Fragrant smoked fish with juicy tender meat will become a real delicacy for a picnic and relaxing in the country. The dish is quite easy to prepare and affordable for everyone in terms of ingredients. True, the process of preparing fish and smoking will take at least a couple of hours. Just right to whet your appetite for the great outdoors!

For information on how to properly smoke fish in a hot way until golden brown, and not only in a special smokehouse, read the material "AiF-Chelyabinsk".

Choosing the right fish

The ideal option is to catch fish on your own and immediately smoke it in the field. If you are not a fisherman, go to the market or shop in search of fresh fish. It is she who will be the most delicious. When the choice is small, fresh-frozen fish will do.

Choose instances of the same size and the same type. The fish should be without damage, with dense scales. Mackerel, whitefish, catfish, pike perch, flounder and cod are perfect. You can also smoke perch, bream, pike and carp, which you catch in the river.

Gutting but not cleaning

First you need to thoroughly rinse the fish under running water. Small fish are not gutted and smoked whole. In medium-sized specimens, it is better to remove the gills, entrails and dark film from the ribs before cooking. Otherwise, smoked meat may be bitter. But it is not necessary to clean: the scales will not let smoke through during smoking and retain moisture so that the meat turns out juicy. The exceptions are whitefish and cases when the scales are badly damaged. Leave the head and tail. But if the carcass is too large and does not fit into the smokehouse, you can cut it in half into two pieces or remove the head. It is also permissible to make steaks. Last step - dry the fish with paper towels.

Spare no salt

But it's too early to smoke. First you need to salt the carcass. So the smoking process will go faster, and the smoked fish will turn out tastier. If you cook freshly caught fish in nature and plan to eat it right away, then choose dry salting. In this case, the salting procedure will take 2 - 4 hours, depending on the size of the catch. However, those who want to get a more pronounced taste, leave the fish for a longer time - from several days to a week.

Rub the carcasses with salt (preferably sea) in the direction against the scales, cut large specimens along the ridge and salt inside. Place the fish in a row in a bowl and sprinkle generously with coarse salt. Lay the next layer the other way around - tails to heads. And salt again. Press down on top and leave for a few hours. If you salt at home - then in the refrigerator, but in nature you need to dig a hole and cover it with a fly blanket.

When the fish is salted, rinse it under running water and hang it out to dry so that it withers a little. This will take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on your preferences. Next, put black peppercorns, bay leaf and chopped garlic in the abdomen. You can add other spices to taste. Before laying on the smokehouse grate, fish carcasses should be generously greased with vegetable oil.

The wet salting method involves placing the fish in a concentrated salt solution - the so-called brine. It is prepared at the rate of 1:5, that is, 1 kg of salt per 5 liters of water. We place the fish in a container and fill it with saline, put a load on top for pressing. In this case, salting lasts for 1.5 - 2 days. After that, the fish does not need to be washed, but simply dried for several hours before the smokehouse.

Marinating the fish

Instead of classic salting, fish can be marinated before smoking. Depending on its ingredients, the taste of the dish will be different.

Spicy Lemon Marinade

1 liter of water 2 tbsp. salt 3 bay leaves 1 onion ½ lemon 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp sugar 1 tsp pepper thyme, sage, rosemary - a pinch each

Bring water to a boil, season with salt. Add coarsely chopped lemon, onion, and the rest of the ingredients to the pot. Keep on fire for 7 minutes. Place the fish in the cooled marinade for 10 - 12 hours.

Marinade for fish on kefir

1 cup kefir 50 ml vegetable oil 1 tbsp. salt 1 teaspoon sugar 2 garlic cloves 4 mint sprigs ground black pepper - to taste

Due to kefir, the fish is juicy and soft. To prepare, add all the ingredients to kefir and mix. Keep the carcasses in this marinade for 6 hours.

Marinade for fish with red wine

1 liter water 150 ml wine 2 tbsp. spoons of salt 4 pcs. cloves ½ tsp cumin ½ tsp allspice peas

Cloves will give the fish a special flavor, and wine will make its meat tender. For the marinade, add salt and cloves to the water and cook over a fire for 10 minutes. When the broth has cooled, put the rest of the products in it. Stir the brine well and place the fish in it for 4 hours.

