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Pickled Salmon

A method of preserving salmon by simmering in salted water, then layering with anchovies and saltpetre, and curing in a vinegar solution.

From an old cookbook · modernised transcription
From a historical cookbook (Internet Archive) · 7 ingredients
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Why it works: White wine and vinegar are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 11% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,776 recipes. Both carry beta-damascenone, which smells apple, rose. The science ↓

Pickled Salmon

Ingredients

Directions

Poach the salmon

  1. Place the salmon pieces in a fish kettle and cover with water and plenty of coarse sea salt.

  2. Bring the mixture to a boil.

  3. Reduce heat and simmer gently until cooked.

  4. Remove from heat and let the salmon sit in the cooking liquid until cold.

Pickle

  1. Transfer the salmon to a tub, layering the pieces closely together.

  2. Add the anchovies and pounded saltpetre over the salmon.

  3. In a saucepan, combine the cooking liquid with white wine vinegar.

  4. Bring the mixture to a boil for 2-3 minutes.

  5. Remove from heat and let cool.

  6. Pour the cooled liquid over the salmon and cover tightly.

  7. Turn the salmon after 3 days; it will be ready to use in a week.

Recipe from a historical cookbook (Internet Archive).

Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.

Explore the science

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

  1. White wine + vinegartop 11% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together1,776 recipes

    Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).

  2. Salmon + white winetop 22% of all pairs
    Smell alikelow
    Cooked together590 recipes

    Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).

  3. Salmon + vinegartop 27% of all pairs
    Smell alikelow
    Cooked together1,675 recipes

    Shared aroma: acetic acid (sour, vinegar).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Salmon
Is the main protein, which firms as it cooks and holds its texture during pickling.
Anchovies
Add a deep savoury flavour that rounds out the pickling liquid.
Pounded saltpetre
Helps preserve the fish and keeps its colour bright during curing.
White wine vinegar
Provides acidity that sharpens the flavour and helps preserve the fish.
Sweet oil
Adds fat and moisture, softening the flavour and keeping the fish from drying out.

The step that matters

Let the salmon cool in the cooking liquid. Leaving the fish in its liquid until fully cold lets it finish gently and stay moist, rather than tightening and drying out from sudden temperature changes.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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