Canning Fish

If you love to fish and end up with a surplus of fish, knowing how to can fish is a great skill. These step-by-step directions for canning fish are perfect for salmon, trout, and kokanee.

Stock your pantry with this shelf-stable fish!

Why can your own fish

If you're into canning your own food for food preservation, canning fish is a perfect item to add to your pantry.

Home-canned fish is perfect if you have access to freshly caught, really delicious fish. We fish for kokanee fish, which is a landlocked salmon. We often end up with a surplus of fish and that's when we can up a batch to use all year long.

In addition to canning this fish, we also smoke fish and can the smoked fish. A variety in our pantry is a good thing! We like having options.

This recipe is also really great for canning salmon and trout.

Canning fish requires a pressure canner. This is not the same as an instant pressure cooker. You need one that is designed for home canning. We use one that is a 16-22 quart pressure canner.

Canning and preserving your own food is not only rewarding, but you have a supply of the most amazing food. You know what's in it and you know exactly how it's been handled and processed.

If you haven't used a pressure canner before, you'll want to read How to Use a Pressure Canner.

Key ingredients

• Fish - we use kokanee, but salmon or trout works well too. Fresh fish can be used right after it's caught, but we often don't have time to can the fish right away. The cleaned fish can be frozen and then thawed when you're ready to can.
• Vinegar - white distilled vinegar. The vinegar helps dissolve some of the smaller bones. The bones add calcium to the processed fish.
• Salt - use canning salt or kosher salt. Table salt is not recommended. It often has iodine and an anti-caking agent.

Step by step directions

• Cut off head and tails of fish. Cut into chunks that will fit into your jar. Plan on leaving at least 1 inch of headspace in jar. For half-pint jars cut pieces into 1 ½ inches.

• Add vinegar and salt to each jar
• Add cut fish to each jar

• Wipe jars with a clean cloth
• Add lid and ring

• Place jars in a pressure cooker filled with 4 inches of water

• It is okay to double stack as long as you have a divider between each stack
• Place lid and lock lid into place. Make certain stem vent is uncovered
• Turn heat on high until pot begins to steam
• Once steam is at a steady stream, set timer for 10 minutes. Allow steam to continue to vent during this time.
• Add cover to stem vent. The pressure will begin to climb. Once you hit 10 pounds of pressure (or your pressure for your elevation - see chart below) turn heat down and maintain the pressure for 100 minutes.

• After 100 minutes, turn off heat and leave pressure cooker alone, and do not remove vent cover until the pressure has fully returned to zero
• Remove jars and place on a cooling rack and let jars rest until fully cooled (8 - 12 hours)
• Remove rings and check to make certain jars are sealed. Wash jars with warm soapy water.
• Add date and label contents
• Store in a dry, cool place

Elevation adjustment for pressure canning

Altitude Feet	Pounds of Pressure
1,001- 2,000 2,001- 3,000 3,001- 6,000 6,001 - 8,000 8,001-10,000	11 pounds 12 pounds 13 pounds 14 pounds 15 pounds

Canning tips

• Follow safe canning practices. Read and reread steps, especially venting times, processing times and pressure settings.
• Inspect your jars before using. Don't use it if cracked or chipped.
• Wash jars and lids with warm soapy water. Rinse well with hot water. Allow jars to air dry.
• Plan enough time for canning. You'll need approximately 30 minutes to fill the jars, 30-60 minutes for the pressure cooker to reach full pressure, 100 minutes of processing time and 30-45 minutes for the canner to depressurize.
• Do not reuse canning lids. Purchase new lids every time. Wash lids in hot soapy water before using. The lids do not need to be boiled (this was a practice that was recommended many years ago.)
• This recipe works for canning pint or half-pint-sized jars. The processing times and pressure remains the same. Do not use quart-sized jars.
• Inspect canned fish before using. If in doubt, throw it out. Do not taste anything to determine if it's good.

Safety tips for using a pressure canner

• Follow instructions carefully for your pressure canner
• Inspect the rubber gasket in the lid (not all models have a rubber gasket). If it's bent, cracked or brittle, it needs to be replaced.
• Make certain the vent is clear from debris
• Have your lid, along with the pressure gauge tested for accuracy regularly. Most county extension offices will offer to test.
• Know your altitude - you need to adjust the pressure depending on your altitude
• Be precise - don't start timing your canning until the pressure cooker has reached full pressure
• If the pressure falls below your required pressure, you need to start your timing over
• Keep an eye on your pressure canner. You want to keep a consistent pressure - not to high and not too low. Make small adjustments to your stove temperature as needed.
• Do not open your pressure canner or remove the vent cover until the pressure has fully returned to zero. This is an important part of the process!

Using canned fish

We use our canned fish the same way we'd use canned tuna fish. You can make a fish salad, fish cakes or add to a salad or in a casserole.

Open the jar and remove the fish. Discard any liquid that came from the processing of the fish.

Sometimes there will be some whitish substance on top of the fish. This is called albumin and it comes from the proteins within some fish, especially salmon. Just scrape it off and discard it.

• Use a spoon or a knife to gently scrape away the skin

• Open fillets and remove the backbone and any other remaining bones

• Break fish into chunks and use as desired

More canning recipes

• How to Can Dried Beans
• Canned Smoked Fish
• Canning Chicken Stock
• Canned Tomatoes
• Canned Tomato Sauce
• Green Tomato Relish

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop

Be certain to check out all my canning recipes!