By Leslie Shallcross
Few things define Alaska like abundant, nutritious wild food, most notably salmon.
Archaeological records show that salmon, along with freshwater fish, has nourished Alaskans for more than 11,000 years. Salmon remains a key source of food for many in urban and rural communities, although changes in the numbers of fish returning have created scarcities in some areas of the state.
Current recommendations for healthy diets encourage consuming 8 to 12 ounces of fish per week, especially oily fish like salmon. The oil or fats in fish are often referred to as “omega-3 fats” and they are especially important for early brain development and lifelong brain health.
Consumption of these fats is associated with lower risks of some chronic diseases and reduced pain and inflammation in arthritis.
During the summer, the five Pacific salmon species — sockeye, chum, coho, Chinook and pink — make their way from the ocean to spawn in clear water streams, with Chinook or king salmon traveling as much as 2,000 miles. Locals and tourists alike flock to Alaska’s streams throughout the summer and may see an awe-inspiring sight of an entire waterway filled with glimmering salmon.
While the fish are making their spawning journey, many Alaskans also make an annual journey to rivers and streams with the goal of harvesting enough fish to feed their families for the rest of the year. Depending upon the number of fish caught and family preferences, preserving the fish for storage may include smoking, freezing, canning in jars or cans, or a combination of these.
Cooperative Extension has publications that describe how to safely preserve fish with these methods.
Jarred smoked salmon is a real Alaska favorite and a preservation method that brings a lot of questions to my phone. As with all preservation methods, the goals of the USDA-tested instructions are to provide a safe, nutritious and delicious product.
Smoking fish for canning and canning smoked fish in jars is an easy process, taking less time than many imagine. We recommend a short brining period and a short smoking time. These modifications from the instructions for smoking fish will give you a more moist product and reduce harsh or bitter flavors.
Fresh or good-quality, defrosted previously frozen fish can be used to make jarred smoked salmon. To reduce bacterial growth, keep the fish as cold as possible during the process.
Cut the fish into canning jar-sized pieces (pieces should come to one inch from the top of the jar). Place fish pieces into cold prepared brine — you can make this a day ahead. You may include all your favorite brine seasonings, or salt and brown sugar, or just salt. We recommend a brine with 1 cup of salt in 7 cups of water for each 2-3 pounds of prepared fish. This amount of salt will help to reduce bacteria on the fish. Pieces of fish that are less than one-inch thick need only 5-10 minutes of soaking; thicker pieces may need 30-40 minutes. If you prefer less salt in the final product, reduce the brining time or smoking time.
Since this fish is going into jars, you do not need to allow a dry pellicle (skin) to form after soaking. You can proceed right to smoking. Heat is not needed for this step, although some heat will help dry the fish slightly for a better texture and help reduce surface bacteria.
Place the fish is on racks in your smoker and process for no more than two hours. Too much heat and smoke will give the canned fish a strong, tarry flavor. A good target for dryness can be measured with a food scale. Aim for about a 10% moisture loss from your fish (10% less than the fresh weight of the fish).
Handle your fish carefully. You should not taste the fish until after you have jarred and processed it in the canner — the brining and smoking have not removed all the bacteria or potential parasites.
Pack your clean, half-pint or pint jars with the smoked fish, leaving one-inch head space. Wipe the rims and place flat lids and rings on the jars.
Put the jars on a rack in your pressure canner with 2 ½ to 3 inches of water. Place the lid on the canner and turn the heat up to high with the canner lid vent open. Once you observe a steady stream of steam escaping from the canner vent, time this for 10 minutes and then close the vent and allow the pressure to increase to 10 pounds with a weighted gauge or 11 pounds on a dial gauge. At this point you will start timing the process for 110 minutes — the correct pressure must be maintained for this entire time. After 110 minutes, turn off the heat and allow the pressure canner to cool down and the pressure to return to zero before opening the canner and removing the jars to a cooling rack or insulated surface.
Some people are surprised that this processing time is so long. Because the fish contains less moisture than fresh fish after the brining and smoking steps, it takes a long time for the heat to transfer thoroughly through the smoked fish. This time is necessary to destroy botulism spores that could cause fatal poisoning. For more detailed instructions, refer to Home Canning Smoked Fish and Smoking Fish for Home Canning at bit.ly/4fjbx8z.
Leslie Shallcross is a registered dietitian and the Tanana District health, home and family development agent for Cooperative Extension Service, a part of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, working in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. She can be reached at 907-474-2426 or lashallcross@alaska.edu.
