Which smoked fish is better to buy. Simple rules for hot smoking fish

Homemade smoking is also a good way to preserve the cooked dish, as the smoked product will stay for several days without a refrigerator. Using this opportunity, you can thoroughly stock up on a certain holiday.

Choosing and preparing fish

It is not difficult to pick up fish for hot smoking, the main thing is to know a few basic rules:

By and large, you can "put" any fish in the smokehouse, but experienced fishermen, who have rich experience, argue that nothing is better than asp for hot smoking. Of course, it all depends on personal taste and capabilities.

By agreeing with the earners, experienced chefs prefer a different look. They believe that it is red fish that is the most delicious, and it is better to smoke it in a hot way.

Such a delicious and popular asp

It is possible to argue for a long time about what kind of fish to subject to smoke treatment, but the advice of fishermen who know a lot about this matter should still heed.

Asp is probably the most popular freshwater fish of all. The family goes well with vegetable crops, it is fried, boiled, stewed, baked and, of course, smoked, but you should not forget that it contains many small bones.

An adult asp can grow up to 80 cm in length and gain a weight of about eight kilograms. Its body is covered with small scales, the back is grayish-blue, the sides have a blue tint, and the abdomen is white. Asp meat, rather fatty. That is why hot smoked asp is considered the most delicious of all types of freshwater fish.

Hot smoked asp recipe

The washed and gutted fish is cut along the ridge without removing it. Then the meat is dried on a paper towel and rubbed with a sugar-salt mixture inside and out. It is necessary to rub the carcass against the scales, it is more effective. Then, the asp should be dried in a well-ventilated area for about one day. It is easy to check the readiness of the product: touch it, if your finger does not stick, then you can start the smoking process.

The asp is cooked, about 20 minutes, the dish is ready to eat when no blood is visible on the ridge. The most delicious smoked fish is ready!

Smoked asp can be eaten hot or cold. In any case, it will not lose its nutritional value and wonderful taste.

One small secret of smoking should be known: there should be no bark on wood chips, otherwise the asp will turn out to be bitter, since its meat is able to absorb essential compounds.

Red fish, product benefits

Few people know that the protein of fish of the salmon family is absorbed by the human body 30% better than the protein of meat of warm-blooded animals. The fact speaks for itself: red fish is not only the most delicious, but also very healthy food. Fish cooked in a smokehouse does not lose its nutritional value. Why is it so useful? But what:

• is able to influence the level of cholesterol, lowers it;
• increases the efficiency of the brain;
• helps to improve the activity of the heart;
• prevents the formation of blood clots;
• has a positive effect on the liver;
• contains natural amino acids, many vitamins;
• Omega-3 fatty acids contained in this meat fight cancer cells and promote the removal of free radicals from the body, which, in turn, contributes to overall health;
• has a positive effect on the human nervous system;
• recommended for use by elderly people.

1. Examine the head. The gills should be red, a yellowish or greenish tint indicates a poor-quality product. The clarity of the eyes is also important. If the fish has cloudy eyes, then it is better to leave it in the store;
2. The abdomen should have a pale pink color, yellowness is not acceptable;
3. Pay attention to the integrity of the fins and tail. If they are broken or very dry, then this means that the carcass has been repeatedly thawed, then frozen again;
4. The skin with scales should be smooth and fit well to the body;
5. Consider the shape of the carcass. There should be no unnatural fractures and mechanical damage on it;
6. Smell the product. Bad meat has a characteristic unpleasant odor.

It is worth noting that you can buy chopped pulp for smoking, it is much more convenient, it saves time and effort.

Recipe for smoking red fish

We have already figured out which fish is worth buying, but in order to get really tasty food from it, you need to know a few general rules of preparation:

• to make the dish juicy, appetizing, it should be soaked in olive oil with the addition of lemon juice and onions;
• no need to abuse spices, this will ruin the natural aroma and distort the original taste of the finished dish;
• smoked meat is combined with various vegetables, cereals, sour sauces.

For a delicious and nutritious food in your smokehouse, stick to the recipe.

