Homemade Spanish Sardines

Homemade Spanish Sardines are slow cooked into tender perfection by simmering these in a blend of ingredients; olive oil, carrots, a mix of simple aromatics like whole peppercorns, and bay leaves, including some pickled vegetables. Best paired with warm toasty bread, over rice, as a base for pasta, or straight from the jar. This best homemade Spanish sardines recipe brings the gourmet flavor in every bite.

If you are looking for a flavorful gourmet-like dish that you can easily make at home. This Homemade Spanish Sardines recipe is a must-try! Packed full of flavors with a hint of spice, it’s a delicious way to enjoy preserved fish without the preservatives you usually find in a store-bought version. By making it at home, you can control the quality and freshness of the ingredients which makes this mouthwatering shelf sable delicacy even better. Best served it over warmed bread, over crackers as an appetizer, or over rice.

Homemade Spanish Sardines Ingredients :

• Olive oil – or corn oil / coconut oil. Oils create a protective barrier against air which insulates the fishes, preventing oxidation and spoilage.
• Sardines – our main choice of fish for this recipe.
• Water – used to maintain a mild flavor and reduce fats and calories.
• Rock salt – this helps not only enhance the flavor but also lower water activity which in turn keeps the microbes from thriving.
• Carrots – for color and natural sweetness.
• Dried bay leaves, Garlic, and Whole Peppercorn – a helpful ingredient used to preserve the sardines. These add flavor and act as a natural antioxidant and antimicrobial agent.
• Green Olives – for a slight fruity flavor.
• Pickles – adds acidity to avoid bacteria growth and extend shelf life.
• Red Chillies – for spice.
• Vinegar – to help keep harmful bacteria from thriving. Keeping the fish firm and fresh.

Homemade Spanish Sardines

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 hours hrs

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine Filipino

Servings 7

Ingredients

  

• 1 kilo sardines cleaned, with the heads removed
• 1.5 liters of water
• Rock salt
• 2 medium carrots sliced and or shaped
• ⅓ cup dried bay leaves
• 2 bulbs garlic
• 1 tablespoon whole peppercorn
• ½ tablespoon salt
• ½ cup green olives
• ¼ cup pickles
• 6 to 8 red chillies
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 3 cups olive oil corn oil / coconut oil
• ½ cup water

Instructions

 

• In a bowl, add in 1.5 liters of water and a good amount of salt. Then add in the sardines. Let these soak in the brine for 30 minutes.
• In a pot, add carrots, bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns, then the sardines. Layering these again now with a sprinkle of salt. Repeat until all the sardines have been covered.
• Top with the olives, pickles, red chillies, the leftover peppercorns, garlic, bay leaves, and a bit more salt on top. Pour in vinegar.
• Also pour in the olive oil and ½ cup water. Cover and cook at low heat for 1 to 2 hours. Enjoy!. You can also let these cool down completely before placing them in a container or sterilized jar.

Video

Homemade Spanish Sardines Recipe :

Ingredients :

• 1 kilo sardines ( cleaned, with the heads removed )
• 1.5 liters of water
• Rock salt
• 2 medium carrots ( sliced and or shaped )
• ⅓ cup dried bay leaves
• 2 bulbs garlic
• 1 tablespoon whole peppercorn
• ½ tablespoon salt
• ½ cup green olives
• ¼ cup pickles
• 6 to 8 red chillies
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 3 cups olive oil ( corn oil / coconut oil )
• ½ cup water

Steps :

1. In a bowl, add in 1.5 liters of water and a good amount of salt. Then add in the sardines. Let these soak in the brine for 30 minutes.

2. In a pot, add carrots, bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns, then the sardines. Layering these again now with a sprinkle of salt. Repeat until all the sardines have been covered.

3. Top with the olives, pickles, red chillies, the leftover peppercorns, garlic, bay leaves, and a bit more salt on top. Pour in vinegar.

4. Also pour in the olive oil and ½ cup water. Cover and cook at low heat for 1 to 2 hours. Enjoy!. You can also let these cool down completely before placing them in a container or sterilized jar.

Questions:

• Homemade Spanish Sardines Calories

There are around 130 to 170 calories per 56 grams.

• Other ways to make these easy Homemade Spanish Sardines ?

