ABOUTone of the most important operations in the whole cold-smoked technology is salting the product, because you can not smoke fresh, not salted meat or fish. Salting is a fairly simple job, but, nevertheless, there is a huge amount of all kinds of “subtleties”, from knowledge of what salting methods can be to a specific recipe for each type of fish.
So, for example, distinguish between dry, "wet" and mixed type of salting. Dry - rubbed fish with coarse salt, "wet" - salting in saline, mixed - a combination of the first two. If we talk specifically about mackerel, a number of experts suggest, especially at the initial stage of mastering cold smoked mackerel, to use a wet ambassador, which is also called universal.
For mackerel, in particular, the recipe for salting is as follows.
It is necessary to buy a certain amount of fresh fish, although the frozen one will do as well, although there is a risk that the frozen one during the cooking process may deteriorate, because it is unknown how many times it has already gone through the freezing / thawing process. Fish need to be decapitated, gutted and well cleaned.
Then prepare saline solution (it is called a brine) at the rate of one kilogram of salt per five liters of water. Much depends on the choice of packaging for salting. This can be done in a bucket or a deep tray (tray), the main thing is that the fishes are located in this container tightly to each other, while the solution would completely close them. In addition, salting should be carried out under the yoke, so you need to take this circumstance into account.
It is also impossible to use iodized salt for brine preparation, otherwise the prepared fish will be hopelessly spoiled by acquiring an iodine flavor.
So, the mackerel fits tightly in the hatchet, closes on top of any lid on which the load is placed, and left in this state for 1.5-2 days. The degree of salting can be controlled by cutting and tasting small pieces.
Such a method of salting mackerel does not require further washing of the fish, it is enough to dry it for several hours. In addition, it is noted that the versatility of this method applies to other types of fish raw materials, so this method is suitable in the first place, as already mentioned, for beginners to master the craft of smoker.
The universal way of salting mackerel is excellent if you are dealing with the automatic smoker cold smoked "Summer Resident" - an excellent tool for getting delicious delicacies with your own hands! Smokehouse provides an opportunity to smoke, almost without interfering with the process, because all the parameters are supported in automatic mode.
In conjunction with a simple and convenient universal way for salting mackerel, the use of virtually no effort to produce any number of standardized products. Therefore, such salting is used to prepare mackerel for sale, and not just for personal use.
Easy and affordable will be smoking mackerel in a smokehouse, if you know all the features and nuances. It is worth paying attention to the preparation for the use of equipment, the choice of meat and technology, so as not to buy the product in the store. Only then will get a delicious dish cooked according to all the rules.
How to smoke mackerel
The choice of fish and sawdust will be central to the question of how to smoke mackerel in a hot-smoked smokehouse. The quality of the dish will depend on these factors: if the fish is big, the cooking time will increase, if it is small, it decreases. Choosing sawdust will influence the production of smoke - the main ingredient in cooking meat. It is necessary to choose such breeds of a tree which richly smoke - only so it will turn out golden tasty mackerelbeloved by many. It differs from a carcass made using liquid smoke.
How much to smoke fish in a smokehouse hot smoked
Depending on the size of the carcass and the fat content of the meat, the answer to the question of how much smoked mackerel will be 0.5-1 hours. Even by this time it is worth adding the defrosting of the carcass, if it was frozen, gutting and spice processing. It should be noted that it is necessary to pickle fish with brine or pickle before hot smoking. From this will depend on the final taste of the dish.
The average cooking time for hot smoked mackerel smoked using the correct material and equipment is 25 minutes at a temperature of about 100 degrees. To understand that the fish is ready to eat, you can on the dark-golden color of the skin, a shiny dry surface and a pleasant aroma. Finished smoked fish has a soft consistency of meat, leaving no marks on the toothpick when checking.
On what to smoke mackerel in the smokehouse
An important parameter, how to smoke mackerel in a hot-smoked smokehouse, is the choice of sawdust. The ideal material is alder and willow, which is important to be able to properly lay to get the best taste. In the absence of these tree species fit hornbeam, ash, oak, birch. When several juniper branches are added to the main fuel, the fish will acquire a bronze tint, a specific aroma and a slight taste of gin.
An important point to get tasty dish is the laying of smoke material. This is done in the following way:
- 2 cm of fine chips mixed with thin rods broken into 5 cm lengths are put on the bottom;
- top lay 1 cm of bark;
- to the level of the lower lattice the young leaves are laid;
- in the absence of a smokehouse at home, the process is replaced by the use of liquid smoke.
