Now is the time to talk about taranka, because from now on and throughout the winter, this is the best time to prepare it. Well, let's start with the fact that we, Kremenchu ​​residents, call dried roach ram, and when I visit friends, I had to try ram from bream, perch, pike perch, pike, catfish and even crucian carp. And my friends are right too, because according to Wikipedia:

Taranka, taranka is a common name for dried dried fish. Basically, various fish of the carp family, the genus Rutilus, roach, such as ram (from the name of which the concept of “ram” arose) and roach are used to prepare ram. It is considered a Russian national snack for beer.

So what is important to know when preparing this delicious and popular fish product?

The first and most important thing in this matter is the body density of the fish. The density of the fish depends on the water temperature and time of year. The highest body density of fish is in October – November. This time coincides with the maximum feeding of fish. Then you get the most delicious battering ram. But not everyone manages to catch a large number of roaches at this time. Of course, traditionally there is also winter and, of course, spring. All this time it is actively feeding and with certain skills you can catch it and catch quite a few. Naturally, with successful fishing, it is not possible to process all of it, so you just need to sprinkle it well with salt in a large plastic bag (like those that ship soot at a soot plant) or in a plastic food container and store it in a cold place (cellar or old refrigerator in garage (if, of course, there is an extra one for this purpose). But in any case, you need to hang out all the caught ram before the onset of warm weather. Summer roach, no matter how hard you try, will not make a particularly tasty roach. The reason for this is the low density of the fish, its stomachs filled with organic matter and not the first freshness when transported in the heat. Well, the ram made from roach, red bream, saberfish and blue bream is considered a classic. Moreover, the last two types of fish in our rivers have become very rare, but if you know where to catch them, you should know that in order to prepare ram from them, the specimens must not be small. White bream is considered an amateur ram, but bream is quite difficult to prepare (it is better to smoke it) and this is a separate topic on HOW to properly make ram from it. I have one good friend, and he knows how to cook dried bream so that you can choke on your saliva while it dries. Therefore, I want to tell you how to prepare ram from roach, because this is what I catch for this purpose most often and most of all.

So, if you managed to catch a roach - that’s great, no - you can buy it, it’s less time-consuming, but more expensive in terms of money + you won’t get the same pleasure from fighting with this strong and beautiful fish! The most delicious is, of course, spring fish with caviar. Males are less tasty, but this is not a reason to ignore them. It is advisable to immediately after fishing divide the fish by size, dividing them into large, medium and small. And salt all types separately. The smaller the container, the easier it is to salt the fish. I consider ideal plastic food containers, which can now be bought WITHOUT PROBLEMS in any market and in any volume, so to speak. Under no circumstances should the fish be gutted, because then all the fat will come out of it and it will lose half of its taste + (which is definitely) it will lose its appetizing appearance! The fish is placed in rows and salted in layers. No need to skimp on salt! The salt should completely cover the fish. For larger specimens (today it’s 350 grams or more) - take an individual approach, i.e. Don’t be too lazy to pour salt under the gills of each fish.

I dry fish on the balcony, although it’s clear that this is far from the best place and my wife is not particularly happy with it. I try to finish with all the strategic stocks of ram (including those stored in the freezer) before the appearance of flies capable of reproducing. Because it is extremely difficult to protect yourself from them, they even find some kind of cracks in special drying nets, or I don’t know how they throw their worms there so that they end up on the fish. :(And then your fish will have to be used only purely for breeding maggots. As for the drying time, I think this is all purely individual. Personally, I don’t like overdried fish, even if it’s better if it has a little blood on it (then it’s 2-3 days of drying for small fish and 4-5 for large ones) because salt begins to appear on overdried fish and the fat dries out and it is no longer so tasty. BUT... as they say, “There are no comrades for taste and color.” Therefore, good luck to you all and have a nice time appetite!!!

Salted fish is an ideal snack for beer. And to be sure of its quality and taste, it is better to salt it yourself. Find out how to salt ram.

What kind of fish is suitable?

Small and medium-sized fish are suitable for salting, since large ones will not be salted completely and will remain raw inside, which will affect the taste and increase the likelihood of contracting intestinal infections when eaten.

Instead of ramming, you can use any other small fish for salting, for example, rudd, white bream, ruffe, sabrefish, and minnows. Medium fat content is optimal, since at low fat content the fish will turn out very dry, and at high fat content it will have an unpleasant taste.

Should I gut the fish?

Opinions about gutting fish before salting are divided. But if the ram was caught in the summer, then in the reservoir it probably fed on freshwater microorganisms and greens, and in this case, if the insides are not removed, an unpleasant odor may occur. In addition, the pulp will acquire a characteristic aroma and bitter taste, so gutting is still advisable.

There is no need to cut off the tail and head; just make a small cut in the abdomen and remove all the excess. Next, the fish is thoroughly washed and dried. This completes the preparation, and you can proceed directly to the ambassador.

How to salt?

How to salt ram at home? The process is simple, but requires patience. In addition, there are three main methods: drying, dry method and wet. All options are discussed in detail.

