Smoked salmon: cold and hot methods. How to smoke salmon at home Cooking the ridges of hot smoked salmon

Smoking is a kind heat treatment products. A unique way, firstly, to preserve food (meat, fish, game, etc.), and, secondly, to make the food fragrant and very tasty. Smoking, rather, is preservation, for subsequent long-term storage.

Usually, smoking is divided into cold and hot. Their difference is that hot smoking is very similar to baking (temperature, usually 60-120 degrees) with the effect of smoking due to the formation of aromatic smoke.

Hot smoking is fast smoking, and to enhance the effect, unfortunately, chemical cocktails are often used - liquid smoke. Due to its simplicity, hot smoking is applicable even in a city apartment. Cold smoking is a very long-term treatment with rather cold smoke (temperature 20-30 degrees). Sometimes cold smoking lasts several days.

Hot smoked salmon is easy, even at a picnic or at home in the kitchen. For a picnic you need a portable smokehouse, for kitchen smoking you need an airtight smokehouse with a smoke removal system in the form of a water seal.

Once, with my friends, we impromptuly prepared an amazing delicacy - hot smoked salmon, right on the river bank. Well, try it yourself and feed people - smoked salmon is something who will have time. I confess I cut off one steak to cook at home.

Ingredients (10-12 servings)

• Salmon, carcass 2.5 kg
• Salt to taste

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Hot smoked salmon. Recipe

1. Do you know how, jellied pike perch is prepared ??? A hake is bought and it is filled in that it is a pike perch. We decided not to suffer, bought two good salmon, 2.5 kg each.
2. On the shore, they began to prepare for smoking. The carcasses of the fish were salted steeply from the inside and on the skin, then they were left for 1 hour so that the fish was salted.

   Salmon salt and then wash

3. While the firewood was being collected, the fish was ready for smoking. They made a neat fire. They asked someone in boots to rinse the fish in the Dnieper from salt and clear it of mucus.
4. The heads and tails were cut off. The fish was wiped dry.
5. Three handfuls of large alder shavings were poured into the smokehouse, loaded with fish, closed with a damper and put the smokehouse on the fire.

   Load the fish into the smokehouse

6. You need medium fire or even less, but constantly. The sawdust began to smolder almost immediately.

   Put the smokehouse on fire

7. Fragrant white smoke poured out. Exactly - 30 min.

   Poured fragrant white smoke

8. We need to keep the fire going. Half an hour. No more, no less! Then carefully remove the smokehouse from the heat.
9. It is better to immediately "disassemble" the fish, remove large bones, smoked salmon must cool down. You may not even need a garnish for salmon.

   Remove bones from salmon and let cool

10. Well, then you can use it. It is very tasty to put salmon on a piece of very fresh Ukrainian bread !!!

    

Vladislav Paikov

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Salmon is more and more often found on holiday tables. This is not only tasty, but also healthy fish. It is prepared in different variations, but the most delicious is undoubtedly smoked salmon at home.

It belongs to the red fish. Hot smoked salmon from Finland has very few bones and its red meat is delicious and nutritious.

Appreciate her for beneficial features... For people prone to cardiovascular disease, it is recommended to introduce this red fish into the diet, because it contains a large amount of omega-3 fatty acids. Regular consumption of food is indicated for people suffering from psoriasis.

The benefits and harms of smoked salmon: trace elements and vitamins contained in fish have a positive effect on the human body. It contains:

• Fluoride (good for teeth).
• Phosphorus (strengthens bones).
• Magnesium (anti-stress).
• Iodine (good for the thyroid gland).
• Potassium (improves blood circulation).
• Calcium (strengthens bone and muscle tissue).
• Vitamins A (good for eyesight), C (strengthens the immune system), D, E (prevents blood clots), B (improves brain function) and PP.

Scientists have proven that with regular use of salmon, the likelihood of developing arthritis, atherosclerosis and cancer decreases.

And although the benefits of smoked salmon are enormous, its daily use can harm the body, since carcinogens accumulate in it, as in all smoked products. You should also not eat it for people who are allergic to red fish and with individual intolerance.

Smoked salmon during pregnancy is not contraindicated, but it is better to refuse it. In view of the fact that there is already a large load on the internal organs, in particular, on the kidneys and liver, it is better to avoid unnecessarily heavy foods. In addition to the fact that the dish can harm a woman in position, smoked salmon also affects the child. What effect turns out to be difficult to say, because no relevant studies have been carried out.

Composition and calorie content

The red meat of this fish is high in protein. Eating only 300 g of salmon, you can replenish the body's daily need for protein.