Components:

• 4 kilograms of pink salmon;
• 150 g of salt;
• one tablespoon of granulated sugar;
• red and black ground pepper is taken in half a teaspoon;
• the same amount of dried basil, mustard seeds, plus bay leaves will be needed;
• a few cloves of garlic.

Rub the gutted carcass with salt, insert a bay leaf into the gills. Finely chop the garlic and mix with all the other ingredients. Sprinkle the resulting mixture on the fish, both outside and inside. Prepared in this way, the "sea inhabitant" should be put in polyethylene, left to marinate. The larger the carcass, the longer it will take for salting. Small fish will need no more than 20 hours, and a large "catch" is desirable to withstand at least a day.

A large chip is poured with water for a few minutes, fine, just sprinkle it, then the smoke turned out to be thick and persistent. So that the flowing fat does not smudge, a little water is poured into the pan. The heat should be strong for the first 15 minutes, then the temperature can be lowered. The pieces should be turned over occasionally. If a large fish is being prepared, then the time of the smoke treatment process can last up to 2 hours, for small portions it will be enough for 30 minutes.

Appearance is the main indicator of the readiness of the dish: dry skin, delicate golden color, rich aroma. In the finished product, the meat lags well behind the bones.

All is ready! Now you know what kind of fish you need to cook, what you need to make it tasty, juicy and healthy. Bon Appetit!

Lucky fishing with your catch? This is a great excuse to smoke fish. Smoked fish is incredibly tasty and deliciously aromatic, and besides, smoking fish is quite simple. You just need to have a smokehouse and make a fire. Remember, smoke is a natural antiseptic that will extend the shelf life of your fish and give it a special aroma and flavor. And now we will learn how to smoke fish at home or in the field.

What kind of fish to smoke

Beginner anglers will ask what kind of fish to smoke? Our answer is that you can smoke almost any fish. The main thing is that you meet two conditions:

• the fish you intend to smoke must have been fresh!
• Choose fish for smoking of the same size and of the same type, then it will be salted and smoked more evenly!

If the question of what kind of fish to smoke is related to its type, then take into account that fatty fish turns out to be more tasty. For example, smoked mackerel or raspberry is delicious, excellent - whitefish, herring, stellate sturgeon, sterlet, catfish, pike perch, pollock, flounder, pollock, cod, haddock. And, of course, the eel. If you have caught perches and crucians, you can also smoke safely. Caught a pike - smoke! Thus, we consider the question of what kind of fish to smoke as solved.

Smokehouse for fish

You will need a smokehouse to smoke fish. Typically, a smokehouse is a large metal box with a lid and grate. It is better if this box is not too high, 50 cm in height is enough, otherwise all the fish will not be able to smoke qualitatively. The lid must fit very tightly onto the pallet.

How to smoke fish - gutting

Someone likes to smoke fish not gutted. But sometimes smoked fish that have not been discarded can taste bitter. Therefore, it is recommended to remove the gills, entrails and always the dark film from the ribs. There are the following guidelines for gutting fish for smoking, depending on the size:

• Small fish weighing 300-400 g are not gutted before smoking - they are salted and then smoked whole. Carp and bream, which weigh no more than 750 g, are also smoked whole.
• Medium fish weighing from 1 to 3 kg, if desired, can also not be gutted in order to smoke. But if the fish is intended for hot smoking, it is better to gut it without removing the scales and leaving the head.
• Fish of very large sizes are always gutted and plastered. It is advisable to divide large fish in half lengthwise so that for each half of the carcass there is half a head and half a tail. To do this, the fish is divided in half along the back so that both halves are connected on the ventral side. The spine and caudal fin are not removed.
• Quite suitable for smoking are pieces of fish of the same size, cut across — vertically to the spine.
• If the fish is smoked whole, then it is not necessary and even undesirable to clean it of scales, especially if the scales are strong enough and beautiful in appearance, since it protects the fish meat from dirt and soot during smoking.
• The exception is whitefish - they must be cleaned. In some cases - for example, if the scales are damaged when fishing with a net - they can be cleaned.

