Smoked fish... This product delights many gourmets around the world with its taste and nutritional qualities. Cold smoked fish has become a traditional dish on the everyday and holiday table. It is equally good as a side dish for vegetables, as an appetizer with alcohol, and as a main dish.

Until recently, cooking smoked meats with your own hands seemed to be a very difficult and confusing task. However, now, with the advent of the Internet and necessary goods, the smoking process has become simpler and more accessible. You can do this right tomorrow, spending a minimum of effort and money. Moreover, you can smoke fish or meat on an ongoing and regular basis, pampering yourself and your family with delicious delicacies, or organizing your own profitable business.

So is it really possible to cook it yourself? What needs to be taken into account and what mistakes should be avoided? What is fish at home? If you are interested, then our article is for you!

What is cold smoking

Cold smoking is a method of treating food with wood smoke in order to preserve it for long-term storage. This method is very useful and practical, since the prepared products contain the maximum amount of beneficial vitamins and minerals, and can also be stored for a long period of time.

However, the cold smoking method is quite lengthy and labor-intensive. It involves a long process that requires some effort.

What is the technology of cold smoking fish? In short, pre-salted fish is smoked for several days in a specially built structure. During this process, substances contained in wood smoke are released, which have antiseptic properties and prevent the product from being damaged by bacteria of rotting and decomposition.

There are official government documents regulating the production technology of cold smoked fish. Such regulations have the abbreviation name “GOST”. Cold smoked fish, according to accepted state standards, goes through several phases of its preparation, starting from defrosting, washing and cutting the carcass and ending with its salting and smoking. For each stage of this technological process there is a necessary, fixed instruction.

However, people unfamiliar with smoking technology immediately have specific, targeted questions: what kind of fish is best to smoke in a smokehouse? How long should this be done? What types of trees are optimal for home smoking? And is it possible to build a home smokehouse yourself?

Well, let's gradually try to reveal the secrets of the technology for preparing cold smoked fish.

Required types of fish

Is it really important which fish is best smoked in a smokehouse? Yes, because not all fish can be cold smoked, because during processing the taste and nutritional properties of the product are lost.

So what kind of fish is best to smoke in a smokehouse? The most delicious and appetizing are mackerel and salmon, followed by carp, silver carp, herring, sterlet, eel, flounder and others. The main thing is that the fish is fresh, fatty and, if possible, the same size (so that salting and smoking are carried out evenly).

So, we have decided on the type of product. Now let's find out what a smokehouse is and how you can build one at home.

Smokehouse. Construction process

In order to build a high-quality and suitable smokehouse in accordance with the technology of cold smoked fish production, you need to decide how often you will use this design. If it is rare, then you can build a temporary (or disposable) smokehouse, if often, then a permanent one.

For the first type of smokehouse, you must follow simple and clear instructions:

1. Dig a trench in the ground with a slight rise towards the smokehouse and measuring two to three meters long, half a meter wide and a quarter meter deep.
2. Cover the top of the ditch with pieces of non-flammable metal and turf, and sprinkle with soil.
3. Build a fireplace at the bottom of the trench.
4. At the top of the ditch, install a wooden frame, the height of which would be one and a half meters and the width - one meter.
5. Cover the sides of the frame with polyethylene film, and put wet burlap on top.

In order to use this smokehouse constantly, it is necessary to strengthen the trench by lining it with bricks, and also replace the fragile frame with a durable wooden or brick structure. You can also purchase a ready-made smokehouse in a store or build it from a large barrel, an old refrigerator and other rarely used, large items of your household.

The principle of cold smoking fish technology is that smoke will rise from a diluted hearth along a trench up to the smokehouse, cooling along the way to the desired temperature. Smoke will escape through the top of the smokehouse.

A smoke generator will help us

This type of smokehouse is very simple to build with your own hands without special skills. However, recently many innovations have appeared that help smoke fish even better and more productively. The introduction of such innovations in cold smoked fish technology saves you energy and frees up time. They will improve the taste of the finished product and help you smoke with joy and pleasure.

One of the pleasant modern innovations is the installed smokehouse with a smoke generator. The essence of this device is to produce the required amount of smoke and supply it to the smoking container, while working in autonomous mode.

You can build a smoke generator with your own hands from a fan, thermometer, compressor, several types of pipes, fittings and connecting wires, as well as from other components that are at hand. The housing for the generator can be metal cans or pans, and the smoke pipe can be any pipe made of refractory material.

To assemble a homemade smoke generator, you will need a grinder and a welding machine, as well as some skills and abilities. The most difficult thing in this matter is to weld the chimney fitting to the pipe, and also to make doors for the lids and firebox. But the result will be worth it - you will get tasty, evenly smoked fish meat without much effort.

Of course, you can buy a smoke unit, which will make its design and operation easier.

