In the midst of the mackerel season take twenty fine fresh fish, split
them open at the belly, only as far as to the backbone, remove the
gills and entrails, clear out well, particularly the blood lying on the
bone, wash them with salt and water, and hang them up to drain. Make a
pickle by boiling for twenty minutes,
Rock salt or common salt 2 lb.
Coarse sugar, foots 1 lb.
Saltpetre 1 oz.
Jamaica pepper, bruised 2 oz.
Bay leaves 1 oz.
Laurel leaves 1 oz.
Water 1 gall.
Lay the fish in a vessel, and pour the liquor, when luke warm, upon
them; keep the fish down by a board, and let them lie twenty-four
hours; then pour off the liquor, boil it up, skimming well, and return
it on to the fish for twenty-four hours more. Then take them up and
hang them to dry, exposing the insides well to the current of air by
wooden splints placed inside. When sufficiently dried both inside and
outside, remove them to your chimney and smoke them a dark colour with
Oak sawdust 1 part
Fern 2 parts
Beech 2 parts
Peat 1 part
When cold, take a pair of large scissors, and cut off the sides of the
belly part, to extent of an inch; take off the heads, lay the fish on
their backs, packed side by side, and saturate the backbones with this
mixture by means of a camel’s-hair tool:
Essence of cassia 1 tablespoonful
Essence of allspice 2 tablespoonfuls
Essence of cloves 2 tablespoonfuls
Essence of nutmeg 1 tablespoonful
Essence of mace 1 tablespoonful
Repeat this twice a-day for three days, and when dry, coat the fish
with gelatine composition, and keep in a dry place.