How to smoke fish - salting

The fish should be smoked after the salting procedure. Usually fish is recommended to be salted 2-3 hours before smoking. But if you are going to eat it immediately after cooking, and this happens in most cases, since the fish spreads such an aroma ... Then you can simply rub the fish with coarse salt before placing it in the smokehouse. And do not keep it in salt for several hours. If you still intend to eat fish some time after smoking, then it is better to salt it, and rinse it from salt before laying. Before laying the fish, you can pepper and add spices and herbs suitable for the fish. But not a lot.

What to smoke fish on - wood for smoking

Most often, fish is smoked on alder, chips and shavings are suitable, you can wet it, it is good to add raw twigs and leaves to the shavings. You can use willow. However, it is classically believed that alder or juniper wood is best used to obtain wood chips. They also use hazel, oak, apple, ash, pear (it is better if these are branches that were obtained during spring pruning), as well as birch. Each of the trees will give the product its own special flavor. You can also use chips from different types of wood. Before splitting from wood, you must first remove the bark, since the bark contains a lot of resin. It is for this reason that you cannot use wood from conifers. The tree must be crushed to cubes 2-3 cm in size, but no more. Before pouring wood chips into the smoker, they should be slightly moistened, and then sprinkled in an even layer along the bottom of the smoker. If you are using a bucket-sized smokehouse, then 200-300 ml of wood chips by volume will be enough for this.

How to smoke fish - laying fish

Chips are placed on the bottom, on top - a grate, on which fish prepared for smoking. The food should be placed on the wire shelf in one layer so that it can come into contact with the smoke from all sides. The lid is tightly closed and the smoker is put on fire. If it is not very large, then it is most convenient to put it on the grill. Coals should be evenly distributed under the smokehouse, it is good to leave a few unburned woods, but the fire should not be strong.

How much to smoke fish

The smoker heats up on the fire, white smoke begins to pour out of it. This warmed up and began to smoke the fish alder chips. When the smokehouse warms up, you can remove the burning logs and bring the fish only on coals. For medium fish, the process takes about half an hour to forty minutes. In general, smoking time depends on the strength of the fire, the size of the smokehouse and the amount of food.

The smoking process begins with the smoking of wood chips. Smoke will still seep slightly through the smoker. It is very important not to overheat the smoker. The temperature inside should not be too high, especially at the beginning of the process. The process can be basically divided into two stages. The first is drying, it takes ¼ of the time. The second - directly the smoking itself - all the rest of the time. The temperature inside the smokehouse during drying should not be more than 80-90 degrees, and during smoking itself - 120 degrees. The temperature inside the smokehouse can be determined by a simple method - if you drop water on the lid, then it should evaporate without hissing, and not boil. At this temperature, the food will smoke properly and will not cook. It is necessary to regulate the temperature - by reducing or increasing the fire in the fire under the smokehouse.

Before opening the smokehouse, you need to wait until it has cooled down and the smoke has stopped pouring out of it. The fish is ready if it has acquired a dark golden, sometimes reddish hue. If the fish is light, it is still raw.

When choosing smoked fish, try to always be interested in whether it was smoked hot or cold. The difference between these two methods lies in the amount of salt, as well as the cooking period of the product. Overdried and highly salted fish is smoked in a way cold smoked... Process hot smoked it is quite fast, and the product itself turns out to be very delicate, aromatic and soft. There is little salt in such fish. But for some types of fish, cold smoking is still the best result. In this case, the fish can be stored for a long time.

A common consumer deception is the artificial smoking method.

Unfortunately, often unscrupulous manufacturers for smoking take a not entirely fresh product that cannot be sold in another form. They use dyes and liquid smoke to smoke. The product prepared in this way is harmful to health. If you rub the fish treated this way with a dry cloth, the surface of the cloth will stain.