Typically, the smoke generator should be loaded once a day with a small amount of wood chips - approximately one liter in volume. This homemade unit can be stored in a garage or closet; it is very compact and mobile.

However, do not forget that this device should be carefully looked after: regularly clean the container from decayed ash, wash the casing, etc.

Also, when using a smoke generator, it is necessary to comply with basic safety requirements:

Install the device on a hard surface.

Make sure that the electrical wiring is kept away from sources of high voltage and high temperature.

The smoke generator must be grounded.

Keep children and animals away from the operating device.

It is necessary to listen to similar advice when smoking without a smoke generator. For example, you should build a fireplace in a fire-safe place, out of reach of small children. It is also important to put the necessary firefighting tools near the smokehouse - a shovel, a fire extinguisher, a bucket of water.

So, our smokehouse (homemade or purchased) is already ready. Now let's discuss the important conditions of cold smoking.

Wood used

What kind of firewood and sawdust is best to use for the fireplace?

The technology of cold smoking fish involves the use of hardwood. The most commonly used trees are maple, aspen, oak, rowan, pear and apple, which practically do not emit resins, but produce antibactericidal smoke.

For smoking, it is necessary to choose thin and finely detailed branches, as well as chips and sawdust, which will smolder for quite a long time, creating the desired temperature and smoke.

It is noteworthy that the type of wood used affects the taste and aroma properties of the smoked product. For example, ash gives fish a rich taste, hazel gives a sharp and intense aroma, and maple imbues smoked fish with the taste of meat.

Many people think that only dry wood should be used for a smokehouse. However, this is not necessary. It all depends on your desire and preference.

If you want your finished fish to have a tart taste and an enhanced brown color, you can use slightly damp wood. And if you want the smoked product to have a bright golden crust and a delicate aftertaste, then choose well-dried branches.

In general, you can experiment with using all kinds, creating different combinations. For example, blackberry, currant and grape leaves and twigs added to the hearth give a characteristic unique taste. Fish and hornbeam sawdust will impart a unique, specific taste.

It is best to use several types of wood fuel, while maintaining a simple ratio: there should be a little more fruit wood than regular wood.

When conducting taste and culinary experiments, it should be remembered that it is best not to use coniferous trees for smoking fish, as they impart an unpleasant bitterness to the product and release resins that settle on the surface of the smoked dish in a thin layer of soot.

You should also not add firewood contaminated with fungi, mold and rot. Before using wood, it is necessary to remove the bark, since during combustion it can release toxic substances and give products an undesirable bitter taste.

You should be very careful when using birch wood, as it can impart unnecessary bitterness to the smoked product.

It should also be mentioned that under no circumstances should you fan the fire in the hearth. During cold smoking, the wood should smolder actively and intensively; for this purpose, the broken branches should be covered with fine sawdust.

Having decided on the type of wood for making a fireplace, let's now think about how to prepare our fish directly for the smoking process.

Cooking methods: salting or marinade

Let's find out a delicious recipe for cold smoked fish. For example, mackerel.

Before smoking, preferably in the evening, it must be thoroughly washed and cleaned. The entrails, milk and gills should be removed from the belly of the fish. It is not necessary to cut off the head. Also, you should not scrape off the skin or scales, this will allow the mackerel to retain the juiciness of the meat and delicate aroma.

Should fish be cut into pieces? There is no need to do this for small specimens, but it is advisable to divide large fish into pieces or make small cuts along the spine. This will allow the product to salt and smoke evenly and quickly.

How does the salting process work? There are several options for processing fish with salt. For example, you can grate the fish inside and out, add spices, onions and put it under pressure for six to twelve hours.

Another salting option is to prepare a strong, saturated brine solution and place the mackerel in it for twenty to thirty minutes.

Fatty fish should be salted in a slightly different way: the product, generously rubbed with salt and spices, is wrapped in foil or parchment and placed in a tightly closed plastic, glass or enamel container for two to three days.

Salted in this way, cold smoked mackerel will have a pleasant and delicate taste and aroma.

In addition to salting, fish can be soaked in marinade. This will make its meat even softer and juicier, and also give it the necessary flavor properties and shades.

For marinating, you will need a quarter of a glass of salt, half a glass of lemon juice, a glass of white wine and soy sauce (the ingredients are calculated for a liter of water). You can also add onions and your favorite spices and seasonings.

The marinating time for mackerel ranges from eight to ten hours. It is noteworthy that pickled fish should be kept in a closed container in the refrigerator.

Penultimate stage: drying and drying

After salting, the fish must be thoroughly washed (in several waters) and soaked, which can also take a couple of days. Next, the product should be dried. To do this, the carcass is hung vertically, without covering anything, but protected from flies and other insects, and kept for three to five days.

At this stage, each fish needs to be carefully examined in order to get rid of a spoiled, poorly salted specimen. If the fish smells bad or has loose meat, it should be thrown away.

