Here is my reciepe that I have used and can use your own variations with peppers (banna or jalapeno’s) layered in or other goodies…
Pickled Pike
Prepare fish by filleting and cutting into bite sized pieces, it is OK to leave in the Y-bones as they will soften in the vinegar. Prepare a brine of 4 cups water to 1 cup pickling salt, cover fish with brine and let stand for 24 hours.
After standing, rinse fish with cold water, cover fish with white vinegar and let stand for 24 hours.
Drain fish, and place in containers with course chopped onion, (canning jars work well). Prepare pickling solution, 2 cups white vinegar, 4 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon pickling spice, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 ¾ cup white sugar, 5 whole cloves, 2 teaspoons whole mustard seed. Bring solution to a boil, allow to cool somewhat, pour over fish. Keep refrigerated, ready to serve in about 5-7 days.
The above recipe is very similar to the pickled herring you may find at the market, I acquired this recipe from some “old-timers”, this is not Pwaldows recipe, probably similar though. I too have had folks rave about this pickled fish as well, I serve it to guests throughout the holiday season, and it disappears at a rapid rate. The advantage of using northern pike is that the flesh is very solid and much less greasy than a herring.
The recipe is actually 5 whole cloves, the spicy ones, they come dried, in small jars or canisters, in the herbs and spice section of your market(baking isle). Although, if you like garlic, it certainly would add some flavor. I added some garlic in addition to the spice cloves and other seasonings, to the last batch I made and It was fine.
What is great about this particular recipe, is that as long as you stick with the basic instructions, amounts and ingredients(freeze for 72 hours, salt brine, vinegar soak, and vinegar and sugar pickling solution) those are all necessary for preserving and chemically “cooking” the fish. You can modify the flavorings; garlic, jalapeno (or habenero for the brave) I like this recipe as is, although sometimes I add a little more of all of the called for seasonings.
Well what he did was scaled the northern then filleted it but left all the skin on. Every 1/4 in or so he cut the meat down to the skin but not through the skin. The skin is what holds it together. Then we cut the fillet into 4-5in pieces and cooked in a deep fryer. He also will pan fry in oil and it works. I didn’t believe this would work but my first bite into it and I was wrong. We didn’t find one bone in any of it. I’m very happy I found this out because I love to eat northern and hate wasting meat on my “Hack job” that I do when trying to get the y bone out. Hope this post helps you out.
Dah …. what?
Ted