You freeze the fish to kill any parasites. If you don't mind worms do fresh.

yes the freezing needs to be done to kill the parasites especially up in your neck of the woods chadwick. That is where the cases of worms from pickled northern originated.

thanks guys. I am going to give this a try in a bit. how long would you recomend freezing for?
anyone ever tried pickled walleye?

48 hours at subzero temperature. I have had pickled walleye, it is good but crappies and sunfish are better!

so simply putting it in a regular freezer wont cut it then?
I need to figure out where I can find a freezer that gets that cold. I suppose If I surrounded it in dry ice that it would work.

You'd be surprised how many freezers out there can get below zero.

I just put mine in our regular freezer, but I did leave it there all summer and just made my first batch of northern a few months ago. I have had two and a half of the four jars and I am still typing here so my fish must have been worm free! The coldone recipie is really good and the pickling solution tastes just like the store bought pickled herring but the northern gives it a little firmer and chewier taste.

Windy

My chest style freezers get below zero. No Problem.

I would wait longer I usually wait 5 extra days and I don't find mine tough at all

I think I am going to try BD110's recipie.
thanks for all the help guys. From what I hear his is great too.

I haven't made any pickled northern but I have eaten some of BD110's at the Bash 2 years ago and it was mighty fine. I'm hoping he will be bringing some this year if he makes.

chadwick,
If you have any questions along the way feel free to e-mail me I can get you my cell number and we can get you all set up.


chaffmj,
I'm glad to hear you liked the pickeled Northern that I brought to the bash. I can't make up my mind if I'll be at the bash this year or not. My plans seem to keep changing.

BD110,

Does this taste like the sweet wine herring that you can get at the stores?

Also, where do you get the pickling spices?

I'm doing this for the 1st time. Tomorrow will be 3 days in the freezer! I can't wait!

I'm not BD110 -- but it tastes very similar and if you add wine to the recipe it is almost dead on.

As far as the pickling spice and salt I just get mine at the local grocery store C U B good luck and it is a great way to eat tasty pike~!

Nice! My Dad has already requested a couple of jars for Xmas!

Another question about the recipe that Flash put on the 1st page. How many lbs. of fish is this one for?