Shotgun Red's Pickled Fish

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Butterbean
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Shotgun Red's Pickled Fish

Post by Butterbean » Tue May 15, 2018 22:41

I stumbled on this recipe while watching YouTube. Shotgun Red claims its the best in the world. I don't know if this is true or not but I will admit its the best I've ever tasted and it so easy to make.

To make, just get nearly a gallon of fish fillets and layer them in a gallon container alternating fish then salt using about 2 2/3's cups of salt. Once your fish and salt has been added fill the container with vinegar and leave for 5-6 days shaking the container every day or so to be sure everything gets worked into the meat.

On or about the sixth day remove the fish and rinse the salt off them and place in a container of water and let soak for an hour. You will find the fish has stiffened up nicely.

Next make a sweet pickle brine using using 8 cups vinegar and 7 cups sugar and 1/3 cup pickling spice and a quarter cup white wine. Bring this to a boil then let it simmer for a few minutes then refrigerate to cool the pickle. (Probably best to do this the day before you rinse the fish to give it ample time to cool) Once the pickle has cooled and the fish has been rinsed and soaked for an hour slice some onions and using alternate layers fill a gallon jar with onions and fish till the container is filled. Once filled, cover the mix with the sweet pickle brine and place in the refrigerator for at least a day. After a day its good, after two its great and you`ll regret not making more.

Everyone who sampled this loved it. Even people who said they didn't eat fish. Had several people wanting to buy a quart and one even offered to trade a quart of moonshine for a quart of these pickled fish. I surely don't know if these are the best in the world but they are the best I've ever tasted and I'll be making more for sure.

Also, if you have extra brine don't pour it down the drain just slice some onions and fill jars with onion and cover them with this sweet pickle. These are delicious on their own.
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Post by bolepa » Wed May 16, 2018 14:44

Butterbean, this recipe really intrigues me. I just watch this on Youtube and scheduled to make a "pickled fish" this weekend.... Sounds very interesting. Thank you !
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Post by redzed » Wed May 16, 2018 14:47

Interesting recipe. I occasionally pickle herring rollmops but without that first step of salt and vinegar for 5-6 days. When I lived on the prairies I also used to pickle walleye fillets. What type of fish did you use?
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Post by Butterbean » Wed May 16, 2018 15:32

I'm not sure what fish I used. It was a white fleshed fish I pulled from the freezer but most likely was spotted sea trout but he said any white fleshed fish would do. I think he used tilapia but he also mentioned the recipe was created for northern pike.

Occasionally I'll buy pickled herring and like it but the texture is softer than this - I assume the salting firms it up and gives it a more meaty texture.

I plan to make some more but next round I hope to use alligator gar. Its a pain to clean but they are large and the flesh tastes like lobster so I think this should be good.
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Post by Kijek » Wed May 16, 2018 16:19

Thanks for posting Butters, sounds interesting and delicious, I'm gonna take a look at YouTube and will try, Thanks
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Post by Butterbean » Wed May 16, 2018 20:58

Here is what mine looked like with the red onion.

Image[/img]
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Post by G pop » Wed May 16, 2018 21:10

My Mom always talked about her dad making sledzie is this it ? and she said it had sour cream would that be put on later. I remember him picking mushrooms and drying them
over the kitchen wood stove , and making baskets :smile:

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Post by Butterbean » Wed May 16, 2018 22:24

Wasn't familiar with sledzie so I googled it. It sounds as though sledzie is something you make with the pickled fish/herring. Here is a recipe link. Pickled herring I've eaten is not as sweet as this recipe and don't know how well this sweetness would pair with the sour cream. Definitely worth a try though because that sounds pretty good.

www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/pickled-he ... ish-200712
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Post by Kijek » Wed May 16, 2018 22:59

I watched the video on YouTube, looks easy, and delicious, I like your idea of red onions and will use them when I make it.
This is a great recipe, and again I'm glad you posted it.
Don't forget to show the tasting.
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Post by nuynai » Thu May 17, 2018 14:38

Growing up in a Polish family, this brings back memories. My parents used to get them in wood containers and pickle them their selves. They came in 2 types. Herring with eggs were called Milkers because they had egg in them, females. I don't remember why but they seemed to be preferred. They would brine/ pickle them their selves. Once done, they were put in jars with onions and other seasonings. We can get herring in jars at our local stores but these are mushy and nowhere near what my parents made. Ours were firm, tasty and delicious. I get herring from a Ukranian deli that are already pickled, add onions, red pepper flakes, pepper corns, or what ever other flavors you'd like. They're better than store but not like my parents made. Also, the Mrs. eats them on certain holidays, as her Polish tradition.
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Post by Kijek » Thu May 17, 2018 15:31

although, my family is very polish and followed a lot of holiday time traditions, we never made this ourselves, mom would always buy the jarred kind, which to me was good, since I had nothing to compare it too.
This recipe sounds great, so much better, and I will make a batch soon.
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Post by Butterbean » Thu May 17, 2018 15:54

Nuynai, would your parents keep them refrigerated or not? Just curious because I wonder if the mushiness of some of the store bought herring couldn't be explained from them having to heat treat the herring for canning purposes and I wonder how necessary this would be for home purposes given the acidity of the product. This is probably a mute point as I like them cold and they don't seem to last very long because the jars empty so quickly but I wonder if they are like pickled pigs feet I see on the counters in stores.
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Post by nuynai » Thu May 17, 2018 16:02

I wish I could go back to the roots but can't find the herring in the wood containers. We have a big eastern European culture but slowly it's going away and taking quality, original products with it. May go to internet to find them but may be cost prohibitive. Take care. We have some of the world's best fishing in our area but due to pollution, don't feel safe consuming them. NYSDEC has restrictions on consumption of them.
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Post by nuynai » Thu May 17, 2018 16:12

Ours were made fresh, per holiday and refrigerated. They never lasted long with a loaf rye bread. Don't remember them being cooked, just pickled. Agree that the cooking of commercial product added to the mushy consistence. Thanks for your input.
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Post by G pop » Thu May 17, 2018 20:11

my mom said that it was kept in the cellar so I would say no refrigeration
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