Canning shad is now a summer tradition at my house. I wrote about the general process in Canned fish but thought I’d do a more detailed version this time.
Shad are related to herring. They are not native to the Pacific Northwest, but were introduced to the area in the 1800s. They are now so prolific that there is no daily fishing limit on them in Oregon. The adults average 2 - 3 pounds, so that can total a lot of fish. The trouble is, many people throw them back as “trash fish” because they are very challenging to debone. As in, it takes forever and you end up having to toss a lot of the fish to be truly bone-free. However, pressure canning turns those same bones into gelatin, just like in tinned sardines. The fish itself is yummy, so this is a big win. Now, when the family comes home with a bunch of shad, I brine, smoke, and can them. They are delicious, highly adaptable, and have become a summer staple. The whole process is detailed below. This is what I do, but as always, do your own canning research for your area.
First, scale the fish. This is my favorite scaling tool: Bicco Fish Scaler. Since I’m taking the skin off this doesn’t have to be perfect, just get most of them off as part of cleaning.
Next, remove a filet from each side. No need to gut first! There are lots of good videos on this if needed. This is the bloody and gross moment, so blurred for those who don’t want to see it.
Rinse off the blood and set aside. Repeat for remaining fish.
Dissolve 1/2 cup kosher salt in 2 quarts of cold water. Pour over fish. Leave in this brine for 30 minutes.
Prepare second brine. Mix 2 quarts water, 1 chopped onion, 1/2 cup kosher salt, 5 bay leaves, 5 smashed cloves of garlic, 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns, juice of 1 lemon (then I toss it in as well). Mix until salt is dissolved.
After 30 minutes, drain off the first brine, rinse briefly, then cover with second brine and let sit for 2 hours.
Now the filets need to be put on racks and left to dry in the refrigerator. This forms a dry skin on the outside that helps seal them for smoking. This should be at least a few hours, but overnight is better.
You can smoke them as is, or add some flavor. This time I did 2 flavors: a teriyaki and a jalapeño lime. To do that, I just added the sauce on top right before putting them in the smoker. Now add the racks to the smoker and smoke for 1 - 3 hours. For this batch I did 2 hours at 200 degrees. You’re looking for the filets to reduce in weight by at least 10%.
Once they were done, I peeled the skin off the back (very easy) and packed into short pint jars, leaving about 1 inch of headspace. Wipe the rims with white vinegar to remove any oils that might prevent a good seal. Add lid and ring.
Place in a pressure canner and add 4 quarts of cold water. Process at 11+ lbs for 1 hour and 50 minutes. Then cool and label!
Sauce recipes
Teriyaki
1/2 cup soy sauce, 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 teaspoons grated ginger, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 2 tablespoons honey.
Combine in a saucepan, whick and bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Add a slurry of 1/4 cup water and 1 tablespoon cornstarch, boil for 1 more minute to thicken.
Jalapeño Lime
1/2 bunch of cilantro, 2 large jalapeños (remove stems and seeds), zest and juice of 1 lime, 6 cloves garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon cumin, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, black pepper to taste.
Place all in blender/food processor and blend until smooth. Add a bit of water as needed to help it process. I just strained out any extra water at the end. (This is also delicious just as a veggie dip!)