How to salt herring at home

Salted herring is a favorite Russian snack, a real festive table decoration, a recipe which came to us from Holland. In the fifteenth century ordinary fisherman Willem Bockelson decided to turn bitter and malosedobnaya fish into a delicious snack. The secret was very simple – they only needed to remove the gills (because they were concentrated bitterness), and salt. After this open fisherman has received at its home of the monument of love and glory.

Choice herring

For salting it is very important to choose the right herring, because the freshness and quality of fish will depend on the tenderness and flavor of the finished snacks. Of course, the best herring for salting – fresh, but it's hardly available to all. Therefore, most will have to settle for frozen fish.

Pay close attention to the Pacific or Atlantic herring. With caution should buy sea herring (Baltic), in that fish may be elevated levels of toxins, heavy metals and other harmful substances. The fish should be bright and bulging eyes, natural color tight fins and Gill covers. Avoid buying dented, yellowed and lost a large number of scales of fish.

Ingredients for salting herring

For the preparation of salted herring are kindly requested to prepare all the necessary ingredients:
- 4 fresh-frozen herring;
- 2 liters of boiled water;
- 4 tablespoons of sugar;
- 8 tablespoons of table salt;
- a few buds of clove;
- Bay leaves to taste;
- 10-15 peas of fragrant black pepper.

Recipe salted herring

Take a three-liter glass jar and wash thoroughly, pour it table salt, sugar and everything necessary for pickling spices. You can buy in the store special ready mix for salting herring. Pour all ingredients pre-boiled warm water, mix with spoon, salt and sugar are completely dissolved.

Place into the prepared brine whole unskinned carcasses of the herring. To fish it was easy to fit in the jar, you can advance slightly thawed, it should be done in natural conditions, in any case not in the water. Submerge fish completely in the brine, close the jar with a plastic cap with holes. Leave fish at room temperature for five hours, then refrigerate for two days.

The passage of time comes the most difficult moment is cutting homemade herring. Carefully remove the fish from the skin, remove the head, all fins, tail and entrails. Separate the fillet from the bones, cut into portioned slices, place on a platter. Garnish with thinly sliced rings of onions and pour the fragrant oil.

This appetizer is eaten very quickly, especially boiled potatoes. It is not necessary to separate the fillet, you can just remove the head of the herring, remove the viscera and cut into portions pieces.

Is the advice useful?