After drying, the carcasses are hung in a smoking cabinet, trying not to touch them to each other. Thanks to this, the smoking smoke will evenly envelop the fish from all sides, which will improve the quality and speed of its readiness.

Now let's move on directly to the smoking process.

Mandatory smoking time

So, our mackerel is ready for cold smoking, and here a completely traditional question arises: how long does it take to smoke the fish?

How long to smoke fish is a fairly common and popular question, the answer to which suggests itself: with cold smoking it is impossible to quickly prepare a tasty and safe dish without subjecting it to heat treatment.

It is also logical to conclude that the time for cold smoking of fish depends on its size and fat content. On average, this takes several days.

The technology of cold smoking fish does not involve cooking it during a one-day trip to nature. If you are planning to relax outside the city for quite a long time, then feel free to take on smoking even the largest and fattiest fish carcass.

How long does it take to smoke small fish? Typically, small fish are smoked for two to three days, while larger fish can be smoked for four or more.

Experienced chefs recommend starting smoking in the morning, in sunny, windless weather. During the first 24 hours, it is necessary to ensure that smoke flows into the smoking cabinet continuously, and only then, due to circumstances, there may be slight deviations in its flow. So, even one person can handle the task of cold smoking!

Mandatory smokehouse temperature

What is the required temperature for cold smoking fish? It is imperative to ensure that the air in the smokehouse does not rise above thirty degrees Celsius. The most optimal temperature is twenty-five degrees.

In this case, you should regularly check the air temperature inside the chamber itself in order, if necessary, to regulate the smoldering hearth.

However, we must remember that you should not open the smokehouse too often in order to look into the middle - this can significantly increase the smoking time of the product or even ruin the entire process.

After smoking, the fish is not taken out of the smokehouse immediately, but is allowed to dry for a couple more days so that it acquires an even golden color and a concentrated taste.

What is the finished dish?

So, the cooking time and temperature have been maintained, and our cold smoked mackerel is ready!

How can you tell if smoked fish can be used?

Since during cold smoking the carcass is saturated with smoke from the fire and loses most of the fat and moisture, the meat of this fish should be quite dry and hard, have a bright golden crust and fit tightly to the ridge. And of course, a properly prepared product should not have an unpleasant odor or aftertaste.

Long-term storage of prepared fish

What is the best way to store smoked fish? The product must be placed in a clean and dry place with a constant air temperature of three degrees. Thus, the fish can be kept in the refrigerator for one week.

However, it should be remembered that the dish has a specific pungent odor, so it should be stored in thick paper.

Cold smoked fish can be frozen in vacuum packaging for three months. It is best to defrost the product in the microwave.

If you decide to keep smoked fish in reserve, be sure to remember that during storage its taste and nutritional properties deteriorate. Therefore, it is best to consume this product during the first three days.

Bon appetit!

Smoked fish is a frequent “guest” at many feasts. Most housewives prefer to buy such a product in a store, but it can easily be made at home, resulting in a healthier food. Let's look at how to properly cook smoked fish at home below.

Benefits and harms

People have an opinion that smoked fish is a tasty, but harmful product. There is, of course, some truth in this, since fish, like many other smoked foods, can cause allergies. But such adverse reactions to the product in question occur only in persons predisposed to the mentioned ailment. In addition, allergies are caused not so much by the fish as by the fact of smoking itself. And in many ways it all depends on the spices and method of preparation.

For example, if liquid smoke enriched with various dyes and flavors is used, then there is a high probability that the product cannot be called hypoallergenic. If during marinating numerous spices were excluded, except for salt, pepper and a small amount of homemade herbs, then with moderate consumption of the product there is no need to be afraid of allergies.

In addition, there are varieties of fish that, when smoked, are not only not harmful, but also healthy. This is, for example, halibut, in which, under the thermal influence of cold smoking, a large amount of vitamin B (from B1 to B6) is produced, which strengthens the nervous system and increases performance. Smoked halibut is also rich in iodine, which is necessary for good functioning of the thyroid gland. The fats contained in fish replenish the body's need for Omega fatty acids.

If there is an acute issue with the calorie content of a dish, then the smoked fish available on store shelves today allow you to adjust your diet without denying yourself your favorite delicacy. The energy value of smoked mackerel exceeds 300 kcal, but for halibut prepared in the same way, the figure will be 161. And to make it easier to navigate the features of a particular smoked fish, you need to familiarize yourself with the benefits and taste of the main types available on store shelves .

What fish is suitable for smoking?

According to sellers, the most popular among the population is smoked fish, the price category of which ranges from 350 to 500 rubles per kilogram. These are varieties such as mackerel, catfish, bream, perch and others. Mackerel is considered one of the inexpensive sea fish, but the price of catfish and bream is slightly higher. If the price indicator is almost the same, then buyers are often faced with the question of which fish is best to buy. And here, as you know, “there is no friend according to taste.”