Salmon already has a high calorie content, which increases during frying, so cold smoking will be most useful, since all the beneficial properties of fish and vitamins are preserved, the calorie content of smoked salmon depends on the cooking method and is approximately 202 kcal.

ZhBU and calorie content of smoked salmon:

Preparation for smoking

It is optimal to use fresh salmon for smoking: it is much juicier than frozen. Choose a quality smoked salmon it is possible according to the following indicators: the eyes are not cloudy, the gills are red or brownish, and when you press the carcass, no dents remain.

Before smoking occurs preliminary preparation this fish. They clean the scales, remove the entrails, wash, cut off the head, fins, tail and fat on the abdomen. The spinal bone is removed and the rib bones are pulled out with tweezers, the skin is left and dried.

From one fish, 2 layers are obtained, ready for cold smoking or for cooking according to the recipe for hot smoked salmon in a smokehouse.

On a note! The head, tail and fins do not need to be disposed of: they will make a beautiful ear. The ridges of hot smoked salmon are also very tasty.

Hot smoking

The hot smoked salmon recipe is available even for novice cooks. Prepared fish should be pickled. For the marinade you will need: ground black pepper, salt, parsley and lemon. Chop the parsley and mix everything. Pour the fish with the resulting mixture, squeeze the juice out of the lemon and sprinkle the carcasses.

We make rolls from fillet, wrap with cling film. In this form, the fish is marinated for up to 5 hours (at least 1 hour). Then you can smoke the salmon in a hot smoked smokehouse.

Interesting! According to the recipe for smoking salmon in a smokehouse, it is not necessary to marinate it, you can just pickle it. When smoked, it is very tasty and without the use of spices.

While the fish is marinating, you can prepare the smokehouse. To make the fish aromatic and without bitterness, it is best to use bird cherry, alder, or cherry. The chips lie on the bottom of the smokehouse, and a grate is installed on top, on which we will lay out the salmon for smoking at home in the smokehouse. Place a drip tray under the grate to collect the fat.

After the specified time has elapsed, we unfold the rolls, rinse and dry. Place the fillet in the smoker for 40 minutes. Do not forget that the treatment is carried out with hot smoke, the temperature is above 70 degrees. You should also monitor the intensity of the smoke treatment during the smoking process. With a small amount of smoke, the taste of smoking is not pronounced, but with a large amount of smoke, a sour taste is obtained. To avoid the formation of too much smoke, the moistened wood chips should only cover the bottom of the smoker, and not be arranged in several rows.

Such bellies of hot smoked salmon are delicious as independent dish, they can also be served with a side dish of vegetables. Serving hot or cold is a matter of taste, both are fine.

An alternative to the smokehouse is smoked salmon in the oven. The taste will be slightly different, but very helpful in the absence of a smoking apparatus. The principle is the same: we place the chips on a baking sheet, place the fish on the grate above it, bring the oven to the desired temperature. This method requires a good range hood.

The calorie content of hot smoked salmon is 202 kcal.

An interesting recipe for the head of hot smoked salmon:

• We remove the gills.
• Cut in half.
• Dip in a strong saline solution for 20 minutes.
• We wash off, dry and smoke.

Calorie content of the head of hot smoked salmon:

Cold smoking

To get a tasty and healthy low-calorie product, cold smoked salmon is prepared according to this recipe:

In the traditional version, the fish is in the smokehouse from 12 to 24 hours. In this case, the dish will no longer need to "reach" in the refrigerator. The result is a delicious golden fish with a shiny crust - exquisite dish at home.

Interesting! With an even longer smoking (more than 2 days), a slightly dry fish will turn out, but the shelf life increases 3 times. A very interesting recipe for salmon smoked on green tea. In this case, the tea is added to the marinade along with salt, sugar and spices to taste. All are boiled, cooled and the product is poured over for several hours.

Nutritional value of cold smoked salmon:

How to eat cold smoked salmon? With it, you can make sandwiches, make pizza, serve with a side dish of rice or pasta. She is a decoration for any dish.

If you don't have enough time to cook the fish yourself, you can buy it. Before that, it is better to familiarize yourself with GOST of cold smoked salmon 11298-2002, where all the conditions under which a dish is considered fit are written.

Of course, you can just buy cold smoked salmon in vacuum packaging, but no one will vouch for the composition of such a product - it is most often not smoked in natural conditions, but is processed with liquid smoke. Therefore, it is worth a little work and prepare yourself a real product with your favorite spices.

Smoked salmon with liquid smoke

When there is no smokehouse, liquid smoke comes to the rescue. It can be used to quickly cook cold smoked salmon at home.

Pour liquid smoke into a glass dish and dip the smoked salmon fillet into it for 5 minutes. We take out, rub generously with salt and pack in cling film. We put it in the refrigerator for knocking. The product is ready - you can cut it in portions and serve.