Smoked on alder or cherry

While the fish is salting or marinating, we prepare the smokehouse. For smoking fish, it is important to choose the right wood. Usually use chips, shavings, twigs and alder leaves. Thin twigs and foliage of fruit trees are suitable - cherries, apple trees, pears, plums, as well as currants and raspberries. But it is not recommended to take coniferous trees, otherwise the smoked fish will be bitter.

First, the bark must be removed from the wood, as it contains a lot of resin. Next, chop the tree into cubes of 2 - 3 cm. Before laying the sawdust, you need to moisten it a little so that when you open the smokehouse lid, they do not flare up. After soaking in an even layer, pour them along the bottom of the smokehouse.

Looking after the coals

The fish on the grill should be laid in one layer so that the carcasses do not touch and are saturated with smoke from all sides. If your smoker has two levels, then on the first, where it will be hotter, put the fish with a thicker skin or in foil, on the second - the rest. Before putting the smoker on the fire, make sure that the coals are evenly distributed. At the same time, it is necessary that several logs still burn. The fire will cause a sharp influx of clean smoke to the fish, without foreign odors.

The lid of the smoker must be tightly closed during cooking. It is strictly forbidden to open it - otherwise the sawdust will flare up. As soon as white smoke begins to fall, it means that the chips have begun to smoke the fish. When the smokehouse warms up, you should remove the burning logs and bring the fish only on coals. For an average fish, the process will take about 30 - 40 minutes.

Before opening the smoker, make sure it has cooled down and the smoke has stopped coming out of it. The finished fish will acquire a dark golden hue. If the carcass is light, it is still raw. If you want the taste of smoking to be not very pronounced, then wrap the fish in foil before laying, leaving the head and tail out.

Smoked fish should be stored in the refrigerator, but no more than three days. In this case, it is desirable to wrap each carcass with paper. You can eat such fish cold, without heating. You can also put the smoked fish in a plastic bag and put it in the freezer. Within six months, it will be possible to get it and warm it up in the oven or microwave.

We smoke in the grill

The cost of a compact smokehouse starts from 2 thousand rubles. However, lovers of smoked fish are advised to buy a unit from 20 liters. There will be a lot of fuss with the little one, and only one or two carcasses can be cooked in it. Choose a smokehouse made of iron. The ideal option is stainless steel. Although such a smokehouse is more expensive, it also lasts longer. It is better to take a rectangular device, the presence of handles is a must. Also pay attention to the tray for collecting the flowing fish oil and juice. If you choose an apparatus without it, you will have to put the smokehouse over the fire, tilting it slightly.

By the way, you can smoke fish in the country even without a special smokehouse. All you need is a brazier in which you need to lay wood. It is necessary to take oily fish, for example - mackerel or greenling. Also suitable for herring. Wrap the carcass in several layers of foil, piercing holes in that hole. Smoke fish on a grill on preheated coals. You can do without foil. Then the fish will need to be covered with a saucepan so that the smoke does not dissipate and the dish is smoked.

Technology such as smoking fish is absolutely available at home. How to do this, you can find out in this article. Any man can make a small smokehouse. This approach can expand the diet of any family.

And if you build a stationary structure, then you can provide smoked fish not only for yourself, but also for your neighbors. The main thing here is that there are useful areas, and the presence of desire will also not be superfluous.

How complicated the smoking process is, you can find out in the process of smoking. Although many argue that this is not an easy process, you should not tune in to more complexity. First of all, you need to decide which fish is better to smoke. As a rule, there are no special requirements for fish. In other words, you can smoke almost any fish.

Most people who are engaged in this business claim that even pike, catfish, and burbot are suitable for smoking. Those who have not been involved in smoked fish can practice, for example, on pike perch, herring, sterlet, cod or flounder. According to some professionals, you can smoke crucian or perch.

Basically, fatty fish species lend themselves to smoking, as this contributes to a tastier end product. The only thing is that you can’t smoke eel if you have never had to do this, since the wrong approach can make this product dangerous to humans.

There are a lot of options for making homemade fish smokers. In addition, designs can be designed for both cold and hot smoking. These processes are similar to each other, although they have certain differences. In this regard, the design is also different, although not significantly. Despite this, it is easier to make a smokehouse for hot smoking. Moreover, you can make such a small structure that you can take it with you for fishing and smoke fish directly near the reservoir. Of course, you can’t accumulate a lot of fish, but in nature, with a beer, it will be enough.

