Pickled Herring
If you enjoy pickled herring and can put your hand on the fresh fish, here is how to pickle it.
I start with 20 lbs of fresh herring (picked up at Victoria Fisherman Helping Kids with Cancer)  www.fhkwc.ca
After filleting I ended up with 9 lbs of fillets
Salting Brine – 1 part salt to 20 parts water (1 cup salt for 20 cups of water)

To add to jars with fillets
8 medium red/yellow onions
4 tbsp allspice
For the pickle:
• 4 cups water
• 6 cups white vinegar
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 tsp allspice
• 4 bay leaves (or 1 California Bay leaf)
• 2 tsp grated ginger
• 1 tsp mustard (ground or seed)
• 2 tsp horseradish
• 1 tsp peppercorns
• a pinch of ground cloves

Cover the fillets in a brine of 1 part salt to 20 parts water (1 cup
salt for 20 cups of water for 9 lbs. of herring fillets) and let sit in the
refrigerator overnight.

In a large pot, over medium heat, combine 4 cups water, 6 cups white vinegar, 1 cup sugar, 4 tsp allspice, 4 bay leaves (or 1 California Bay leaf), 2 tsp grated ginger, 1 tsp mustard (ground or seed), 2 tsp horseradish, 1 tsp peppercorns, a pinch of ground cloves. Once the sugar is dissolved, let cool.

The next day, rinse brined herring.

Slice up the onions

In a jar (I used a combination of pint and quart wide mouth jars), alternate layers of herring and onion, toss in some allspice as you go. Don’t pack the jars to tight.

Top the jars with the pickle. Screw on lids and refrigerate

Refrigerate for a couple of days before eating. Enjoy over the holiday season. Use up the pickled herring within 30 days.