Some are guided by the peculiarities of the skeleton, preferring fish with large bones, which helps protect children from getting a brush stuck in their throat. Others pay attention to juiciness and calorie content (mackerel, for example, is considered a fatty fish, so it has nothing to do with dryness). But no matter how juicy and aromatic store-bought fish is, the most delicious and healthy is the one smoked at home. This product will definitely be fresh. There are often cases when unscrupulous supermarket owners, trying not to lose profit, treat old, weathered fish that has been frozen and thawed several times with liquid smoke, which is then sold as an auction smoked product. In addition, you can choose, based on your own preferences, the fish itself, the method of smoking it, as well as spices. The listed advantages are an advantage when there are medical contraindications in a person’s daily diet.

When talking about smoking and choosing fish, we are guided not only by its benefits and taste preferences. In this case, in order not to spoil the delicacy, you should also take into account the structure of the product itself: size, density of skin and meat. If you use particularly tender fish for hot smoking, you may end up with an overcooked dish that does not hold its shape. And, conversely, if you use large, elastic fish for cold smoking, you may end up with a half-baked product.

For cold

The peculiarity of cold smoking is that the fish is suspended far from the fire itself. It languishes for a long time at a fairly low temperature - from 40 to 50 degrees. At the same time, it does not interact with fire, but is only covered in smoke. As for the cooking time, it depends on the type of smokehouse and the fish itself, and takes from one day to 7-10 days. With such a long cooking method, it is very important to marinate the fish well to avoid the appearance of worms, especially on hot summer days.

The most advantageous options for the presented method are: mackerel, beluga, chum salmon, carp, silver carp, flounder and other varieties characterized by a fairly dense skin and a relatively massive, elastic fleshy part.

For hot

Hot smoking requires a smokehouse installed directly on direct fire. The cooking method in such a smokehouse can be called fast, because everything takes a maximum of four hours. Any fish is suitable for hot smoking: mackerel, bream, cod, sea bass, sturgeon and many others. In this case, preliminary marinating is not required, you just need to pay attention to the integrity of the carcass, which should be without any flaws such as cracks and dents. In addition, experts in the field recommend removing the fish heads, as they impart a certain bitterness to the meat.

Selection rules

As for the rules for choosing fish for smoking, there is only one requirement - that the fish be fresh. Experienced fishermen say that freshness is determined by the eyes and gills. The eyes of fresh fish, as a rule, are not glassy, ​​but are slightly covered with a film, which gives them a certain cloudiness. Fish that have been stored on store shelves for more than 3 days will have dark, glass-like eyes. The gills, in turn, should be red, and if their color is closer to brown, then, most likely, the fish is not the freshest.

Beginners in the field of smoking often have a question about what type of fish to prefer for smoking. As practice shows, in most cases the same fish can be smoked in different ways. The only difference will be in its composition (sea water, for example, contains more iodine than river water). But you need to pay attention to freshness and fat content. Although fat content does not always become an indicator for choosing one or another variety.

As for dryness-softness, this largely depends on the fat content of the product. Fatty varieties are the optimal solution for both smoking methods. Fatty varieties include mackerel, herring, sturgeon, sea bass, and flounder. During hot smoking, most of the fat is rendered, making the dish juicy, and during cold smoking, it does not allow the fish to become dry, due to which it turns out to be somewhat juicy-dried.

Features of preparation

One of the main guarantees of a successful dish is the freshness of the ingredients. Fish in this case is not only not an exception, but is recognized as the rule, since it is still a perishable product that instantly reacts to the wrong storage method, to numerous freezing and thawing. In such cases, substances appear in the product that cause gastrointestinal disorders and poisoning. In addition, it is not for nothing that popular wisdom advises that it is better to overcook fish than to undercook it. This is due to the fact that, living in waters unknown to the buyer, the degree of pollution of which may vary, the fish absorbs all substances dangerous to the human body.

So, to avoid problems fish must be properly prepared for one or another smoking method. It was noted above that cold smoking is, in fact, a superficial heat treatment, therefore fish is smoked using this method only in cut form (a cut is made along the carcass), after gutting it and washing it. The head is not removed, since it is through it that the hanging hook is inserted.

Another, no less important condition is preliminary marinating. It is not recommended to use vinegar for this, since it burns tender meat and causes the fish to begin to decompose before it has had time to smoke. An alternative to vinegar is salt, which is used to rub the fish carcass and place it in the refrigerator at least overnight. Instead of salt, you can use soy sauce.

It is important to understand here that fish is not lard that does not absorb salt, therefore, in order to avoid over-salting, excessive use of salt is not recommended. If you are afraid that it will not marinate, then you can protect yourself by an extra hour of smoking.