What smoke mackerel
The best option of how to smoke mackerel in a smokehouse, will be the use of stainless steel grill. For the smokehouse it is better to choose a tight-fitting lid so that the access of oxygen is closed. Optimum height home smokehouse will be 50-60 cm: no need to choose more, because the fish is laid in layers. If you increase the height, the upper layer can remain uncooked and the lower one can burn.
After every 5-10 smokes, the smokehouse is cleaned of tar, scale, and the grates are cleaned after each cycle. It is necessary to choose equipment so that it complies with safety regulations: it is better to smoke in a box with convenient handles or grippers, remove from fire with special mittens. It is better to use a reliable support for supports up to 35 cm high with the smokehouse so that the equipment does not overturn.
If there are conditions in the smoking chamber for hanging fish, use metal hooks. For this carcass need to butcher. It is better to smoke with the hanging of the product head down to avoid the formation of bruises. Prick fish so that all carcasses are turned in one direction. It is necessary to lay them on a small distance between each other, but not close, so that the smoke spreads evenly.
If the mackerel is small, then it can be smoked on simple wire grids bent in the shape of Latin letters S or U. At the same time, carcasses are laid on the back, the grids are coated with oil, placed at a distance of 10 cm for better smoking and passage of smoke. After installing the equipment you need to make a fire under it to evenly cover the bottom. The first minutes the fire keeps strong, it is worth supporting it until an intensive white house appears from under the cover. This will be a sign that the carcass has begun to smoke. After 6 minutes, you need to weaken the fire so that the smoke retains its pressure.
The appearance of bluish or gray smoke will be a bad variant of the event - this indicates that the smoke house has burned down, it needs to be changed, but this occurs very rarely when hot smoked large fish in the marinade. If, however, this happened, it is necessary to remove the brazier from the fire, let it cool, open the lid, make sure that the smoke does not go. Remove the fish together with the grill, replace the material and repeat the procedure again.
How to smoke mackerel in hot smoked smokehouse
To get the perfect hot smoked mackerel in a smokehouse at home, for the recipe you need to take the following ingredients:
- fish - 1 kg;
- coarse salt - 1 tablespoon;
- marinade - to taste.
Cook tasty and flavored dish Prescription:
- Properly prepare the fish: if the carcass has been frozen, it is thawed on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.
- Gut the carcass, remove the head and gills until the fish is completely thawed, so as not to damage the tissue.
- Rinse with cold water. Salted with coarse salt with pepper, if desired, use marinade.
- Leave for 5 hours in the refrigerator.
- Drain with a napkin.
- Put suitable sawdust in the grill, make a fire.
- Arrange the carcass on the grill so that they do not touch each other.
- Smoke over moderate heat for half an hour.
- If desired, hot smoking is replaced by the use of liquid smoke, but the result of the recipe is not so pleasant.
Check out the recipes like.
Video: how to smoke mackerel in smokehouse
The article presents a step-by-step guide to salting mackerel for cooking using hot smoked. Follow these recommendations and prepare an appetizing delicacy that will decorate any table.
- a popular delicacy that has a rich delicate flavor. The product goes well with vegetables, bread, potatoes. It can be served as a separate dish or used as an additional ingredient for the preparation of salads, sandwiches, fish pies and other dishes.Choosing a fish
For cooking using hot smoked, fresh mackerel, purchased in a proven place, is suitable. Fresh fish should not have an unpleasant smell, slippery patina, while the carcass must be elastic.
You can also use for smoking fresh frozen mackerel. Avoid buying a fish under a thick layer of ice, because under it is difficult to assess the quality of the goods.
Product preparation
Fresh-frozen mackerel is thawed in deep dishes, put in the refrigerator for 1-3 hours (depending on the number and size of carcasses). Accelerated defrosting of the product in a microwave oven or hot water is not allowed, because there is a high risk of partial cooking of fish. As a result, it will become loose, and the tissues will separate from the bones. Such a fish after smoking will not have a presentation, and its taste will deteriorate.
There are two types of preparation:
- The fish is completely gutted.After defrosting the carcass is placed on a cutting board, gutted and cut off the head (optional). Then the fish is thoroughly washed under running cold water and wiped with napkins.
- Fish smoked entirely.In this case, you need to carefully clean the carcasses from the scales, trying not to damage the skin.
Pickling
At this stage, the fish is sorted by size, since the laying of different-sized carcasses in the smoking chamber will result in uneven preparation of the product.