Dry method

This option is simple and requires a suitable container (it can be a wooden box or an enamel basin), salt and the fish itself.

Description of the method:

1. Place a layer of salt about 7-10 millimeters thick at the bottom of a clean container.
2. Rub salt all over the fish, pushing it into the mouth and gills. You can also make several holes for better salting.
3. Place the fish on the salt, sprinkle it with a centimeter layer of salt. Laying for better compaction is done with heads to tails and backs to bellies, so that there are no free spaces left.
4. Having laid all the fish in layers and sprinkled it with salt, cover it, for example, with thick cardboard, a perforated board, or a lid with a diameter smaller than the container itself. Place a weight of about 7-10 kg.
5. Send the container to a cool place, such as a refrigerator, cellar or balcony (during the cold season).
6. How long should you salt fish using this method? The duration depends on the weight of one carcass: about 100-150 grams - two days, 500-700 g - three to four days, more than 800 grams - from five to seven days to two weeks (for large specimens).
7. During the salting process, juice will be released, which must be drained daily. You can determine readiness by the absence of liquid.
8. Now wash the salted fish and soak it in water to remove excess salt, and then in a vinegar solution (50 ml of 9% table water per 10 liters) to destroy bacteria and repel flies.
9. All that remains is to hang the carcasses in a ventilated room and dry them to the desired condition. You can also dry fish in wooden open boxes or on trays, turning them regularly.

Advice! If the weight of pressure is increased after a day or two, the fish will be salted more fully and well.

Wet method

This recipe involves salting in a concentrated saline solution. And here's what you'll need:

• fish;
• water;
• table salt (100-150 g for each liter of water).

Instructions:

1. Immerse the washed and, if desired, gutted fish in the prepared salt solution so that it completely covers the carcasses.
2. Press the fish down on top to prevent it from floating up.
3. After two to five days (depending on size), remove the carcasses, rinse thoroughly or keep in cold water for half an hour and dry.

Drying

This method is also easy. All you need is fish and salt. The process is also simple:

1. Rub the fish very thoroughly on all sides with salt. Make holes and tamp the salt into them.
2. Prepare a wire or rope and string the salted carcasses onto it.
3. Now hang the strung fish in the courtyard of a private house, on a balcony or in a constantly ventilated room. To protect against flies, you can cover the structure with gauze or make something like a tent or dome out of this material.
4. The ram will be salted for at least two days. And the longer the period, the drier the pulp will be, so adjust the timing at your discretion, taking into account your taste preferences.

Finally, some useful tips:

1. If you decide not to gut the fish, then for high-quality salting inside you should pour a strong salt solution through the mouth through a syringe. Some fishermen do this immediately after receiving their catch.
2. You can optionally add various seasonings to the salt to add flavor and piquancy to the finished salted rama.
3. It is best to use coarse salt, as fine salt will increase the salting period and can form a crust on the surface.
4. If, when using the wet method, you add a little granulated sugar to the brine, the finished fish will be more tender and even more pleasant to the taste.
5. If you plan to dry large fish, then to speed up the process, make several longitudinal cuts in it. And small carcasses will dry out anyway.
6. If the fish is very dry, it can be made softer by moistening it with a brush or sponge and then wrapping it in parchment. Next, periodically wet the paper so that the pulp absorbs moisture. You can also correct the situation with under-dried ram by wrapping it in newspaper, which will absorb excess liquid.
7. Properly salted ram is stored for up to 3-5 months, and in cold and sealed packaging for up to 9-10.

Salted ram will be a success if you choose the appropriate recipe and follow all the salting rules.

Delicious fatty dried ram is the best snack to go with beer. I suggest housewives familiarize themselves with a simple homemade recipe and prepare delicious dried ram on their own. This home-salted fish turns out to be moderately salted and as dry as you like. Using this simple recipe you will reduce your financial costs to a minimum.

Usually, to salt fish, I buy one kilogram of fresh, recently caught fish from the market. Remember that only fresh fish is suitable for salting with further drying.

For salting according to this recipe (dry salting method), try to select medium-sized fish. Each carcass should weigh approximately 200–250 grams. If the fish is larger, it is better to salt it in brine.

And so, we need:

• fresh ram - 1 kilogram;
• two glasses of coarse table salt;
• strong fishing line;
• "Gypsy" needle.

How to pickle ram for drying at home.

To make the dried fish more fatty, we will not clean and gut the ram. We simply remove its gills. Then, push table salt into the subbranchial area with your fingers. Put in as much as will fit.

Then, you need to rub salt on each fish against the scales, as if lightly rubbing the salt into the fish carcass.

Next, we put our ram into a salting container in layers. First, pour a 2–2.5 cm salt “pillow” into a bowl. Then, lay the ram, then again a layer of salt. Be sure to sprinkle the top layer of fish generously with salt.

Cover the container with the fish and place it in the refrigerator to salt for 72 hours.

After three days, it is necessary to thoroughly rinse the salt from the ram under running water.