For those who like a more pronounced smoked taste, you can use another smoked salmon recipe at home:

• We take in equal proportions liquid smoke and water.
• Pour the fillet cut into pieces with a solution and place in a cool place for 8 hours.
• The pieces should be turned over regularly.
• After 8 hours, the fish is taken out, wiped off and laid out on the wire rack.
• Dry at home for 8 hours.
• The fish is ready.

Storage

The shelf life depends on the method of preservation. The store sells smoked salmon in packaging, the shelf life is indicated by the manufacturers.

Storage of smoked salmon with hot conservation in a refrigerator for no more than 3 days. At temperatures above +4, the product will remain fresh for 1-2 days.

You can increase the shelf life of hot smoked salmon at home in the following way: prepare a concentrated saline solution, moisten the cloth in it and wrap the fish with it. The second layer is paper. This package is placed on the coldest shelf in the refrigerator. In this form, it can be stored for up to 30 days.

Cooked by the cold smoking method has a shelf life of up to 10 days at a storage temperature not higher than +3 degrees. If smoked for a long time, it can be stored for up to 30 days.

Fragrant freshly smoked salmon at home sounds delicious, doesn't it? Home smoking- an exciting activity available to everyone. It is enough to start, as thoughts about further experiments with ingredients and flavors arise. Fresh smoked fish is incomparable to what is sold in the store. She has a clean, beautiful color. It tastes delicate, saturated with a scent of haze. Exist different options cooking smoked fish. At the same time, various types of marine life are used, up to exotic options.

There are many options for smoking fish at home. You can cook smoked products in a saucepan or in a wok. But it is most convenient to use a smoking machine. A single principle is applied: sawdust is heated, they begin to smoke. The fish is placed above them on a wire rack. It is affected by hot aromatic smoke.

Preparing salmon for smoking

Salmon is not a cheap fish. That is why you need to be careful when choosing a base for a smoked product. By the way, if you are looking for smoked salmon, you will probably notice that its cost is more expensive than that of fresh fish. Self-preparation of a delicacy makes it possible to save money. Also in favor of this option is the absolute safety of the product, its naturalness. It is devoid of harmful components.

For smoking, it is advisable to select not frozen, but fresh fish. Such a product can be recognized by the pale pink shade of the pulp. You can take whole fish. Steaks or salmon ridge are also used, if desired.

Fish taste in fresh saturated. This is why there is no need for intensely flavored herbs and spices. It is enough to take only salt. Take coarse salt and rub generously on all sides of the salmon. Before doing this, of course, do not forget to clean the fish and wash it. After the salmon has been treated with salt, it is wrapped in foil and sent to the cold for 5 hours.

You can keep it in the refrigerator. As soon as this period passes, the fish is washed under water and dried. The base for the smoked dish is left in the air for one hour. After this obligatory procedure, you can start smoking. If you want to spice up smoked salmon, add some black pepper or your favorite herbs.

Marinade for smoking salmon

The most simple option marinade is dry mix. It was said about her above. Sometimes chefs recommend adding a little brown sugar to such a marinade for a more interesting taste. You can take 1 part sugar to 5 parts salt.

Wet way. It involves dissolving sugar and salt in a small amount of water. Too much effort should not be made as dissolving the salt and sugar is not necessary. Take bay leaves, black peppercorns, dried dill. These herbs must be crushed to a powdery appearance. Following this, the spices are added to the solution and the fish is poured into the mixture. The fillet should be rubbed properly with the resulting mixture, then transferred to a container and covered with cling film. After a day, the process can be considered complete. This means that the fish can be sent to the smokehouse.

What seasonings are combined with salmon:

• basil;
• garlic;
• different types of peppers;
• rosemary;
• lemon;
• fennel.

All these spices are optional, because salmon, as mentioned above, already has a rich taste. But if you like it, then no one will forbid you to cook the product according to your own author's recipe. Maybe you have a favorite condiment. You can also add it to a small piece of fish and see the result.

Before proceeding to smoking, the marinated salmon meat must be dried in a well-ventilated area. If there is no time to wait, it is enough to wipe the fish with napkins from excess moisture.

How to smoke salmon?

Hot smoked salmon

The hot way of smoking is the simplest and most affordable. You will need a stationary or portable smokehouse. You will also need to stock up on firewood and the fish itself, which is necessary for smoking. First, a fire is made. Do not aim for a flame that is too intense. Let the fire be constant but moderate. A handful of alder chips or chips from fruit trees are poured into the bottom of the smokehouse. Put the fish on the wire rack, close the damper and put the smoker on the fire.

