When smoked, the fish not only persists for a long time, but also takes the form of a delicious snack. It is rarely possible to find real smoked fish in the store, most often it is treated with the so-called "liquid smoke" - a very harmful substance that only creates the smell of smoked fish. However, delicious fish, both hot and cold smoked, can be prepared at home.
Cold smoking allows you to store fish for a long time at room temperature (from +18 to + 20 ° C). With hot smoking (t - from +80 to + 150 ° C) we get a healthy, biologically valuable product in a relatively short time.
For smoking you need the following conditions:
1. A good smokehouse (purchased or homemade);
2. correctly prepared wood for the smokehouse;
3. strict adherence to the temperature regime of smoking.
Smoked fish - cooking utensils
For smoking, you need any non-oxidizing basin for pre-salting the fish and, in fact, the smokehouse itself. If not ready, then it can be built on its own. The simplest option is a non-galvanized bucket having a lid or a stainless steel box equipped with handles (for mounting on and removing from the fire) and a lid. Inside this tank, at a distance of 4 cm from the bottom, place a grate (there may be several). Sawdust or shavings are poured onto the bottom of the smokehouse (2-3 handfuls on a bucket).
Smoked fish - preparation of products
Different types of fish need to be prepared for smoking in different ways. You should also pay attention to the fat content of the fish and its weight. For example, small fish do not need to be gutted at all.
In zander, the belly should be cut not from below, but from the side, while cutting all the ribs. Next, you need to salt the fish, pack it in a plastic bag, and bury it in the ground. After an hour and a half (depending on the size of the pike perch), they dig up the fish, turn it on the other side, and dig it again for the same time interval. Then the zander is removed from the bag, washed well, hung upside down. Garlic is finely chopped and placed together with black pepper (peas) and bay leaf in the belly of the fish.
Salmon and perch are gutted, but the scales are not cleaned - the fish will come out juicier, then it can easily be removed together with the skin. Large fish need to be cut. Salt in brine for 15-30 minutes (depending on salt concentration). 1-2 bay leaves, black pepper with peas (2-3 pcs.), Dill and onions are placed in the fish. If the fish is being cooked whole, then its belly needs to be deployed or a sliver-spacer inserted into it.
The oppressive method is suitable for carp, chub, ide, pike, catfish, pike perch and any small fish. Large and medium-sized fish are gutted, along the ridge they make longitudinal cuts for better salting. Then fish is covered with coarse salt and put under oppression: small - for 8-9 hours, large - 11-12. Drain the brine, and rinse the fish in water (preferably flowing) for 2 hours.
With dry salting in bags, fish should not be washed. Large and medium-sized fish gut, remove the spine and head. Then it is put into bags by this method: a layer of gray coarse salt, a layer of fish with the pulp down (even before laying with salt sprinkled), a layer of fish (with salt) with the pulp up, a layer of salt. Next, repeat the layers. Shake the bag periodically so that the layers are well compacted. Do not fill the bag more than half. After laying, the neck should be tightened tightly enough, because this will create additional pressure on the salted fish. Bury the bag in the sand, then compact it carefully. With this method, any fish is salted per day. Trifle and pike - in 12 hours.
Recipe 1: Hot Smoked Fish
To cook hot smoked fish, you first need to salt it according to one of the above methods, and then salty for an hour.
Ingredients: any fish, salt, spices.
Cooking method
After drying, rinse the fish with water (a large one is best kept in water for an hour). Then it is laid out on the grate loosely, in one layer. A larger one is located at the bottom of the smokehouse.
At the very beginning of smoking, for boiling and drying the fish, they maintain a sufficiently strong fire, while making sure that the fish does not burn. Next, the fire is screwed and smoked fish for 30-60 minutes.
Recipe 2: Cold Smoked Fish
For salting fish before cold smoking, salt is used a little more than before hot. Then the fish is well soaked (one day), washed and dried. Large - up to 5 days, and small - up to 3. Large fish spacers are inserted into the abdominal cavity.
Ingredients: Any fish, salt, spices
Cooking method
Prepared fish is placed in a smokehouse with sawdust. Smoke with cold smoke (about 25 ° C) for 1-6 days, depending on the size of the fish. The more it is salted, the lower the temperature should be.
Recipe 3: Smoked Fish
Recently, this technology has become increasingly popular because it is quite simple and makes it possible to experiment.
Fish should be salted out no more than a day. The same time will be required to soak it.
Ingredients: Any fish, salt, spices.
Cooking method
The temperature in the smokehouse is maintained at a level of 50-60 ° C. The whole process takes no more than one daylight.
Smoked fish - tips from experienced chefs
The fish will turn out even tastier if you use sawdust of fruit trees for smoking. Resin trees (pine, spruce) should not be used for these purposes.