The simplest and most affordable option is a regular stainless steel bucket. The lid should be adjusted to the dimensions of the bucket so that oxygen does not penetrate inside. The height of the camera within 0.5-0.6 meters is enough.

Grids must be cleaned after each process. For such a design, it is necessary to provide stands, 0.3-0.4 meters high. In nature, it is not always possible to find stones of a suitable size, and the tree will burn.

Firewood for smoking or wood chips are very important for the finished product, since it depends on them how tasty the smoked product will be. Chips from juniper or alder are perfect. If this is not possible, then these materials can be replaced with oak, maple, apple, pear or even birch. Branches left after spring pruning of trees are also suitable. Each type of tree gives the fish its own, special flavor. Therefore, everyone will be able to choose exactly the chips that family members will like the most.

Before use, it is better to remove the bark from wood, especially if birch is used. Birch bark contains a high concentration of resins. The tree is crushed to the size of cubes, 2x2 cm in size. It will not be bad if the blanks are chopped into chips or wet thin branches up to 1 cm thick are broken. Moreover, you can use almost any tree, including chestnut, poplar and any fruit trees. But pine is not suitable for smoking fish at all, including other conifers. They have a very high concentration of unpalatable resins that can simply spoil the product and make it unsuitable for food. Although, in some countries, the bones are smoked exclusively on the needles of coniferous trees. Moreover, the product is considered a delicacy. If the fish is wrapped in two layers of gauze, then the bitterness from the smoke can be minimized.

Not only the taste of smoked meats, but also the resulting shade of the product depends on the material used. Mahogany, such as alder, will color the fish golden, oak a dark yellow or even brown, and linden, maple and other species golden yellow. The appearance of the product largely depends on the color. But this can play a key role if the smoked product is traded. And for myself, the main thing is that it is tasty and the product does not turn out to be raw.

Some experts advise using dry wood chips, although most people use wet ones because they produce more smoke. In addition, it is very difficult to maintain the temperature at an optimal level, which can lead to a fire of dry wood chips inside the smoking chamber, especially at the moment it is opened.

To obtain exquisite aromas, materials such as juniper twigs, rosemary, almond shells, and so on should be added to the chips. At the same time, one should not overdo it so as not to completely clog the aroma of the fish itself. Not bad results can be obtained if you add a little bit of vine branches.

The quality of the chips is also important. In any case, it is better to use healthy wood and in no case rotten or affected by fungus.

Fish smoking technology

Particular attention must be paid to the cleanliness of the smokehouse, otherwise the fish will not have a pleasant aroma. As a rule, chips of the same size are placed at the bottom of the smokehouse. Smaller chips can catch fire and burn quickly, spoiling the smoking process.

The process can be simplified if special coals are used instead of wood chips. Before smoking, the smokehouse is heated to a certain temperature, after which a grill with fish is installed and covered with a lid. As soon as the first smoke appears, the countdown of smoking time begins.

Smoking oily fish has its own characteristics. In the process of smoking, fat begins to drain from the fish, which must be removed. If measures are not taken in time, then the fat will dry out and then it will be difficult to get rid of it. To prevent this from happening, foil is placed on a special stand. Fat flows onto this foil, and at the end of smoking, it is simply removed along with the fat. Otherwise, the fish may not be cooked.

The lid of the smokehouse should close the chamber as tightly as possible, otherwise the wood chips may catch fire from the access of oxygen, which is unacceptable.

The smoking process is divided into two stages:

1. One fourth of the time is devoted to drying the fish. At this time, the temperature is maintained at +80ºС-+90ºС.
2. The rest of the time is devoted directly to the smoking process itself. During this period the temperature rises to +100ºС-+120ºС.

There are simple ways to determine the smoking temperature. To do this, put a little water on the lid of the smokehouse. If you hear a characteristic hiss, then the temperature is right. If the water begins to boil, then the temperature must be reduced, otherwise the fish will simply boil. The smoking temperature is controlled by the amount of fuel. If you need to increase the temperature, then the fuel is added, and the fire begins to burn more intensely. If the fire burns strongly, then it can be extinguished with water. To do this, water is poured into a plastic bottle, and a hole is made in the lid. This makes it possible to accurately and quickly control the burning of a fire.

As a rule, the smoking process takes no more than half an hour. Here, much depends on the volume of smoking and the size of the fish carcasses.

