Pickled Herring Marinated in Vinegar

Ingredients

• 2.2 lb (1 kg) herring fillets, fresh or salted in brine
• 3 cups (700 ml) water
• 5 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp salt
• 4 bay leaves
• 5 allspice berries
• 1 tsp white/yellow mustard seeds
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1-2 small onions (4 oz, 115g each), yellow or red
• 1 1/3 cups (10 fl oz, 300ml) white vinegar (10% acidity)
• 1 small carrot (optional; under 2 oz, 50 g)

Instructions

1. 1

   Place salted herring fillets into a large bowl.

2. 2

   Pour cold water or milk over the fish....: Pour cold water or milk over the fish. The water should cover the fish completely.

3. 3

   Cover the bowl with cling film and let...: Cover the bowl with cling film and let the herring soak overnight in the fridge. If by any chance you tend to wake up in the middle of the night, it’s a good idea to swap the water for a fresh one.

4. 4

   The next day, drain the salty water off.

5. 5

   Have a taste - it shouldn’t be overly...: Have a taste - it shouldn’t be overly salty anymore. Pickle as per ‘fresh herring’ instructions below.

6. 6

   If you’ve purchased a whole fish, here’s a...: If you’ve purchased a whole fish, here’s a guide on how to break it down by Saveur. Don’t worry about the smaller bones because they would either soften or even dissolve completely in the marinade.

7. 7

   Peel onions, slice them thinly into rings. Peel...: Peel onions, slice them thinly into rings. Peel the carrot, slice it into rounds.

8. 8

   Pour three cups of water into a cooking...: Pour three cups of water into a cooking pot, add 5 tablespoons of sugar, 2 tablespoons of salt and all the spices. Bring to boil, then reduce the heat to ‘low’. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, allowing the spices to release their flavours.

9. 9

   Take the marinade off the heat. Drop raw...: Take the marinade off the heat. Drop raw onions in, and allow the whole thing to cool down.

10. 10

    When the marinade has cooled, add in the...: When the marinade has cooled, add in the vinegar and stir.

11. 11

    Now we’ll be packing our herrings into jars....: Now we’ll be packing our herrings into jars. One large jar or a few smaller jars - the size is up to you. I prefer smaller jars, they fit better in my fridge.

12. 12

    Arrange herring fillets in the jar - quite...: Arrange herring fillets in the jar - quite tightly - with pieces of onion and carrot in between the layers. Pour in the marinade, making sure that everything is covered completely.

13. 13

    Seal the jar(s) and store in the fridge...: Seal the jar(s) and store in the fridge for a few days.

14. 14

    Pickled herrings are ready to eat after 3...: Pickled herrings are ready to eat after 3 to 5 days.