The optimum smoking temperature is 90 degrees. To measure it, just sprinkle water on the smoker. If it does not hiss, but evaporates quickly, then everything is fine.

After 35 minutes of such processing, the fish can be considered ready. The smokehouse should be removed from the heat, the salmon should be taken out, allowed to cool for at least 20 minutes. After that, you can safely serve the fish to the table.

Hot smoked recipe

• salmon (fillet) -1–2 pcs, weighing 900–1000 gr
• maple syrup - 2-3 tbsp. l. or to taste
• brown sugar - 1 tbsp. l.
• coarse salt without iodine 2 tbsp. l.
• ground black pepper - half a teaspoon
• allspice ground pepper - half a teaspoon
• ground laurel leaf - 1 tsp
• ground cloves - half a teaspoon

Smoke Ingredients:

• Dried juniper berries 15-20 pieces
• Strong black tea of ​​any kind 1 level teaspoon
• Refined sugar 1-2 pieces

This is a hot smoked salmon recipe for true gourmets. But you will have to work a lot if you really want to get delicious fish... Salmon fillets with skin are washed under running water and dried with paper towels. Rub the fish with a mixture of the above spices and put on cling film. Wrap the salmon in it so that there are no holes. Thanks to this, the juice formed during the smoking process remains inside and does not flow out.

The salmon wrapped in cling film is placed in any deep container and pressed down with oppression. If you don't have a suitable product, you can simply cover the fish with another glass bowl on top. It is also not worth pressing too hard, otherwise the fish will lose its shape and become dry and crumbly in structure. Place a bowl of fish in the refrigerator for 6 hours. It's okay if you didn't have time to keep an eye on the fish and you overexposed it in the cold. Still, it is advisable not to leave it in the refrigerator for more than 12 hours. Salmon marinated within 6 to 12 hours turns out to be even tastier.

Remove the bowl of salmon from the refrigerator, unfold it with great care, and pour the fish juice into the bowl. Rinse the fish fillets under tap water and pat dry. Do not pour out the juice. Transfer the fish to this juice again and leave for 2 hours in this form. Flip the salmon to one side or the other from time to time. This will make the product marinate better.

Remove the fillets from the fish juice and dip with paper towels. Place an iron wire rack on top of the bowl and place the salmon on top of it. It's good if you have a chef's brush available. Dip maple syrup in it. As soon as the fish is ready, it is transferred to the wire rack.

As for sawdust, if it is too dry, it is advisable to moisten it a little in water. Better to spray them with a little liquid. This is necessary as the sawdust should not be completely wet. They should not burn, as happens with dry wood. Chips that are too wet will not give off smoke at all. The above smoke ingredients will need to be added to the sawdust before starting to smoke. You can wrap the chips along with the juniper berries and other ingredients in a foil envelope and make a few holes with a knife so that smoke can come out of them. This option is good for a homemade smokehouse.

Hot smoking takes place under standard conditions described earlier. As additional tips, it would be advisable to hold events in a well-ventilated area if you are not smoking outside. Sawdust of such trees as alder, apple, aspen, plum, cherry, birch, and walnut have proven themselves well. Sawdust should be without bark, since it contains tar.

The set of spices is never essential. Each person chooses those seasonings that he likes. The main condition is that they are suitable for fish dishes... Basically, in the world it is customary to use rosemary, sage, mint. Wetting the sawdust, by the way, protects from the bitter taste of the finished fish.

Cold smoked salmon

What are the secrets of delicious cold smoked fish? First of all, with cold smoking, the fish product is processed at a temperature of 25 degrees. The quality of the finished product directly depends on the knowledge of the stages of the process. This method is good if you want to extend the shelf life of the fish and prepare it for future use.

Salmon is ideal for cold smoking. This fish often smokes balyk parts. In no case should the smoking temperature exceed 30 degrees. Violation of these conditions will lead to an increase in the content of carcinogenic substances hazardous to health. It will also affect the taste of the salmon, as it will dry out and lose valuable fats.

Cold smoking salmon involves 2 methods of salting: dry and wet. For smoking, you can use a professional home smokehouse or a unit assembled with your own hands. Pre-treatment of the product precedes any smoking. The fish is cleaned and salted. Gently cleanse the insides, including caviar and milk. What does it look like? The blade of the knife is sharpened and an incision is made with its narrow side in the area of ​​the pharynx between the pectoral fins. The length of the incision should be no more than 3 cm and end 1 cm before the gill line. The wide side of the blade is then pryed on the insides and pulled through the slit.

