Smoked Herring Recipe
This Caribbean smoked herring recipe combines salty, smoky herring with onions, tomatoes, peppers, and fresh aromatics. Also known as herring choka, it’s a favorite breakfast dish served with fried bake or bread.
I like to think of smoked herring as the other “saltfish.” It’s salted and preserved much like saltfish, and we use it in many of the same ways throughout the Caribbean. It’s especially similar to saltfish buljol, another breakfast favorite we love with fried bake.
For breakfast, smoked herring is usually prepared with onions, fresh tomatoes, peppers, and aromatics. It’s especially good piled onto fried bake or served simply with bread.
It does take a little work to prepare, particularly if you’re starting with a whole smoked herring, so at home it’s often the kind of breakfast you’ll see for special mornings like Christmas. Restaurants and food shops serving local breakfast often have it on the menu more regularly.
What is smoked herring?
Smoked herring is herring that has been salted and smoked, methods traditionally used to preserve fish before refrigeration was widely available. Today, we still enjoy it for that distinctive salty, smoky flavor.
And smoked herring is strong. It has a strong flavor and an equally strong smell. It’s one of those foods people tend to either really love or really don’t.
You’ll find smoked herring sold whole or as fillets. Whole smoked herring is usually less expensive, but it requires more preparation because you’ll need to remove the skin and bones. Fillets cost a little more but save you some work, although you may still find small bones in them.
Before using smoked herring in this recipe, you’ll need to remove some of the excess salt and shred the fish. There are several ways to desalinate smoked herring, including boiling or soaking it. The method I use depends on whether I’m starting with whole herring or fillets, which I’ll show you below.
How to prepare smoked herring
- For whole smoked herring: Boil the whole fish in water for about 5 to 10 minutes. Once it’s cool enough to handle, remove the skin and as many bones as possible, then shred the fish.
- For smoked herring fillets: I skip the boiling. Cut or shred the fillets, pour boiling water over them, and let them soak for a few minutes before draining. Repeat if necessary until the herring is at the salt level you prefer.
Taste a small piece between soaks so you don’t remove too much salt. If you do, no big deal. You can always adjust the seasoning later.
How to make smoked herring with tomatoes
Ingredients
- Smoked herring: I use smoked herring fillets because they’re easier to prepare. Whole smoked herring works too, but you’ll need to remove the skin and bones before shredding it.
- Tomatoes: Fresh tomatoes add moisture and balance the salty, smoky herring.
- Onion: Don’t be stingy if you like plenty of onion in your herring.
- Garlic: Adds more savory flavor to the aromatics.
- Pimento peppers: For that familiar Caribbean flavor without adding much heat.
- Scotch bonnet pepper: Add peppers according to your heat preference. Keep the seeds and membrane for more heat or remove them to tone it down.
- Thyme: Adds a fresh herbal flavor that works well with the smoky herring.
- Scallions or chives: Either works here.
- Oil: Used to cook the aromatics before pouring the hot seasoned oil over the herring.
- Hot water: For removing excess salt when preparing the fillets.
- Lime or lemon juice, optional: Adds a little acidity to finish the dish.
Instructions: Step-by-step
- Prepare the herring. Desalt and shred the smoked herring using the method above, then drain it well and place it in a heat-safe bowl.
- Cook the aromatics. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, pimento peppers, hot pepper, and thyme. Sauté until the onions begin to soften and the aromatics are fragrant.
- Pour over the herring. Carefully pour the hot oil and cooked aromatics over the prepared smoked herring and mix well.
- Add the tomatoes. Stir in the scallions, chopped tomatoes, and lime juice, if using. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.
- Finish with scallions. Mix in the chopped scallions or chives.
- Let it sit. Allow the smoked herring to sit for a few minutes before serving so the flavors can come together.
Tips for the best smoked herring
- Desalt to your taste: Smoked herring can be quite salty, so taste it as you go when soaking or boiling. If you remove a little too much salt, you can always add some back when seasoning the finished dish.
- Watch for small bones: Even smoked herring fillets can have small bones. Remove as many as you can while shredding the fish.
- Be prepared for the smell: Smoked herring has a strong aroma, especially once you start working with it. Open a window or turn on your kitchen vent if the smell bothers you.
- Adjust the pepper: Use as much or as little hot pepper as you like. Pimento peppers give you flavor without making the dish particularly spicy.
What to eat with smoked herring
Smoked herring is commonly served for breakfast with fried bake or bread, but there are plenty of other ways to enjoy it.
- Dumplings: For more of a dinner meal, serve it with boiled dumplings. When I make it this way, I sometimes add coconut milk to the herring.
- Fried bake: One of the classic pairings for smoked herring.
- Bread: Keep it simple with slices of bread and plenty of the herring, tomatoes, and onions.
- Ground provisions: Boiled cassava, dasheen, sweet potatoes, or boiled plantains all work well.
- White rice: Smoked herring can also be served with plain white rice for a simple meal.
How to store smoked herring
Store leftover smoked herring in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can reheat it gently on the stovetop or in the microwave before serving.
You can also prepare the smoked herring ahead of time and refrigerate it until you’re ready to serve. The tomatoes and onions will soften more as it sits, so keep that in mind if you prefer them with a little more texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not always. I boil whole smoked herring for about 5 to 10 minutes, which helps remove some of the excess salt and makes it easier to prepare. When using smoked herring fillets, I usually skip boiling and pour boiling water over the shredded fish instead.
Smoked herring can be desalted in several ways, including boiling or soaking. For fillets, I pour boiling water over the shredded herring, let it soak briefly, then drain it. Repeat as needed, tasting between soaks until you’re happy with the salt level.
Yes. Canned smoked herring can be used for this recipe, but check the label and taste the fish before desalting it. Depending on the brand, it may be less salty than traditional salted smoked herring, so you may not need to soak it first.
Check out some more breakfast ideas:
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Smoked Herring Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Using kitchen scissors, cut the smoked herring fillets into smaller pieces. Shred the fish with your hands, removing and discarding as many bones as possible.
- Place the shredded herring in a medium heat-safe bowl.
- Pour enough boiling water over the herring to completely cover it. Let it soak for 10 minutes to remove some of the excess salt.
- Drain the herring and taste a small piece. If it’s still too salty, cover it with fresh boiling water, soak again, and drain. Repeat as needed until you’re happy with the salt level.
- Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, pimento peppers, Scotch bonnet pepper, and thyme. Sauté for about 5 minutes, until the onions have softened and the aromatics are fragrant.
- Carefully pour the hot oil and aromatics over the drained, shredded herring. Mix well.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, scallions, and lime juice, if using. Mix to combine.
- Taste and adjust with salt or pepper if needed.
- Let the smoked herring sit for a few minutes so the flavors can come together, then serve.
Nutrition
Notes
- Whole smoked herring can also be used, but it requires more preparation. Boil it for about 5 to 10 minutes, cool, then remove the skin and as many bones as possible before shredding.
- Smoked herring varies in saltiness. Taste between soaks rather than automatically soaking it several times.
- Even fillets may contain small bones, so check the fish carefully while shredding.
- Adjust the Scotch bonnet to suit your preferred heat level.
Serve with fried bake, bread, boiled provisions, or white rice.
Recipe Printed From ThisBagoGirl.com
Just what I needed to kill some tabanca. I added more pepper though. Thanks for sharing this Renz.
Haha.. You are welcome!