CURED HERRING OR ALEWIVES
Michigan State University Extension 
Preserving Food Safely - 01600590 
08/03/99 

(for use in Cut Spiced Herring or Rollmops) 

1. Cut off head and thin belly flesh to the vent. 
Clean thoroughly. Wash in fresh water and drain. 

2. Pack drained fish loosely in a crock. Cover fish 
with a brine made of 2 1/2 cups salt, 2 quarts white 
vinegar (5% acidity) and 2 quarts water. Refrigerate fish 
in brine. 

3. Leave fish in brine until the salt has "struck 
through", but remove before fish skin wrinkles or loses 
color. The length of the cure depends on the judgment of 
the pickler and varies with temperature and size of the 
fish. The average time is 5 days, but can vary from 3 to 7 
days. 

4. When you judge the fish sufficiently cured, drain 
off the brine. 

5. Repack the fish more tightly, scattering a bit of 
dry salt among them. Cover with a brine made of 1 1/4 cups 
salt, 2 quarts vinegar and 2 quarts water. 

6. Store the crock in refrigerator. At this point the 
fish will keep 2 to 3 weeks. 

7. To use fish, freshen in cold water in the 
refrigerator for 8 hours. Some cooks use the fish at this 
stage. 

8. Others prefer to soak the fish one last time in 
vinegar and salt. Use 2 quarts vinegar, 2 quarts water and 
3/4 cup salt. Let fish soak 48 hours; then drain and use in 
Cut Spiced Herring or Rollmops. 


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