Pickled fish has been a favorite among northerners for years. Once you try this sweet treat you will pickle crappie, bass, catfish, and anything else you can get in the jar. This stuff is great on top of Ritz crackers!
Ingredients:
• 2 lbs Tilapia
• 1 1/2 cups canning salt
• 1 gallon white vinegar
• 7 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup pickling spice
• 1/4 cup zinfandel wine
Directions:
Start with a gallon jar. Layer bite size pieces of fish with 1 1/2 cups canning salt until jar is half full. Pour in vinegar until it is about 2 to 3 inches over the top of the salt and fish. Let stand 5 days in the refrigerator. Once a day slosh the jar around to mix the salt back into the vinegar. Be gentle with the fish. After 5 days rinse. Throw away old vinegar and salt. Then put the fish in ice water for 1 hour. In a large pot mix 8 cups of vinegar, with 7 cups of sugar, 1/4 cup pickling spice and a 1/4 cup zinfandel wine. Stir frequently over medium heat until sugar dissolves and slowly bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes then cool. Skim off most of the pickling spice but leave some for color. Remove the fish from the ice water. Now layer sliced onions and fish almost all the way to the top of your gallon jar. You can pack them in pretty good. Pour in your Vinegar, sugar, pickling spice, and wine mixture to the top. Place in the refrigerator for 2 days before eating the fish... If you can stay out of the onions that long!