Herring Soused in Cider Vinegar
Tender rolled herring fillets baked gently in spiced cider vinegar with onions. A classic, tangy coastal preserve traditionally served cold.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 65 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 340 kcal
Equipment
- •Casserole dish with lid
- •Chopping board
- •Chef's knife
- •Measuring jug
- •Wooden cocktail sticks
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 340 kcal
- fat
- 24 g
- carbs
- 4 g
- fibre
- 1 g
- protein
- 26 g
- calories
- 340 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 150°C (130°C fan).
- 2
Season the flesh side of each herring fillet lightly with sea salt.
- 3
Place a few thin onion slices across each fillet.
- 4
Roll each fillet tightly from tail to head.
- 5
Secure each rolled fish with a wooden cocktail stick.
- 6
Pack the rolled herrings snugly in a single layer into a casserole dish.
- 7
Scatter the remaining onion slices, bay leaves, peppercorns, allspice, and cloves over the fish.
- 8
Whisk the cider vinegar, water, and caster sugar in a jug until dissolved.
- 9
Pour the vinegar mixture evenly over the rolled herrings.
- 10
Cover the dish tightly with a lid or double layer of foil.
- 11
Bake for 45 minutes until the fish is tender and completely opaque.
- 12
Cool completely in the liquor, then chill in the fridge for at least 12 hours before serving.
Chef's tips
Allow the herring to rest in the spiced liquor for at least 24 hours before eating, as the flavour improves greatly over time. The slow bake and acidic vinegar will soften any tiny residual bones completely.
Ingredient substitutions
- cider vinegar → malt vinegar or white wine vinegar
- herring fillets → mackerel fillets
Storage
Store chilled in an airtight container completely submerged in the cooking liquor for up to 5 days.
Reheating
Soused herring is meant to be eaten cold or at room temperature and should not be reheated.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Baking at too high an oven temperature, which boils and breaks apart the delicate fish.
- •Skipping the overnight resting period, which prevents the vinegar and spices from permeating the meat.
- •Rolling the fish from head to tail, which causes the roll to unravel easily during baking.
Serving suggestions
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