Then, the fish must be soaked for 12 hours in a spacious container filled with cold water. The water in the fish must be changed every four hours.

Then, we need to thread the ram onto a strong fishing line using a needle with a large eye. Try not to let the strung carcasses touch each other. I usually separate the fish with clothespins. How I do this can be clearly seen in the photo.

Then we need to hang the ram to dry in a ventilated place. I usually hang it on the balcony or just in the kitchen. The fish should be dried for three to seven days. The drying period depends on the degree of drying of the ram you like - drier or softer.

Prepared dried fish should be stored wrapped in parchment paper in the refrigerator.

Before serving, the dried taranka must be gutted (remove the entrails) and cut into portions. I usually cut it into three or four pieces. It's more convenient to eat this way.

Today I want to share with you recipes for preparing one of my favorite dishes, namely - ram (ramming).

Taranka (ramming) - a common name for dried dried fish.

To prepare ram, various fish of the carp family are mainly used: roach, ram (from the name of which the concept “ram” arose), roach. But in fact, you can make a ram from a larger list of fish: goby, bream, pike, perch, crucian carp, sabrefish, silver bream...

Taranka is considered a Russian national snack for beer. Cooking taranka (drying in salted form) lasts from several days to several weeks, and depends on the size of the fish and the cooking recipe, as well as the expected result, because some people want dried taranka, while others want it very dried. The fish is salted in brine (brine) and aged for 3-4 days. Live salted fish has a better taste, since after swallowing the brine, it is salted more evenly. After this, the fish is hung out in the open air and dried. Large fish are sometimes cut so that they dry well.

Preparation. Take an enamel dish (or stainless steel), sprinkle the bottom 0.5 cm with salt. Wash the fish thoroughly. If the fish is small, up to 0.8 kg, we do not release the entrails; if it is larger, we release it.

Salting. Rub the fish with salt and pour salt over the gills. If the fish is more than 1.5 kg, in addition to the released intestines, we also make a longitudinal cut on the back, and also pour salt into it. It is better to use coarse salt, because... fine salt creates a crust on the fish, through which the brine will not salt its body. We place the fish in a container, and when the first layer of fish is laid, sprinkle another 1 cm of salt on top of it, then place the 2nd layer, and again sprinkle salt on top of it. When the salting is finished, put some kind of lid on the fish, but so that it is not pressed tightly against the walls of the dish, and there is access for a small amount of air. Place something heavy on the lid to weigh down the fish. Place the container with salted fish at the very bottom of the refrigerator. If it’s winter, go on the balcony, but under no circumstances in the sun. Periodically drain the juice from the container with the fish.

Salting time: small fish (up to 0.1 kg) – a day or two. Medium fish (up to 0.8 kg) 3-4 days. Large fish from 1 kg and above - 5 days to 2 weeks, depending on the size and ambient temperature. An indicator of good salting of fish is the cessation of copious secretion of juice by the fish.

Preparing for the sign. When the salt has done its job, remove the fish from the brine and rinse it thoroughly in clean water. Then fill the container with clean water again and soak the fish for 2-3 hours. Then we rinse again and, for example, I added 25 ml of vinegar to 3 liters of water during the second rinse. This prevents the possibility of fish becoming infected when drying unnecessary living organisms (let's not talk about bad things).

Some designs of boxes for drying rams

Hanging. For hanging, we take some kind of box; you can rivet it from several boards. The box should be well aired on all sides. We cover it with gauze or a mosquito net so that flies cannot land on the ram. Which can lay their eggs there, which in turn can turn into worms. Before hanging the ram, break its gills so that they dry faster. If the fish is large, then place spacers made of matches on the cut belly. We carry out hanging. It is better to hang the fish head up so that the brine and internal liquid do not leak out of the fish. So it will be fatty and more tasty. It is better to hang it in the evening so that the ram can weather and dry overnight. We completely cover the box with the suspended battering ram and place it in the shade, in a well-ventilated place, for example on a balcony with an open frame. If possible, do not place the box on the south side to prevent the temperature from becoming too high.

It’s up to you to choose when to remove the fish.

Another method of preparing rama

Necessary equipment. To salt caught fish, you must have a special container, in which salted fish can be laid in rows. In a private house, in a dacha in the yard, you can use boxes made of wood or thick plywood with drilled holes in the bottom to drain fish juice into the ground. You can also use plastic and metal containers (the latter should be covered with a layer of enamel). A rectangular container made of thin stainless steel is good and durable. Typically, such capacious and deep containers are made to order and are rarely found on sale. In plastic, enameled and stainless steel containers, a special stand is additionally made for draining fish juice, which is used for dry salting. Such containers with a stand are especially relevant in cases where fish is salted at home, for example, on the balcony.

