Salting Pilchards

[lookin4big1]

hey guys just wondering if any one can tell me the steps of salting pilchards i just bought a kilo of fresh ones and i wont use em all 2morrow so i wanted to salt and freeze for next time any info will be great thanks guys

[wannabefisho]

Cover them in rock salt (or pool salt its cheaper!)

I layer salt in the bottom of an ice cream container

place a layer of pillies, then another layer of salt... keep repeating until you have filled the ice cream bucket- bung the lid on and tip her upside down and give it a bit of a "shake around" this will make sure ALL the pillies are covered.

then bung em in the fridge, NOT freezer they will keep for up to 6 months like that.

[steze]

Cover them in rock salt (or pool salt its cheaper!)

I layer salt in the bottom of an ice cream container

place a layer of pillies, then another layer of salt... keep repeating until you have filled the ice cream bucket- bung the lid on and tip her upside down and give it a bit of a "shake around" this will make sure ALL the pillies are covered.

then bung em in the fridge, NOT freezer they will keep for up to 6 months like that.

Exactly what he said

[tide'n'knots]

another method that I have used that works quite well and doesnt send them rock hard is to tip pool or rock salt into a bucket and half fill it with water then give it a good stir , the idea is to dissolve the salt to the point where the water becomes salt saturated and no more will dissolve then throw your pillies in the water for about 2 days then simply take them out of the water and freeze them. When they thaw you will find that they are nowhere near as soft and mushy and they dont tend to get over hard and dried out as the water seems to keep them pliable.

pete.

[rickb]

Hi There seems to be so many ways to salt them down.

All of the above are fine,But my preference is butchers salt mixed with borax

I go to a butcher at supermarket you can buy 10k for 5bucks and a tub of borax

21/2 lb salt 1 cup borax mix all together,I have black plastic dish with many small

holes in bottomplace alayer of mixed salt,then a layer of pillies not touching ,cover with salted mix then another and so on,place in area away from house leave for 5 to 7 days till they drain properly. Then tip mixture out and place enough for outing in bag sprinkle more mixture overand seal bag.No need to even keep in fridge,I have about ten bags hanging in garage and have been there for four months.They go on the hook perfectly and stay on, thanks to the borax.

Cheers Rick.

[lookin4big1]

thanks guys all lost of help. Now i am going to have to get 3 kilo to try all 3 techniques lol

[hayden_229]

vacume seal them and freze

[sebastianlopez]

what do you guys think of the ones you buy from the servo, any good?

in the long run would it be cheaper to buy from the fish market or just get them from the servo?

wouldn't they stink out my fridge?

cheers poeple

[wannabefisho]

Nah, if you salt em correct and use a sealable container there will be little or no smell at all-the salt dries out the flesh and removes the odor most of the time.

Mate I but 2kg blocks from my local tacklo, I tried ones from the markets and the are usually soggy in the mid section and they arent much good cause the gut falls out- I am pretty selective how I get my pillies and I make sure I get ones that arent degraded in ANY WAY- so no skin falling off, nothing thats bent or folded in half cause they will fall apart once defrosted.

I reckon the best way is to let them defrost- then get them and wipe off the excess moisture with paper towel or a rag, then salt them from there so there is no moisture surrounding the fish when you go to salt them- its an extra 15-20minutes to do this but it keeps em in much better condition when it somes to salting time then when you use them...

Any half pillies or ones with degraded skin or blemishes like guts hanging out I just refreeze "as is" and pop them into the berley mix all mushed up- works a treat with some Bread and Chook Pellets and a smidgeon of Tuna Oil, and if I got prawns I mush them up too... top berley mix mate if you dont catch fish with this berley there aint no fish in the area to start with... I use it in the rivers, off the beaches and in my sisters boat never failed me yet!

For bigger fish I add in Slimey heads and frames and Mullet heads and frames and dump em in real close to where Im fishin to keep them in the gutter or just off the wharf or rocks...

Good luck lads

Anthony

Edited May 25, 2010 by wannabefisho

[sebastianlopez]

little to no smell! Beautiful misus wont bash me lol