Salt Herring
Late 18th Century Recipe
For centuries the prosperity of The Isle of Man depended on the success of the herring season and the "King of the Sea" was the staple diet of the people. In winter the men would work on their small holdings, but in summer they would leave the land to reap the harvest of the sea.
Every family had a crock of salted herring for use throughout the year, and sometimes herring would be cured on hooks outside the cottage door.
The reverence with which this fish is regarded is illustrated by the fact that the Deemsters - the Islands supreme judges - when they take the oath, swear to execute justice as indifferently as "the herrings backbone doth lie in the midst of the fish".
Ingredients:
- Any quantity of fresh Herring
- Salt
- Bay Salt
- Saltpetre
- Brown Sugar
Method:
Gut the fish and salt them lightly with plain salt. Lay them in a basket and leave them overnight to drain.
Wipe each one in a dry cloth to take off all the scales. Pound together equal quantities of saltpetre, bay salt and brown sugar.
Place a layer of this in an earthenware crock, then a layer of fish, and so on until the crock is full.
Spread a thick layer of the salts on top. Cover the crock and leave for a few months before using.