The hot smoking method allows you to cook fish as a whole without gutting it. But here it is very important to remove the head and make sure that there are no defects on the carcass: cracks, peeling scales or curling of the skin. The fish is not marinated, but immediately before immersion in the smokehouse, it is rubbed with spices and your favorite herbs. Even smelt, capelin, and sprat are no exception. The difference is that depending on the fat content of the fish and the smoking method, some will be juicier and some will be drier.

The hot smoking method is considered more common, since it does not require a specialized smokehouse, which allows the fish to be dried in smoke in the fresh air for several days. Today there are small portable smokehouses that resemble a barbecue; when loaded horizontally, they help prepare any smoked fish, even outdoors. To do this, it is quite enough to make a fire and place a smokehouse on it.

If the fish is small in size or is steaks, then it is cooked over a practically smoldering fire. If you decide to cook uneviscerated carcasses, you will need a well-lit fire.

To learn how to smoke mackerel correctly, watch the following video.

A delicious delicacy and an excellent snack for beer is smoked fish. Of course, now it can be purchased at any store or supermarket. But how nice it is to cook such a dish yourself. The technology of the smoking process is not at all as complicated as it seems. Try smoking your own catch or a purchased product at least once, and you will become an avid smoker, since this process is very exciting. How to smoke fish yourself, preparation for smoking the product and technologies for various types of smoking are presented in this article.

What fish is suitable for smoking?

You can smoke the fish that suits your liking or wallet. Both sea and river fish, caught independently or purchased on the market, are suitable. The main thing is to be sure of the freshness of the product.

It is worth noting that fatty fish are tastier, for example: mackerel, catfish, herring, cod, pike perch, red fish. But if you caught carp, crucian carp or perch, you can safely cook them too.

If you bought a frozen product, the fish must be defrosted naturally in the upper part of the refrigerator before cooking. Next, the process of preparing for smoking occurs in the same way as with a fresh product.

Types of smoking

Smoking is the oldest method of preparing food. Since ancient times, our ancestors smoked meat and fish. Processing with natural smoke allows you to get not only delicious, appetizing food, but also extends its shelf life.

There are 2 main smoking methods: hot and cold.

To smoke fish in any way, you need a smokehouse. Hot and cold smokehouses differ from each other in their design. A smoking apparatus can be purchased at any specialized store, and if desired, you can build it yourself using available materials.

It is better to start the smoking process in the morning, in dry, windy weather. Also, for smoking you need to prepare firewood and special wood chips.

Wood for smoking fish

The taste of the finished smoked product largely depends on the correct choice of wood. Different types of wood give fish their own taste, aroma, and color.

You can take any kind of firewood for starting a fire: poplar, alder, fruit trees. The main thing is that the fire gives good heat.

Alder, oak, fruit trees (cherry, cherry, apricot, peach, grapes) are suitable for wood chips. You can also use mixtures of sawdust, for example, alder with cherry or apricot. It is very good to add juniper branches along with berries.

To prepare wood chips, you need to take dry branches, chop them with a hatchet or cut them with a regular knife. You can chop wood chips. The size of such chips should be approximately the same (2 by 2 cm) so that the wood chips smolder evenly.

Wood of any coniferous species cannot be used. They release resin when burned, so the products will have a pungent odor and bitter taste. Also, you should not take birch, since its wood contains tar.

Sawdust or wood chips should be moderately dry and have a moisture content of 60-70%. Wood that is too dry will burn quickly without producing enough smoke. Wet sawdust will take a very long time to burn.

Preparing fish for the hot smoking process

Before you start smoking, the product must be prepared by going through several steps:

• Treatment.
• Salting or pickling.
• Drying or drying.

Treatment. To begin with, the fish are sorted by size. It is recommended to smoke carcasses of approximately the same size. If you cook everything together, the large one may not be smoked, but the small one will burn during this time.

Small specimens do not need to be cleaned or gutted, just rinse well. A medium-sized fish must be freed from its entrails and its gills removed. Large specimens are gutted and the head is removed.

If the carcasses are too huge, they are cut into steaks or formed into balyks. The scales are not removed because they trap harmful substances contained in the smoke. After cleaning, the fish is washed thoroughly, excess moisture is removed with a paper towel.

Salting. The easiest way to salt the product is using the dry method. To do this, prepared carcasses are thoroughly rubbed with salt on all sides. You also need to rub salt inside the abdomen and the places where the gills were. If desired, you can add black pepper to the salt for taste.
.

Next, the fish is placed in any suitable container, covered with cling film or a lid, and sent to the refrigerator. In terms of time, small carcasses are salted for 1 hour, medium ones - 2 hours, large ones - at least 3 hours.

Pickling. To give a richer taste, the product is placed in a spicy marinade. Take 1 liter of water, 50 g of salt, 3 cloves of garlic (cut into several pieces), coriander, thyme, ginger (half a teaspoon each). All components must be boiled and cooled. The processed carcasses are placed in a container, filled completely with brine, and salted in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours (longer possible). You can choose any spices for the marinade, depending on your taste.

