Remove the fish from the brine and rinse the fish. Place the short stem of a meat them1ometer in the thicl?est portion of the flesh of the largest fish. Put the fish in a smoker when air temperature is 100 degrees F During smoking, air temperature should iise to 225 degrees F Fish flesh should reach 180 degrees F and remain at 180 degrees 30 minutes. Smoked fish must be stored in a refrigerator at 38 to 40 degrees F and used within 1 or 2 months.

Liquid Smoke and Sodium Nitrite Recipes Liquid smoke and sodium nitrite inhibit toxin-producing bacteria

that cause botulism. Most home fish smokers do not have the means to measure these chemicals. It is recommended that you do not rely on them for producing a safe product. You am rely on adequate refrigeration.

PARASITES IN UNCOOKED FISH Larvae of the broad or fish tapeworm are found in the flesh of

a number of fish. The larvae of the tapeworm pass through many fish until it lodges as a hatched, small worm in the flesh of infected fish. The fish tapeworm, if eaten by humans in its infective stage, can attach to the small intestine and grow to lengths of 3 to 10 feet.

Cooking, salting, or brining the fish before eating or before preserv­ing fish is the best way to prevent human infestation by fish tapeworm. Do not prepare picl?led fish from uncool?ed fish. The acid in the pick­ling brine may not be sufficient to destroy the infective stage of the fish tapeworm.

The

E.A.1Alobamo i7Cooperative

Extension Service AUBURN UNIVERSITY

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work in agriculture and home economics, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Alabama Cooperative Extension Service, Auburn University, Ann E. Thompson, Director, offers educational programs and materials to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, or handicap and is an equal opportunity employer. UPS, 20M13, 8:90, HE-613

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SMOKING FISH Smoking has long been used as a means of temporarily preserv­

ing fish. The steps in the smoking process are necessary not only for safe preservation, but also to produce good flavor and aroma. Carp, suckers, buffalo, catfish, salmon, and trout may be successfully smoked. A safe, high quality product can be produced using the following brin­ing and smoking procedures.

Fish smoked without proper salting and cooking, however, can cause food poisoning, illness, or death. Most food-poisoning bacteria can and will grow under the conditions normally found during the preparation and storage of smoked fish. Clostridium botulinum is the most harmful of these bacteria.

What You Will Need To Smoke Fish • Smoking chamber with air temperature thermometer; charcoal or

wood for fuel • A second thermometer to measure meat temperature • Pickling or canning salt • Container to hold fish plus 1 gallon of water • Refrigeration below 40 degrees F

Th,e following steps in th,e brining and smoking process req_uire careful attention:

Brining • Use the correct amount of salt in the brine. • Use enough brine to cover the amount of fish. • The temperature during brining must be no higher than 40 degrees

F. •Use fish of similar size and kind in the brine.

Smoking • There should be uniform heat treatment of all fish in the smoking

chamber. • The fish flesh should be maintained at 180 degrees F for the total

smoking period.

Steps for Safe Smoking Use freshly caught, whole dressed fish or filets. Wash the fish

thoroughly. Refrigerate the fish during all brine-processing steps. Fish for smoking must be brined in two steps. 1. Soak the fish 12 hours in a mixture of Ph cups of salt to 1

gallon of water in the refrigerator. Drain the fish. 2. Soak the fish 15 minutes in a mixture of 4 cups of salt to 1

gallon of cold water in the refn"gerat:or.

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Ingredients For Pickled Fish Refrigerate the fish during all stages of the pickling process.

• Fish-use only fresh, high quality fish. • Water-avoid hard water, which can cause off color and flavors. If

your water is hard, boil it for 20 minutes and let it stand in the refrigerator overnight. Strain the water and use it.

• Vmegar-use distilled, white vinegar with a label that says the acetic acid content is at least 5 percent (or 50 grains). This percentage of acetic acid is needed to stop bacterial growth.

• Salt-use high grade, pure canning or pickling salt. It does not con­tain calcium or magnesium compounds that may cause off color and flavors in pickled fish.

• Spices-best results are obtained when fresh, whole spices are used.