After that, they move on to the gill entrails. They must be removed not individually, but as a whole. They should come off with the shoulder girdle. This method expels the fish, which improves its presentation. At the end of smoking, there are no bloody smudges on the carcass, which appear if the gills are not well removed. You can leave the large scales, and remove the small ones. After smoking, the peeled carcasses acquire a uniform golden color.

The smoking process itself is as follows.

First, you need to stock up on fuel so that it will last for 8 hours of smoking. Without this, it will not be possible to maintain the smoke for enough time. During this period, a break in smoking is unacceptable. When working with a fire, you must periodically monitor it so that it does not give off an intense flame. Otherwise, your fish will be smoked not cold, but hot. Medium-sized fish is smoked for 4 days. For small specimens, the mass of which does not exceed 500 g, 2 days will be enough. Large individuals even need up to 1 week. At the end of the process, the fish is not removed from the crossbeams, but is left to hang and wither for a while. You can hold it for about 2 days. The fish will acquire an even shade and rich taste.

Algorithm:

• load sawdust into the fuel compartment;
• put fish in a smoking cabinet;
• connect the power supply;
• set the temperature regime to 28 degrees, if it is an automatic smokehouse.

Smoking in an automatic smokehouse continues for a day. All this time you do not have to be around. Sawdust is loaded cyclically at set time intervals.

How to make a smokehouse yourself?

It is very convenient to smoke fish outdoors. If you are near a river, look for a steep slope. Dig a hole here. At the top, equip a chimney tunnel. Place a container without a bottom near the chimney. This should be done on the surface. Hang the fish inside the indicated container and start preparing the fire. The smoke from it should pass to the chimney with the fish. Wet alder branches are thrown in to provide smoke. Smoking lasts from 7 to 15 hours, depending on the size of the fish.

Smoking salmon video

This predatory fish, also called landlocked salmon, reaches 1.5 m in length. The meat is red, which is why it is also called red. Salmon is valued not only for the fact that it has few bones and tasty meat.

The large amount of omega-3 fatty acids makes it an indispensable dish for those suffering from cardiovascular diseases, psoriasis, as well as for pregnant women. Trace elements (fluorine, phosphorus, magnesium, iodine, potassium and calcium), vitamins A and D help to increase immunity, improve blood circulation, and prevent thrombophlebitis.

The daily protein intake for an adult is contained in only 200 grams of this useful fish... It has been proven that regular consumption of salmon reduces the risk of cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and atherosclerosis.

Salmon is very nutritious. The high calorie content increases several times during frying, while many vitamins disappear. therefore the best option cooking is salting or cold smoking of salmon.

Smoking salmon at home

On the dining tables this fish appears in different types... Salmon soup is very tasty. Brown fried steaks with vegetables are good. You have to be a virtuoso chef so as not to dry them out. But the best cooking method is salting and smoking.

Preparing fish for smoking

There are some simple ways determining the freshness of fish. She shouldn't have cloudy eyes. There are no dents on the carcass after pressing with a finger. The gills should be red or reddish brown.

Salmon is a very large fish. Therefore, before smoking, it must be cut. It is most convenient to divide the fish into two fillet pieces. Milling procedure:

1. Scale the fish.
2. Rip open the belly and gut the entrails.
3. Cut off the head.
4. Turning the carcass with its back to you, cut one side along the spine.
5. Flip the fish over and also cut the second piece along the spine.
6. Trim the dorsal fin and belly fat (tesha).
7. Use tweezers or pliers to remove the rib bones.

You do not need to remove the skin from the fish for smoking.

Salmon bones, fins and head can be cooked wonderful soup... Just remember to cut out the gills.

Conventional cold smoking

This cold-smoked salmon has a caloric value of 117 kcal per 100 g. This one-hundred-gram piece contains 18.28 g of protein, 4.32 g of fat and 0 g of carbohydrates.

Salt recipe for 1 kg of fish:

• salt 2 tbsp;
• sugar 1 tbsp

Preparing salmon for smoking.

1. Take a wide, shallow container and sprinkle some salting mixture on the bottom.
2. Cut the fillets into pieces so they fit comfortably in two layers.
3. Place the first layer with the sandpaper down and sprinkle generously with the mixture.
4. Place the second layer of fillets, skin side up, and sprinkle with the rest of the mixture.
5. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for two days.
6. Rinse off excess salt from the fish.
7. Hang the pieces of salmon on a string to dry for 4-6 hours.

For this method, you will need a store-bought smokehouse or a special oven made with your own hands. Place some foil on the wire rack after punching a lot of holes in it. Place the salmon on the foil and leave to smoke for 4-5 hours at a smoke temperature of 30 ° C.