Drying. After the fish has been salted, it needs to be dried before smoking. To do this, string them on threads or hooks, hang them in a draft or near a fan.

Before dry-salting fish, you need to rinse them to remove excess salt and pat them dry with a towel. It will be enough to dry the marinated product with napkins.

The fish is dried for at least 60 minutes, preferably 2 hours. To avoid contact with insects while drying, wrap it in gauze soaked in a weak vinegar solution.

You can also dry the fish in the refrigerator, simplifying the process. To do this, wrap the carcasses in food parchment and keep in the refrigerator for 2 hours. The product is ready for hot smoking.

Cooking in a hot smoker

A smokehouse for hot smoking, industrial or made independently, consists of the following elements:

• Capacity, volume 10-12 liters. This could be a metal bucket or barrel.
• Pallet. Juice and fat will drain into it during smoking.
• A grid on which food is laid out or bars from which food can be hung.
• Tight-closing lid with a small hole. Store-bought smokehouses have lids with a water seal, which allows you to close the smoking apparatus as tightly as possible.

The bottom of the smokehouse is sprinkled with wood chips; just take two good handfuls. It is advisable to put a few juniper branches and berries on top for a special aroma.

A tray is placed over the wood chips. It prevents moisture from getting into the sawdust. As a result, it will not burn. If there is no tray, it can be replaced with food foil folded in 2-3 layers.

A grill is placed on top of the tray, on which fish carcasses are laid out. The fish should not lie tightly so that the smoke evenly envelops each piece.

The smokehouse is covered with a lid and placed on fire. You can make a fire in a regular grill, or use a stove or burner. The fire should be moderately strong.

The temperature in the smoking apparatus should be from 90 to 120 degrees. At this heat, small fish are smoked for 30 minutes, large fish for 40-50 minutes.

To control the degree of readiness, you can open the lid of the smokehouse. But this should be done slowly and carefully. If air enters, the wood chips may ignite and cause injury.

When cooking is complete, remove the fish and let it cool in the fresh air. Only after this can you begin the long-awaited tasting. A hot-cooked product does not last long, only 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Therefore, you need to eat it quickly.

Preparing for cold smoking

Fish for cold smoking is processed in the same way as for hot smoking. Gutted (large), remove the gills, wash thoroughly and dry with a towel. Next comes the moment of salting. As a rule, when cold smoking it is salted by dry salting in a large amount of salt. A small layer of salt is poured onto the bottom of the prepared dishes, the carcasses, previously rubbed with salt, are laid out, and salt is sprinkled on top again.

If there is a lot of fish, it is laid in layers, each row is also sprinkled with salt. A weight is placed on top of the carcasses. They will be salted for at least 5 days.

Afterwards, the carcasses must be soaked in clean cold water for 3-4 hours. Then the delicacy is strung or put on hooks, dried in a draft or in a well-ventilated room for 22-24 hours. The fish dried in this way is placed in a smokehouse.

Cold smoking fish

The cold smoke treatment process ensures long-term storage of fish delicacies. But it also takes a lot of time. A cold smokehouse consists of 3 main parts: a firebox, a container in which food is smoked, and a chimney connecting the firebox to the container. Industrial smokehouses are designed differently; the smoking process in them is automated and does not require constant human control.

Fragrant smoked fish on the table is a real holiday for the whole family. Many housewives prefer to cook it themselves. The main thing is to know how to smoke fish at home so that it turns out golden and juicy.

It is not difficult to choose fish for cold and hot smoking.

A few important rules will help here:

1. The ideal option is freshly caught prey.
2. Frozen products are not suitable for smoking.
3. Specimens of equal weight and size are smoked.
4. If the scales are not too dense, the appearance of the finished product will deteriorate and the taste will deteriorate.

Fishermen advise using red fish or asp. In any case, it all depends on personal taste preferences. White fish, sockeye salmon, horse mackerel, and mullet are not suitable for processing.

During the smoking process, it is important to follow safety rules. Therefore, it is recommended to cook in dry weather without wind. Most men know how to smoke fish properly. However, this procedure can be done by any woman.

How to smoke fish in a hot smoker

Typically, fish is cooked in a smokehouse, which is a metal box with a lid and grate. It can be bought at a specialized store, but many men prefer to make the device themselves. To do this, take a vessel with a lid, grid and tray.

For cold smoking, choose thin branches, sawdust and wood chips that can smolder for a long time, creating the required temperature. It is best to use 2-3 types of wood. You should not use pine needles, which impart an unpleasant bitterness to the product. Firewood should not be covered with mold or mildew.

Alder is the best wood for smoking. This could be shavings or sliver. It is permissible to add fresh twigs and leaves.

