EULACHONS

SMOKED EULACHONS Mary Hill —

Kincolith

After eulachons have been caught they must be left to
‘‘season’’ before they are smoked. Seasoning requires four to five
Gays and involves leaving the fish on the ground in sacks or
uncovered. Long ago, wooden boxes were used to hold the
seasoning fish. When the heads turn white, the fish have sea-
soned sufficiently. Seasoning makes the scales easier to remove,
develops the fiavour of the fish and softens the meat.

Preparation for Smoking

1. Wash the eulachons four or five times until the scales
come off.

2. Place the fish in a barrel of fresh water to which has been
added enough coarse salt to float a potato.

3. Add iwo cups of white vinegar to the salt water to reduce
the oiliness of the fish.

4. Soak the eulachons in the barrel! for half an hour.

S. Rinse in fresh water, then return to the barrel for an
additional ten minutes of soaking.

Drain the fish.

7. Hang eulachons for smoking by threading a strip of red
cedar through the gills of the fish, or by pulling one fish by
the tail, through the mouth and gills of another fish. The
two are then hung over a strip of cedar bark or on a red
cedar stick.

Smoke the eulachons three days. When the fish are dry
they may be eaten directly from the smokehouse or toasted
over an open fire.

Half smoked eulachons (i.e., left one to two days in the
smokehouse) may be canned.

SUN-DRIED EULACHONS Shirley Angus

Kincolith

|. Follow the directions for “seasoning” culachons given in
the recipe for smoked culachons.

2. Thread a strip of red cedar bark througn the gitis of about
forty fish.

3. Rinse the whole string of fish in fresh water.

Hang the eulachons in the sun for one to four weeks,
until dry.

S. Store the dried fish in a plastic bag with the addition of a
small amount of coarse salt. Punch small holes in the bag
io allow some atr to circulate. This will heip keep the
fish dry.

To serve: toast the fish over an open fire.
PAN-FRIED EULACHONS
Fresh culachons can be fried for serving. Wash the fish

fiour them, then fry in shortening or oil. Many people do not
feel that it 1s necessary to clean the fish or remove the bones.

STEELHEAD

Steelhead are a sea-going form of rainbow trout. They look
somewhat like Atlantic satmon, although smaller. They are still
big fish - 8 to 9 pounds. Mainly silver with a blue back while in
the sea, a red colour develops along each side during spawning.

SMOKED STEELHEAD Ed and Grace Nelson

- Kincolith

|. To clean the fish cut it lengthwise along the back. Do not
cut through to the other side.