pickled northern

[blue_healer_guy]

I have used a recipe for years but didn't have time to do the brine phase myself. The wife finished it but the taste is a little on the tart side. She used the rest of the bottle of wine from the last batch. About 4 months old. Could that have caused it? Can I add a little sugar to improve taste? Thanks

[BAIT956]

I have made Coldone's recipe many times. One time a couple of years ago, I ran out of sugar when preparing the brine. The batch, not surprisingly, turned out quite tart. Just to try it out, I added sugar later. It worked great, reducing the tartness, with no apparent ill effects.

Sometimes the only way to check something out is to try it.

Not sure about the effect of using old wine. I never use it in Coldone's recipe.

[BigWadeS]

I have come to the time that I sampled my first ever batch of following the recipe, and I have to say YUMMY!!! I can't wait to get a few more northerns to try some variations. The hardest part was waiting the 7-10 days to try it. Thanks again for a great recipe.

[Cooperman]

I just made a batch using Flash/Coldone's recipe and it turned out very good! I have one question. The northern seemed a bit chewy or tough? I did use meat from a larger northern, maybe that was the cause, or is it a matter of time in the brine or vinegar. Any Ideas

[BAIT956]

brosnt1, I had this happen one time, a couple of years ago. I have made Coldone's recipe many times. Never was the northern chewy or tough. Just the one time.

I made the recipe the same as I always do. No idea what happened to make it different. I only use smaller (under 4 lbs) northerns. Anybody else have this happen or have any ideas?

[Early Riser]

It seemed like the longer I kept the fish in the 2nd pickling solution, the more tender it became. The other thing that worked to keep the meat more tender was to go 5 days instead of 7 in the salt brine. By the way, for wine I used a Pino Grigio for a batch, Weber Zeller Swartzcatz for a batch, a light white port for the third and it has all been good. Good recipe Coldone!

[toddb]

Just tried the recipe that Flash provided earlier in this thread on some northerns I got on opener, and all I can say is num,num,num . If you like pickled fish, this is a great recipe!

later,

toddb

[Windy City Walleye Hunter]

Hey Guys,

I am copying all this down and will try my first batch in a few weeks. I have heard from lots of people that you want to stick with northern that are under 24 inches, that way the bones dissolve. I am guessing that the meat will be a little more tender also that way. The big boys may tend to be a bit more chewy. I will let you all know how it turns out.

Windy

[blue_healer_guy]

Windy, if you like habenaro's, put about 5 or 6 sliced in each jar. Really good.

[blue_healer_guy]

Not habernos, I meant jalepenos.

[loadmaster]

I have used Coldones Recp. and it has turned out great. The only problem I have is I lost it. I can not figure out how to bring it up on the forum. Can anybody help me out.>>>later the load

[iland99]

Load,

Coldone's recipe is listed on page one of this thread by "Flash". It's the 7th post down.

[Jeremy airjer W]

How long will they last in the fridge after pickling?

[BAIT956]

Airjer, I found a jar in the back of the fridge, must have been in there at least a couple of years, it was still great.

Usually it goes really quickly, I just misplaced this one.

I would think that with proper refridgeration, it would last a long time, like pickles.

[Jeremy airjer W]

Perfect!

[BigWadeS]

I don't think I have had any last more then a couple months but I am sure they would be good for a long time!

[MinDak Hunter]

Here is my pickled pike recipe, similar to some on this forum.

Ingredients:

Empty/clean gallon plastic milk jug with lid

3-4 lbs pike fillets cut into ¼ to ½ inch pieces (don’t worry about bones the vinegar will dissolve them)

10 cups water

1 ½ cups pickling salt (or coarse salt)

1 Gallon white vinegar

1 jar pickling spice (I use McCormick 1.5 oz)

4 large onions

4 quart jars

4 cups sugar

Directions:

Dissolve 1-cup salt and seven cups cold water in the cleaned milk jug. Drop pieces of cut fish into the jug. Top with the remaining salt and fill jug to within 2 inches of the cap. Shake well. Refrigerate for 24-36 hours, rotate or shake the jug several times during this waiting time. After a day or so remove fish from jug, rinse well (jug and fish), put the fish back in the jug, and cover with vinegar for 48 hours. Again, rotate or shake the jug several times during this waiting time. Empty fish and vinegar from the jug into a large colander with a bowl below to catch vinegar. Measure vinegar and add enough from the bottle to make 8 cups in a large saucepan. Add 4 cups sugar and pickling spice; bring to a boil. Boil 5 minutes then let cool to room temp. Cut 1 onion for each quart jar (I leave the onion in rings). Start with a layer of onion on the bottom of the jar then alternate layers of fish and onion (I end with a layer of onion on top too). Pour room temp brine over the fish and put the lid on the jars. Make sure to completely cover the fish/onions with brine. Refrigerate for 10-14 days before serving.

[Hammer Handle]

I would give you our family recipe for pickled northern, but then I would have to kill you to protect it....

: )

[merganser]

I just completed my first batch of pickled fish... all I had available were panfish fillets. Turned out awesome. The great thing is my wife and kids won't touch it... I get it all to myself!!! If I have any kind of jerky or sticks, thay last about 30 seconds. HERE IS MY QUESTION. Has anybody ever attempted to make the white sauce the pickled fish sometimes are in like at the salad bars??

[Splake]

The last batch I made I combined step 1 and step 2 and it came out fine. Vinegar is 95% water so I mixed it with the salt and let the fillets soak 24 hours. Rinsed the fillets and put them into jars with onions and brine. Has anyone tried this?

[mrklean]

I have never had pickled northern, does it taste anything like pickled herring?

[LABS4ME]

BETTER!!!!!!

Good Luck!

Ken

[mrklean]

Ok, i didnt like herring at all, i gotta find someone who has some to try, dont want to waste it

[Wookiee]

Much better and nowhere near as mushy!

[Windy City Walleye Hunter]

Hey guys,

I am in stage one of trying coldone's recepie and had two questions. First, I am assuming that while you are soaking the northern chunks in the salt brine and vinegar, you should be refrigerating the mixture. I sure hope so. Second, people are talking about using the pickling mixture to do some hard boiled eggs. My question is, do you have to do the salt and vinegar prior to piclkling the eggs or do you just go to the pickling solution and do you leave them in for the same 5-7 days? Please advise.

Windy