| Fishing is a fun activity to do as a group. When the | | | | cook them with tomato sauce. I like them either |
| smelt are running in Lake Superior, it becomes a sort | | | | way, but I do not care for them after they have |
| of party for young and old alike. Night time is when | | | | been frozen. So I figured out how to make them |
| the best smelting is and families will pack a lunch, the | | | | taste a lot like a sardine in tomato sauce. I pack |
| children, family dog and dip nets to invade the North | | | | them in quart canning jars and process them |
| Shore of the big lake in search of those little tasty | | | | 90-minutes at 10-pounds in the pressure cooker. I can |
| morsels. Some years it would only take a few hours | | | | fit 28-32 whole smelt per jar after they are cleaned. I |
| to capture tubs full of smelt. Every scoop of the dip | | | | leave the tails on and remove the head and inside |
| net would be almost full. Other years were not so | | | | with just 2 quick cuts of the scissors.I just pack the |
| productive.My first experience with smelt was a long | | | | fish, add 1-teaspoon canning salt, 2-tablespoons |
| time ago, but I still remember that poor neighbor lady | | | | tomato sauce, 2-tablespoons oil and 2-tablespoons |
| trying to clean smelt. We had been smelting all night | | | | vinegar to each jar. The vinegar softens the bones |
| and had quite a lot of fish. When we got home my | | | | and they taste like sardines in tomato sauce. They |
| mother and her friend divided the catch in half and | | | | are a tasty treat in mid winter. Eat them right out of |
| the neighbor lady went home. That evening we were | | | | the jar or heat them in a casserole dish.We have |
| waiting for her to come over for a smelt fry. Finally | | | | casserole dishes at I write about is from personal |
| someone went to see what was keeping her. She | | | | observation and life experiences. I love to cook and |
| was crying and still cleaning fish. She had never dealt | | | | prepare foods in different ways. I like sharing my |
| with smelt before and had spent the entire day | | | | experiences about food and cooking. My website |
| trying to scale them. Smelt are not scaled.Smelt are | | | | was created because of my interest in quality |
| usually put in a batter and deep fried. Some people | | | | cookware and cooking. |