Easy Pickled Salmon

There are many health benefits of eating fresh salmon. Salmon is rich in Omega-3 fatty acid and is great for heart disease prevention. Try this simple pickled salmon next time you catch a fresh one (It makes little difference where you catch it, from the river or the store. Just make sure it is fresh.)


(1) Preparing the Fish: Cut fresh salmon fillet into 1/2" pieces. Layer fresh salmon and rock salt alternately. Pack tightly, cover and place in the refrigerator for 3 days. Turn the fish each day. On the third day, rinse the salmon thoroughly and get ready to add the brine.

(2) Making the Brine: For every 1 C. cider vinegar, add 1.5 C. sugar, 1 C. water and 1 T. spices. Bring it to a boil, turn off the heat and let the brine cool down completely.
For spices you can use store bought pickling spices or make your own. This recipe used: whole and crushed mustard seeds, bay leaves, juniper berries, pepper corns and hot pepper flakes.

(3) Putting it Together: Cut sweet onions into 1/4" thin slices. Toss the onion rings into the salted salmon pieces. Pour cooled brine in the salmon. Pack in mason jars. Place in the refrigerator for at lease 1 day before enjoying. Keep in the refrigerator up to a month.

pickled salmon pickling salmon


Equipment Corner: A heavy cast iron pan is ideal for pancake making. It distributes heat evenly and allows the pancakes to be cooked uniformly. I like La Creuset cookwares. Coated with a chip- and crack-resistant enamel inside and out, it offers the even heat and gentle cooking of cast-iron without reaction to foods or the usual high maintenance. It is truly an heirloom piece.

Caution: Not all cast iron enamel cookwares are created equal. The cheaper knockouts usually do not have the enamel bonding that is required in such a high heat cooking application, so they frequrently crack and leave unsightly stains on the cookware. A good piece may cost more at the beginning, but it will pay for itself in the long run.