For home salting, the author uses a monolithic plastic container, which has the following dimensions: length - 45 cm, width - 35 cm and height - 25 cm. At the bottom of the container, according to its size, a sheet of plywood 1-1.5 cm thick is cut out. We drill holes with a diameter of 10 mm along the entire contour of the canvas at a distance of 10-15 cm from each other, as well as several holes in the center of the canvas to drain the fish juice. Two or three wooden blocks about 30 mm thick are cut out under the bottom of the canvas. Between the canvas lying on the blocks and the bottom of the container, a gap is formed for the thickness of the blocks. For convenience, the blocks are fixed to the canvas with screws with an anti-corrosion coating. But it is still safer to secure the blocks with a nylon cord, tying their ends through the drilled holes, and melt them with a match (the fact is that the heads of the screws, in contact with salt, will darken over time and rust will form on them). After a special pallet is made from durable plywood on blocks, it is necessary to cut out several more canvases without blocks from plywood (or knock down from a planed flat board) to the size of the container (three or four, depending on the height of the container). Additional plywood sheets are used to cover the rows of fish laid for salting. The first row of fish is placed on a tray with cubes, which is first sprinkled with coarse salt, and the salted fish is placed on top. (More on this below). The laid row of fish is covered with a sheet of plywood (the rest of the fish are laid in this order to the very top of the container). Each intermediate sheet must have several drilled holes, both along the contour and in the center, to drain fish juice to the bottom of the container. The canvases are adjusted exactly to size with a small gap of 4-5 cm from the walls of the container. The ends and edges of the cut canvases are processed with sandpaper.

For high-quality preparation of the battering ram, it is necessary to have loads of different weights. So, for dry salting, the author uses discs of dismountable dumbbells with anti-corrosion coating and a small bag made of durable dense fabric filled with dry river sand. The weight of a bag of sand is 15 kilograms. It is also necessary to have a piece of porous material or a breathable blanket, which is used to cover the container with fish and cargo. While the fish is being salted, the blanket is tightened with an elastic band in order to completely prevent the penetration of wasps and flies into the freshly laid fish.

Equipment for drying fish. In order for the drying process to proceed normally, it is necessary to equip a special place. In the yard, they can serve a place located under a wide roof canopy, which provides good protection from rain and sun. After salting and soaking, the fish is placed in specially made boxes made of planks, covered with a fine nylon mesh. The box has a door and rigid rods are fixed inside it, on which fish are hung using hooks made of metal wire. Another option for drying fish is possible, which involves the use of several identical rings made of thick copper wire. The diameter of the rings is 40-70 cm. The number of rings is from 5 to 7 pieces, depending on the thickness of the wire. At the top of the rings there is a rigid rod, attached to each ring by means of a dense winding of copper wire. The rings are spaced the same distance from each other. There are metal hooks on the rod for hanging fish. The general appearance is a cylinder covered on all sides with a mesh or double gauze canopy, fastened with buttons. A strong nylon cord is threaded along the entire length, with which the device is easily secured at the desired height.

In apartments of multi-storey buildings, where space is limited, you can use part of the balcony or loggia facing the street. For this purpose, you need to carry out simple construction work that does not take much time. We will need some tools and the ability to use them. (You can see what an equipped balcony looks like in the photo below). Necessary tools: a hacksaw for wood, a drill, drills, a hammer, a punch, a screw, nails, and also: a nylon cord, two wooden strips, a piece of gauze (with a reserve for double wrapping). In the outer frame, which rarely opens and is securely fastened on metal hinges, and is also additionally secured with latches, a wooden plank 2 cm thick and 5 cm wide is attached to the top and bottom across the frame at a height of 40 cm from the box itself. It is important that the bar is no less than the specified thickness and width. The plank is attached to the frame with four screws (two on each side). At the ends of the strip cut to size, points for drilling are marked with a pencil, in place of which holes are drilled with a drill. Then the plank is applied horizontally to the frame and the drilled holes are marked with dots, which will serve as screws. The diameter of the drill should be slightly smaller than the diameter of the screw. The marked points on the frame are carefully drilled to a depth of 2.5 - 2.8 cm into the body of the frame and away from the glass. Opposite the wooden plank on the wall, the place where the second plank is attached is marked in the same sequence. Holes in the wall are punched with a punch or perforator to a depth of 4-5 cm, the punched holes are smeared with PVA glue and wooden plugs made of durable wood - oak, acacia, birch - are tightly driven into them. Holes for screws are also drilled in wooden plugs. The second plank on the wall is also secured with four screws. Another important point: before attaching the planks to each of them, nails are driven into the rib from above at the same distance from each other and to a depth at which an incompletely driven nail will peek out one and a half centimeters above the plank. Nylon cords are stretched between wooden slats fixed to the frame and the wall. The cord should be under slight tension. If the cord sags, shorten it by tying a single knot on its edge.

