Pressure Canning Fish

[MuntzAngling]

Would like some tips from anyone who has tried canning. I've done pickling which is nice, but I'm looking at buying a pressure cooker if this is something that can work for lake fish. A friend of mine does it with tuna so I'm not sure what species of lake fish I could try. Trying to avoid dryness and would like to use fish that come out boneless!

[Surface Tension]

I've canned a lot of Steelhead and Salmon. I always used boneless fillets so not sure on the rib bones.

One quart of canned fish it a lot so you might want to go with pints.

Why I canned fish, I wanted long term storage with a finished product and I could eat right out of the can and another was no refrigeration when I lived in AK.

I've also canned rabbits, whole grouse (in pint jars work out nicely), and venison.

All turn out tender and moist.

Most times I just used salt and pepper for seasoning.

Pack tightly and don't add any water. You'll have a lot of juice when the process is done.

Because of that juice adding things like tomato sauce or mustard things get diluted so go with paste.

Smoked Steelhead then canned is very good. It is sort of like Kipper snacks. Add a little peanut oil because of loss of moisture during smoking. Tomato and basil or mustard would be good there too.

I think crappies of gills would be a good with a sauce,

When you get your pressure cooker it will give you the charts on canning fish relative to size jars, times and temp/pressure. It is a pretty easy process. You can always search your county extension office for canning rates as well.

[MuntzAngling]

So is adding a paste necessary? It seems hard to believe that much moisture comes out of the fish just from adding salt to it. Any other details are appreciated as it will be my first time trying it.

[Surface Tension]

The paste is just for flavor if you wish and not necessary, same with salt and pepper, its just seasoning.

I only mentioned the tomato and mustard because they are the two most common sauces for canned fish.

Louisianan Hot Sauce is another.

You'll get the juice regardless because it has no where to escape to. Just pack the jar with fish, you'll have the juice. Then you'll see the need for a concentrated sauce/paste as it will become diluted in all the juice.

Try your first batch with salt & pepper.

[MuntzAngling]

Thanks Surface! Now I just need to go find a pressure cooker! Can't wait for canned lake trout.

[loadmaster]

I just bought one Make sure that you get a pressure canner/cooker and not just a pressure cooker. Cooker's do not hold the temps long enough to can. A realy great place to get info is from the Mn Extension office. Thought I would just throw it in almost just bought a pressure cooker.>>>later the load

[Surface Tension]

Hey Bob, good to see you here. Good point. Depending on what you get the weight will have or not have different psi/temp.

The canner also will come with racks and the depth will be able to hold quart jars.

If your canning lake trout it should be a strain that has lean meat. Otherwise there will be a ton of oil.

Smoking first as I described earlier then canning would be great for lake trout. IMO.

[thirdeye]

I've been thinking about canning some fish since I read this thread, so I have a batch going right now and if I have the time, I'll do a second batch this evening. I'm doing some salmon that was on sale.

The first batch is seasoned with:

1 thick slice of jalapeno

canning salt

lemon pepper

garlic powder

dill

The second batch will have:

spicy catchup (or maybe a spicy BBQ sauce)

vinegar

canning salt

minced onion

bay leaf

[thirdeye]

Okay, I couldn't resist a sample..... tomorrow I'll try out the one with the ketchup.

[MuntzAngling]

I looked at Cabela's for a pressure canner with no luck. Who's got some selection out there?

[Surface Tension]

Thant looks good.

Kmart, Wallmart, Target, Sears should all have canners.