Michigan State University Extension
Preserving Food Safely - 01600581
10/13/97

### SALTING FISH

    General
    Information

        Salting  is  an ancient procedure  for preserving  fish

    that
    was introduced  to  the  Great  Lakes area  by northern

    European
    immigrants.  Salted  fish  was commonly consumed by

    travelers
    and during the summer.

        Salt  preserves  fish by removing water from the  flesh

    and
    tying up the remaining water so that spoilage  organisms

    cannot
    use it for growth.   If enough salt is used, the fish

    may
     keep  for  as  long as a year in  a  cool,  dry  place.

    Salting
     is  one way to store fish until you  are  ready  to

    smoke
    or pickle them.

        If  you  are salting less than 50 pounds of  fish,  you

    will
    need no special equipment,  just a sharp knife and a 2-

    to
     4-gallon nonmetal container- a stone  crock,  wooden  or

    food-grade
    plastic tub with a lid.

        Salt  should be pure and clean.   Iodized table salt is

    not
    recommended.   Use a  high-purity  pickling  or  canning

    salt
    available at many grocery stores.

        Salt brine penetrates lean fish better than oily  fish.

    Oily
     fish  become  rancid  more  readily  than  lean  fish.

    However,
    oily fish can be excellent when salted.

        The salting method is the same for all fish.

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