You can make Homemade Spanish sardines in a Pressure Cooker. How?

1. Instead of a pan or pot, use a pressure cooker. Layer and follow the steps 2 to 3, pouring in the water and olive oil in as well. 
2. Close and lock in the lid of the pressure cooker. Cook at medium heat until you hear the valve start to whistle. 
3. Once it does, lower the heat and cook for 1 hour. Turn off the heat then carefully release the pressure by using tongs to lift the valve.
4. Once the pressure is gone, carefully open the lid and let these cool to room temperature before transferring into jars.

• Homemade Spanish Sardines without Olive Oil

While Spanish sardines in olive oil is a more common and popular choice. These are some that do use corn oil ( these are more neutral in flavor and has a faint roasty and sweet flavor ), others use coconut oil ( to impart a slight sweet flavor and aroma for an interesting ‘island flair’), for some nuttiness you can use nut oil like walnut oil. An affordable oil is sunflower or canola oil.

• How to make Homemade Spanish Sardines using other fishes?
  • Homemade Spanish Style Bangus Sardines – you can use bangus ( milkfish ) sliced-steak cut, as a bigger, fuller alternative to sardines.
  • You can also use other fishes like anchovies, small mackerel, herring, or tuna.

You can try this “Homemade Bangus Spanish Sardines Recipe”

• How long does Homemade Spanish Sardines last?

Homemade Spanish sardines with olive oil can last in the fridge for 3 to 4 days in a regular airtight container. If you do preserve these in sterilized glass jars, these can last for a week or more. If you vacuum seal the jars, this can extend “homemade spanish sardines shelf life for years.

• Homemade Spanish Sardines in a Jar

1. First sterilize the jars by cleaning the jars and lids.
2. Place the jars in a large pot with water. Make sure the jars are completely submerged.
3. Boil for 15 to 20 minutes. If you are using smaller jars use 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Carefully take these out using tongs, placing these upside down over a clean towel or over a rack to air dry.
5. Sterilize the lids similarly with 5 to 10 minutes to avoid the rubber from damaging.
6. Add the slightly cooled sardines into the hot jars immediately. Make sure these are fully submerged in oil to the brim.
7. Cover with a lid or vacuum seal before placing these in the fridge.

Try our other Yummy Sardine Recipes :

If you’re ever wanted to start a small home made business, or just have a fondness for Spanish sardines. This easy and flavorful recipe is the perfect place to taste. Rich, savory, preserved fish submerged in oil and spices without any artificial additives. Learn how to store homemade Spanish sardines, how to preserve and store the fishes to keep  these delicious for weeks, and give you many more ideas on different oils and fishes to use. A dish you can enjoy anytime of the day made with simple ingredients you can easily find in your kitchen.

Sardines Spanish Style Recipe ( Tagalog )

Mga Sangkap :

• 1 kilo tamban ( lininis, at tinangalan ng ulo )1 kilo
• 1.5 litro ng tubig
• Asin
• 2 karot ( hiniwa o may dekorasyon pag paghiwa )
• ⅓ tasa tuyong dahon ng laurel
• 2 ulo ng bawang
• 1 kutsara ng buong paminta
• ½ kutsara ng asin
• ½ tasa berdeng olibo
• ¼ tasa ng pickles
• 6 o 8 pulang sili
• 1 kutsara ng suka
• 3 tasa ng olive oil ( o corn oil / coconut oil )
• ½ tasa ng tubig

Paano Lutuin :

1. Sa mangkok, haluan ang 1.5 litro ng tubig at asin. Isama dito ang mga tamban. Ibabad ang mga ito ng 30 minuto.
2. Sa palayok, ilagay dito ang karot, dahon ng laurel, bawang, paminta, at tamban, I-layer ang mga ito ng paulit ulit na may kasamang asin. Ulitin hanggang natakpan ang lahat ng tamban.
3. Ilagay sa ibabaw nito ang mga olibo, pickles, sili, at natitirang buong paminta, bawang, dahon ng laurel, at asin. Ibuhos din dito ang suka.
4. Ibuhos ang olive oil at ½ tasa ng tubig. Takpan at lutuin ng 1 o 2 oras sa mababang init. Ienjoy! Pwede ding palamigin muna bago ilagay sa container o sterilized jar.