We all have long been accustomed to seeing this striped fish on the festive table, and in the daily diet it is often given a place of honor. Mackerel is wonderful in any form of preparation, smoked, boiled or fried, and you can also tastefully salt mackerel in brine at home, and our recipe will tell you how. The meat turns out to be tender and juicy, with a spicy aroma and taste, such a fish can be safely served as an appetizer, as well as used in preparing salads.
In general, there are a lot of ways to marinate this striped oily fish. And the point here is not at all in the variety of spices, the presence or absence of oil and vinegar, the amount of sugar, salt and other nuances.
In this case, the decisive factor is the marinade itself, because in addition to home salting of mackerel in brine, there is also a recipe for dry salting, when the fish does not come into contact with liquid, and brine, in which salting of mackerel occurs due to the protein liquid extracted from the meat and the salt dissolved in it , that is, a natural concentrate.
Also, a temporary effect is of particular importance in this entire process, that is, depending on what kind of fish we want to get, salted or lightly salted, the marinating period is determined. The longer the mackerel is in the brine, the correspondingly more concentrated its taste will be.
For example, in 24 hours you can get a delicious slightly salted fish, which in a couple of days will become quite saturated. In addition, the chosen home recipe itself, according to which the proportions of the components, in particular salt, are determined, does not have the last word. After all, you must agree, if you pour a glass of white spice for a couple of carcasses, then there is nothing to hope for an easy option.
When we start preparing a mackerel delicacy, we must know for sure which salt to choose so that we get a delicious dish at the end. Here you should immediately prioritize.
For example, coarse table salt dissolves very slowly in liquid, be it a specially prepared marinade, or juice released from fish. That is why the product will gradually be saturated with spices and salt, and as a result, the fillet will be delicate, tasty and aromatic.
In the case of a small salt, it will be difficult to achieve such an effect, since such a seasoning will only burn the meat, making it practically unusable.
It is also worth mentioning separately the quality of the product itself at the initial stage of cooking. A good recipe for how to properly, tasty and quickly salt mackerel in brine whole at home, usually never advises taking fresh-frozen fish for this purpose, but exclusively fresh, since ice hibernation completely deprives the meat of its elasticity, and after holding it in salty liquid, it and begins to fall apart altogether.
But since in stores more and more fish products are offered frozen, then in this case you just need to defrost it as gently as possible, then you can still count on a positive outcome.
Now, armed with the culinary tricks of experienced cooks and knowing how to correctly, and most importantly, how long to salt the fish in brine, we can proceed to the very essence of the matter - cooking spicy mackerel at home on our own. This cooking option can be attributed to the express method, since the whole procedure will take 20 minutes from the force, and after a couple of days you can taste the magnificent juicy, spicy mackerel meat.
This type of salting is considered wet, since we will prepare the marinade for this recipe separately, and not wait for the fish juice to appear.
In general, the simplest brine water + salt is considered a classic of the genre in salting any kind of fish, and mackerel in particular, where special emphasis is placed on the proportions of these two components. Ideally, for 1 liter of liquid there is 100 g of salt (3 tablespoons with a slide).
The amount of white spice can vary depending on how much time we plan to spend brining the mackerel. If we have 10-12 hours, then we can take only 80 g of "white gold", and in the case when a ready-made fish is needed for the table after 3-4 hours, on the contrary, we need to increase the salt concentration and take 110-120 grams of cooked one.
As for the spicy salting and the declared spices in the next recipe, here we give only the basic version with a minimum set of spices, and the "highlight" is the result of experiments, where everyone can choose whatever their heart desires.
After 48 hours, you can have the first tasting of light-salted mackerel with hot potatoes in uniforms.
Since we salt the mackerel at home ourselves, we can change the recipe for this marinade, relying on personal taste preferences.
So, for example, to enhance the aroma of fish, when cooking brine, you can add a couple of cloves and a mixture of peppers - ½ tsp.
Dried greens of dill and white mustard peas, at the rate of 1 tsp, can also be an excellent fragrant component. spices for 1 liter of water. If you are not indifferent to smoked meats, then you can add ½ tsp to the already cooled brine. liquid smoke, then the finished mackerel and the color will become yellowish, and the smell corresponding to the aroma of the fire.
In addition, there is also a mackerel pickling option for vinegar lovers.
To prepare such a marinade, you need to mix 0.5 tbsp. odorless sunflower oil, 3 tbsp. vinegar 3%, 0.5 tbsp each granulated sugar and coarse salt, 1 tsp. mustard and white pepper powder - ¼ tsp
These tips can be safely applied in practice with any kind of fish, because if you know the recipe for how to deliciously salt mackerel in brine at home, then all the "scaly-tailed brethren" are guaranteed to turn out with a bang.