Preservation and transportation of caught fish. The caught fish must be preserved and brought home unspoiled. If you fish in early spring or late autumn, then the fish is well preserved during this cool time of year. And if in the warm season, then you need to know the basic requirements for preserving caught fish. Fish should not be kept in closed and airtight bags, cellophane bags, etc. Fish quickly deteriorates if kept in a container with water - the water heats up quickly. Since fish is a rather delicate product, when fishing you need to learn how to hold it with your hands so that it is not injured. The hook should be carefully removed with tweezers or small pliers. When transporting, a reliable container can be a wicker basket made of wicker, in which the caught fish must be arranged with nettles or reed leaves. Before placing the fish, you need to let it dry, but under no circumstances rinse it with water. It is easy to preserve caught fish for quite a long time if you arrange it with oak, cherry, nettle, currant, and walnut leaves. When transporting fish, access to air must be provided, otherwise its shelf life will be shortened. To preserve fish for a long time, for example, two or three days, immediately after catching it is necessary to remove the entrails and gills, wash the blood from the meat, wipe with vinegar and immerse it in salted water for 10-15 minutes. Then take dry crushed wormwood or thyme, nettle or white bread, previously soaked in vodka, and place it in the peribranch space of the fish. After long-term storage in the described way, the fish is suitable for eating, but it cannot be used to make a ram. It should be remembered that only freshly caught fish, which have been preserved for no more than a few hours after the end of fishing, is suitable for making rams. The faster the caught fish is delivered home, the better it will be preserved and the better quality the ram you prepare will be.

Salting. The oldest and simplest way to preserve fish is salting. A fish sprinkled with salt releases water, and the water dissolves the salt, forming a brine solution. For salting, as mentioned earlier, only fresh and undamaged fish is used. Salt for pickling must be pure, without any impurities and coarse grinding. When salting fish for drying, two main methods are used: dry and wet (brine). With the dry salting method, cooked fish, preferably the same size for each layer of salting, must be rinsed with running cold water and placed in a spare container from which it will be convenient to remove it for salting. Next to this container there should be salt and the main container in which salting will be carried out. At the bottom of this main salting container we place a pre-made plywood tray on blocks and thickly sprinkle the entire area of ​​the tray with salt (the thickness of the salt layer is up to one centimeter). Rub large and medium-sized fish with salt under the scales (from tail to head), be sure to stuff salt into the gills and place them on the pallet in dense rows - head to tail, back to belly (With this folding of the fish, oppression will work better) Sprinkle the laid fish a layer of salt in such an amount that a flat surface of sprinkled salt is formed on top of the fish. Then we cover it with a sheet cut from plywood and make sure that it lies strictly horizontally and is stable; if necessary, we level the surface by adding salt.

So, the first row of fish is laid and salted. The remaining fish is laid in the same sequence, which is covered with the last top sheet. We place a load on this canvas. A few words should be said about the use of cargo. You should not place the entire load on the fish laid for salting at once. In the first 6-7 hours of salting, it is worth using a load weighing a little more than half the weight of the total load, and then add the rest of the load. This way the process of salting fish goes more evenly. The weight of the load depends on the size and quantity of fish packed. The larger the fish, the heavier the load should be. For example, when salting large bream weighing 1-2 kg, the author uses a load weighing 17-20 kg. For medium-sized fish (250-500 grams), the weight of the load is 12-15 kg. The top row of laid fish is sprinkled with a thick layer of salt so that it covers all the fish, and when all the fish is laid, the container with the load is covered with a double layer of gauze or porous fabric that allows air to pass through well, and wrapped with an elastic band so that the blanket is pressed tightly to the walls of the container to prevent wasps and flies from penetrating the laid fish.

When salting at home, fish, depending on the size, can be under load from 2 to 7 days. Small fish are aged for two days. Uneviscerated medium-sized fish (250–500 g) – 3-4 days. Fish larger than average size (600-800 g) is aged for up to 5 days. Please note that in the latter case, the insides of the fish must be removed. Entrails and blood clots are removed before salting and in large fish (weighing 1 kg or more). In this case, a shallow cut is carefully made with a knife along the inside of the ridge towards the dorsal fin without damaging the skin. Salt is also poured inside the abdominal cavity of the fish, then the fish is pressed down with a weight on top and kept for up to 7 days.

With the brine (wet) salting method, in an enameled or stainless steel container, such an amount of salt is dissolved in water (with thorough stirring) that a raw egg floats on the surface of the brine. Fresh fish is dipped into a salt brine so that the brine covers it completely. A wire mesh is placed on top (the mesh wire is coated with an anti-corrosion coating), and a load is placed on it. For brine salting, select small fish (300 - 500 g) and keep them in salt brine under pressure for 3 days in a cool place.

Soaking. To reduce the salt content in fish and to avoid the formation of salt crystals on its surface, soaking is used. The salted fish is washed with cold running water. The gills and belly of gutted fish are washed especially thoroughly. Small fish are soaked in fresh water for half an hour, larger fish should be soaked for several hours (for example, the fish was salted for 5 days, this means that the soaking process in fresh water should last 4-5 hours, and the water must be drained twice and the container filled (the author uses a plastic bath) with fresh fresh water. Note that during the soaking process, after the first water has been drained, it is useful to leave the fish for 1-2 hours without water so that salt is redistributed in the fish meat, and also, to reduce the salinity of the inner layers of the fish. If, during soaking, the fish begins to float, this indicates that the salting is becoming tender. In this case, if you look at the fish “in the light”, its back will be amber-transparent. After drying, the meat becomes slightly reddish color.