General Recipe For Precooked Pickled Fish Pack the fish in a heavy glass, crock, enamel, or food-grade plastic

container. Soak the cooked fish in a weak brine (1 cup of salt to 1 gallon of water) for 1 hour in the refrigerator. Drain the fish. Add a strong brine (21/2 cups of salt to 1 gallon of water) for 12 hours at refrigerator temperatures (40 to 45 degrees F). Rinse the fish in cold water.

Combine the following ingredients in a large (about 5 gallon) pan or kettle. This recipe pickles about 10 pounds of fish. 1/4 ounce of bay leaves 2 tablespoons of allspice 2 tablespoons of mustard seed 1 tablespoon of whole cloves 1 tablespoon of ground pepper 1 to 2 tablespoons of hot, ground, dried pepper 1/z pound of onions, sliced 2 quarts distilled vinegar 5 cups of water

Bring the water to a boil; add the fish and let it simmer for 10 minutes until the meat is easily pierced with a fork. Remove the fish from the liquid and place it in a single layer on a flat pan. &frigemte the fish 112 hour or until cool to prevent spoilage. Pack the cold fish in clean glass jars, adding a few whole spices, a bay leaf, freshly sliced onions, and a slice of lemon. Strain the vinegar solution, bring it to a boil, and pour it into jars until fish is covered. Leave 1/z inch head space. Place the lid and screw bands on the jars. Pickled fish must be stored in the refrigerator and used within 4 to 6 weeks.

Note: Pickled fish that is not processed in a canner must be stored in the refrigerator. Only pukkd fish processed at 10 pounds of pressure for 110 minutes may be sa,fely stored at room -temperature.

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Preserving Fish Evelyn F. Crayton, Extensi,on Foods And Nutriti,on Specialist

Fresh-caught fish may be saved for future food needs by proper preservation. There are several methods of preserving fish safely. Fish may be canned, frozen, smoked, pickled, or dried.

Only top quality fresh fish should be preserved. Of all meats, fish spoils fastest: It is the most susceptible to decomposition, rancidity, and microbial spoilage. Bacteria that cause spoilage are present on the surface of every fish. These bacteria will multiply rapidly on a dead fish held in warm surface water or at room temperature. Fish need to be kept alive as long as possible after they are caught. A metal­link bag will keep fish alive longer in the water than a fish stringer.

Fish begin to deteriorate as soon as they leave the water. To delay spoilage, thoroughly clean the fish's body cavity as soon as possible. Chilling fish to near freezing will slow down spoilage.

The following is a list of some native and non-native Alabama fish species that may be preserved. Although other fish may be selected, these are the most common: • Bass (striped, white, spotted, and largemouth). • Bream (bluegill, shell cracker, longear). • Carp (big head, common, and grass). • Mullet, grouper.

FREEZING FISH AND SEAFOOD Freezing is the simplest method of fish preservation. A good quality

frozen product requires the following: • Careful handling of the fish after they are caught. • Wrapping material that prevents freezer bum ~d rancidity. • A freezer storage temperature of 0 degrees F or lower.

To Freeze Fish Gut and thoroughly clean your fish soon after they are caught.

It is b~t to freeze cleaned fish. Because of warm waters, summer­caught fish should be thoroughly cleaned and gutted before freezing.

Prepare the fish in the same way as for table use. Cut large fish into steaks or fillets. • Steaks are dressed fish that have been cut across the backbone at 1-inch intervals. • Fillets are boneless portions cut lengthwise away from the ribs and backbone. Freeze small fish whole after they are cleaned.

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Packaging. Wrap the fish in heavy duty aluminum foil, moisture proof or vapor resistant plastic film, or heavy-duty freezer bags. If several fish are placed in the same package, separate layers of fish with two layers of packaging material for easier thawing. Store the fish at 0 degrees F or lower. Thaw enough fish for the number of servings you need in the refrigerator on the day you will cook fish. Glazing the fish before wrapping and freezing will decrease drip loss upon thawing. Glazing also firms the fish. Fish may be frozen using any of the following methods.