Take out the fish, let it "breathe" for 2 hours to get rid of excess smoke. Then wrap in foil and refrigerate for 4 days. This is necessary so that all the flavors are evenly distributed inside the piece.

Cut into thin slices 2-3 mm across the grain and serve as sandwiches with bread, butter and dill.

We smoke salmon without leaving home

This recipe is useful for those who do not have a smokehouse or summer cottage, but have a bottle of "liquid smoke". All preparatory work is the same as in the previous version. Differences begin after rinsing and drying. By the way, airing with ropes can replace the usual blotting and drying with a towel.

Mix the "liquid smoke" with water in equal parts and pour over the fillet pieces with the solution. Refrigerate for 8 hours. Remember to turn the salmon every 2 hours. Remove the fillets, dry them again with a towel and place them on a wire rack in the room for 8 hours.

Hot smoked salmon

If the fish is small, it is not necessary to cut and peel the skin for this recipe. It is enough to cut off the head and clean it from the scales. Separate the fillets from the large carcass. We cut large pieces, cut across, along, without removing the bones.

For the marinade, make a mixture of parsley salt, pepper. Fill the fish with this mixture, sprinkling with lemon juice on top. We roll up fillets, steaks and wrap the fish in cling film. We leave for 3-5 hours. Some experts use only salt, rightly believing that salmon smoked in this way, and without seasonings, will exude wonderful aromas.

Rinse with cold running water. Place in the smoker for 30-40 minutes. The smoke temperature should be over 70 ° C.

Freshly cooked hot-smoked salmon crumbles easily, its bones are perfectly separated. It is advisable to do this procedure while the fish is hot, before serving. It is served hot and cold with a vegetable side dish and as an independent dish.

This delicacy has an even higher calorie content than raw food.

If you have your own secrets of salmon smoking, marinade recipes, sawdust compositions, etc., share them in the comments.

Smoked salmon – delicious delicacy, which has long been loved by many and can turn even a banal breakfast into a real feast in no time.

Salmon is a large fish of the salmon family. She is a predator. This fish lives both in the wild in the northern seas, the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, and in the waters of fish farms in any corner of the planet. A characteristic feature of salmon is the meat of an amazing taste of red color. For this quality it is popularly called "red fish".

The nutritional characteristics of this fish are very high. It is especially appreciated for its high content of polyunsaturated acids, which have the scientific name omega-3. This miraculous substance is contained in fish oil in all respects. Because of these unique qualities, this valuable fish breed is bred. Extraordinary delicacies are obtained from salmon meat.

Another positive feature of this fish is highlighted by culinary specialists: salmon does not have in itself small bones... Thanks to this, the meat is easily separated from the ridge and looks very neat when cut... The salmon looks like the one in the photo.

Salmon is cooked great amount varied delicious dishes... This fish, as the culinary experts say, is waste-free. Only the insides and scales are considered unsuitable for food, and everything else is used. For example, soup is made from the meat of this fish, fins and ridges, various snacks and pickles, cutlets and many other dishes are made from fillets.

It is very easy to prepare salmon treats, and at the same time they always turn out delicious. Boiled or baked meat of this fish is used in dietary nutrition and nutrition of children. Elderly people also need this product.

Smoking salmon is an easy way to keep all the nutrients of this valuable commercial fish intact.... It is no secret that smoked meats are stored longer than pickles, and also have the best organoleptic qualities. Smoked salmon attracts with its appearance, aroma and unsurpassed taste. This delicacy quickly saturates and increases the level of serotonin in the body, popularly referred to as the hormone of happiness.

Compound

The composition of smoked salmon meat does not differ from fresh fish. Salmon contains vitamins A, E, C, as well as group B, and is rich in trace elements. The meat of this valuable fish contains a large amount of readily available protein and fats, which, unlike other animal fats, help a person in the fight against many diseases. It is the high fat content that makes salmon a rather high-calorie product..

The main trace elements found in this fish are sodium, magnesium and phosphorus. Meat contains these microelements in maximum quantities. Secondary place is occupied by no less familiar fluorine, iron, zinc, calcium and potassium, and they complete the line nutrients microdoses of chlorine, nickel and molybdenum.

Wild fish meat contains a large amount of such a substance as melatonin, known to science as the best helper in the fight against wrinkles and trophic skin lesions.

How to choose quality smoked salmon?

How to choose quality smoked salmon? This question is asked by all, without exception, people who once wished to buy this delicacy. And it is quite understandable, because high price product must be justified by high quality.

