Bottled Sardines in Corn Oil

Ingredients:

1 kilo fish in season (tawilis or you may use fish like tunsoy, tamban or small
milkfish)
6- 7 pcs laurel or bay leaf
60- 70 pcs peppercorn
6 -7 pcs red pepper
1 pc whole carrot, sliced thinly
1 pc whole pickle, sliced thinly
1 Liter corn oil (cholesterol free)

Soaking Solutions (brine)

1/4 cup salt

2 cups water

Equipment Utensils:

Pressure cooker
8 oz. bottles with brand new metal caps (required to attain a two- year shelf
life)
Cups, Measuring spoons, Knife, Spatula, Chopping Board, Plastic bowl or
basin, strainer, Hand gloves or potholder.

Procedure:
1. Remove or cut the head, tails, fins, and internal organs of each fish, then wash
them.
2. Dissolve the 1/4 cup of salt in 2 cups water to make 10 percent salt solution
(brine). Stir. To preserve the fish, soak them in the salt solution for 15 minutes. This
will wash out blood and fishy odor. Drain afterwards.
3. Arrange the fish in sterilized glass bottles. If the fish are small, put 8 pcs per
bottle; if they are slightly bigger, put 6-7 pcs.
4. In every bottle, place 1 pc bay leaf or laurel, 10 pcs peppercorn, 2 pcs red pepper
or siling labuyo, 1 pc of sliced carrot, and 2 pcs of sliced pickle. Use a knife or the
end of the spatula to insert the carrots into the bottle. Inserting the knife also
releases the air bubbles from the bottle.
5. Pour the corn oil up to the brim of the bottle.
6. Half- seal and put the bottles over the metal wire wrap inside the pressure cooker.
Pour water up to the half the height of the bottles. Adjust the temperature to
immediately heat the bottles. Start at a high temperature once the pressure cooker
whistles. Pressure-cook for 30 minutes.
The repeated pressure- cooking process is done to completely release remaining air
bubbles in the bottles and thus prevent corrosion of the bottle caps. it is also meant
to precook the fish and to produce a vacuum inside the bottle for a longer shelf life.
7. After 30 minutes, take out the bottles from the pressure cooker. Use hand gloves
or potholder. Since water evaporates, add water inside the pressure cooker to last
for one-and-a- half hours. Seal the bottles fully and cook in the pressure cooker for
one and a half hours under a pressure of 10psi. This is done to soften the bones of
the fish.
8. Cool the jars in an inverted position. This is to make sure that the caps are not
leaking. After 24 hours, wash the bottle with soap and water. Wipe them dry.

Bottled Sardines in Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

1 kilo fish in season (tawilis or you may use fish like tunsoy, tamban or small
milkfish)
60- 70 pcs peppercorn
1 pc whole carrot, sliced thinly
1 pc whole pickle, sliced thinly

Soaking Solutions (brine):

1/4 cup salt

2 cups water

Packing Sauce:

1/2 cup corn oil (120 ml)

1/3 cup vinegar (180 ml)
1 pack tomato paste (70g)
200 ml water

Procedure:
Follow the same procedure as in the preparation of sardines in corn oil, only dont
pour the corn oil. Instead, pour the mixture of oil, vinegar, water, and tomato sauce
or paste. Tomato paste is tastier than tomato sauce because it is concentrated.