Ten days and seven ingredients are all it takes to make this easy pickle fish recipe. Using a 2-step curing process you will learn how to pickle Pike fish like a pro!!
This pickle fish recipe is the perfect addition to any charcuterie boards. Growing up I can remember my mother making pickled fish that she would bring out when family showed up to visit.
On holidays she would make an appetizer charcuterie platter which always had her famous fresh fish pickled to perfection. And the discussion would always happen about how the pickled fish was prepared.
Does Pickling Fish Dissolve Bones?
The first step in the curing process is when the fish is soaked in the salt and vinegar for 5 days which will dissolve the bones. It is very important to soak the fish for the full 5 days or you will have bones and the fish will not be as tender as you would hope for.
How to Make Easy Pickle Fish
This is a 10-day course of action with a 2-step curing process. Gather all of your ingredients to make the easy pickle fish recipe.
This recipe is made with Michigan Pike. Freeze the fish for at least 48 hours as a precaution to kill off any parasites. Cut the thawed, skinned fish fillets into small 1-inch pieces.
Brine for Pickling Fish
For each quart of fish add 5/8 cup of plain, non-iodized salt. Cover with enough white vinegar (about 2 cups). Stir and refrigerate 5 days, stirring each day.
After the 5 days of brining the fish, it’s time to make the solution to store the fish in. This solution is enough to cover 1 quarts of fish. Heat 1 ¼ cups of vinegar with 7/8 cup of granulated sugar and 4 teaspoons of pickling spice almost to a boil. Let cool completely.
Time to Pack the Pickle Fish Jar
After the 5 day of soaking the fish in the salt and vinegar brine it is time to wash the meat off. Rinse the fish in cold water TWICE!!
Discard all of the brine used to soak the fish. That’s right, 2 times! Let stand in cold water each time for ½ hour. Drain all of the water off.
Slice the onion and the bell pepper into strips. Make sure that the pickle fish solution is completely cold.
Pack the one quart glass jar, making sure to layer each item. Start with a layer of fish. Then add a layer of the sliced onions and peppers. Continue to layer until all of the fish is tight in the jar.
Pour the COLD brine solution over the fish making sure to completely cover everything in the jar. Refrigerate at least 5 more days.
Pickled fish is ready after sitting for 5 days. Store fish in the refridgerator for up to 2 months making sure to keep the fish covered in the pickling solution. Pickle fish gets better and better with time.
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Easy Pickle Fish
Ten days and seven ingredients are all it takes to make this easy pickle fish recipe. Using a 2-step curing process you will learn how to pickle white fish like a pro!! This pickle fish recipe is the perfect addition to any charcuterie boards.
Ingredients
- Fish fillets, Pike or white meat fish, cut in 1" pieces 1 quart
- For Brine
- Vinegar, white 2 cups
- Salt, canning 5/8 cup
- For Pickling Solution
- Vinegar, white 1 1/4 cups
- Sugar, granulated 7/8 cups
- Pickling Spice 4 teaspoons
Instructions
- How to Make Pickle Fish
This is a 10-day course of action with a 2-step curing process. Freeze the fish for at least 48 hours as a precaution to kill off any parasites. Gather all of your ingredients to make the easy pickle fish recipe. - Cut the thawed, skinned fish fillets into small 1-inch pieces.
- The brine for the fish. In a plastic or glass bowl place the diced fish and add 5/8 cup of plain, non-iodized canning salt. Cover with enough white vinegar (about 2 cups). Stir to incorporate and refrigerate 5 days, stirring each day.
- Solution for Pickling Fish
After the 5 days of soaking the fish, it’s time to make the pickling solution to store the fish in. Solution is enough to cover 1 quarts of fish. Heat 1 ¼ cups of vinegar with 7/8 cups of granulated sugar and 4 teaspoons of pickling spice almost to a boil. Let cool completely. - Time to Pack the Pickle Fish Jar
After the 5 day of soaking the fish in the salt and vinegar solution it is time to wash the meat off. Rinse the fish in cold water TWICE!! That’s right, 2 times! Let stand in cold water each time for ½ hour. Drain all of the water off. - Slice the onion and the bell pepper into strips. Make sure that the brine is completely cooled.