• Lemon-Gelatin Glaze. Prepare by mixing 1/4 cup of lemon juice with 13/4 cups of water. Mix one packet of unflavored gelatin in 112 cup of the lemon juice-water mixture. Heat the remaining 1112 cups of liquid to boiling. Stir the gelatin mixture into the boiling li­quid until the gelatin completely dissolves. Cool the mixture to room temperature. When the liquid is cool, dip the fish into the lemon-gelatin glaze. Drain the fish. Wrap the fish in moisture proof or vapor resis­tant packaging, label it, and store it in the freezer.

•Ice Glaze. Place unwrapped fish on a baking sheet or an aluminum pan in the freezer to freeze. As soon as it is frozen, dip the fish in near-freezing ice water. Place the fish in the freezer again for a few minutes to harden the glaze. Take the fish out of the freezer and repeat the glaze until a uniform cover of ice is formed. Wrap the fish in moisture proof or vapor resistant packaging or place in freezer bags, label it, and store in the freezer.

• Water. Place the fish in a shallow metal, foil, or plastic pan, cover the fish with water and freeze it. To prevent evaporation of the ice, wrap the container in freezer paper after the water is frozen; label the package and put it back into the freezer.

FISH ROE Thoroughly wash and package the roe in moisture proof or vapor

resistant freezer containers or bags and boxes, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Seal the container and store it in the freezer.

CLAMS Clams can be frozen either in the shell or shucked. To freeze the

clams in the shell, simply place the live clams in moisture proof or vapor resistant bags. Press out excess air and store the clams in the freezer.

To freeze the clam meat, shuck the clams, then clean and wash the meat thoroughly. Drain and pack the clams in moisture proof or vapor resistant freezer containers, leaving 112-inch head space. Seal and label the containers and store them in the freezer.

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Test For Dryness If no imprint is left when the fleshy part of a fish is pinched between the thumb and forefinger, the fish is dry. It should feel dry and tough.

Storage Put dried strips in moisture proof or vapor resistant plastic freezer

bags or cartons. Store the package in a covered can or box in a cool, dry place between 32 and 40 degrees F Use within 12 months. Dried fish may be frozen (use within 12 months) or refrigerated (use within 6 months).

Ways To Use Dried Fish • Eat as a snack. • Add to dried camp stews. • Rehydrate and use in chowders and soups. • Add dried fish to canapes and serve with crackers. • Add to gumbos.

PICKLING Pickling is an easy method of preserving fish as heat processing

in a pressure canner is not required. Pickled fish must be stored in the refrigerator at no higher than 40 degrees F (refrigerator temperature). For best flavor, use the pickled fish within 4 to 6 weeks.

Only a few species of fish are preserved commercially by pick­ling, but almost any type of fish may be pickled at home.

Many fish-pickling recipes suggest salt curing before brining in pickle solution. This step kills some unwanted bacteria, firms the protein for good texture, and inactivates some enzymes. Most recipes sug­gest cooking tfze fish before pickling. Most pickling recipes contain sugar, salt, spices, and onions; these seasonings add flavor but do little to preserve the fish. Vmegar, however, stops bacteria spoilage, gives flavor, and softens the bones. A 5 percent acetic acid vinegar will prevent Clostridium botulinum growth.

A safe pickling solution should contain at least one part vinegar (5 percent acetic acid) to one part water (1 cup vinegar, 1 cup water).

DO NITT use a solution with less vinegar than water. If the flavor of vinegar is too strong, add more sugar to offset it.

Items You Will Need to Pickle Fish • White vinegar (5 percent acetic acid) • Pickling salt • Spices, sugar, and seasoning • 5 gallon pan or kettle • Clean jars and new lids and screw bands

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16. LABEL THE JARS AND S1DRE THEM IN A COOL, DRY PLACE. Do not allow them to freeze.

17. CLEAN AND DRY YOUR CANNER. Wrap it in paper and store it. Do not fasten the lid on; wrap the lid in paper and place it upside down on a kettle to protect the gauge and petcock.

18. WHEN YOU ARE READY 1D SERVE CANNED FISH, HEAT IT 1D BOILING FOR 10 MINUTES before tasting or serving to kill bacteria.