Salting technology depends on the condition of the carcasses.
Method 1
If at the previous stage they were gutted, it is recommended to gently rub salt on the inner and outer sides. It is important not to overdo it so that the skin remains intact. It depends on it appearance finished product. Then black pepper, spices and seasonings for fish are added to the salt. Prepared mackerel is put in special stainless steel trays or deep bowls and cleaned in a cool place to evenly distribute the salt in the tissues for 7-8 hours.
Method 2
When salting mackerel carcasses, they are completely sprinkled with salt (whole (so that the fish are not visible), then the container with the product is covered with a plate or cling film. After that, mackerel is put in the refrigerator for 7-10 hours - depending on the size of the carcasses.
Before you start smoking fish should be carefully cleaned of salt. This recipe is used to prepare the product for heat treatment in hot-smoked smokehouses. However, mackerel treated in this way can also be prepared by cold smoking.
Subject to all recommendations after smoking, you will receive a delicious, aromatic and healthy delicacy with dense meat and a small amount of bones. Smoked mackerel is an excellent snack and can be used as an ingredient for salads, pates, stuffings for stuffing vegetables, pies, casseroles, sushi and other dishes.
More information about smoked mackerel can be found in the relevant article.
At home, for the preparation of hot smoked mackerel use compact smokehouses of ordinary or stainless steel, the covers of which are equipped with a water seal. As a source of heat for them use any gas or electric stove ...
Enjoy your meal!
site average rating: 4.2, total votes: 25Employees of the online store website have prepared recommendations for the proper marinating of mackerel for hot smoking. From the material you will learn how not to be mistaken with the choice of product, as well as about the two main marinade recipes used to prepare for smoking.
The taste of smoked delicacy depends on the marinade no less than on the quality of the fish used. To smoke recommended to buy fresh mackerel. Pay attention to the density of fabrics: fresh fish should be elastic but not slippery. In addition, the fresh product should not have an unpleasant smell.
In the absence of fresh fish, you can use fresh-frozen product. If possible, avoid buying fish with a thick layer of ice, because the quality of such a product is difficult to determine.
Fish preparation
If you are going to marinate fresh-frozen mackerel, the product must be slowly thawed. To do this, the fish is placed in a deep container and put in the refrigerator for 1-3 hours (the defrosting time depends on the size of the carcasses and the amount of product). Accelerated defrosting in a microwave or hot water oven is not allowed, as this is how the fish is partially cooked. Because of this, when smoked, the product will become soft and lose its presentation.
Mackerel is smoked either whole or after gutting (it is believed that when smoked whole, the fish preserve the taste better).
- When smoked whole carcasses are carefully cleaned of scales, being careful not to damage the skin (otherwise, when smoked, the fish may soften in a smokehouse).
- When smoked after gutting internals are preliminarily removed from the carcasses and heads are cut off (at will).
How to Marinate Mackerel
Marinade is used at the final stage of preparation for heat treatment in the smokehouse. The taste of the finished delicacy depends on the marinade no less than on the quality of the fish. The effect of the processing of the marinade is based on the effect of the sour-salty environment on the product. Consider the two common recipes for mackerel marinade.
Regular marinade
Ingredients:
- carcasses of mackerel - 1 kg;
- water - 2 l;
- lemon - 1 pc .;
- bay leaf (to taste);
- salt - 220-250 g (glass);
- sugar - 1 cup;
- garlic - 3 cloves;
- black pepper;
- onion peel.
Cooking marinade
Water is heated in a conventional saucepan. After boiling, add sugar, salt, put bay leaf and onion peel. Then add 4-5 teaspoons of lemon juice and chopped garlic. Marinade is cooked for 10 minutes, then turn off the stove and allow the pan to cool.
Carcasses of fish are immersed in the cooled liquid so that the entire product is hidden in it, and leave for about 2 hours.
Then the carcasses are removed and dried until the marinade stops dripping from them. Cooking time: 3-4 hours.
Marinade with coriander
Simple recipe for fast food brine, which makes the product soft, juicy and fragrant.
Ingredients:
- mackerel - 2-3 fish;
- water - 1 l;
- salt and sugar - 50 grams (approximately 2 tablespoons);
- pepper (add to taste);
- coriander - 1 tablespoon;
- bay leaf - 5 pcs .;
- carnation
Cooking marinade
A pot of 1 liter of water is set on fire and brought to a boil (if necessary, you can heat more or less). When boiling add sugar and salt. The first ingredient makes fish tissue softer and helps them to absorb spices more deeply; salt forms the salty taste necessary for a smoked delicacy.
