If you've never tried this Selyodka recipe, you're missing out. You could compare it to Italian anchovies. It's strangely good and really easy to make.

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In an effort to take you on a trip down memory lane, I present to you; selyodka. Don’t laugh. I feel brave posting this. Are you a selyodka lover??

My husband went fishing with my parents this week and brought home the limit of large, beautiful trout. We baked some, smoked a bunch, made silodka, gave some away, and froze the rest. If you’ve never tried this, you’re missing out. I guess you could compare it to Italian anchovies.

If this is new to you, just be aware that your family might look at you like you’re crazy. Politely tell them “it is colturrol egsperrience”(in your best Russian accent; rolling your r’s of course), and calmly continue eating your fish. I can just see you now. Ha ha.

I do like silodka particularly with some fresh homemade bread. It’s strangely good and really easy to make.

Ingredients for selyodka:

2-4 lbs trout, herring, or salmon (we used trout here), gutted, washed (no need to de-scale)
2 medium onions, sliced
1 cup grape seed oil or canola oil

For the Marinade:

4 cups water
1 cup salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp coriander
1 Tbsp pepper corns
5-7 bay leaves

Pickled Selyodka Recipe (pickled fish)-10

How to Make Selyodka:

1. Bring 4 cups water to a boil, then remove from heat. Add the rest of the marinade ingredients (1 cup salt, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 Tbsp coriander, 1 Tbsp pepper corns and 5-7 bay leaves). Stir to dissolve the salt and sugar, then cool to room temp (set it outside if it’s cold).

selyodka-recipe

2. Slice trout into 1-inch steaks, you can cut your steaks in half if you wish. Discard heads and tails. Place fish in a large bowl.

Pour marinade over the fish steaks, weigh it down with a plate to make sure fish is submerged in the brine, then cover and refrigerate (or put in the garage if it’s very cold out) for 12-14 hours. (We let it marinate in the fridge for 12 hours).

selyodka-recipe-1

3. Remove fish steaks from the marinade and place them in a jar, stacking them tightly with layers of onion in between. Pour in enough oil to fill the spaces and cover the fish. The oil will keep it moist and presentable. Keep refrigerated.

Pickled Selyodka Recipe (pickled fish)-4

Pickled Selyodka Recipe (pickled fish)-2-2

Pickled Selyodka Recipe (pickled fish)-9

selyodka-recipe-2

So, do you eat selyodka?

Selyodka Recipe (European Pickled Fish)

5 from 18 votes
Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
If you've never tried this Selyodka recipe, you're missing out. You could compare it to Italian anchovies. It's strangely good and really easy to make.
In an effort to take you on a trip down memory lane, I present to you; selyodka. If you've never tried this, you're missing out. I guess you could compare it to Italian anchovies. If this is new to you, just be aware that your family might look at you like you're crazy. Politely tell them "it is colturrol egsperrience"(in your best Russian accent; rolling your r's ofcourse), and calmly continue eating your fish. I can just see you now. Ha ha. I do like silodka particularly with some fresh homemade bread. It's strangely good and really easy to make.
Prep Time: 12 hours
Total Time: 12 hours

Ingredients 

Servings: 6 -12
  • 2-4 lbs trout, herring or salmon (we used trout this time) gutted, washed (no need to de-scale)
  • 2 medium onions, sliced
  • 1 cup grape seed oil or canola oil
  • For the Marinade:
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 cup salt
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 Tbsp coriander
  • 1 Tbsp pepper corns
  • 5-7 bay leaves

Instructions

  • Bring 4 cups water to a boil, then remove from heat. Add the rest of the marinade ingredients (1 cup salt, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 Tbsp coriander, 1 Tbsp pepper corns and 5-7 bay leaves). Stir to dissolve the salt and sugar, then cool to room temp (set it outside if it's cold).
  • Slice fish into 1-inch steaks (discard heads and tails) you can cut your steaks in half if you wish. Place fish in a large bowl. Pour marinade over the fish steaks, weigh it down with a plate to make sure fish is submerged in the brine, then cover and refrigerate (or put in the garage if it's very cold out) for 12-14 hours. (We let it marinate in the fridge for 12 hours).
  • Remove fish steaks from the marinade and place them in a jar, stacking them tightly with layers of onion in between. Pour in enough oil to fill the spaces and cover the fish. The oil will keep it moist and presentable. Keep refrigerated.
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Russian, Ukrainian
Keyword: Pickled Fish, Selyodka
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $$
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook
5 from 18 votes (7 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  • irena
    October 21, 2013

    Thanks again for making me feel 10 “again”… so many childhood memories 🙂 My son is going salmon fishing tomorrow – and hope he gets a bit catch ’cause I’ll be making selyodika ..and potatoes on the side…
    and do tell your husband Дякуємо вам за “kholodetz” I made it and it tasted just like my Mom’s I use a bit of vinegar instead of horseradish and then used both hmmm hmmm!!!!
    I’m glad I found your “Natasha’s Kitchen”.

    Irena

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 21, 2013

      That’s awesome! I just told my husband and he was all smiles 🙂

      Reply

  • Pelusa
    October 21, 2013

    I have eaten smoked seliodka several times with a Russian friend. It was very good.
    Thanks for sharing this recipe.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 21, 2013

      You are welcome Pelusa :).

      Reply

  • janet
    October 21, 2013

    The photos and the recipe brings back memories of my father. He ate and made this picked fish often. He was German though but he would eat the fish as an afternoon lunch break when he came in from the field or from tending to the cows.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 21, 2013

      That’s sweet that it reminds you of your father. I think there are lots of similarities between Ukrainian and German food :).