No festive table can be imagined without fish dishes. Considering the simplicity of preparation and the availability of products, fish can be cooked not only for the holiday, but also every day.
Mackerel is a unique gift from the sea. Despite the fact that it is very high in calories, it is easily absorbed by the body and is an excellent source of protein. Contains a large amount of minerals and essential fatty acids Omega-3, which improve the functioning of the brain, vision, nervous and cardiovascular systems.
Mackerel does not have small bones and is perfect for its gastronomic qualities specifically for salting, since it does not lose either fat content or juiciness.
The recipe for salting mackerel at home will certainly interest you with its simplicity and affordability.
And once you cook salted fish with your own hands, you will never buy it in the store again.
Defrost the fish, gut, cut off the head and put in a container.
You do not need to remove the skin when using mackerel prepared according to this recipe.
Cooking the brine. Rinse the onion skins well and soak for 10-15 minutes, put in a saucepan, add salt, sugar, tea leaves and pour over water, and put on fire. After boiling, turn off the gas and leave it to cool completely.
Pour the prepared fish with strained brine, close it and send it to the refrigerator for three days.
Turn the fish over once a day for even salting and coloring. After three days, take out the fish and rinse it in running water.
Onion skins give the mackerel a golden color and a pleasant taste.Cut the fish into portions and serve.
We cut the fish for further salting: we cut off the head, tail and fins, gut, remove the inner black film and rinse thoroughly.
In this recipe, the fish can be cut into slices and the whole carcass can be used as well.
We sprinkle each carcass with a salting mixture from the outside and from the inside.
We put the fish on food foil, sprinkle the rest of the dry mixture on top. We wrap the foil, put it in a plastic bag and send it to the refrigerator for 2 hours.
After the time has elapsed, wash off the excess salt, cut into medium circles and put on a clean, beautiful dish, sprinkle with oil and vinegar and decorate.
The fish can be cut into pieces, it can be salted whole, this will not affect the taste
Prepare the marinade. In a saucepan, combine 1 liter of water, salt, sugar, cloves, pepper, bay leaf and coriander. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and let cool.
Prepare the mackerel: cut off the head, clean from the entrails and rinse under cool running water.
Cut into portions.
Transfer to a container with a sealed lid. Pour with cooled marinade and refrigerate for 1 day.
Remove the fish from the marinade, add the onion and unrefined sunflower oil to taste.
Dry salted mackerel in its own juice.
Cut off the heads of the fish, gut and rinse it. Put a spoonful of salt on the bottom of a plastic or glass container, put pepper and crush the bay leaf.
Mix the remaining salt with sugar and rub the mackerel inside and out. Place the fish in a container, close the lid tightly. Refrigerate for 2-3 days. Rinse the mackerel under running water and blot with paper towels before serving.
Fragrant and very delicate mackerel, which, thanks to cutting into pieces, is salted quite quickly.
Butcher the mackerel: get rid of the heads, entrails and skins. Cut the fish into 3–4 cm wide pieces.
Prepare the brine by boiling all the seasonings in water. Strain, cool. Place the fish in a plastic container, cover with brine and leave at room temperature for 12 hours. Then refrigerate for another 2-3 hours.
Delicate, moderately salty, reminiscent of cold smoked mackerel in color and taste.
Gut, rinse and dry the mackerel with paper towels. Cut off the neck of a 1.5 liter plastic bottle. Put the fish in the bottle, tails up.
Place the tea, salt, sugar and a whole peeled onion in a saucepan. Fill with water, put on fire, boil. Strain and cool completely.
Pour the mackerel with the resulting solution and remove for 3 days. Rotate the fish by the tails every day so that it is evenly salted and takes on an even shade.
A variation of the previous recipe. The color turns out to be more golden, but the taste remains the same delicate.
Prepare the mackerel for salting: cut off the heads, gut, rinse. Place the fish in a plastic bottle or other convenient container.
Rinse the onion skins and place in a saucepan. Send tea, salt, sugar, pepper, bay leaves there. Cover with water, bring to a boil and let simmer for 5 minutes. Then remove from heat, strain, cool.
Pour the mackerel with chilled brine. Refrigerate for 3-4 days. Turn over from time to time.
Mackerel in pieces with a spicy taste and a beautiful shade.
Prepare the brine: pour the mustard powder and other spices with water, bring to a boil and cook over high heat for 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
While the brine is cooling, gut and rinse the mackerel. Cut it into pieces and place in a glass dish. Pour with brine and refrigerate overnight, or better for a day.
Interesting taste with sourness and spicy notes. Great for sandwiches. And most importantly, it prepares very quickly.