- Pack the jar with making sure to layer each item. Start with a thick layer of fish. Then add a layer of the sliced onions and peppers. Continue to layer until all of the fish is packed in the jar.
- Pour the COLD pickling solution over the fish making sure to completely cover everything in the jar.
- Refrigerate at least 5 more days. Pickled fish is ready after sitting for 5 days but gets better and better the longer that it is stored in the refrigerator. Keeps for at least 2 months in the pickling solution.
Notes
The first step in the curing process when the fish is soaked in the salt and vinegar for 5 days will dissolve the bones. It is very important to soak the fish for the full 5 days or you will have bones and the fish will not be as tender as you would hope for.
Nutrition Information
Yield
15Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 81Total Fat 1gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 24mgSodium 3531mgCarbohydrates 9gFiber 0gSugar 9gProtein 7g
Calculated Nutrition Disclaimer Note: For exact nutritional information, consult your dietitian. All nutritional information is simply a guideline. The sodium in this recipe is used to brine the fish but the liquid is discarded and not consumed.
Try these other “From Michigan To The Table” recipes like the Venison Tips and Noodles as well as the Split Pea Soup with Ham.
Will this work for musky? Thanks,
Sandy
Yes, I believe so.
Can you then pressure cook and seal jars to keep for longer than 2 months?
No, I would not pressure cook them. We do keep our pickle fish in the fridge for longer than 2 months. That is the best by date but it is still good for longer than 2 months.
Why is my pickle solution brown after making it?
How did you make your pickling solution? Is it the same recipe that I use?
This looks interesting but so tasty! I can’t wait to give this a try!
If you try this pickled fish recipe, let me know how you like it.
This sounds deliciously intriguing! I need to try this soon and I’m sure I’d love this!
An acquired taste for sure. Give it a try!
I disagree. I gave this fish to a friend who doesn’t like pickled fish to try and he loved it right away.
I used mackerel for my fish. Any idea why the fish hardened and darkened a little?
My brine was moderately lukewarm, not completely cold yet. Could that be why?
You disagree with what? I have never pickled mackerel so I am not sure why the fish hardened and darkened. Yes, I would completely cool the brine.
Many fish will form up from the brining procedure. It draws moisture from the flesh and replaces with sodium.
What a delicious way to preserve fish and enjoy it days later! The best part is there are not bones 😀
My husband is an avid fisherman and we always have an excess of fresh fish. This recipe is by far a family favorite at all of our gatherings.
I have pickled my own veg before, before but never tried my own pickled fish. I have started the process today and leaving it 5 days to brine. Can’t wait to try it!
Pair with your favorite cracker, it makes a great appetizer! Enjoy!!
This is the first time that I see this dish – I should definitely try it over the weekend. It looks amazing!
Looks so refreshing. I am sure it is delicious too.
A great appetizer for your next gathering.
would frozen basa work?
I am not familiar with basa fish so I do not know if it will work or not. Sorry, I couldn’t help you.
I’ve been eating pickled fish for 55 years and intend to make up a batch with Walleye this spring. Since I’m diabetic, I’m hoping to find a way to reduce or eliminate the sugar. I’m wondering how much I can cut back on the sugar and still safely preserve the fish. If I substitute Kakanto Monkfruit sweetener will that preserve the fish?7
When you preserve the fish it is in the first step with the salt/vinegar brine. The second step with the pickling solution has the sugar, vinegar and pickling spice and is used to store the preserve fish in. I have not tested any other sweetener besides granulated sugar. Test it to see if it works. Let me know what your results are if you decide to try a different sweetener.
Does this recipe work without the sugar?
I have not made this recipe without sugar, so I can’t tell you if it works or not.
