fj40
★★★★★ Legendary Member
Running low on pickled fish. Got a few pike in the freezer but also have a ton of smelt. Anyone here ever pickle smelt? Too Oily? I would imagine I would have to remove head,fins, guts, maybe skin?
When I pickle northern, I clean\filet them and then they go right in the pickle brine. IMO, it seems like if you freeze them first they have a tendency to get mushy. I would try fresh caught smelt but not frozen ones.
When I pickle northern, I clean\filet them and then they go right in the pickle brine. IMO, it seems like if you freeze them first they have a tendency to get mushy. I would try fresh caught smelt but not frozen ones.
Years back the smelt run on the Missouri in the spring we used to go net buckets full and have a smelt fry at the local bar. Cut the head off and remove the guts and bread them in your favorite breading then drop them in a deep fryer. They are not bad eating but it takes a shitload of them for a smelt fry.Really? I love pickled herring to the dismay of my wife but I just cant get the pike to a similar texture. I thought maybe an extra vinegar bath before the pickling solution might help but havent tried it yet. Last time I thought the texture was almost like playdoh. I just can't handle it.
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Also if a guy was die hard on eating his bait gut them, bread them and fry them. I've never done it but I hear that's what people do.