Fillet the mackerel. This can be done in a convenient way for you, by analogy with herring.
Sprinkle the fillets with salt and set aside for 10-15 minutes. At this time, peel and grate the garlic, break the bay leaf. Combine garlic, lavrushka, peppercorns, vinegar and sunflower oil.
Place the mackerel in a glass jar, sprinkling the layers with the sliced onions in half rings. Pour the marinade over, cover and refrigerate for 12 hours.
The onions will also be pickled and delicious.
Express salting in case there are guests in the evening. Mackerel turns out to be lightly salted and very appetizing.
Cut the mackerel into fillets. Peel the onion and cut into half rings.
Prepare the brine. Pour salt, sugar, two types of pepper, bay leaf, coriander into the water. Boil and cool. Add vinegar to the cooled brine.
Place the fish in an enamel bowl, sprinkling with onions. Fill with brine. Cover with a plate of a suitable diameter and place something heavy on top, such as a jar of water. Refrigerate for 2-5 hours. Dry the mackerel pieces with a paper towel and drizzle with sunflower oil before serving.
In the dispute between salted herring and mackerel, the latter often wins. And, to tell the truth, for good reason. Mackerel is a fat, tender fish, and there are many fewer bones in it. And so salty mackerel is to our liking and taste that even for sacred things - a salad of herring under a fur coat! - some swing and cut mackerel finely instead of herring.
Salted mackerel at home, it is very tasty and not difficult. It's time to go for fresh frozen mackerel!
It is important to make a useful acquaintance in the fish ranks in the local market. There, out of friendship, they will sell you really fresh, fatty, not battered, not thawed, frozen fish. Some vendors sort the fish for less sample discounts. But selected mackerel weighs half a kilo of a carcass, or even more! In chain supermarkets, the quality of mackerel is traditionally lower; for some reason, the fish there is always thin. The fattest mackerel is in winter.
Having bought the best mackerel, do not rush to defrost it in the microwave or in hot water. Be patient and place the frozen mackerel on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. In the meantime, the fish is defrosting, take a look at our recipes and choose the one that suits you!
Mackerel can be salted in three ways: whole carcass (like in a store), half-gutted (without entrails) or in pieces. According to true connoisseurs, the most delicious salted mackerel at home is obtained when you salt it whole. It is very delicate and never oversalted - the skin does not allow excess salt to pass through. If you salt half-gutted mackerel or in pieces, it is important to strictly observe the proportions and holding time.
One final tip: if you don't cut the head off the mackerel, be sure to remove the gills as they taste bitter. To pickle the whole mackerel, make sure that the skin is not damaged, otherwise you risk oversalting the fish.
So, let's begin. The first recipes are for whole carcasses. This is the easiest way to learn how to salt mackerel, almost a win-win.
Whole salted mackerel at home
Ingredients per carcass:
3-5 tbsp coarse salt
1 tbsp Sahara,
1 tsp ground black pepper,
spices (mustard seeds, dried dill, bay leaves, etc.).
Preparation:
Grate the thawed fish with a curing mixture and place in a bag. Refrigerate for three days. During this time, open the bag several times and distribute the salt over the fish carcasses. Rinse salt from carcasses before use, pat dry with paper towels.
Mackerel in brine
This method is suitable only for whole carcasses, it is not even necessary to remove the gills from them so that the fish does not become too salty. Tuzluk is prepared in the following way: salt is added to water (the amount of which is sufficient to cover the whole carcasses) with a constant boil until it stops dissolving. Remove the solution from heat, add a spoonful of sugar, a couple of cloves, 5-6 allspice peas, 2-3 bay leaves, a teaspoon of mustard seeds. Cool the solution and pour over the fish. Refrigerate, covered, for two days. Make sure that the skin is not damaged, otherwise the fish will be oversalted. You can store ready-made fish for 5-6 days, no more.
Salted mackerel at home "Like smoked"
Ingredients:
3 mackerel,
6 stacks water,
3-4 tablespoons salt,
2-3 tbsp dry brewing black tea (without flavorings),
1.5 tbsp Sahara,
3-4 handfuls of onion husks,
spices - to taste and desire.
Preparation:
Rinse the onion husks under running water, put in a saucepan, add salt, sugar and tea leaves, cover with water and put on fire. After the brine has boiled, remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. After removing the gills, place the thawed fish in a container and fill it with filtered brine. Leave it on the table for an hour, then put it in the cold for three days. Turn fish periodically to evenly brine and color. Remove the prepared mackerel from the brine, wipe dry with paper towels, tie a string on the tails and hang for 6-8 hours over the sink. The fish will dry out a little and will be indistinguishable from the purchased smoked one.
