Welsh Foods

Sgadan Hallt – Salted Herrings

Roasting salted herrings was the most acceptable method of cooking them in the counties of south Wales.  The general method was to roast them individually in front of an open fire by means of a long toasting fork, but in some districts in Cardiganshire and Carmarthenshire they were placed on a special grilling frame known as alch.  This iron frame was suspended over an open fire and the herrings, placed across the horizontal bars, were allowed to cook slowly by direct heat.  Roasted herrings were served with bread and butter for tea or supper.

Brynhoffnant, Cardiganshire.

In some districts, salted herrings were soaked in cold water for a few days and then hung out to dry before they were ready for cooking.  A narrow rod, driven through the eye-sockets of a dozen or so, would be suspended from two nails at a convenient place outside the house so that they dried in the heat from the sun.  Alternatively, they were hung inside the house in a large, open chimney.