Our friend and customer Jamie DeMent of Coon Rock Farm and Piedmont in Durham just released her latest book – Canning in the Modern Kitchen. It’s full of techniques and tips for canning, plus over 100 recipes for fruits, veggies, and meat. It’s a must-have for any home cook who wants to seal in the flavors of each season.
We often hear from customers who are interested in canning fresh fish, but are worried about botulism or degradation of the flavor and texture. Jamie’s recipes are well-researched and should reduce your risk of botulism as long as you don’t substitute any ingredients. After canning, if you see white crystals forming in the jars, that’s normal. You’ll have to buy the book to find out why. Shop the book here.
Salmon and other fatty fish
YIELD 4-5 pints
This recipe is meant to be used with fatty fish like blues, mackerel, salmon, and steelhead trout instead of tuna. It’s best to can fish that is fresh-caught. Make sure the fish was caught and was kept on ice until you canned it. Use the finished product to make fish cakes, croquettes, pasta sauces, or soups.
Ingredients
Get your pressure-canning equipment ready and have your jars sterilized and ready.
5-6 pounds fresh fish, skin on
1 teaspoon kosher salt per pint jar
Preparation
1. Clean the fish really well, then remove the head, tail, fins, and scales. Rinse the fish again and make sure you have removed all the blood. Using a clean cutting board, cut the fish into slices 3 1⁄2″ long and 1″ wide.
2. Pack the fish tightly, in standing rows with the skin side toward the glass, into hot, sterilized jars. Add the recommended amount of salt per jar. Leave 1″ of headspace. Gently tap the jars to remove air bubbles. Do not add liquid to these jars.
3. Wipe the rim of each jar carefully with a clean towel to ensure a good seal, and carefully place the lids and rims on.
4. Follow your pressure-canning process and process at 10 pounds of pressure for 1 hour 40 minutes for pint jars, adjusting for altitude based on the chart on page 24.
Reprinted from CANNING IN THE MODERN KITCHEN. Copyright © 2018 by by Jamie DeMent. Published by Rodale Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House