The end product of smoking acquires a golden-bronze hue, without any traces of soot or soot. As a result of the correct process, fish meat is easily separated from the skin and bones. This indicates that the fish is cooked correctly. If technological flaws were observed, then the fish meat will be viscous or bitter. If the fish falls apart without much effort, then this means that the fish was overexposed in the smokehouse.

To prepare the fish, do the following:

• The fish is cut and disposed of the entrails.
• Then the fish is salted.
• After that, the fish is washed from salt residues and dried, and only then it can be sent to the smokehouse.

The easiest option is to purchase a finished, already cut carcass in the store. Firstly, butchered carcasses are more expensive, and secondly, there is no confidence in high-quality butchering. Therefore, it is better to do this yourself and cut the carcass according to all the rules.

Some anglers refuse to cut carcasses before smoking. This is especially true when the fish is oily. If it is cut, then in the process of smoking the fish will lose most of the fat. As a rule, with small carcass sizes, up to 0.5-0.7 kg, the fish is not cut. For large sizes, cutting is required, as this allows you to cook fish more efficiently. At the same time, the head and scales are preserved, and the carcass can be sewn. First, it will allow some of the fat to remain in the fish, and second, it will allow dirt or debris to get inside the fish.

Individuals of trophy size are cut along the ridge, while part of the head and part of the tail remain. If these two halves do not fit in the chamber, then they can be divided into two more parts.

The fish is salted before smoking and serves two purposes. The first is to give fish meat a certain taste. The second goal is to kill all harmful microorganisms. When smoking in pieces, they are simply rubbed with salt and spices and left for a certain time. When salting whole carcasses of fish, this process is carried out in a completely different way. First you need to prepare a saline solution, taking 80 g of salt per 1 liter of water. At the same time, for each kilogram of the product, up to 1.5 liters of such a saline solution will be required. In this case, the fish is salted for 12 hours.

If you really want to smoke fish while fishing, then it is better to take 300 g of salt for every liter of water. The fish is infused for 4 hours. Before moving the fish to the smokehouse, it is rubbed with any spices. For example, you can grate with pepper or some herbs.

• do not allow a large flame to burn;
• smoke fish of various sizes;
• open the smokehouse until smoke appears;
• open the chamber until the product is ready;
• pour water into the smokehouse.

If you follow the helpful tips, the process will go according to all the rules.

Cold smoking

Cold smoking has its advantages. The product of cold smoking lasts much longer and contains less harmful substances. Unfortunately, this process is somewhat more complicated and takes more time. In addition, for such a smokehouse you need more space. The technology is almost the same, but the fish does not fit on the grate, but is hung by the tail.

Depending on the size of the fish, the process of cold smoking can take from 2 to 7 days. At the end of the smoking process, the fish still remains in the smokehouse for several days. Smoking takes place at a temperature of +40°C.

Hot smoking

This method is very popular, as it takes much less time to cook fish. As a rule, the process of hot smoking takes no more than half an hour or a little more, depending on the size of the carcass. If the fish has a golden brown hue, then it can be eaten. Fish prepared in this way can be stored for no more than 3 days if it is out of the refrigerator.

How to smoke fish without a smoker

This method involves the use of various improvised means for smoking, like a bucket. There are a lot of similar options, and it all depends on the level of your imagination. The main thing is to carefully delve into the technology in order to understand what is needed for this. And you need the following. The smokehouse chamber must be hermetically sealed. The chamber should have a grate on which fish carcasses are placed, and under it, at a distance of 10-20 mm, a pan where fat will collect. Wood chips are laid on the bottom of the chamber, up to 2 cm in a layer. It all depends on the volume of the chamber. In short, there are no difficulties and anyone can handle smoking fish. Most importantly, take this process seriously and follow the helpful advice.

• smokehouse for hot smoking of fish.
• fire source - wood / coals, gas burner
• sawdust - which is better for smoking.
• hot smoked fish, preparation, recipe for hot smoked perch and bream

Smokehouse

A smokehouse for hot smoking is an iron box, without holes, with a tight-fitting lid, which is necessary to prevent oxygen from entering and burning sawdust during the cooking of fish. It is completed with a pallet - a flat iron sheet - is placed directly on the sawdust, prevents them from burning and does not allow dripping fat to fall on them, and grates on which the fish is directly placed.

The requirements for a smokehouse for fish are not particularly different from the requirements for a barbecue. The thicker and better the steel, the less likely it is to lead when overheated. The thickness of the iron is especially important for the bottom - there are sawdust on it, and like a frying pan, the thicker the iron, the more uniform the heating of the sawdust and the less chance of sawdust burning at one point and untouched at another, with an uneven flame.

