Fish

Only fresh fish should be canned and these should be bled and thoroughly cleaned of all waste material when caught or as soon thereafter as possible. Wash the clean fish well in fresh water. Split the fish but do not remove backbone. Place fish in brine made by adding 1/2 pound salt to 1 gallon water. Soak 10 minutes to 1 hour according to thickness of fish. Drain fish 10 minutes before packing or precooking. ONLY a pressure cooker is recommended for processing fish.

Bass, Mackerel, Trout and Others

CLEAN and cut fish into pieces about 1 inch shorter than length of jar. Soak fish for an hour in brine made of 1/2 pound salt to 1 gallon water. Place clean plate on fish to keep under brine. Use bine only once. Drain fish for several minutes, then pack firmly into clean KERR Jars, filling to within 1 inch of top of jar. Place skin side of fish next to glass. Alternate head and tail ends if small fish are being packed. Add no water or oil. Add one teaspoon salt to each quart jar, if desired. Put on cap, screwing band firmly tight. Process according to time table, page 9.

Clams

STEAM clams to open shell. Remove clams from shell. Boil in mild salt water 5 minutes. Drain and rinse. Mince or leave whole and pack into clean KERR Jars to within 1 inch of top of jar. Cover with weak hot brine. Put on cap, screwing the band firmly tight. Process according to time table, page 9.

Crab Meat

TO FIVE gallons of hot water in a large kettle add 1/2 pound of baking soda. When the soda water boils add the live crabs and boil rapidly for 20 minutes. Remove crabs and wash them in cold water. Pick out all meat, being careful not to include the shells in leg and claw joints. Wash the meat in a weak brine (two tablespoons salt to three quarts water). Drain and pack into clean KERR Jars to within 1 inch of top of jar. Add 1 teaspoon salt to each quart if desired. Put on cap, screwing the band firmly tight. Process according to time table, page 9.

Shad Roe

USE only the roe of freshly caught fish and only such roe as is known to be good to eat. Clean the roe by removing the shreds and strings adhering to it. Wash well in cold water, being careful not to break the roe. Soak for about 2 hours in brine made in the proportion of 1 tablespoon salt to 1 quart water. Drain and pack into clean KERR Jars to within 1 inch of top of jar. Add 1 teaspoon salt to each quart jar if desired. Put on cap, screwing the band firmly tight. Process according to time table, page 9.

Fish Stew

  • 2 pounds fish meat (weight after cleaned, skinned, boned and cut in pieces)
  • 1 quart canned tomatoes or 8 large fresh ones
  • Salt, paprika and a little sugar
  • 1 tablespoon mixed spices
  • 2 tablespoons ripe pimientos, finely chopped (red sweet peppers can be used)
  • 2/3 cup good cooking oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely cut
  • 2 medium-sized onions, finely minced
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped
PUT tomatoes in kettle and season with salt, paprika and sugar. Add spices and let simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and put through sieve. Return to heat and add chopped pimientos. Let simmer until fish is ready.
Heat 1/3 cup of the cooking oil, add the garlic and onion. Cook until soft, but do not brown. Add this to the tomatoes and if mixture is too thin, allow to simmer until it is thick as catsup.
After fish is cleaned, skinned and boned, cut in pieces for serving. Sprinkle with salt. Cook on both sides in remainder of oil until fish is light brown color.
Add lemon juice and parsley to tomato mixture; if needed, add more salt and paprika. Add fish and bring to boil. Pack into clean KERR Jars to within 1 inch of top of jar. Put on cap, screwing the band firmly tight. Process according to time table, page 9.

Salmon

DRAW fish, then slowly pour on hot water, being careful not to break the skin which would cause a loss of oil and fat. Scrape gently until skin is white and clean, wipe dry, cut in large pieces (leave in backbone), pack dry into clean KERR Jars to within 1 inch of top of jar. Add 1 teaspoon salt to each quart jar if desired. If fish is dry, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to each quart jar. Put on cap, screwing the band firmly tight. Process according to time table, page 9.

Shrimp

SHRIMP should be canned when absolutely fresh, as they deteriorate quickly. They may be peeled or left with shell on until cooked. In either way they are boiled in salt water: 1 pound of salt to 1 gallon of water. Do not put shrimp into the water until it is boiling. If to be packed wet, boil from from 7 to 8 minutes. If they were not peeled before boiling, drain through a colander and sprinkle with salt. This will harden the meat and they can more easily be peeled.
Wet pack: After the shrimp are boiled and peeled, pack into clean KERR Jars to within 1 inch of top of jar. Fill to within 1/2 inch of top of jar with a weak brine (1 teaspoon salt to 1 quart boiling water). Put on cap, screwing the band firmly tight.
Dry pack: Prepare same as wet pack but do not add brine. Process according to time table, page 9.

Tuna Fish

TO remove meat of fish from bone, stem or bake with a little water about one hour at 350° F.
Take off skin and left the meat from the bones—the meat will come off in little wedge-shaped pieces which will have a portion of dark meat. This dark meat is usually discarded. Inspect meat carefully to be sure no bones are left.
Pack into clean KERR Jars to within 1 inch of top of jar. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt to each pint jar if desired. Add two or three tablespoons salad oil. Put on cap, screwing the band firmly tight. Process according to time table, page 9.
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