DRYING FISH Selection Of Fresh Fish For Drying

Cod, flounder, halibut, and sole are the most commonly used fish for dehydration, but any kind may be dried. Select lean fish that are easily boned. Other fish to dry include bass, catfish, haddock, perch, pike, salmon, snapper, trout, walleye pike, whitefish, and whiting.

Preparation for Drying Items you will need to dry fish:

• Dehydrator or oven • 1 cup of salt • 1 gallon container for soaking strips

of fish (method 1) or steamer (method 2) • Seasonings • Sharp knife and cutting board • Moisture proof or vapor resistant bags or cartons • Clean towels and pot holders

Prepare fish for drying by removing scales or skin, the entrails, and the head, but leave the collarbone. Split the fish along the backbone and remove the backbone. Cut the sides into long, 1-inch strips. Remove the collarbone; wash strips thoroughly.

Method 1. Soak strips in a solution of 2 quarts of water and 1 cup of salt for a minimum of 8 hours in a refrigerator. Seasonings, such as peppercorns, lemon juice, or dill, can be added to the salt solution. Remove the strips from the solution and drain them. Sprinkle the fish strips with 1 to 2 teaspoons of seasonings, such as lemon juice, soy sauce, Tabasco sauce, paprika, salt, pepper, powdered garlic, powdered onion, sugar, or dill. Place the strips on the dehydrator trays and follow manufacturer's instructions for your dehydrator.

When using the oven, place strips on racks that are set on cookie sheets. Place cookie sheets in the oven and leave the door slightly open.

Method 2. Place the fish strips in a steamer over boiling water until fish is tender. Sprinkle the strips with seasonings as described in Method 1. Place the fish strips on dehydrator trays and follow manufacturer's instructions for your dehydrator.

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CRABS Select only live crabs to prepare for freezing. Crab meat freezes

better if not picked before freezing. Simply remove the back, legs, entrails, and gills after boiling the crabs for five minutes. (Be sure to cool the crabs quickly after they are cooked.) The claw and body or core of the crab that still contains the meat should then be wrapped or ice-glazed and wrapped in moisture proof or vapor resistant freezer wrap or paper. Seal and label the package and store it in the freezer.

LOBSTERS For best quality, lobster should be frozen uncooked. Freeze the

lobster whole, or clean it and freeze just the shell portions that con­tain the edible meat. (Some lobsters have large front claws that con­tain edible meat, while other have edible meat mainly in the tail.)

Freeze lobster in the shell to avoid drying out the meat. Wrap the whole lobster or lobster portions in moisture proof or vapor resistant wrapping and store it in the freezer.

OYSTERS Only live oysters should be frozen in the shell. A live oyster will

keep its shell tightly closed or will close it when tapped. If you want to freeze the oysters in the shell, wash the shells thoroughly and place the oysters in moisture proof or vapor resistant bags.

To save freezer space, wash the oyster shells, discarding any that are open (oysters are not alive). Shuck oysters into a strainer (save the liquor); remove any pieces of shell or sand, rinsing if necessary to remove any sand. Place oysters and liquor in a plastic moisture proof or vapor resistant container or freezer bag, leaving 112-inch head space. Seal and label the containers and store them in the freezer. Freezing changes the texture and flavor of oysters. Frozen oysters may be best used in casseroles or stews.

SCALWPS Scallops for freezing should be alive until shucked. A live scallop

will keep its shell tightly closed or will close it when tapped. To freeze scallops, shuck and place them in a moisture proof or vapor resistant freezer container, leaving 112-inch head space. Seal, label, and store the container in the freezer.

SHRIMP Select high quality, fresh shrimp for freezing. Shrimp can be frozen

cooked or raw, in or out of the shell. For maximum storage life and quality, freeze shrimp raw, with heads removed, but shell still on. Shrimp may also be frozen in water in a freezer container.

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Be sure to wash and drain the shrimp if you intend to freeze them raw. Quickly chill cooked shrimp before freezing. Package in moisture proof or vapor resistant freezing containers or bags, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Seal, label, and store the containers in the freezer.

If shrimp will be used in gumbo, stews, or casseroles, they should be shelled before freezing.