Drying. Before hanging the fish for drying, you need to lay it out on paper to dry it a little, or wipe it dry with a clean rag. The author hangs the fish on specially made stainless wire hooks, first piercing a hole for the hook with an awl. Typically, fish such as blue bream, silver bream, roach, and white-eye are hung upside down. Large fish, gutted - bream, ide - head up. In general, if the fish is dried gutted, then it is hung upside down so that the fish oil does not flow down, but remains in the fish meat. When drying, a wooden cross brace must be inserted into the belly of the gutted fish. This is done for better drying of the fish. The drying time may vary, depending on the air temperature and the size of the fish. The drying process usually lasts from 1 to 4 weeks. If the fish is threaded through the eye sockets (using a needle and a strong cord), then it is necessary that the fish be positioned with its backs in one direction; and so that it does not slide towards each other, the overlap on the head is done twice. And, of course, careful monitoring of fish hung for drying is necessary. The fish must be reliably protected with a net or gauze from flies and wasps. At night there are no flies, and at this time the fish does not need to be protected with a net or gauze so that it dries until a dry crust forms. Flies lay eggs only on the wet surface of the fish. In the early morning, after overnight drying, the fish can be lightly sprayed with a solution of table vinegar: its pungent smell repels flies. But it is better to immediately hang the fish in a specially equipped place protected from flies. For this, a gauze canopy is widely used, the ends of which need to be slightly wrapped and fastened with ordinary clothespins or fastened with pre-sewn loops with buttons.

Storage. It is best to store prepared, well-dried (but not overdried) fish in tin cans, sealing the jars with lids. Large fish can be stored wrapped in parchment, but not in cellophane bags, because in this case there will be no air access to the fish. In this form, ram, for example, blue bream, sabrefish, and silver bream, can be preserved for quite a long time - up to 4 months. Dried fish can also be stored well in a cotton bag in a cool, dry place. If the fish is dry, it can be restored to its freshly dried elasticity. To do this, the fish needs to be soaked in water and wrapped in damp paper (keep the paper damp for two days, moistening it with water as it dries).

Conclusion. To get a delicious back of dried fish that is delicately salted and amber in color, you need, of course, some experience in drying at home. But experience, as they say, is acquired, and over time you can learn how to make a ram not only from small white fish, but also from large fish that weigh more than one kilogram. The author prepared a ram of bream, each of which weighed more than two kilograms. Dried large spring or autumn bream is something special! You can't buy these in the store!

I would like to say a few words about salt waste during dry and brine salting. If salting takes place in the yard, then you need to dig a small hole under the container so that the fish juice flows into the ground through holes drilled in the container. The salt remaining after dry salting is put into a bag and thrown into the trash container with it. If there is very little salt, then you can throw it into the toilet, but in no case should you try to drain the salt waste into the sink - the entire drainage system located under it may become clogged. If fish is dried in a specially equipped place on the balcony, then a window covered with a nylon mesh should be provided in the balcony frames of the glazed balcony. No matter what floor of a multi-storey building you live on, flies will still come to the smell of fish. And ventilation is necessary for the fish to “ripen” well. The author got out of the situation by making an insert frame covered with mesh, which he uses when the doors of the balcony frames open.

In a sheet of plywood to cover rows of fish during salting, you should not drill many holes, as the strength of the sheet itself is compromised. To prevent the metal hooks from clinging to the gauze while drying the fish, newspaper folded several times is placed on top of the hooks.

That's all. If you have an interesting recipe for drying taranka, send it, and perhaps it will end up in this article.

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Tags: taranka, ram, dried fish, dried fish, how to cook taranka, how to dry taranka, taranka for beer, recipes for making taranka

Ecology of consumption: On the Don, ram is called dried roach, brought from the Volga. Previously, the rivers flowing into the Sea of ​​Azov were literally overflowing with rams

Taran is one of the varieties of roach. It differs from ordinary roach in its greater body height, smaller scales, thicker teeth, and the number (fewer) of rays in the anal fin. Previously, ram came into trade in dried form and was a favorite food for the peoples of the Kuban, Don, and Azov regions. Today, the name ram refers not only to this type of fish, but also to mixed species of different breeds of fish.

On the Don, taranya is the name given to dried roach brought from the Volga. Previously, the rivers flowing into the Sea of ​​Azov were literally overflowing with rams, and whole mountains of this dried product were brought to the fish market in the village of Gnilovskaya. Then the Chumaks transported the goods throughout Ukraine. But over time, the ram practically disappeared from the Azov basin due to its uncontrolled fishing even before spawning and the destruction of small individuals.

Fish taranka or taranka is a common name for dried dried fish. Basically, fish that belongs to the carp family is used for its preparation. This could be a roach, a roach and, of course, a ram, from which the name “ram” itself comes. However, you can prepare ram from other types of fish: pike, bream, crucian carp, goby. Dried taran is considered a traditional Russian appetizer (snack) for a foamy drink. Its preparation (drying in salted form) lasts from several days to several weeks. It all depends on the cooking recipe, what result you want to get and the size of the fish. Some people like jerky, others prefer dried.