Then add the remaining spices. If desired, add any other seasoning.
The product is soaked in marinade for about 12 hours. If necessary, this time can be increased up to one day (when processing a large number of large carcasses).
Immediately before laying a portion of mackerel in the smoke chamber, it should be gently wiped with a napkin and hung for 2 hours.
The fish marinated according to this recipe turns out juicy, refined, fragrant and acquires a beautiful brown-golden color.
More information about smoked mackerel can be found in the relevant article.
At home, for the preparation of hot smoked mackerel use compact smokehouses of ordinary or stainless steel, the covers of which are equipped with a water seal. As a source of heat for them use any gas or electric stove ...
Enjoy your meal!
Mackerel - a great option for cooking fish at home. There are few small bones in it, and the flesh itself is thick and fat. We will describe how to make cold smoked mackerel in this article. Here are a few simple recipesavailable to any hostess. Let's try to cook!
Salt plus smoke
The magic of these two ingredients has long been known to cooks. different countries. Smoking gives meat and fish a unique taste and aroma. In addition, it is a great way to save the product. Some housewives think that preparing cold-smoked mackerel at home is difficult, because the process itself will require special equipment. But it is not so. Cold smoked house mackerel will be very tasty and fragrant if you use the recipes below.
Smoking methods
There is a significant difference between views and hot. Cold is rather a drying process at 25-30 degrees. It gives the dish a wonderful smoky aroma and delicate taste, is a method of canning, preserving fish. Hot - the preparation of the product occurs at a sufficiently high (up to 120 degrees) temperature. 
Pre-preparation of fish
Mackerel should first be salted, as a similar process will remove excess liquid from the fish carcass. As a result, we get a more saturated flavor. We take (large). The fish, placed on a cutting board or baking sheet, is thoroughly rubbed on all sides and left to lie down for half an hour. If the carcasses are large, let them soak for about an hour (than more fishthe more salt).
Home Smoker
Mackerel cold smoked at home is very well prepared in a homemade smoker. It is easy to build from the old big pans (or that which is not a pity). On its sides we drill several holes at a height of fifteen centimeters. Insert into these holes on which there will be a fish. The pan should also have a tight lid.
Process itself
Pour a layer of sawdust at the bottom of the pan. In this case, any non-coniferous species will suit: cherry, apple, alder, oak - the most popular ones. We put the pot on a small fire. Try to keep the prepared sawdust barely smoldering (so that it does not burn, some cooks pour water from the ordinary sprinkler with the sprayer periodically to the raw material). Put pre-salted carcasses on the grate. Close the lid. Smoke should be produced quite a lot, but it should not be too hot (maximum - 40 degrees). Then cold-smoked mackerel at home is soft and soft. And the cooking method will be just cold.
If you have a private house or cottage, this delicacy can be prepared right in the yard, on the hearth, barbecue, bonfire, barbecue. If you cook in the apartment, open the windows wide (and warn your neighbors, as there is a lot of smoke in the cooking process)! 
Marinade
Instead of pure salt, some housewives use marinade (pickle). It is quite simple to cook. It is necessary to dilute a pound of salt, a glass of sugar, lemon juice, a mixture of peppers, garlic in four liters warm water and bring to a boil, but do not boil! If the marinade is too much, then you can keep the excess in the refrigerator for ten to fifteen days. By this time you may want to smoke something else. Place the carcasses of mackerel or fillet in the prepared warm pickle for an hour (or better at night, then the fish will be completely ready to smoke and cook quickly).
Take out the fish from the brine. Dry with a kitchen towel. We lay on the greased greased with vegetable oil. Smoked on sawdust on the lowest fire. Remember that the temperature of smoking should not be high!
Time for preparing
Most likely, you will need at least half an hour to prepare a treat. Although for the fillet sometimes enough twenty minutes. It all depends on how the future cold-smoked mackerel is pre-marinated at home: the longer, the faster the smoking process itself takes place. The finished fish can be stored in the refrigerator for a rather long time (if it is tightly wrapped and sent to the freezer, then in a month it will be tasty).
Cold smoked mackerel: a recipe
For cooking, we need: three fish mackerel, half a glass of salt, two large spoons of sugar, vegetable oil, liquid smoke (for those who do not know, this is a water solution of wood smoke).