Maximum Storage Time For Frozen Fish Type of Fish Storage Time in Months

All Fish 4-6 Uncooked shellfish 4-6

Cooked shellfish 2

CANNING FISH Fish is a low-acid food that can be processed safely only at

temperatures reached in a pressure canner. Failure to process fish to 240 degrees F or higher may allow spores of the dangerous heat resis­tant bacterium Clostridium botulinum to survive in a sealed container, germinate, and grow. The poison produced by this bacteria causes botulism, a deadly form of food poisoning. Adding sniall amounts of vinegar or packing fish in toniat:o juice or t:oniat:o paste does not remove the requirement for heat processing fish in a pressure canner.

It is recommended that no home canned fish product be packed in containers larger than one pint. Use standard canning jars. Wide mouth jars are easier to fill than narrower ones.

Avoid using hard water because it will discolor the product and cause off flavors. If you have hard water, boil it for 20 minutes and let it stand in the refrigerator overnight, then strain and use it.

To Can Fish In Glass Jars Have clean and ready:

• Pressure canner • Pint jars and new lids-allow one pint jar for 2 pounds of whole fish. • Salt and teaspoon. • Sharp knife and cutting board. •Stove. • Dry pot holders. • Clean towel. • Fish-25 pounds of whole (round) fish as it came from the water will fill about 12 pint jars of dressed, heat processed meat. Use only good quality, clean, fresh fish.

1. CLEAN AND WASH THE FISH THOROUGHLY. Remove the scales and slime. Cut off the head, fins, and tail. Remove the entrails and clean out the body cavity; wash thoroughly in two quarts of cold water and 1 tablespoon of vinegar to remove slime.

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2. CUT THE CLEANED FISH INTD JAR-SIZE LENGTHS. 3. ADD 1 TEASPOON SALT to each pint jar if desired for flavor;

salt niay be omitted. 4. FILL THE PINT JARS, packing solidly. Leave 1/4 inch head space

at the top if you pack fish without added liquid. With liquid (water), leave 112 inch head space.

5. EXHAUST FOR 10 MINUTES. Place the open, filled jars of fish in the canner on a rack. The canner should have about 2 inches of boiling water in it; place over heat. Cover and let steam escape freely from the petcock (valve) for 10 minutes. (Do not close petcock.) Remove the jars from the canner.

6. WIPE THE TDPS OF THE JARS WITH A CLEAN CWIH very carefully. Any bit of grease, sand, or fish left on the edge will keep the jar from sealing and the fish will spoil.

7. SEAL. Set the lids in place and tighten the screw band. (Im­portant: Follow the manufacturer's instructions for sealing jars; do not tighten the screw band too tight.)

8. FILL THE CANNER by placing sealed jars on a rack in the can­ner in about 2 inches of boiling water. Put the lid on tight with the petcock open; place the canner over the heat and let steam escape from the petcock for 10 minutes.

9. CWsE THE PETCOCK as instructed in the manufacturer's manual for your canner.

10. WAIT UNTIL THE PRESSURE INDICATDR NEEDLE REACHES 10 POUNDS. Write down the time. Note: If you use a weighted guage, make sure to use the 10-pound weight. Adjust the heat until you get a consistent jiggle from the weight.

11. HOLD THE PRESSURE AT 10 POUNDS FOR 110 MINUTES for pint jars. Medium heat will hold the pressure, or adjust the heat set­ting to maintain a constant pressure of 10 pounds. Watch carefully.

12. TuRN OFF THE HEAT at the end of 110 minutes. Do Nor open petcock at this time.

13. REMOVE THE CANNER FROM THE HEAT AND LET NEEDLE RETURN TD 0. Open the petcock after the gauge has been on 0 for 3 to 5 minutes. Note: Open the weighted-gauge canner when the safe~] latch is up.

14. LoOSEN THE COVER. Tilt the back edge up first to keep escap­ing steam· away from your face.

15. REMOVE THE JARS FROM THE CANNER. Place the jars in an upright position on several thicknesses of cloth or on a rack. Do not set hot jars in a draft or on a cold wet surface. (Important: Follow the manufacturer's instructions concerning screw bands.)

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