Thanks Sherry, I’ll try and let you know!
So you do not cook the fish afterwards before eating?
No, the pickling process cures the fish for safe eating.
Thank you thank you thank you! I was given some pacific rock fish and since I had an abundance, I figured I’d give it a try. The fish is much like Cod, white and flakey, not exactly the herring I love so much. It turned out tasting just like my favorite store bought pickled herring! The texture of the fish was not quite right in part because I cut it across the grain and made it too thin, thus it tends to fall apart. Here in SW Oregon, our fish resources are a bit different than the midwest, but I’m going to find the right combination! This recipe is a keeper! The coast isn’t too far away, I’ll go talk to the port fish store.
I am glad that you enjoyed my family’s pickled fish recipe!!
Can you use salmon or trout?
The fisherman in my family said no. Salmon and trout would not be suitable for pickling. This recipe is best to use any type of whitefish. You want thicker, flaker pieces of whitefish.
It is absolutely suitable for trout. Where I live just about all you can catch is trout. Looking for new things to try i pickled a good batch and it turned out amazing. Almost identical to herring. My recipe is a bit different but same idea. I’d you’d like a recipe for trout e-mail me at nickdo93@att.net happy to share
Thank you Nick! I talked to my husband about using some of his fresh trout to make pickled fish and I think I have him talked into it. I would live to try a trout pickled fish!! Thank you for the advice!
You certainly can pickle salmon. Just don’t expect it to have the texture of herring. In fact, you can pickle smoked salmon and it is delicious. It’s a Jewish tradition from NYC, from before itall began to cine pre-sliced, In the day,the deli man would slice what you wanted off a whole side. And, the deli would give away the fins (called “wings”) and the collars, and my father would pickle it. Delicious! Because the lox was already brined before it was smoked, he only had to add the pickling solution, not the initial brine. BTW, in another blog, someone said you can’t pickle catfish, because it will got soft & fall apart. NOT true! Brining will make any fish less, not more, soft.In fact, that it why I don’t use tilapia…whereas I find catfish to have the closest texture to real pickled herring.
Thanks for all the great information! Now I am going to have to try pickled smoked fish.
The ingredient list does not have onions or peppers listed?? Just use as much as we think we might like? Or is there a better ratio?
You can add as much or as little of the onion and peppers that you like. I usually just slice up a whole bunch and pack the jars on how I want them to look.
It appears, in your picture, that scotch bonnet peppers are used. All for this Is this a “ correct” photo? I’m going with it anyway. Will be like Jamaican Escovitch
You can use any type of pepper that you like. If you want a little kick in your pickled fish, then use jalapeño peppers. Do you like a little sweetness, then use a sweet pepper. Have extra peppers from your garden that you want to use? Go ahead and use them up.
Hi. I am wondering if the initial brining is at room temperature or in the frig? Thank you!
Woops, Found it upon rereading. Sorry! In the frig my cod will go!
Glad that you found your answer.
It is recommended to brine in the refrigerator.
Can we use a different vinegar for final pickling solution such as brown or apple cider?
You can but you will get a completely differently tasting pickled fish.
Please excuse me, I have no website only email. Your recipe looks to me as about the very best of dozens I have looked at to brine and pickel mackerel here in the UK. I have s couple of questions. Is the white vinegar you use distilled white vinegar. The other question is ,how much in approx weight is a quart of fish and I guess that is fish cut into pieces? I am now anxious to get started. It sounds so good. Thak you in anticipation of your reply.
Again thank you for a great article and recipe.
Roger W Pickett.
Yes, it is distilled white vinegar. I use a quart container to measure out the chunks of fish. I am not sure on the weight. You can use any amount of fish that you would like. It just depends on the size of the fish and if we decide to use more than one fish to make the pickled fish.
Sounds delicious! Any concern or benefit if bring was 7 days instead of 5 days?
Brining for 7 days should be fine. The brining helps to dissolve any bones, so the longer brine will help.