Canning salmon is a great way to preserve fresh fish so you can enjoy it year-round. Salmon canned at home tastes delicious, is free of unwanted additives, and costs a fraction of what you’d pay for commercially canned salmon. With a pressure canner, some basic equipment, and fresh salmon fillets, you’ll be ready to can your own tasty salmon in no time.
Why Can Salmon at Home?
Canning salmon has many benefits:
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Saves Money – Home canned salmon costs much less than store-bought canned salmon. You can stock up when salmon is in season at lower prices.
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Better Quality – You control the freshness and quality of the salmon. No preservatives colors or flavors are added during home canning.
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Customizable – Add your own choice of spices, citrus, herbs, etc for flavor variations Make it exactly how your family likes it.
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Convenience – Canned salmon makes quick meals anytime. Use for salads, sandwiches, pasta, patties, tacos and more.
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Storage Life – Properly processed canned salmon lasts 1-2 years stored at room temperature. Enjoy salmon out of season.
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Nutrition – Salmon is packed with healthy omega-3s, protein, vitamins and minerals. Canning preserves these nutrients.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these simple steps for safe, delicious home-canned salmon:
What You’ll Need
- Glass canning jars with lids and rings (pint or half-pint size)
- Pressure canner
- Canning rack
- Jar lifter
- Bubble remover/plastic knife
- Kitchen towels
- Fish fillet knife
- Cutting board
- Kitchen scale
- Fine mesh strainer
- Labels and marker
Ingredients
- Fresh salmon fillets or steaks
- Canning or pickling salt (non-iodized)
- White vinegar or lemon juice
Prepare the Salmon
Rinse the salmon, pat dry and remove any bones or skin. Cut the fish into uniform pieces that fit the jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace.
Pack the Jars
Place salmon pieces tightly into jars. Press out air pockets using a plastic knife or bubble remover. Leave 1 inch of headspace.
Add Salt and Acid
Add 1⁄2 tsp salt and 1 tsp vinegar or lemon juice per pint jar. This enhances preservation and flavor.
Remove Air Bubbles
Slide a knife down the jar sides to release trapped air bubbles. Add more fish if needed to maintain headspace.
Wipe Jar Rims
Use a clean, damp towel to wipe jar rims and remove residue. Ensures proper sealing.
Apply Lids and Rings
Place pretreated lids on jars. Screw on rings finger tight. Do not over tighten.
Pressure Can the Jars
Place jars on a rack in the pressure canner. Add 2-3 inches of hot water. Vent for 10 minutes before pressurizing. Process pint jars for 100 minutes at 10-11 psi.
Cool and Check Seals
When done, allow jars to fully cool undisturbed for 12-24 hours. Test seals then label, date and store jars.
Follow these steps precisely for safe, shelf-stable and delicious home-canned salmon to enjoy for up to 2 years! Adjust processing times as needed for half-pint jars.
Tips for Canning Salmon Success
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Use very fresh, sushi-grade salmon within 2 days of purchase.
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Chill fish well before cutting into pieces for canning.
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Pack jars as tightly as possible with fish to prevent floaters.
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Refrigerate sealed jars 2-3 weeks before use to soften bones.
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Add spices, herbs or citrus juice for flavor variations.
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Use the nutritious leftover juices within 2-3 days or freeze.
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Make sure to vent the canner fully before pressurizing.
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Clean jar rims well and never retighten bands after processing.
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Check seals on cooled jars and re-process any that didn’t seal.
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Label jars with contents and date to track shelf life.
With a little practice, you’ll be enjoying delicious canned salmon for pennies on the dollar compared to store-bought. Canning salmon at home lets you control the ingredients while preserving nutrients. Follow the steps precisely for safe, quality results.
Prep Time: 60 minutes
- Pressure canner (All American)
- Fresh salmon (we prefer to use Pink salmon)
- Sharp knife
- cutting board
- half-pint canning jars (250ml)
- white vinegar
- kosher salt
- dill
- chili pepper
Prepare your jars. They don’t have to be sterilized, just clean, because they will end up in the pressure canner and be sterilized there. Usually I can fit one salmon in six half pint jars. Preheat the sealing discs in hot water. Keep the sealing discs hot until ready to use. Fill the pressure cooker and fill with water. Bring up the heat and let it simmer when you’re ready to use.
Prepare the salmon by removing the head, tail and fins. Wash the fish carefully by removing all the blood. I usually keep all the parts that I cut and steam them for my dogs to eat.
A meat cleaver works great for slicing and cutting right through the backbone. I can cut an entire section and it fits perfectly into the jars. I usually do “skin side out” but that is just personal preference. Bones, skin and all go into the jar. The bones will soften later by adding vinegar to the processing.
Pack your salmon tightly into the jars, leaving about a 1-inch headspace. This doesn’t have to be perfect.
After all the jars are filled, add your kosher salt. Do NOT use table salt! For half pint jars, I use 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of white vinegar to soften the bones. Then as an option, I would sprinkle dill and fresh chilies in all the jars.
Now, with a wooden chopstick, remove the air bubbles. Wipe the jar rim clean with a web paper towel moistened with vinegar (clean rims are essential to good seals).
Centre hot sealing disc on clean jar rim. Screw band down until finger tight. Fill your canner. Arrange the jars allowing space for steam to flow around jars. If stacking jars, place a second rack between layers of jars.
When the pressure canner is full, add room temperature water to a level that is one to two inches above the jars. Lock the canner lids in place and begin pressurization.
Depending on your altitude and type of pressure canner begin counting processing time. For my cooking, I heat my jars for 100 minutes at 10 lbs (69 kPa) but check your instructions depending on your elevation. If your pressure drops below 10 lbs guidelines say you must start timing all over again so it’s important to keep an eye on it.
Once your processing time is complete, turn off the heat and leave the canner alone unit the pressure has dropped back to zero and two to three minutes have passed. When you are done, vent your canner and take your jars out. Keep jars level as you’re removing them. Let your jars sit undisturbed for about 24 hours. After that remove the rings and wash in warm soapy water.
I hope you try my recipe. Thanks for reading.
How to Preserve Salmon | Brined, Smoked & Canned
FAQ
How do you can fresh salmon?
- Add the salmon pieces to half-pint jars.
- Place the liner on the bottom of the pressure cooker, and add a few inches of water.
- Add the jars to the pressure canner and process for 110 minutes at 10 PSI, or according to your pressure cooker’s instructions.
Can you can salmon without a pressure cooker?
You must use a pressure canner and not just a boiling water bath to safely can your salmon.
Do you leave the skin on salmon when canning?
Salmon in a can have already been cooked; you only need to drain the liquid before eating or incorporating it into your favorite cuisine. If you’d want, you can take the skin off. Keep the soft, calcium-rich bones! You won’t even notice them if you mash them with a fork.
How long can home canned salmon last?
can extend its “best by” date for up to a year but properly canned salmon can keep for three years or longer. I tend to can with the half pint jars because they are easy to talk around and easy to store.