When buying smoked salmon, you should adhere to the following rules:

1. Rate appearance product. High-quality fish should be moderately dried, the skin should easily come off the meat when trying to pull it down, the fish itself should be firm and pleasant to the touch. You should refuse to buy a piece of smoked salmon crumbling into fibers (even cooked by the hot smoking method), even if its cost is suitable. If smoked salmon fillets are vacuum-packed, then, of course, it is a little more difficult to determine these characteristics. In this case, you should trust the manufacturer and his conscience.
2. Buy only well-known brands. Producers of this level care about their reputation and make the delicacy in compliance with the technology and always from fresh raw materials that have not been frozen.
3. Be sure to check the composition of the product on the package, as well as find out the preparation date and the deadline for use. When buying a bulk product, you can get this information from the seller.
4. Feel free to sniff smoked product. If you have any doubts about the naturalness of smoking or the quality of the original product, then refuse to purchase. Health is more valuable than a short gastronomic pleasure!
5. Purchase products only in stores and always ask for certificates. Try not to buy fish from private producers and in places of spontaneous trade, because in this case you cannot be sure of the correct preparation and smoking of the product, as well as its subsequent storage. Always remember that a substandard delicacy can easily slip into a hospital bed.

In order not to worry about the quality of the purchased salmon, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the secrets in the next section of this article and prepare the delicacy yourself.

How to smoke with your own hands?

How to smoke salmon with your own hands, you will find out in this section of the article.

Before describing the technology for preparing a delicacy at home, I would like to insert a short remark. Fish that has not been cooled, and even more so for a long time, is suitable for smoking. Only fresh product will allow you to get smoked meat with a dense structure and maintain a pleasant elasticity of the fibers. If the fish has been frozen, it is possible that the smoking process will take a little longer.

To cook smoked fish it is possible both in a portable mini-smokehouse on the street, and right in the apartment. In the latter case, a multicooker with a smoking function or a homemade device from a large cast iron and a grate inside will help. A lot of videos can now be found on the manufacture of "cunning smokers" with their own hands in the vastness of the world wide web.

The process of making smoked salmon at home always starts with salting or pickling the main ingredient. Moreover, it may not only be the fillet of this valuable fish. Ridges, heads and abdomens are smoked. The latter are distinguished by their high fat content, so they are always cut out and used separately.

In most recipes related to smoking salmon, cooks suggest using a mixture of ordinary table salt, granulated sugar and herbs, including fenugreek. juniper berries and other herbs that impart a scent to wood.

The average weight is four kilograms. It is on this basis that it is advisable to cook and smoke salmon. portioned chunks... And buying it this way is also much more convenient and profitable.

If you purchased a whole fish, be sure to rinse and gut it before marinating. Be sure to remove the rope white with a dark filling, located at the base of the ridge, especially if you plan to smoke this part of the carcass as well. No skinning is required. The abdominal cavity, freed from viscera and fat, thoroughly blot with paper towels, and then wipe the peritoneum dry. Be very careful not to hurt or crush your gallbladder.

If it so happened that bile got on the tender meat, then try to collect it as quickly as possible, and then treat this place with lemon juice or natural apple cider vinegar... Soak the liquid on the fish for about five minutes, and then rinse it thoroughly with salted and always cold water.

After that, proceed to further cutting the carcass. Cut off the fins, including the tail. It is not advisable to smoke these parts of the fish. Cut off the head and remove the gills from it. If you intend to smoke it too, then be sure to prepare sticks of a suitable size and density, which will allow you to fix the gill bones as well as possible at a distance from the head. This will make it possible to smoke this part of the carcass with high quality. Use a sharp knife to cut the fish: separate the fillet from the ridge, and then carefully cut out the fatty part of the belly.

Marinate all parts of the fish to be smoked and refrigerate them for 24 hours. Remove salted fish from the brine. Hang the pieces on hooks and let the brine drain. If you smoke salmon hot, then at this stage of cooking, be sure to tie the fillet with twine. This will save the fish from premature crumbling.

Light the fire in the mini smoker, place the wood chips in the drip tray and install the water trap. Bring the shavings to the desired condition, and only then load the fish. Pieces of the carcass can either be laid on the wire rack or hung on hooks.

Control the temperature of the smoke: during the entire smoking period, it should not exceed ninety degrees Celsius. Smoke the fish for about one hour. After the time has passed, check that the fish is cooked. Continue smoking for as long as necessary.

Cool the finished fish in the air (this will take at least four hours), and only then eat it or send it to storage.

Do-it-yourself smoked salmon will definitely surpass all industrial products in quality and taste. You can not only always have an excellent delicacy on hand, but also significantly save your family budget, because the price raw fish less than the cost of the finished delicacy.

How to store smoked salmon?

How to properly store smoked salmon, read in this section of the article. Like all smoked products, salmon meat must not only be properly cooked, but also stored in appropriate conditions. In modern life the best place where you can save smoked salmon without losing quality is the refrigerator.