What fish is best for drying?

Almost any. But experienced fishermen prefer roach, rudd, minnows, and ruffs. Medium-fat fish such as roach, bream, sabrefish, and white bream are best suited.

Many people prefer to dry fish in natural conditions, in the fresh air, constructing numerous structures in the form of boxes with mesh. But if you want to dry a delicious delicacy as quickly as possible or the weather conditions do not allow it at the moment, then a completely ordinary oven, a Russian stove, or an electric dryer purchased in a store will do. In all cases, the preliminary preparation remains the same.

In fact, drying and drying are one process, only with different names. Its peculiarity is that pre-salted fish is dried (dried) for a certain amount of time. As a result of this process, the fish will be quite suitable for consumption without any other thermal treatment. As dried fish is stored, the amount of moisture and fat decreases, which is why it is called dried. Only those types of fish that acquire a special taste and aroma during processing are dried.

In the summer, it is better not to cook uneviscerated fish, since at this time herbivorous fish feed on plankton and greens, which during the drying process will give an unpleasant odor and rancid taste. If you want to dry a large fish without gutting, then before immersing it in brine, pour a strong salt solution into the abdomen through the mouth using a syringe or syringe.

Fully cooked fish has a structure that is clearly visible in the light, and no salt is released on its surface. After removing the scales and skin, a fragrant layer of meat, tender and elastic, and shiny fat appear. After drying, dried fish should mature from three weeks to a month.

How to dry fish?

Drying and drying fish is considered one of the ways to prepare and preserve it. After a certain time, pre-salted fish is dried in special devices. This can be a self-made device or an Isidri fish dryer. As a result, the product can be consumed without heat treatment.

Dried ram is made by salting, soaking and subsequent drying. The name comes from the roach fish (ram), which has long been used for this purpose.

Salting is carried out in one of the following ways - wet or dry. It is better to salt small-sized fish using the wet method, while large fish weighing more than a kilogram are salted using the dry method.

1. Wet salting method

Usually the fish is salted in a brine called brine. It needs to be kept there for three or four days. With the wet salting method (brine), a strong salt solution is made so that a raw chicken egg floats on its surface. Fresh processed fish is dipped completely into the solution. You need to put an anti-corrosion wire mesh on top and bend it. For the brine salting method, fish weighing up to 500 grams is selected and kept under pressure for 3 days in a cool place. After this time, to reduce the amount of salt in the fish, it is necessary to soak it.

The fish is washed with cold running water, paying attention to the bellies (if the fish is gutted) and gills. Next, the fish is soaked in fresh water (for small fish it takes half an hour, larger specimens are soaked for several hours, the water needs to be changed periodically). During the soaking process, after draining the first water, the fish is left dry for a couple of hours so that the salt is distributed in it and to reduce the salinity of the insides of the fish. When the fish begins to float during soaking, it means that the salting has become tender; if you look at the fish in the light, it will become transparent amber. And after drying it will acquire a slightly reddish color. Before sending for drying, the fish is placed on paper or thoroughly wiped with a soft rag. It is believed that the fish will not take more salt than it should. Salt crystals clog the space between the fibers of the fish meat and therefore the rest of the salt cannot penetrate the carcass.
Small tricks:

Live fish is salted better, since it, having swallowed a salt solution, will be salted more evenly.
Large specimens can be cut for better drying.
The purpose of salting is to remove excess moisture. To do this, use coarse salt, which draws the liquid out of the fish.
Oppression is needed to prevent the appearance of cavities in the fish, where putrefactive bacteria develop, and the appearance of gas bubbles.
Salting should take place in a cold place (refrigerator or cellar). If the fish remains unsalted, then cold protects it from spoilage.

2. Dry salting method

Salt is poured into a stainless steel bowl in a layer of about half a centimeter. The fish is thoroughly washed, the entrails of large specimens over 0.8 kg are carefully removed, and the small fish is salted whole. When dry salting, the fish is rubbed with salt from the tail to the head, the gills are tightly stuffed with salt and placed in a container in dense rows with the back to the stomach, head to tail, since with this method it is better to salt the fish under pressure. Salt must be poured inside the peritoneum of the fish.

The fish is sprinkled with salt in such an amount that a dense salt layer is formed. Then a second layer of fish and salt is laid in the same way. Next, place a lid on the fish so that it is not pressed tightly against the walls of the dish, and there is a small flow of air to the fish. A pressure is placed on the lid and the container is put away in a cold place (this can be a refrigerator or a balcony in winter, just make sure that the sun’s rays do not fall on it). Periodically, the resulting juice should be drained from the fish. For small fish (up to 100 grams), the salting time is a day or two. For an average fish (up to 800 grams) no more than 3-4 days. Large carcasses (from a kilogram) are salted from 5 days to two weeks. You can tell that the fish has been salted when the juice stops flowing out of it.

