Fish Sauce: My First Batch

Is this in a closed jar? If so, I would imagine getting the salt ratio correct is pretty crucial to prevent botulism.

Hey Rick, my brother did a lot of asking around about this, and botulism - to my understanding - can't occur above 10% to 12% salt - so if you're at 20% you're fine. And yes, it's a sealed jar.

Any particular salt you use, sea salt, morton?

Kosher, non-iodized.

Any particular salt you use, sea salt, morton?

Kosher, non-iodized.

Thanks

Have not read through all of this but skimmed the first few. Good reading for this project.

https://www.fda.gov/media/80310/download

Just finished my first batch with herring.  20% salt, fermented 10 months, half at room temp and half at 82F.

Anchovy batch is looking almost ready and that has been 4 months at 82F.  The warmer temp really sped things up.

Very tasty stuff. 

I’m gonna try this with mackinaw and Hawaiian rock salt. Rat Macks are plentiful. Thinking of just cubing up whole fish. Will report later.

Just finished my first batch with herring.  20% salt, fermented 10 months, half at room temp and half at 82F.

Anchovy batch is looking almost ready and that has been 4 months at 82F.  The warmer temp really sped things up.

Very tasty stuff.

A successful first batch!

I have a question: how did you keep it so warm? Heating pad? I've been having trouble keeping it warm enough and I think it's slowing down my process. During the summer hot spells I was storing them in my car, but those days are over for a while.

Is there an optimal temp?

I put them in my bread proofer which I keep at 82.

Another way would be a heating pad.  I have one I got off amazon that wraps around a 1 gallon jar I use for kombucha.

Seedling heating pads also work and are inexpensive.

I've found with most fermentation something in the high 70s is good.  I just happen to keep the proofer at 82 for bread consistency.

I have eaten my share of fish sauce here and there and fished for over 60 years. Never considered this. See this interesting commercial fish sauce YouTube. https://www.google.com/search?q=making+fish+sauce+youtube&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari#kpvalbx=_ph3RX5PzBsqEsAXcjZbACw3

I put them in my bread proofer which I keep at 82.

Another way would be a heating pad.  I have one I got off amazon that wraps around a 1 gallon jar I use for kombucha.

Seedling heating pads also work and are inexpensive.

I've found with most fermentation something in the high 70s is good.  I just happen to keep the proofer at 82 for bread consistency.

And how dissolved were your herring? I'm still seeing shiny heads in some of mine. I think everything in theory should dissolve to sludge. I'm leaning towards a heating pad to give it a boost.

I have eaten my share of fish sauce here and there and fished for over 60 years. Never considered this. See this interesting commercial fish sauce YouTube. https://www.google.com/search?q=making+fish+sauce+youtube&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari#kpvalbx=_ph3RX5PzBsqEsAXcjZbACw3

That Thai fish sauce uses a 50% salt ratio.  Andrew or anyone try different salt ratio and what different flavors that may yield? 

I have eaten my share of fish sauce here and there and fished for over 60 years. Never considered this. See this interesting commercial fish sauce YouTube. https://www.google.com/search?q=making+fish+sauce+youtube&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari#kpvalbx=_ph3RX5PzBsqEsAXcjZbACw3

That Thai fish sauce uses a 50% salt ratio.  Andrew or anyone try different salt ratio and what different flavors that may yield?

They are basically saturating with salt.  The end product has 25% salt (stated in the video), which is slightly below the 26.2% needed to saturate water.  You can see the excess salt crystals in the vat as well as mention of product being filtered through salt as it is drained from the bottom.

-Allen

I have eaten my share of fish sauce here and there and fished for over 60 years. Never considered this. See this interesting commercial fish sauce YouTube. https://www.google.com/search?q=making+fish+sauce+youtube&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari#kpvalbx=_ph3RX5PzBsqEsAXcjZbACw3

That Thai fish sauce uses a 50% salt ratio.  Andrew or anyone try different salt ratio and what different flavors that may yield?

They are basically saturating with salt.  The end product has 25% salt (stated in the video), which is slightly below the 26.2% needed to saturate water.  You can see the excess salt crystals in the vat as well as mention of product being filtered through salt as it is drained from the bottom.

-Allen

Makes sense.  Vid also said the liquid is flitered by a layer of salt. 

How did your herring fish sauce turn out?

I have eaten my share of fish sauce here and there and fished for over 60 years. Never considered this. See this interesting commercial fish sauce YouTube. https://www.google.com/search?q=making+fish+sauce+youtube&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari#kpvalbx=_ph3RX5PzBsqEsAXcjZbACw3

That Thai fish sauce uses a 50% salt ratio.  Andrew or anyone try different salt ratio and what different flavors that may yield?

They are basically saturating with salt.  The end product has 25% salt (stated in the video), which is slightly below the 26.2% needed to saturate water.  You can see the excess salt crystals in the vat as well as mention of product being filtered through salt as it is drained from the bottom.

-Allen

Makes sense.  Vid also said the liquid is flitered by a layer of salt. 

How did your herring fish sauce turn out?

It was a fun exercise, but it wasn't Red Boat.  For the amount of fish sauce I use, I'll just buy the good stuff.

-Allen