Recipe Manuscript

To Pickle A Salmon

Name: To Pickle A Salmon
Prep time: PTPT25M
Cook time: PTPT20M
Yield: 10
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 1 whole salmon (2-3 kg), gutted but not scaled; 3 liters water; 200 g coarse sea salt; 2 tbsp whole black peppercorns; 2 tbsp fresh ginger, sliced (about 40 g); 4 bay leaves; 1 horseradish root, peeled and sliced (or 100 g jarred horseradish as a substitute); 500 ml white wine vinegar

1694

From the treasured pages of English cookery and medicine book,

Unknown Author

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Intermediate Dinner Lunch Snack

Original Recipe • 1694

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

To Pickle A Salmon

"Draw ye fish but scale it not dry it well with a cloth then take as much water as will cover your fish put it into a great deal of salt, some whole pepper ginger bay leaves horse raddish roots sliced, let the liquor boyle up to the very height when you put your fish in but afterwards you must let it boyle very leasurably or else the fish will fall to pieces when the fish is enough take it up and put it into a tray and put some vinegar on it then put in your liquor to as much vinegar as will make it sharp and let it boyle a while longer it is the best way to put the spice in when the fish is taken out when it is up then take it off and let it cool and put your fish in it."

Note on the Original Text

Written in typical early modern English, this recipe is both sparse and conversational, offering instructions in a continuous narrative without measured ingredients or precise timings. Readers were expected to have experience and intuition, adjusting salt and vinegar 'to taste.' Spelling like 'boyle' (boil), 'leisurably' (leisurely/gently), and 'horse raddish' are typical of the era’s flexible orthography; punctuation is minimal, forming garrulous sentences that move briskly from one step to the next.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

English cookery and medicine book, - Click to view recipe in book

Title

English cookery and medicine book, (1694)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Unknown

Era

1694

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A delightful journey through late 17th to early 18th-century kitchens, this tome features recipes, culinary wisdom, and mouthwatering secrets from an era where feasts reigned supreme and the art of cooking was celebrated with flourish.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from English manuscript 'V.b.380' dating roughly between 1677 and 1711. At that time, pickling was both a culinary delight and a crucial preservation method for fish like salmon, keeping them edible before the era of refrigeration. Such recipes were handed down in lavish households, marrying practicality with the fashionable taste for sour and spiced flavors strongly favored in late Stuart and early Georgian England. The dish would have been served cold, perhaps as part of a grand banquet, demonstrating both skill and access to exotic spices and vinegars.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, this recipe would have been executed in a large cauldron or copper pot over an open hearth fire. Large wooden or metal ladles, trays for cooling the fish, clean linen cloths for drying, and ceramic or glass jars for storing the finished pickled salmon would be used. Modern cooks can use stainless steel pots, slotted spoons, and glass or ceramic vessels for cooling and storing.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

25 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Servings

We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!

Ingredients

1 whole salmon (4.5-6.5 lb), gutted but not scaled
3 quarts water
7 oz coarse sea salt
2 tbsp whole black peppercorns
2 tbsp fresh ginger, sliced (about 1.5 oz)
4 bay leaves
1 horseradish root, peeled and sliced (or 3.5 oz jarred horseradish as a substitute)
2 cups white wine vinegar

Instructions

Begin by preparing a whole salmon (about 4.5-6.5 lb), gutted but not scaled.
Pat the fish dry with a clean cloth.
In a large pot, add enough water to fully submerge the fish—about 3 quarts.
Dissolve 7 oz of coarse sea salt in the water.
Add 2 tablespoons of whole black peppercorns, 2 tablespoons of sliced fresh ginger (about 1.5 oz), 4 bay leaves, and 1 horseradish root (peeled and sliced, or substitute with 3.5 oz jarred horseradish).
Bring this spiced brine to a vigorous boil.
Place the salmon into the boiling brine, then immediately reduce the heat to a gentle simmer to prevent the fish from breaking apart.
Simmer gently until the salmon is cooked through (about 15-20 minutes, depending on its size).
Remove the salmon carefully onto a tray.
While still hot, splash over enough white wine vinegar (about 1 cup) to coat the fish.
To finish the pickling liquid, add an equal amount of vinegar to the brine (another 1 cup), taste, and adjust to make it 'sharp.' Add back more spices if desired and let the liquid boil for a short while.
Allow the liquid to cool completely, then submerge the salmon in it to finish pickling.
Serve cold.

Estimated Calories

240 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It usually takes about 15-20 minutes to cook the salmon in the simmering brine. Preparing the ingredients, gutting and cleaning the salmon, and making the brine will take around 20-25 minutes. One whole salmon this size yields about 10 servings. Each serving has around 240 calories, based on a portion of fish with a small amount of vinegar and brine absorbed.

As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.

We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.