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Salting smaller fish such as herring and mackerel

Erken's method for salting herring and mackerel: the fish is cleaned but not washed, sits 18 hours in a brine strong enough to float an egg, drains, and is then dry-salted packed tightly in a trough. Stored cold and dry, soaked before use.

Source: Henriette Schønberg Erken, Stor kokebok, 1914-utg. s. 77 (falt i det fri)

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About the dish

Salting was the most important method of preserving fish in Norwegian households before the refrigerator. Erken describes the classic two-step method with brine followed by dry-salting in a trough.

How to make it

  1. 1

    Clean the fish

    Clean the fish, but do not wash it.

  2. 2

    Make the brine

    Stir salt into water until the brine is strong enough that an egg floats in it.

  3. 3

    Place the fish in brine

    Place the fish in the brine and let it sit for 18 hours. Then take it out and let the water drain off.

  4. 4

    Dry-salting

    Place the fish in a wooden tub or a tight container and cover it well with salt. Pack the salt tightly around it, so the air is kept out.

  5. 5

    Storage and use

    Store the fish in a cold, dry place. Soak the fish in cold water before use if necessary.

Changes from the original

No fixed quantities in the original; the brine is still measured with the egg test (about 300–350 g salt per liter of water). "Trough" is given as a wooden tub/container. The steps are numbered and the language modernized.

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Tidsmaskin – hva endret seg?

Velg to utgaver og se hva Henriette Schønberg Erken la til, fjernet eller endret mellom dem.

Fra19141949Modernisert
Til19141949Modernisert
1914 (korrekturlest, s. 77) → 1949 (korrekturlest, s. 93)~39% av teksten endretfjernetlagt til
Saltning Salting av mindre fisk som sild, makrel. makrell. Fisken renses, men vaskes ikke. En lake lages av salt og vand saa sterk, vann — så sterk at et egg flyter. Fisken lægges legges i og blir liggende i laken i 18 timer; tages tas op, og vandet rinder vannet renner av. Fisken lægges legges i et trug trau og dækkes dekkes godt med salt. Tæt Tett godt omkring med saltet, saa så luften holdes ute. Fisken sættes paa settes på et koldt, tørt sted. Om nødvendig vandes vannes fisken ut, ut før den brukes.

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Frequently asked questions

Why should the fish not be washed before salting?
According to Schønberg Erken's 1914 instructions, the fish is only cleaned, not washed. Water on the fish before salting makes it spoil more easily; the brine and salt handle the cleaning and preservation.
How strong should the brine be, and how long does the fish stay in it?
The brine is made from salt and water strong enough to float an egg. The fish sits in the brine for 18 hours, is then taken out and left to drain.
How is the fish stored after salting?
The fish is placed in a trough and covered well with salt, packed tightly around it so the air is kept out. The trough is set in a cold, dry place. If necessary, the fish is soaked before use.

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