Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum
Fishing in British Columbia => The Fish Kitchen => Topic started by: c-pin on February 19, 2007, 03:09:50 PM
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In preperation for the upcoming Pink Salmon season ........
Does anyone know how to "Can" or "Jar" Salmon?
I want to use the glass mason jars (we got a bunch given to us). I was told it was fairly simple.
Thanks
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Wash, clean and boil the jar.... put a 1/2 tsp salt, pack salmon tight in jar with about 1/4 inch from the top. place prepared lid on jar, 90 min in pressure cooker.
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THe biggest jars we use are 500ml. Any larger and you run the risk of not cooking the fish properly. We don't use the pressure cooker, even though I'm a Power Engineer, my wife is paranoid with the thought of explosion in the kitchen.
We tightly pack the jar, skin side out. With Springs we debone except for the pins. A sliver of garlic goes in the bottom of the jar. Pack the jar to 1" from the top to prevent spill over. 1/2 teaspoon of course salt, 1 teaspoon of white vinigar and another sliver of garlic on the top.
THe vinigar softens the pin bones where they're safe to consume.
The jars stay for 3-1/2 hours in the low boil bath. One key thing to remember is not to tighten the lids too tight prior to the bath. As the fish cooks and expels liquid into the 1" of space that you left in the jar - the displaced air burps out the finger tight lid.
Once you remove the jars after the cook time you have to be carefull to full them straight out not to slosh the liquid in the jar otherwise the sealing surface will get contaminated and you'll compromise the seal. As the liquid starts cooling it immediately starts creating a vacuum drawing the lid down until you hear the pop as the lid snaps down sealed. Then after the jar has cooled and your sure the jar is sealed. Remove the ring and wipe the ring, lid and threads dry then you can lightly tighten the ring down again if you like.
THere are so many little things to make a safe and good product that you really should help someone do it once or twice to get all the little things right.
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Get a book with precise instructions and get someone there to help you that has done it before, we use pressure cooker, 100 minutes, 10 lbs. pressure, sterilize everything botulism is fatal. Just from the variations I see in these answers is the reason I recommend book.
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We live at 495 meters/1621 feet above sea level. I learned how to jar fish, from the fellow who always wins the blue ribbon at the fall fair. Use your fave recipe: a slice of onion on the jar bottom, the amount of salt you like, (1.7-2.3% of weight) a dollop of ketchup on the bottom, smoked first, then jarred.
THE KEY: sterile jars, clean product, good seals, and for our elevation we process at 18 pounds on the gage, for 90 minutes. The 10 pound folks are welcome to their product. I'd rather not eat theirs from this altitude.
At our elevation, water boils at 209 degrees F.
At sea level, 10 pounds is 240 degrees F. 15 pounds is 257 degrees F. Up here, less.
A reminder: it's going to take clock time to reach pressure. The timing begins ONCE PRESSURE IS REACHED. Timing stops when the alloted time block has expired. This means the actual time in the pressure cooker is longer.....by the amounts of time to reach pressure, and the time to come down to a safe "release" pressure.
Contact the Wells Can Co. in the lower mainland, for a copy of the manual that comes with their stocked brand of pressure cookers. If memory serves, it's about 10 dollars. Cheap insurance. They are in BBY. phone, etc, on the web site.
http://www.wellscan.ca/cdn-site/index_canada.htm
http://www.wellscan.ca/cdn-site/pcanners_cdn.htm
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I run my chum through a very light smoke first, then can them Its delicious. Shoudl work well for Pink too, although I would add a little olive oil to each jar. Either way, what has been said is correct, you have to make sure the lip of the jar is spotlessly clean, otherwise, no seal. And be very diligent about cleaning the jars and lids etc. You need a good pressure cooker too.
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when you smoke the fish before canning do you brine them for a while or just put the fish in the smoker
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when you smoke the fish before canning do you brine them for a while or just put the fish in the smoker
Brine it first.
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I pack them with a 2/3 brown sugar, 1/3 salt mixture (dry brine), and leave them in fridge over night, then into the smoker...but only a brief cycle. The idea is for them to be pretty much raw, but full of smoky falvor when they go in the canner.
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I have some canned sockeye given to me any recipes for sandwiches
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ya the smoked canned fish is amazing...
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It is very easy to do and ive allways done it in a canning pot as we dont have the pressure cooker.
3 hrs is good.
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vinegar
1 tsp oil
A light brine and smoke is the best way but just a couple more steps in the process.
Have also heard of putting liquid smoke in with the reg fish but ive never owned any of that and prefer the real deal.
Just make sure everything is sterilized first.
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has anybody canned white springs? so far i havent found a recipie that ive enjoyed them with, so canning would be my last attempt at these fish
thanks