OK guys, this batch is about half done. It takes about 4-5 days, start to finish. It is unusual here in the South, common in the North, it is a good way to utilize and save extra fish without a freezer.
Northern Pike have a whole line of bones on each side called Y-bones, These are impossible to get out, so the filets are cut out from each side of this strip. The y-bone strip is pickeled, as that disolves the bones.
I have pickled Spanish mackerel, northerns, bluegills, crappies and several more. This batch is trout out of the Gulf. Here is a good recipe:
1-1 gal jar
Iodized salt
Sugar
White Vinegar
onions
Pickleing Spice. { I remove the cloves]
White cooking wine
.1/2 pint or pint jars or any other size with a lid. Some use baby food jars.
Refrigerate fish during all times in brine and after packing in in final phase.
Cut northern or any fish into bite size pieces, no need to remove bones as they disolve during brineing. Fill 1-gal jar no more than 1/2 full. Mix 1/2 cup salt per quart of water cover fish and let stand 48-72 hours depending on thickness of fish.
Drain and rinse in cold water. Return fish to gal jar and cover with vinegar. Let stand 48-72 hours. depending on thickness.
Final brine. 4 cups white vinager, 3 cups sugar, Bring to boil then add 1 cup white cooking whine. Let cool.
Drain and rinse fish thourghly, discard vineagar. Pack fish in to jars with onions[as much as you want or don't] and 1/2 tsp of pickling spice. cover contents with brine refrigerate. Refringerate about 48 hours before eating to allow brine to flavor through
They will keep 6-8 months in refrigerator, but never last that long at our house.
I drain about 2/3 of the liquid off and then add sour cream to the jar at times to change the flavor.
Any left over sugar brine can be frozen and added to the next batch.