Combined method- this is natural smoking, coupled with the processing of fish with dyes

1. When buying, pay attention to the color of the product. Quality smoked fish should not be very bright or golden. A good quality product should have a uniform yellowish tint.
2. If smoked fish is vacuum sealed, pay attention to the composition. It is always indicated on the label. Conscientious manufacturers add only table salt and water. The packaging must not be damaged.
3. The expression "the fish rots from the head" is true, although it is not deciphered in a literal sense. First of all, it is the head that deteriorates in it, therefore, it is often cut off before smoking.
4. The consistency of the fish pulp should have a clear structure. If the fish is "loose", then this indicates improper processing. Lattice prints may be present. This fish is smoked on a wire rack, not dyed.
5. Store the product in the refrigerator. How long it will be stored depends on the method of smoking. A cold smoked product can retain its freshness and flavor for up to three months if sealed in a vacuum sealed package.
6. Look at the price, as sometimes the cost of a product can be regarded as an indicator of quality. There are other factors that make up the price: the popularity of the brand, transportation, and the honesty or bad faith of the manufacturers.

Category -

People bought in a store or caught fish with their own hands in a nearby reservoir are boiled, fried, dried or dried. But there is another, sometimes more interesting way of cooking - smoking.

With its help, you can get a dish that is amazing to your taste, and all that is required is just a small specially equipped room and wood shavings. Let's consider the nuances of preparing such a delicacy in more detail.

What kind of fish is suitable for smoking

Any fish is suitable for smoking, from pink salmon bought in a fish store and ending with perches caught in the river.

There are a few things to watch out for here:

• It is best to use fatty fish such as mackerel, whitefish, greenling, flounder, pollock, cod or eel;
• for each separate time, fish of approximately the same size and breed should be selected - it can be salted and smoked evenly;
• the fish must be fresh, you should not try to save the catch of the "second freshness", after smoking the taste will be far from ideal.

What room is required for smoking

There are three types of smoking:

1. Cold.
2. Semi-hot.
3. Hot.

Each of them has its own characteristics and requirements for the place where smoking will be carried out.

In the first two cases, it will be necessary to select a separate corner, and in the latter, to purchase or make a mobile smokehouse, since the process will take place in the fresh air.

Choice of wood

For smoking, both cold and hot, wood of different species can be used. The most traditional options are:

• alder;
• pear;
• ash;
• Birch tree;
• hazel;
• Apple tree.

Each of them will give the finished product an individual flavor, and fans of experiments can try to mix several breeds at once.

The only exception is the use of conifers due to their high resin content.

Chip preparation and placement

Wood shavings necessary for smoking can be purchased at any specialized store or prepared by yourself.

This will require:

How to catch more fish?

I have been active fishing for quite some time now and have found many ways to improve my bite. And here are the most effective ones:

1. Bite activator. Attracts fish in cold and warm water with the help of pheromones and stimulates their appetite. It is a pity that Rosprirodnadzor wants to ban its sale.
2. More sensitive gear. You can find reviews and instructions for other types of gear on the pages of my website.
3. Pheromone baits.

You can get the rest of the secrets of successful fishing for free by reading our other articles on the site.

1. Remove the bark.
2. Grind it to small shavings (2-3 cm).
3. Soak in water for about two to three minutes.
4. Place in a thin, even layer on the bottom of the smoker.

Please note that for a medium-sized machine, approximately 200-300 ml of chips are required.

Fish preparation

To get delicious smoked fish, you should prepare not only the smokehouse, but also the cooking object itself.

To do this, follow these tips from experienced fishermen:

• the smallest fish, weighing less than 400 grams, does not need to be gutted, it is enough just to salt it, similarly from c to 750 g
• fish weighing up to 3 kg are gutted without removing the scales, the head is also left;
• large specimens should not only be gutted, but also spread out, that is, cut in such a way that both a tail and a head remain on each half;
• it is not necessary to remove the tail fin and spine during preparation; if desired, you can cut them into pieces of the same size;
• before preparing, you should cover the fish with salt, and wait until the brine appears.

Smoking methods

As already mentioned, there are three ways of smoking: cold, semi-hot and hot. Let's consider each of them in more detail in order to understand what nuances each of them has.

