This pickled herring is lightly spiced and not too vinegary, perfect as an appetizer whatever the occasion. It’s incredibly simple to put together and made using a handful of ingredients.

Side view of Polish herring in open jar.

Pickled herring is immensely popular in Northern as well as Eastern Europe. In Poland it is served with bread as part of the traditional Christmas Eve dinner (‘Wigilia’), but it also frequently accompanies family gatherings and is enjoyed as an everyday snack.

Despite its popularity people tend to use ready cured herring fillets rather than curing fresh herring themselves (good quality fresh herring is hard to come by). Herring cured in brine is usually sold from barrels or in plastic containers/tubs (the former generally being better quality).

This Polish herring recipe also uses herring fillets that have been cured in brine (salt-based).

What is pickled herring called

In Polish herring in vinegar is called ‘śledzie w occie’ (pronounced ‘shledgye f-otschye’ (or singular – ‘śledź’, pronounced ‘shledge’, ‘w occie’). The name ‘rollmops’ you might be familiar with comes from German and refers to pickled herring fillets rolled into cylindrical shapes. Rollmops are sold in jars and are widely available.

Is pickled herring good for you

Yes, it is! Pickled herring contains heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids as well as Vitamin B12 and iron. It can, however, contain a lot of sodium, which is why you need to briefly soak cured herring to remove some of the salt (see Instructions below). The vinegar mixture will also draw some of the salt from the fish so your pickled herring really won’t be too salty.

Pickled herring ingredients and substitutions

Ingredients for ,making Polish pickled herring in individual dishes. — Pickled herring ingredients.

Herring fillets: in salted water (see details below).
Onion: use brown, yellow or white onion.
Vinegar: use distilled malt or white vinegar.
Water: needed for soaking the herring fillets and making the pickling mixture.
Sugar: offsets the sourness of the vinegar.
Black peppercorns.
Allspice berries: an essential ingredient in many Polish dishes.
Bay leaf.
Cloves.

How to pickle herring

Pickling herring is a two-step process.

1) Raw herring fillets are first cured in a salt brine.

2) The herring is then immersed in a vinegar-based mixture and is usually ready to eat after 3 days.

What you will need

Large bowl for soaking the herring.
Medium pot/saucepan with lid for preparing the pickling mixture.
Clean jar (approx. 1 litre/4 cups) for storing the pickled herring.

Step-by-step recipe instructions

1.Remove the herring fillets from the brine, rinse then place in a bowl, cover completely with fresh water and soak for 20 minutes to remove excess salt.

4 fillets of herring soaking in water in bowl.

2. In the meantime prepare the pickling mixture. Place the onion, spices, sugar and 300 ml of water in a saucepan.

Slices of onion and spices in saucepan with spoon.

3. Cover and bring to the boil then simmer gently for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool completely. Once cooled pour in the vinegar and stir.

Vinegar and onion mixture for picking herring.

4. Remove the herring from the water, rinse again then pat dry with a paper towel. Cut each fillet into 3 or 4 pieces.

5. To assemble the recipe place a few pieces of the herring (3-5) at the bottom of your jar and cover with a spoonful of the onion mixture (without the liquid for now). Add another layer of the herring followed by the onion and continue until all the ingredients have been added (I had 4 layers of each).

Pieces of herring in open jar and onion vinegar mixture in saucepan.

6. Pour in the pickling liquid then gently poke around the jar with a fork to remove any air bubbles. Close the jar and refrigerate for 3 days before serving.

How to serve pickled herring

Polish pickled herring can be eaten simply with bread as a starter or snack or turned into a salad. Don’t forget to serve the herring along with the onion from the jar – it’s sweet and zesty and has a lovely crunch.

It can also be topped with sour cream, served with a drizzle of oil or freshly chopped dill and chives.

Herring pickled in vinegar is also sometimes served with boiled potatoes as a simple meal.

Can I use herring in oil to make this recipe

Yes, you can. Herring in oil tends to be less salty than in brine and doesn’t require soaking. Simply wipe the fillets with a paper towel to remove excess oil and pickle in the vinegar mixture as per Instructions.

Where to buy herring in brine

Cured herring in brine is usually sold in international/European shops and you can also sometimes find it in the international sections of large supermarkets. It’s usually available in Polish delicatessens especially in the holiday season. Another alternative is to buy it online.

Other ingredients you can use to pickle herring

Herring can be pickled with a huge range of ingredients which vary from country to country. Here are a few of the more popular ones:

1-2 tablespoons of freshly grated horseradish
thinly sliced carrot
1-2 tablespoons of finely chopped celery stalk
½ teaspoon mustard seeds

Top tips

I do not recommend soaking the herring in water for too long as this might remove a lot of its flavour along with the salt as well as make it too soft. The herring should still be a little salty and firm before adding the pickling mixture.
Cool the pickling mixture completely before combining with the herring.
Pickle the herring for 3 days before serving.
Keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
Herring in vinegar is not suitable for freezing.

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Keep in touch!

If you make this pickled herring recipe I'd love to know how it turned out for you. Did you use any additional ingredients? Let me know in the comments below, thanks!

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