Wrapped in parchment or cotton cloth soaked in strong saline, cold-smoked fish can survive without drying out for two weeks. But hot smoked fish in similar conditions will be edible only within three days from the moment of preparation.

With regard to smoked salmon sold in vacuum packages, one should adhere to the following requirements: the whole package can be stored in the conditions indicated on it for the recommended shelf life, but uncorked ones can be saved no longer than five days.

What to cook?

What to cook with smoked salmon? This question is relevant at all times, because fish is not so cheap to spend it irrationally.

The first thing that comes to mind is to cut the delicacy into thin slices and place them on a butter-spread bread. A cup of sweet black tea or aromatic tart coffee - and the perfect breakfast is ready on your table!

A slice of salmon fillet and a serving of spinach as a garnish - great diet dish... A portion of such a delicacy can easily become a complete breakfast or dinner.

In fact, there are a huge number of dishes that use smoked salmon. All of them are easy to prepare, so even completely inexperienced chefs can embody them.

Smoked salmon fillet can be made delicious salad, which then stuff pita bread or fill tartlets, rolls, casseroles, and even cook soup, for example, with the addition of young asparagus beans. Salmon heads and ridges are also great for cooking the latter.

Smoked salmon is also cooked and served with:

• pasta and pasta;
• potato fritters;
• pizza;
• pies.

Smoked salmon bellies, woven into a spiral, as in the photo, are a great snack for beer or an independent dish.

With one of the most interesting recipes with the use of smoked salmon, you can see below. Its name is unusual - gnocchi with herbs and smoked salmon sauce.

The main ingredients of this delicacy are:

• potatoes - 700 grams;
• wheat flour - 200 grams;
• cold smoked salmon fillet - 200 grams;
• high fat cream (for sauce) - 200 ml;
• green onions (feathers) - 1 bunch;
• dill (herbs) - to taste;
• table salt - 1 tablespoon;
• water (for cooking gnocchi) - 2 liters.

Read the process of preparing a treat step by step below.

1. Rinse the tubers well in running water. Boil the jacket potatoes until tender. Cool the product in cold water and peel. After that, grate the tubers on a fine grater. Put the mixture in a bowl and season with a little salt.
2. Add to potatoes wheat flour... Stir the ingredients and knead into a tough dough.
3. Divide the workpiece into four parts. Roll each part of the dough into one centimeter thick sausage.
4. Cut the stripes potato dough cubes, and then use a fork to make a wavy impression on them, applying the fork with the back of the prongs to the dough. These dumplings or potato dumplings and there is gnocchi.
5. Boil water in a large saucepan, add salt to taste, and gently dip the gnocchi into it. Boil the dumplings for a minute after the liquid has boiled, and then remove with a slotted spoon and place on a plate.
6. Pour the cream into a deep skillet, then add the diced smoked salmon fillet and finely chopped greens.
7. Bring the mixture to a boil over low heat and then salt to taste. Place the gnocchi in the hot sauce. Stir them very quickly and then remove the pan from heat.
8. And that's all, a wonderful delicacy is ready! Lay out the dish on portioned plates and feel free to serve it to the table. Wish the household Bon Appetit and get praise!

If you add half a can of canned green peas and about one hundred grams of grated hard cheese, and then send the dish into an oven preheated to two hundred degrees Celsius, you will get a delicious casserole. She can become a favorite festive table and your signature dish.

We hope this section has taught you how to cook simple, delicious and unusual delicacies and helped to dispel all your doubts!

The benefits and harms of smoked salmon

We will try to describe the benefits and harms of eating smoked salmon in the diet as much as possible in this section.

The benefits of smoked salmon are obvious, and it fully corresponds to the use of pure salmon. Regular use of the product helps to improve the functioning of all organs and body systems. The use of salmon is useful for people suffering from:

• diseases of the cardiovascular system;
• diabetes mellitus;
• disorders of the nervous system;
• fragility of bones and diseases of the joints;
• atherosclerosis.

At the same time, smoked salmon can be harmful. That is why it is not recommended to use such a product for pregnant and lactating women, children and allergy sufferers. These categories of people are especially susceptible to carcinogens, which inevitably accumulate in the product during the smoking process. Due to the individual state of the body or the immaturity of the digestive system, such people may experience deterioration in health due to intoxication.

In general, moderate and not too frequent consumption of smoked salmon in the diet helps to improve performance, cheer up and increase the body's overall resistance to external factors.

Eat smoked salmon and be healthy and happy! Just keep in mind the fact that smoked salmon is higher in calories than fresh or salty food, therefore it can change the shape of your figure.