Homemade Smoked Herrings Biscuits Recipe

Smoked herrings are very mild in flavor with a soft texture, and if they are not smoked perfectly can taste quite “fishy”.

Smoked herrings are a popular food in the Caribbean and Europe, especially in Sweden and Norway. They are also canned and exported to other countries. Herring is one of the most delicious fish that you can eat during any season because of its availability.

The formula for homemade smoked herrings biscuits is really simple! I have tried the below recipe several times, and it always turns out great. If you are familiar with the process of making biscuits with fresh herbs, this particular recipe is quite similar to it, so please check my Easy Buttermilk Warm Parsley Biscuits Recipe

Cooking with Smoked Herrings

Many people are afraid to cook with smoked herrings because of the strong fishy smell and the saltiness. Smoked fish is one of the most popular methods of preserving meat available today. The process makes the food delicious and provides a nice flavor especially smoked fish such as smoked salmon, smoked mackerel, and others.

Cooking smoked herrings required an extra step. That extra step is desalting. Smoked herrings must be desalted before using. Check out this blog post about how to desalt smoked herrings.

The ingredients needed for the Homemade Smoked Herrings Biscuits Recipe

• Smoked herrings, about 6 – 8 fillets: it is best to buy the fillets than whole fish – better to handle.
• Lime: seafood and fish always need lemon or lime.
• Water: this is needed to soak the fish for desalting
• Garlic: fresh garlic is recommended.
• Red Bell Pepper: this adds a nice flavor
• Shallots: taste much better with the smoked fish, but you can use red onion also.
• Parsley: fresh parsley is a great herb to use in seafood and food.
• Thyme leaves: also a good flavorful herb for seafood and fish.
• Hot pepper sauce: you can either use a hot pepper sauce such as Noubess Hot or Spicy Sauce. You can also use a hot pepper.
• Ground Black Pepper: spices are always good for fish
• Olive Oil: is an ingredient that cannot be substituted.
• All-purpose flour is the second main ingredient in this recipe. Use good all-purpose flour.
• Baking Powder: this helps the dough to rise.
• Kosher Salt: use in moderation
• Whole Milk or Buttermilk: I prefer using buttermilk because it makes the biscuits fluffier.
• Vegetable Shortening: This is great for moisture and flakiness.

How to make the smoked herrings biscuits.

• Remove excess salt on smoked herrings under running water. Add herrings to a pot with water and juice of 1/2 lime. Bring to boil and let cook for 5 minutes. Remove herrings from hot water and chop. Put aside after chopping.
• In a non-stick pan, add oil, garlic, shallots, and red peppers, and let cook for 1 minute. Add herrings, parsley, and thyme, and mix well. Turning occasionally, let the mixture cook for 2 – 3 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of lime juice and hot sauce and stir. Let cook for another 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cook.
• Heat oven to 425°F
• Add flour, baking powder, and salt to a food processor with a metal blade. Blend mixture by pulsing about 4 – 5 times. Add shortening and process until mixture resembles crumbs. Add herring mixture and milk or buttermilk. Process with on/off pulses until mixture starts to form a ball. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1.5cm (0.5″). Cut with a 5cm (2″) cutter to make 12 biscuits.
• Spray a large baking dish or cookie sheet, and place biscuits spreading evenly. Bake on the middle rack in the oven for 12-14 minutes. Serve warm

Notes and Tips

Now, this is not bread; it is biscuits with herrings. The biscuits are not difficult to make. The smoked herrings, on the other hand, were a little tricky.

• First, you have to make sure that the mixture does not come out salty and soggy, and the key to that is to use only one tablespoon of oil.
• The herrings’ mixture contains onions, garlic, red bell peppers, parsley, and thyme and lime juice.
• It is best to add a hot sauce because it will mix better with the flour mixture.

 Homemade smoked herrings biscuits are easy to make. You may not have time to make them often, but they are well worth the time and effort when you do.

 Update and Originally published May 15, 2014