Dried Smoked Herring Filets

[BreezyCooking]

Anyone besides me like them? Once in awhile a local supermarket carries them & I can rarely resist. If you've never seen them, they're approx. 7"-long herring filets that have been salted/smoked/dried. Dark brown in color, they're not dried crisp like jerky, but are quite flexible. VERY salty & smoky.

I usually enjoy them by themselves as snacks or on crackers, but was wondering if anyone has ever cooked them. Since I really like kippers & eggs, I was thinking that perhaps I could saute one of these in butter in the same fashion. Sound possible?

 

[CharlieD]

I do. I love all smoked, or salted/dried fish. It's a russian thing in me. If you go to russian store you'll know what I mean. There will be tonn of different smoked fish. I just got back form New York and brough about $200 bucks worth of smoked and dried fish.

 

[BreezyCooking]

You & I are a kindred spirit - lol!!!!

Although I'm 100% Czech, my husband is 100% Ukrainian, & he'd rather eat worms & die than eat the dried/smoked/salted herrings I buy - lol!!!!!! He does like pierogi though.

That said - CharlieD, can I "cook", as in saute/fry these dried herrings? I have a rather large package & would like to find other ways of using them.

 

[auntdot]

Breezy I envy you, would love to find them in my store.

And adore kippers.

Don't know if you can saute them, can only suggest you take one and try it.

Nothing better than kippers and eggs.

Enjoy.

 

[CharlieD]

The only way I use them is to eat them with good beer. No cooking.

 

[JohnL]

Hello Breeze,
I haven't seen them in years, but up here,(B-more) they used to call them "Blind Robins". They were sold in most of the local blue collar bar rooms for 10 or 15 cents each. As they were salty and smokey, they went well with a cold beer. I haven't seen them in years though. As for cooking with them, why not? I would imagine that you could soak them in fresh water first like salt cod to remove some of the excessive salt and use them as you would any dry salted fish. Or, flake and mince into small pieces, add to cream cheese, sour cream, minced onion, parsley ect.... as a dip or spread.
Or you can play a mean trick on someone as one of my employees did years ago. Larry, (the jokester) purchased a dried herring and slipped it into the pillow case of Bobby, (the recipient of the prank) at a hotel that we were staying at. The next morning while we were eating breakfast at the hotel restraunt, Bob complained that he couldn't get a good nights sleep because his room smelled so bad and requested a room change

 

[BreezyCooking]

Think I'll pass on the pillow idea John - lol!!!

Auntdot - do continue to check out local markets for the smoked herrings. It's Giant that usually carries them. And as far as kippers, the canned ones are carried at every supermarket around here - Giant, Safeway, WalMart, etc.

 

[wherleyj]

I have contacted several places both locally (Tacoma WA) and farther out including a company in Canada but have not received any replies yet. I will post here if I receive any word. There is one place I found that sold 2 pound packages for $24.00 plus @ $23.00 shipping. If you search for "Blind Robbins" you'll find it. I'll include it when I get more.

 

[solomru]

Hi. I just purchased some smoked herring and am soaking it in milk to desalt it. I tasted the milk and it's delicious. I am going to make a cream of herring soup using the milk. With ingredients the saltiness will be absorbed, and I am going to make a pickling brine for the desalted herring, which still has it's smoky flavor and is just salty enough. I don't know if this is usual, but that's what I've decided to do. Great thread.

 

[wherleyj]

Local supply

I found the real good salted smoked herring at the Pike Place Market in Seattle. It's about $8.00 a pound but worth it. And they will do mail order if you like. Here's their web address:

Pike Place Fish

Enjoy

 

[Selkie]

I really like kippers on crackers. Although not dried like your asking about, they are smoked!

When I lived in Bremerton, just across the Sound from Seattle, we used to get smoked and dried salmon, better even than herring. They called it Indian Candy - wonderful stuff! But herring is good too!

 

[howzit]

Dried herring

When I lived in NJ the grocery stores used to have then on occasion, they were very stong flavored, salty, and smoky. I used to soak them in warm water before fryin' 'em up with some eggs; truly yummy.

 

[justplainbill]

Could be good cooked like Finnan Haddie.

 

[CharlieD]

When I lived in NJ the grocery stores used to have then on occasion, they were very stong flavored, salty, and smoky. I used to soak them in warm water before fryin' 'em up with some eggs; truly yummy.

Trully "to each his own", oh my.

 

[sparrowgrass]

Russ Kendall's is a fish house on Lake Superior, at Knife Rivers Minnesota. They have the best smoked salmon, trout, whitefish and other kinds I don't remember. I pick up as much as I can afford every time I go up north.

They do ship, but only in the cooler months, and they don't have a website.

Russ Kendall's Smoke House 149 Scenic Drive, Knife River, MN 55609(218) 834-5995‎

 

[ibfestus]

My first experience with them was in 1960 in a pool hall in Arkansas. They were $.05 ea.

Today I use them a lot like you would anchovies. Pizza topping is one use and I use them in making a kick a$$ salad dressing along with a herbed vinegar, a seeded cucumber, garlic, capers, a bit of sugar, and a good olive oil drizzled into a blender.

I read some comments about deboning and cooking them. That's funny! Ever try to debone a anchovie?

In the St. Louis area, the Schnucks Markets carry them.

 

[Lance Bushrod]

I miss Blind Robins and grew up eating them in local taverns in NE Iowa in the 60's.

I go to a restaurant in Victoria that serves kippers for breakfast but one belches them all day.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

Blind Robins!?! That's what we knew them as back in Ohio, Lance. I did see smoked herring in the cooler case by the grocery deli a few years back and brought home a small tray. They were nowhere near as dry as the ones we were able to get back home, so we haven't bothered getting any more here. I'd forgotten about them again until this thread surfaced. I'll have to check the grocery stores in the Akron/Canton area for them the next time we visit our kids.

 

[Lance Bushrod]

The price has gone up since I was a kid.

Moreys Blind Robbins Wild Caught Smoked Herring 3 lb Pkg - Wholey.com

 

[Lance Bushrod]

I've seen Olsen's covered on the food channel years ago, lutefisk special, I believe.

Olsen Fish Company-- Specialty Products