Selyodka is a classic marinated fish found throughout Slavic cuisine. Its tender, cool, meaty texture pairs beautifully with homemade bread and creamy mashed potatoes. When my uncle brought home wild-caught shad, I decided to recreate my mother’s selyodka. Her version is perfectly balanced between salt and sugar and yields a soft, flavorful fish. The marinade preserves the fish and develops a delicate taste and texture that works especially well with scumbria, bluefish, shad, herring, trout, or salmon. A couple of tips: add sliced onions just before serving so they stay crisp and not too sour, and always add the fish to a completely cold marinade so the fillets keep their color. With those notes in mind, here’s how to make selyodka at home.
What kind of fish can I use for making Selyodka?
Herring, trout, salmon, scumbria, shad, and bluefish are all suitable for this marinated preparation. Choose firm, oily fish for best results.
Ingredients:
- 3–4 lbs shad (or scumbria, bluefish)
- Canola, vegetable, or sunflower oil
Marinade:
- 4 1/4 cups water (1 liter)
- 1/2 cup vinegar
- 7 tbsp salt
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp whole peppercorns
- 3 bay leaves
How to make selyodka:
1. Scale the fish by running a fork or the back of a knife against the direction of the scales until all are removed.
2. Clean the fish by slicing along the belly from head to tail to remove the entrails. Discard the head and entrails. Rinse the fish thoroughly under cold water, then let the whole fish soak in a bucket of cold water for 1 hour.
3. While the fish soaks, combine the marinade ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring or whisking to dissolve the salt and sugar, then remove from heat and cool completely.
4. Slice the fish into 1″ (about 2.5 cm) thick pieces, discarding the tail. Rinse the slices and keep them in cold water until you are ready to marinate.
5. Pat the fish pieces dry with paper towels and place them into the completely cold marinade. Put a small plate or weight on top to ensure the fish stays submerged. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours.
6. After marinating, remove the fish from the marinade and stack the pieces in a clean jar. Pour oil over the fish until fully covered. Keep refrigerated and use within two weeks, or freeze for longer storage.
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Selyodka Recipe (European Pickled Fish)
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Ingredients
- 3–4 lbs shad fish (or scumbria or bluefish)
- Canola, vegetable, or sunflower oil
Marinade:
- 4 1/4 cups water (1 liter)
- 1/2 cup vinegar
- 7 tbsp salt
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp whole peppercorns
- 3 bay leaves
Instructions
- Scale the fish by running a fork or the back of a knife against the scales.
- Remove entrails by slicing the belly from head to tail; discard the head and entrails. Rinse under cold water and soak the whole fish in cold water for 1 hour.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the marinade ingredients and bring to a boil, whisking to dissolve salt and sugar. Remove from heat and cool completely.
- Slice the fish into 1″ thick pieces, discard the tail, rinse, and keep in cold water until ready to marinate.
- Pat pieces dry, place in the cold marinade, and weigh down with a small plate so they stay submerged. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours.
- Remove the fish from the marinade and stack into a clean jar. Pour oil over the fish until fully covered. Refrigerate and use within two weeks, or freeze for longer storage.
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