Hot smoking

If you have chosen a hot smoking method, then use the following sequence of actions:

1. First, make a fire under the smokehouse. It should have been small, but hot enough, the type of wood does not matter. Alternatively, you can use an electric stove, in some ways it is even better, since it allows you to more accurately regulate the temperature.
2. The prepared fish is placed on the wire rack in one layer for full contact with the smoke.
3. Next, the smokehouse should be closed and pressed down with a lid, or a water seal should be installed so that smoke does not come out from the inside (you should not achieve complete sealing).
4. At the first stage of cooking, the fish is dried; in time it takes about a quarter of the total. The temperature should be kept at 80-90 degrees.
5. At the second stage, smoking is carried out. The temperature should be maintained at about 120 degrees. To determine it, you should drop it on the lid: the water should completely evaporate, and not hiss.
6. The whole cooking process takes 30-40 minutes. During the first experiments, you can check the readiness by periodically opening the lid, but this is often strongly discouraged.

Hot smoked fish does not differ in long-term storage. It will last for a maximum of 3 days and only in the refrigerator. In this regard, semi-hot and cold smoking is much more profitable, but these methods require more serious preparation and time-consuming.

Cold smoking

With this method of processing, excess moisture will begin to erode from the fish, since it is cooked in cold smoke. As a result, the processes of smoking and drying occur in parallel, and the fish becomes not hard, but dried.

The key point is to maintain a stable temperature of about 25 degrees, this allows you to protect the product from fat loss and excessive drying.

Consider the following rules:

1. The smokehouse should be installed in a tent or shed, the height of the room should be 1.5-2 meters. In the upper part, under the very ceiling, special perches are mounted on which the fish are hung.
2. During the preliminary preparation, the fish is soaked in brine for about 2-3 hours. Upon completion, it should be ventilated by holding it in the sun. It is important to ensure that the scales do not dry out.
3. At the bottom of the smokehouse, a smoker is installed, which will supply the room with smoke. A fire is made in it, and when it burns out to coals, wood chips are added to it for smoking. The best option is aspen or alder.
4. At the final stage, it is recommended to add juniper, it will help protect the fish from mold. Some people like to use a variety of aromatic herbs as well.
5. Depending on the size of the fish, the process lasts from 2 to 4 days, although the largest specimens weighing several kilograms have to be kept for up to 6 days. Finished fish gains firmness and the meat becomes golden
6. It is advisable, but not necessary, to let the fish hang for a couple of days without smoke when finished to dry it.

The finished product can be stored for 2-3 months.

Semi-hot smoking

As you might guess from the name, this option is a cross between the first two. The technology is similar to cold smoking, but a higher temperature is required, and the process itself takes about 12 hours.

First, you should heat the smokehouse to 90 degrees and maintain this temperature for about half an hour, and then cool to 60 degrees and leave in this form until the end of the process.

If jelly tails form on the surface, then the temperature is too high and needs to be brought down. Otherwise, the taste may deteriorate.

As you can see from this article, making smoked fish is not that difficult. At the same time, it is able to give considerable pleasure, and the shelf life of cold smoking options allows you to stock it up for future use. Finally, experimenting enthusiasts will always find room for creativity in the selection of wood varieties and aromatic herbs.

3.3.1. What kind of fish to smoke

Smoking fish is the most laborious process. But if, nevertheless, you decide to stop at it, the effort spent will not be wasted. Indeed, when smoked, the fish practically does not lose its individual taste. In order for smoked fish to become truly tasty and aromatic, they take the freshest fish that has just been caught.

From sea fish in smoked form, almost all cod fish are on sale - cod, pollock, silver hake, haddock, hake, whiting... In addition, they smoke more flounder, herring, mackerel or mackerel, sea bass, halibut, bluefish, saber fish and etc.

According to fishermen, fish is the most delicious:

Hot smoking

Red mullet

Sea bass

Mackerel

Sterlet

Cold smoking

Whitefish

Sea bass

Nototenia

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