      Reply

  • moms dish
    October 21, 2013

    I have some frozen salmon. I want to try your recipe, as weird as selodka is 🙂 we love it…
    p.s. I need to kick your butt 😉 I had to go to Russian store to get some cold smoked trout. After seen your Instagram pics

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 21, 2013

      Neener neener. lol. It’s funny that we crave such things huh?

      Reply

  • Natasha
    October 21, 2013

    Thank you for posting this recipe!!! I love seliodka with baked potatoes. And you know, I’ve tried it firstly being frozen, it is GOOD!!!!!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 21, 2013

      That’s great to know! Thank you!!

      Reply

  • Alyona
    October 21, 2013

    My parents make something like that but it has carrots too. I always ask my parents to marinate it when dad goes fishing. It Works with all the fish I like with trout best. It’s called “ХЕ”- KHE I believe its one of the Tatars recipe. We had a lot of them live in Crimea.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 21, 2013

      I think trout is my favorite too, well I guess it’s a tie with salmon 🙂

      Reply

  • Nella
    October 21, 2013

    My husband loves this! We always take a jar when his mom makes it and now can try this 🙂 by the way even my kids eat it with zaryna kartoshka for breakfast 😉

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 21, 2013

      You’re the second person to say you have it with potatoes for breakfast. Looks like I’m missing out! 😉

      Reply

  • inthekitchenwithluba.com
    October 21, 2013

    🙂 I remember offering it to some of our non russian friends, and they didn’t know how to politely tell me that they were super grossed out by the “raw” fish! 🙂

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 21, 2013

      Your next question should have been: Do you eat sushi? I guess this is our version of sushi, but at least it is pickled so it’s not completely raw like sushi fish.

      Reply

  • Olena@iFOODreal
    October 21, 2013

    Yes, love it! My mom made some with salmon. Still in my fridge. We love offering “ikra” to all of our Canadian friends. Their faces are priceless. But not too much, just a little bit, don’t waste my precious stuff.;)

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 21, 2013

      This is awesome with salmon. How do you make the “ikra”?

      Reply

      • Olena@iFOODreal
        October 21, 2013

        Clean with tennis raquet. And then brine.

        Reply

  • Natasha
    October 21, 2013

    Yam! I used to love this when we lived in Ukraine, the best breakfast ever is salad, Seledka , and жареная картошка. Non Russians just don’t get it, my husband cannot even look at it, his lost.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 21, 2013

      ha ha. So true. Try the line at the beginning of this post: Politely tell him “it is colturrol egsperrience”(in your best Russian accent; rolling your r’s of course), and calmly continue eating your fish. Yes, give us fish, potatoes and bread and we will survive. lol

      Reply

  • Iryna
    October 21, 2013

    Селедка made with trout! Sounds pretty good, considering that my husband will not eat it – too many small bones. I might make it soon too. Usually I dry cure salmon to get “lox”.
    Thank you, Natasha!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 21, 2013

      Salmon works really well in this recipe too, wee just has trout so that’s what we used :).

      Reply

  • Galya
    October 21, 2013

    Omg, Natasha, my mouth is watering just by looking at this!!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 21, 2013

      I can tell you are European, LOL :D.

      Reply

  • iryna p
    October 21, 2013

    Wow! Trout! I make seledka from herring, but never tried trout before. It can not be a frozen fish though. right?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 21, 2013

      I think it’s best fresh. I don’t recall my parents ever making it with frozen either.

      Reply

  • Valerie
    October 21, 2013

    Reminds me of gravlax and other cold and raw fish marinades. Will definitely try this!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 21, 2013

      I had to google gravlax, but yes, it seems similar! 🙂

      Reply

    • Iryna
      October 21, 2013

      Valerie, I googled gravlax. We also dry rub salmon(and other big fish) this way and get what is close to lox.

      Reply

  • alison
    October 21, 2013

    Thanks for a great recipe! I have some fish to marinade with this good stuff.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 21, 2013

      You’re welcome. It’s nice to finally get it recorded. I hope you love it!

      Reply

  • Oksana
    October 21, 2013

    Absolutely!! I love this stuff. What a great recipe! Thank you!! 🙂

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 21, 2013

      You’re welcome Oksana. It’s one of our stranger foods, but it is surprisingly good 🙂

      Reply

  • olga
    October 21, 2013

    Girl, you are brave. Thank you for sharing, looks amazing. Hopefully i’ll be breve enough some day 🙂

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 21, 2013

      Ha! I know it! That’s how I felt the first time making it, but it is one of those dishes that will definitely impress your parents if they are familiar with it.

      Reply

  • Julia
    October 21, 2013

    Ah, yes! With mashed potatoes for breakfast haha. My non-Russian husband just doesn’t get it! This looks delicious!!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 21, 2013

      For breakfast? Wow! Now you’re the brave one! lol. I’m sure there are more than a few people that look at it and say, “what is it?!”

      Reply

  • Maryam
    October 21, 2013

    Facinating, thanks for sharing!
    How long do they keep for (refrigerated óf course)?
    http://maryamsculinarywonders.blogspot.com/

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 21, 2013

      My sources tell me you can keep it in the fridge up to a month. You’re blog is nice; I was just perusing it. 🙂

      Reply

  • Veranika
    October 21, 2013

    I like it with mashed potatoes. I feel hungry just by looking at those pictures.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 21, 2013

      I’m so glad it’s familiar to you too. Yesss!!! 🙂

      Reply

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