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Herring, to Salt

Erken's basic method for salting herring: cleaned, dried herring rests 18 hours in a brine strong enough to float an egg, then is packed belly-down in a stoneware crock in layers with salt and Spanish hops, pressed down into the brine and cured cool for 1½–2 months. Freshened in half milk, half water before use.

Source: Henriette Schønberg Erken, Stor kokebok, 1914-utg. s. 118 (falt i det fri)

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About the dish

The basic recipe for home-salting herring, a cornerstone of the Norwegian household before the refrigerator. "Spanish hops" (hops used as a preservative and flavoring) were bought for pennies at the country store, and the price note "for 10 øre" shows how commonplace the item was in 1914.

How to make it

  1. 1

    Clean the herring

    Gut and clean the herring, but leave the roe, milt and fat in place.

  2. 2

    Dry

    Dry the herring in a fish cloth. It should not be rinsed or washed in water.

  3. 3

    Make the brine

    Mix water and salt into a brine strong enough to float an egg (about 200 g salt per liter of water). Put the herring in the brine for 18 hours.

  4. 4

    Let the brine drain off

    Take the herring out and set it so the brine drains off well.

  5. 5

    Pack it down

    Pack the herring tightly belly-down in a stoneware crock or wooden tub, in layers with salt and a little Spanish hops.

  6. 6

    Weight and store

    Apply a weight so the herring is held down in the brine. Store cool. The herring is cured after 1½–2 months.

  7. 7

    Use

    Use as cured herring, or boiled or fried. Freshen in half milk, half water from a couple to several hours.

Changes from the original

The quantities are unspecified in the original and kept that way; "Spanish hops for 10 øre" is given as a small handful. The brine is described with the old egg test, which corresponds to roughly a 20% brine (about 200 g salt per liter of water). The steps are numbered and the wording of the instructions modernized.

Time machine – what changed?

Pick two editions and see what Henriette Schønberg Erken added, removed or changed between them.

From19141949Modernised
To19141949Modernised
Modernised → 1914 (proofread, p. 118)~75% of the text changedremovedadded
sild (fersk, ganet og renset). Sild salt (til lake og til lagvis strøing; ca. 200 g per liter vann i laken). 1 neve spansk humle (originalen: «for for 10 øre»). vann (til saltlaken). Gan øre vand Sildene ganes og rens silden, men la renses, rogn, melke og eller ister sitte igjen.. Tørk silden uttages ikke. Tørres i fiskekledet. Den skal ikke fiskeklædet, men skylles eller vaskes ikke i vann.. Bland vann vand. Saa sterk saltlake — vand og salt til så sterk lake blandes — lages, at et egg flyter i den (ca. 200 g salt per liter vann). Legg flyter, heri ligger silden i laken i 18 timer.. Ta silden opp og legg den slik timer. Silden lægges op saaledes, at laken renner kan rende godt av.. Legg silden tett av. Lægges tæt med buken op ned i en steinkrukke stenkrukke eller trebutt, trædunk, lagvis med salt og litt spansk humle.. Legg press på så salt. Læg pres paa, saaledes at silden holdes nede i laken. Oppbevar kjølig. Silden er spekt etter 1½–2 måneder.. Brukes Opbevares paa et kjølig sted. Benyttes som spekesild, spekesild eller kokt eller stekt. Vannes ut Utvandes i halvt melk, halvt vann vand fra et par til flere timer. — Spekes paa 1½ til 2 maaneder.

Note on Modernised

Mengdene er uangitte i originalen og beholdt slik; «spansk humle for 10 øre» er oppgitt som en liten neve. Saltlaken beskrives med den gamle eggeprøven, som tilsvarer omtrent 20 % saltlake (ca. 200 g salt per liter vann). Trinnene er nummerert og språket i instruksjonene modernisert.

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Frequently asked questions

Should the herring be rinsed in water before salting?
No. The herring is gutted and cleaned, but the roe, milt and fat are not removed. It is dried in a fish cloth – it should not be rinsed or washed in water.
How strong should the brine be, and how long does the herring stay in it?
The brine of water and salt should be strong enough to float an egg. The herring lies in the brine for 18 hours, then is set out so the brine drains off well.
How is the herring packed down, and how long must it cure?
Pack it tightly belly-down in a stoneware crock or wooden tub, in layers with salt, and apply a weight so the herring is held down in the brine. Store cool and cure for 1½–2 months.
How is the salted herring used and freshened?
It is used as cured herring, or boiled or fried. Freshen it in half milk, half water – from a couple to several hours.

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