Other trees are also suitable:

• ash;
• Apple tree;
• pear;
• juniper;
• raspberries.

Sawdust from plums and apricots is not recommended. Using different woods, you can adjust the taste of the finished product.

Let's try to cook smoked mackerel.

• 3-4 mackerel carcasses;
• salt;
• ground black pepper.

Preparation:

1. The fish is prepared before smoking. It is washed, gutted, peppered and salted. There is no need to remove the scales. It is recommended to salt the product 2-3 hours before smoking. You can marinate it in salted brine with pepper and spices.
2. Fish weighing less than 500 g do not need to be gutted, but larger specimens must be cut. Specimens that are too large are cut into pieces.
3. Slightly damp sawdust is poured inside the smokehouse in a layer of 2-3 cm. Dry wood chips can ignite.
4. The mackerel is placed on the grill so that the carcasses do not touch each other. Lay it in one layer.
5. Close the lid and place the device over medium heat or grill.
6. After 15 minutes, lift the shutter to release the smoke. Although some fishermen do not adhere to this rule and prefer not to open the lid during the entire cooking process.
7. Lower the shutter again and smoke for 30 minutes. Cooking time depends on the size of the carcass.
8. Open the smokehouse after it has cooled completely. If the fish is dark golden and has a red tint, it is ready.

Pike, eel, trout and grayling have a pronounced aroma and taste. It is recommended to preserve them during the smoking process. Other fish can be marinated in brine with various spices, and it is recommended to add garlic arrows and green onions to the carcass.

At what temperature should you smoke hot smoked fish?

The smoking temperature depends on the type and weight of the product. It is recommended to cook fish at 80-150 degrees. When the fish is dried, 80-90 degrees is enough for it. Smoking requires 120 degrees.

To check the temperature inside the smokehouse, you need to drop water on the lid of the device. If the liquid evaporates without hissing, then the fish is smoked correctly and will not be cooked. With this test you can adjust the temperature by increasing or decreasing the heat.

What kind of fish can be hot smoked?

River and sea fish species are suitable for hot smoking:

• herring;
• cod;
• mackerel;
• sturgeon;
• mullet;
• beluga;
• herring;
• sea ​​bass.

If it is not possible to get fresh fish, you can use frozen. It must be defrosted naturally.

Cold smoking technology

The principle of processing food using the cold method is to constantly supply cooled smoke into a container with suspended fish. This requires a special unit with an inclined chimney. How long the process will take depends on the size of the carcass. Very large specimens can be smoked for up to 7 days. Processing occurs at a temperature of 16-40 degrees.

The following types of fish are suitable for cold smoking:

• chum salmon;
• red salmon;
• cod;
• omul;
• sturgeon;
• mullet;
• beluga;
• whitefish.

To cold smoke fish you will need the following ingredients:

• 5 kg chum salmon;
• 1.3 kg salt;
• spices.

Step by step recipe:

1. Prepared carcasses are washed and marinated in salt and spices for 12 hours at room temperature.
2. After salting, each fish is cut lengthwise along the ridge and dried a little.
3. The fish is hung in a smoking cabinet.
4. Sawdust is poured into the firebox of the device. The smoking process will take from 2 to 4 days.
5. During this time, it is necessary to maintain the desired temperature using smoldering sawdust.

If the product is dried outdoors, it is necessary to protect it from insects with gauze.

How to smoke fish with liquid smoke

The liquid smoke smoking method involves the following manipulations:

1. Wood is burned in the stove.
2. The resulting smoke is passed through water.
3. The aromatic liquid is purified from harmful substances.
4. The fish is cut into pieces and salted in water with liquid smoke.
5. After 3-4 hours, the product is fried over a regular fire using a grate.

Let's try to cook mackerel at home using liquid smoke.

To do this you will need the following ingredients:

• 2 fresh fish;
• 100 ml liquid smoke;
• 2-3 handfuls of onion peels;
• 2 bay leaves;
• sugar, salt.

Preparation progress:

1. The onion peels are washed and filled with water.
2. Add salt and sugar to taste.
3. Place on the fire until it boils.
4. The composition is boiled for 20 minutes.
5. Then it is filtered, liquid smoke and laurel leaves are added.
6. Leave the mixture with the lid closed for 30 minutes.
7. The mackerel is thawed, the head is cut off and the entrails are removed. Wash with water.
8. When the broth is infused, take out the bay leaf and place the prepared mackerel in a container.
9. The fish should stand in this marinade for 2-4 days. It is placed in the refrigerator and periodically turned over to distribute it evenly. You need to put pressure on top.
10. After the time has passed, the fish is taken out and hung for a day, placing a baking tray under it to catch the dripping fat.
11. The mackerel is then wrapped in cling film and stored in the refrigerator.