To achieve uniform salting, you can first put a little more than half of the intended load, and after 6 hours add the rest. The weight of the oppression is selected based on the amount of fish being salted and its weight. For large individuals, a load of 15-20 kilograms is required. If the carcasses are of medium size (250 grams, half a kilo), the weight of the oppression should be 12 -15 kg. The top layer of fish is sprinkled with plenty of salt so that it is all covered with salt. When all the fish have been laid, the container with oppression is covered with gauze or other porous fabric, and wrapped with rope or rubber band to prevent insects from getting into it.

If the ram is salted at home, then small fish are not gutted; in large fish, all the insides are removed along with blood clots. From the inside of the fish, a shallow incision is made to the dorsal fin without damaging the skin. It is better to use coarse salt, since fine salt forms a crust on the fish, and it does not allow the carcass to be salted evenly and efficiently.

Next, the fish is removed and washed thoroughly. Then they are soaked in water for two hours and rinsed again with the addition of table vinegar to prevent the appearance of living organisms in it. If an Isidri dryer is used, the gills of the fish are broken before drying so that they dry faster. If the specimens are large, then spacers are made from matches or toothpicks on the cut belly. This way it will remain fatty and more tasty.

How to store dried fish?

Well-dried fish should be stored in tin cans with tight lids.

You can store fish in a bag or basket away from sunlight. Large specimens are wrapped in parchment. In this way, dried fish can be preserved for up to 4 months. Dried fish is stored in a calico bag in a cool, dry place. If the ram turns out to be overdried, then its elasticity can be restored by wetting it with water and wrapping it in damp paper for two days, periodically moistening it with water as it dries. The fish is stored in the refrigerator, either in a plastic bag or in foil. If you intend to preserve the fish for a long time, then you should periodically lubricate it with vegetable oil. Fish can also be stored in airtight jars. Well-packaged dried fish does not spoil for up to 10 months, but sometimes during long-term storage it loses its taste.

How is ram useful and what is the best way to use it?

Fish contains many substances necessary for humans, but its calorie content per 100 grams is only 88 kcal. The protein content in it is 17.5 grams, fats – 2 grams, carbohydrates – 0.

Ram contains a lot of protein, which is easily absorbed by the human body. It also contains chromium, fluorine, nickel, molybdenum, sulfur, and chlorine. Protein from dried fish helps regulate the body's metabolism. Fish oil regulates blood clotting as it contains fatty acids that help reduce the level of “bad” cholesterol, so the risk of stroke is reduced. Iodine promotes proper functioning of the thyroid gland. Dried fish contains B vitamins, vitamin A, E, magnesium, iron, fluorine, which are important for the normal functioning of the brain and heart.

Many people prefer to eat dried fish as a delicacy with beer. Dried roach is considered a classic. But not every fan can distinguish tasty fish by appearance. Tasty and good taranka has a pleasant dried taste, a beautiful color, without mold, it is not too soft, but not too dry, without yellowness. You should block the light source with the fish and then you can see how it lights up.

Ram is excellent as a snack for beer. These are integral components of each other. With moderate consumption of fish along with a foamy drink, this combination of goodies will only bring benefits, since beer contains a lot of B vitamins from brewer's yeast. This vitamin strengthens the heart muscle. Beer also contains a lot of ascorbic acid. And dried fish contains a lot of omega 3 fatty acids, which are useful for the prevention of cancer, senile dementia, stroke, and heart attack.

Of course, each fish has its own taste and it depends on the time it was caught and its habitat. For those who prefer oily fish, dried bream is best. If its drying took place with the belly not gutted, then when cut, the fat begins to literally ooze, the meat will taste aromatic and tasty.

Moderately fatty fish - dried sabrefish and vomer, which are distinguished by tender and tasty meat. Sea ruff has tender, tasty and nutritious golden meat. This fish cleans well and has very few bones. Dried perch has slightly sweet and fibrous meat that is lean. Dried pike has a rich and tart aroma and excellent taste.

Pregnant women can also consume dried fish in small quantities. Numerous tests have shown that pregnant women who consumed dried fish in the third trimester gave birth to calmer babies and a reduced risk of premature birth.

Dried fish can be used not only as snacks for beer. Sometimes it is used to prepare fish soup. Too dry specimens are ground into flour and used as a dressing for fish salads, fish soups, and cutlets.

There is another original recipe that uses dried fish. This is sour cream paste. To prepare it, mix a glass of sour cream with a quarter glass of mayonnaise, add a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice, a clove of garlic, a little black pepper, a tablespoon of parsley and a glass of chopped dried fish. This pasta can be served with dry salted cookies, cucumber or tomato slices.

Conclusion

To get a tasty fish back that is delicately salted and has a beautiful amber color, you need some experience, but gradually you can learn how to dry the ram, which in its taste, color and aroma is many times superior to the store-bought one. And then hardly anyone will refuse to enjoy the wonderful aromatic fish. Some connoisseurs of the foamy drink equate the process of drinking beer with fish to the Japanese tea ceremony. They literally savor every piece of it, recognizing dried or dried fish as an exquisite delicacy. published