to 1/2" of air
on top of jar (fish will expand).
Heat cover per instructions on cover box, place on jar, add ring
Shake & swirl jar to ensure all ingredients are mixed in well with
the fish. Ready to eat in 1-2 weeks (depending on thickness of fish).

Page last updated on February 25, 2011