Pickled Muktuk is a modern American recipe (from the Alaskan Inuits) for a classic traditional dish of pickled whale meat or blubber in a vinegared sugar brine. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic American version of: Pickled Muktuk.
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Muktuk is a traditional inuit delicacy of whale chunks, predominantly eaten in Inuit regions such as Greenland and Alaska. A part of Inuit cuisine, it is most often made from the bowhead whale, although the beluga and the narwhal are also used. I'm presenting this recipe as a traditional Inuit recipe but also because this pickling method also presents the foundation for how summer abundance of Ammassat, the Greenlandic Capelin Mallotus villosus is preserved.
Ingredients:
1 piece Muktuk (whale meat or blubber)
1 tsp pickling spice
3-4 Bay Leaves
100g Sugar
1 tsp Black Pepper
5 Cloves
1 tsp Allspice
500ml Water
750ml White Vinegar
Salt to taste
ground black Pepper to taste
2 White Onions, peeled and cut into chunks
Method:
To prepare the pickling brine, simply combine all the ingredients (except the whale meat and onions) in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar and salt then take off the heat and set aside to cool.
Boil the muktuk meat whole for 30 minutes, adding salt and pepper as it boils. Remove the meat from the pan with a slotted spoon then dice into small chunks. Rinse the chunks in hot water twice.
Place in a large jar along with onion chunks and brine (needs to be cooled from boiling, but still hot). Secure with vinegar-proof lids and set aside to cool. Label and store to mature for at least 7 days.
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