Smoking is one of the thermal methods of preparation and preservation of various products. In the process of such heat treatment, the product is partially dehydrated and impregnated with bacteriostatic substances passing from smoke smoke (these are some fractions of aldehydes, as well as resinous substances, acetic and formic acids, phenols and their derivatives). Due to such processing, any final product acquires an intense brown-yellow color, a specific taste and aroma, its storage time increases many times. Alas, smoking can not be considered a useful way of preparation (it is not recommended to eat smoked more than 1 time per month). One way or another, mankind has been smoking and enjoying various foods for food since ancient times: meat, vegetables and fruits, fish.
We smoke fish ourselves
The smoked fish is very tasty. Especially if you caught it yourself (although the fish bought at the market or in the store turns out delicious) and smoked themselves. We know of several dozen ways how to smoke fish at home.
Any products are smoked in home smokehouses outdoors. Smokers are either built-made specifically of boards, bricks, sheet iron, or use improvised items: metal cabinets, barrels, etc. In the smoking chamber, the fish (approximately the same size) are suspended in rows of natural twine or wire and exposed to smoke from cleaned branches, shavings and sawdust of oak, linden, alder, beech, juniper, fruit trees. Birch and conifers should not be used.
Selection of fish for smoking
We'll figure out which fish to smoke better. In principle, you can smoke any fish (which is found in local water bodies), but it is desirable that it be fresh. Fresh-frozen sea fish, offered by retail chains, is also quite good. It should be noted that the probability of parasite infestation of river fish is much higher. Therefore, it is better to use predatory breeds of freshwater fish (except perch), the rest of the species should be stored for a while in a saline solution (such that a raw egg pops up) before salting or salting in a dry way. There is no common opinion about the time of salinity, it depends on freshness, size, and whether or not the fish are gutted.
Some like smoked salmon. This, of course, is a matter of taste, but I want to note that salmonids of almost all species are remarkably tasty in slightly salted and marinated or dried varieties, it is simply a pity to smoke such fish. There are 2 main ways of smoking fish - hot and cold.
Hot smoked method
Consider how to smoke hot smoked fish. Hot smoking occurs at a temperature in the working chamber of 43-45 ° C and is more suitable for not too fatty fish. Prepare the fish: clean and gut the carcass, salt, add any spices to the fish and leave for a day in a cold place. String fish on a rigid wire, install it in the smokehouse at the correct height, and in the lower compartment, pour wood chips, sawdust and slices of branches. In the smokehouse there should be no fire: the wood must smolder and give a lot of smoke.
Cold smoking method
To understand how to smoke a cold-smoked fish, you need to calculate the temperature difference in the smokehouse and change the location of the product. Cold smoking is especially suitable for oily fish. In this process, the temperature in the working chamber of the smokehouse should be 19-25 ° C. It takes a long time to smoke and requires constant attention for several days, so it is better to prepare a timetable for the placement of wood materials in advance. Cold smoked fish is well preserved in a cool place until 2
Time of smoking fish
Carefully calculate how much time to smoke fish. When smoking by hot method, the process time is from 40 minutes to 2-3 hours - it all depends on the size of the fish, the way of preparation (time of salting, evisceration). The time for smoking fish in cold fashion can be from 2 to 6 days depending on the same parameters.
Having mastered the basic rules of smoking, you can proceed to the process itself and cook smoked mackerel or halibut .