Today, many housewives prefer to use purchased liquid smoke. However, you can prepare it at home yourself. To do this, mix rice, sugar, green and black tea. Wrap them in 2 layers of foil. When frying or stewing, place foil with ingredients under the dish. The resulting thick smoke will smoke the product, leaving it with its aroma and taste.

Speaking about the dangers of liquid smoke, it is worth noting that harmful substances are present in it in small quantities. It is considered healthier than natural smoke. Although in some countries its use is prohibited.

Storage of smoked product

Cold smoked fish is stored on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for no more than 7 days, wrapped in foil or a plastic bag. The shelf life of a hot smoked product is 2-3 days. It should be kept in the refrigerator at a temperature of about 0 degrees. Fish should not be frozen.

It is unacceptable to leave a smoked product in the heat; it will quickly deteriorate and acquire an unpleasant taste. Fish smoked with liquid nitrogen is wrapped in cling film and stored in the refrigerator for about a week.

The humidity level should be approximately 90 percent, otherwise the fish will dry out and lose its quality. It is necessary to periodically open the refrigerator compartment to change the air. Before storing the product, it is recommended to defrost and wash the shelves.

If there is no refrigerator, it is recommended to place the fish in fabric bags and store them in the attic, in small boxes with sawdust. The main thing is to keep insects away from it and protect it from foreign odors. During smoking, it is recommended to place juniper branches on the bottom of the smokehouse. They will increase the shelf life of the product.

Have you had any luck with your catch while fishing? This is a great reason to smoke fish. Smoked fish is incredibly tasty and deliciously aromatic, and smoking fish is quite simple. You just need to have a smokehouse and make a fire. Remember, smoke is a natural antiseptic that increases the shelf life of fish and gives it a special aroma and taste. Now we will learn how to smoke fish correctly at home or in the field.

What kind of fish to smoke

Beginning fishermen will ask what kind of fish to smoke? We answer - you can smoke almost any fish. The main thing is that you meet two conditions:

• the fish you are going to smoke must be fresh!
• Select fish for smoking that are the same size and type, then it will be salted and smoked more evenly!

If the question of what kind of fish to smoke relates to its type, then take note that fatty fish turns out tastier. For example, smoked mackerel or greenling is delicious; whitefish, herring, stellate sturgeon, sterlet, catfish, pike perch, pollock, flounder, pollock, cod, and haddock are excellent. And, of course, eel. If you caught perch and crucian carp, you can also safely smoke it. If you caught a pike, smoke it! Thus, we consider the question of what kind of fish to smoke to be answered.

Smokehouse for fish

To smoke fish you will need a smokehouse. 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 be properly smoked. The lid should fit very tightly onto the tray.

How to smoke fish - gutting

Some people like to smoke fish without gutting. But sometimes smoked raw fish can taste bitter. Therefore, it is recommended to remove the gills, entrails, and always the dark film from the ribs. There are the following recommendations for gutting fish for smoking depending on 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.
• Very large fish are always gutted and plated. 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.
• Pieces of fish of the same size, cut transversely and vertically in relation to the spine, are quite suitable for smoking.
• If the fish is smoked whole, then cleaning it from scales is not necessary and even undesirable, especially if the scales are strong enough and beautiful in appearance, since they protect 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

Fish should be smoked after the salting procedure. Usually it is recommended to salt the fish 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 putting it in the smokehouse. And do not soak it in salt for several hours. If you still intend to eat the fish some time after smoking, then it is better to salt it and rinse it of salt before storing it. Before storing, you can pepper the fish and add spices and herbs suitable for fish. But not much.

What to smoke fish with - smoking wood

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

How to smoke fish - storing fish

Wood chips are placed on the bottom, a grate is placed on top, and the fish prepared for smoking is placed on it. Food should be placed on the grill in one layer so that it can come into contact with smoke on all sides. The lid closes tightly and the smokehouse is placed on fire. If it is not very large, then it is most convenient to place it on the grill. The coals should be evenly distributed under the smokehouse; it’s good to leave a few half-burnt logs, but the fire should not be strong.

How long to smoke fish

The smokehouse heats up over the fire, and white smoke begins to pour out of it. It warmed up and the alder chips began to smoke the fish. When the smokehouse warms up, you can remove the burning logs and cook the fish only on the coals. For an average fish, the process takes about half an hour to forty minutes. In general, the 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. The smoke will still seep through the smoker a little. It is very important not to overheat the smoker. The temperature inside should not be quite high, especially at the beginning of the process. The process can mainly be divided into two stages. The first is drying, which takes ¼ of the time. The second is the smoking itself - 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, it should evaporate without hissing, and not boil. At this temperature, the food will be smoked correctly and not cooked. It is necessary to regulate the temperature - by decreasing or increasing the fire in the fire under the smokehouse.

Before opening the smokehouse, you need to wait until it has cooled down and 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.