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Bucket of Eulachons
21 April 2003
Knight Inlet

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Eulachons are not used just to make eulachon oil. Fresh eulachons are boiled, broiled and fried for eating. They are also preserved by salting, sun-drying, smoking, canning or freezing for the winter use.

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Stringing the Eulachons
April, 2002
Knight Inlet

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A popular way to do the fish is to smoke them. They are strung onto cedar sticks.

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Strung Eulachons
April, 1999
Knight Inlet

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Here you see when they are strung that all the heads are facing the same way. Not only are they easier to get off the stick when the smoking is done, but you will also fit more eulachons on a stick. It is also said that all the eulachon must be facing the same way. If an eulachon is facing the wrong way, it is believed that they do not return.

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Ready for smoking
April, 2002
Knight Inlet

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Now that all the eulachons are strung they will be brought into the smoke house. They will stay in the smoke house for about 3 or 4 days. After they are smoked they are generally eaten fresh and will last up to a week when kept refridgerated. The smoked eulachons can aslo be kept frozen or jarred for later use.

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Stevie Beans
April, 2002
Knight Inlet

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Before eating the smoked eulachons, they are immersed into boiling water just long enough to heat them up.

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Helen Anne Beans
April, 2002
Knight Inlet

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Stephen's sister Helen-Anne seen here is a big help frying fresh eulachons for dinner.

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Barbequing the Fish
April, 2002
Knight Inlet

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Here you see the eulachons being barbequed around an open fire along with another popular fish to us, the sockeye salmon. They are placed between a cedar stick slit down the middle and then held in place by other cross pieces of thinly split cedar.