Dry salted mackerel
Ingredients:
2 carcasses of mackerel,
2-3 tbsp salt,
1 tbsp Sahara,
3 bay leaves,
5-6 peas of allspice,
ground black pepper.
Preparation:
Gut mackerel thawed according to all the rules, remove the black film from the abdomen, cut off the head and rinse well. Can be dried with paper towels outside and inside. Mix salt and sugar, add peppercorns and a broken bay leaf, pour some of the mixture into the bottom of the container. Rub the fish inside and outside with the mixture, place in a container, pour the remaining salt on top and close the lid or tighten with cling film. Refrigerate for 2-3 days. Remove salt from fish before use.
Spicy salted mackerel in a jar
Ingredients:
1-2 mackerels,
1 onion
500 ml of water
2-3 tbsp salt,
1 tbsp Sahara,
5-6 peas of allspice,
1 tbsp mustard seeds,
2-3 bay leaves.
Preparation:
Gut the thawed fish, remove the head and cut into pieces. Pour salt and sugar into the water, add pepper, bay leaf and bring to a boil. Cool it down. Slice the onion into rings. Place the food in the jar, alternating between fish and onions, sprinkling with mustard seeds. Cover with brine and refrigerate for 10-12 hours. Store cooked fish for no more than five days in the refrigerator.
Instant Mackerel Fillet
Ingredients:
2 carcasses of mackerel,
2 tbsp salt,
1 tbsp Sahara,
1 tsp ground black pepper,
1 tsp allspice.
Preparation:
Defrost the mackerel, gut, cut off the head and cut into fillets. Peel off the skin. Cut the fillet crosswise into slices. Place the fish in a wide glass container in layers, sprinkling with curing mixture. Cover with a plate and set the oppression. Leave in the refrigerator for 7-8 hours.
Salted mackerel at home in any way when serving can be shifted with onion rings and sprinkled with table vinegar or lemon juice. This is splendor, friends!
Bon appetit and new culinary discoveries!
Larisa Shuftaykina
Do you like home salted salted fish? Make it your signature dish: learn these top recipes, practice, and become a master at home salting of mackerel.
Salted and smoked seafood is very popular among our compatriots. If earlier we bought a finished product without hesitation, nowadays, due to the abundance of carcinogens, store-bought salted fish cannot be called useful. Many hostesses are trying to learn how to salt mackerel at home. The step-by-step recipe for salting is very simple, and the fish comes out very tasty, healthy and without the addition of harmful substances.
This type of fish is considered the leader in the content of fluorine, cobalt and chlorine. In addition, mackerel is wonderful, just a 100-gram piece of fish contains up to half of the daily protein requirement.
It is known that our body needs fats to function properly. Unlike animal fats (pork, veal), unsaturated fats of mackerel are healthier and easier to digest. It is proved that, which are present in fish, prevent the development of cardiovascular diseases, improve brain activity, prevent the formation of blood clots. Regular consumption of mackerel reduces the risk of developing asthmatic bronchitis, rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis.
Most recipes use 2-3 fish. Prefer large to medium sized mackerels. Small fish are bony, and also not as oily as large ones. The average weight of mackerel suitable for salting is 300 g.
When choosing seafood, pay attention to its appearance. Fresh mackerel has a slight fishy smell. A pungent strong aroma should alert you. The carcass should feel firm and slightly damp to the touch.
Normally, the fish is light gray in color. If you notice yellow streaks or a yellowish tint on the carcass, be vigilant. Most likely, the fish was either thawed several times and then frozen again, or it is old, which will negatively affect the taste after cooking. To salt fish, choose only fresh food, not frozen or fresh frozen. The photo shows fresh mackerel.
In order for the fish to turn out tasty, juicy, moderately salty, you need to know. Initially, it is worth deciding whether the mackerel will be lightly salted, lightly salted or dried, take into account the factor of whether the product is fresh, frozen or freshly frozen. The amount of salt that is needed for cooking depends on this, as well as how much liquid the mackerel will release during the salting process. This method of cooking seafood allows you to preserve all its beneficial properties.
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Fish can not only be salted, check out - this recipe was highly appreciated by true gourmets!
According to this recipe, the finished whole fish will look like a smoked product, but it will not be cooked during cooking.
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Using liquid smoke will allow you to smoke mackerel at home, without using it.
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If you find that mackerel has an unpleasant odor, you can get rid of it by soaking the fish in water for 30-40 minutes. This video will help you cook and salt dry salted mackerel deliciously and demonstrate a quick way to salt fish. Note: remember, the finished product must only be stored in the refrigerator. but not in the freezer.
Find out at home.