Smokehouses for hot smoking of fish can be divided into 2 types. In one case (as a rule, these are all small shop smokehouses), the fire source is located outside from below, warms up the bottom of the smokehouse and causes sawdust to smolder inside. The second type of smokehouse, as a rule, is larger in size, similar in design, due to the large size, the following use is possible - a flame is ignited directly inside the smokehouse, a thick layer of hot coals is formed, as for a barbecue, “buns” from sawn tree trunk, up to 2 cm thick and up to 5-20 cm in diameter, in such a way as to leave as few open coals as possible and create a kind of pallet, and sawdust is poured directly on top of the “buns”, fish is placed on the grate, the lid closes. I use a regular store-bought smokehouse 25x25x50 cm, it seems to me convenient and compact, it allows me to successfully smoke perch 300-1000 gr, small bream up to 1 kg, the fire is naturally outside, so I can’t describe in detail the features of using smokehouses with coals inside, although in general smoking fish in them is not particularly different, the criterion that there is heat inside the smokehouse, as a rule, is the heating of the lid - it is not possible to hold the hand of pain for 1-2 seconds.

Pay special attention to the lid of the smokehouse - it should close tightly, tightness is not required, but a gap of 1-2 mm can already cause burning of sawdust and fish.

During operation, a coating of resins forms on the pallet, walls and lid of the smokehouse - I prefer to remove its excess, it seems to me, if this is not done, the smoked fish acquires a bitter taste and the appearance deteriorates a little, namely, the color of cooked perch or bream. I don't clean to bare iron, it's enough to remove the excess with a metal plate like an old chisel, after which I usually sprinkle some rock salt on the surface and briefly rub with a dry cloth or dish sponge, removing excess resin.

A mandatory rule for all smokehouses - you can’t open the lid until the smokehouse has cooled down a bit - a sharp hit of oxygen on hot sawdust can lead to their ignition and injury (I really haven’t seen it myself, but I believe and I won’t check the advice)

Fire

For smokehouses with coals inside, the process is similar to cooking coals for barbecue, a layer of coals, the degree of burnout is selected empirically, the criterion for sufficient heat inside the smokehouse is heating the lid - the inability to keep fingers on it for more than 1-2-3 seconds.

For smokehouses with an external heat source, wood and gas burners can be used. Technically, a gas burner is preferable, compact, clean, a huge advantage - it allows you to choose the optimal flame, which will not change in the future throughout the entire smoking process, it is easier to distribute the fire over the bottom area. There is only one drawback - the lack of romance and entourage.

The main requirements for a fire under a smokehouse are the uniformity of heating the bottom and the stability of the flame. Too strong a flame, especially touching the walls of the smokehouse, is not desirable, this will lead to the burning of fish and sawdust. The flame should be only under the bottom of the smokehouse, evenly distributed over its entire area, burn stably, respectively, small firewood flares up quickly and strongly, but soon burns out is not suitable. The criterion for the correctness of the strength of the flame - the smoke from sawdust moderately emitted from under the lid, and the heating of the smokehouse lid - is determined by touch, the most accurate criterion is the result of smoking fish. To install a smokehouse over a fire, as a rule, the height of the bricks placed on the edge is sufficient. If you put an additional sheet of iron or cast iron under the bottom of the smokehouse, then it is possible to achieve more uniform heating of sawdust and level the effects of an unstable flame, or its accidental temporary attenuation.

Sawdust, or rather, shavings, for hot smoking fish

The component is extremely important, directly determining the taste of smoked fish, whether it be perch, bream, carp or pike perch. Ready-made sawdust is sold in stores, as a rule it is alder, which is considered a classic wood species, but it gives a bitter aftertaste, which, personally, I don’t like, the second minus of purchased sawdust is that they cost money :). I prefer sawdust of fruit trees - cherry, apricot, apple - they do not give bitterness. It is possible to manufacture a mixture of sawdust - in general, a creative question and entirely depends on personal preferences.

You can make sawdust yourself from stovolov and thick tree branches. The process is not difficult. It is necessary to lay logs on a clean surface, cellophane, oilcloth (rags have the disadvantage that sawdust and wood dust cling to them, it is difficult to clean them later). The first option is to cut it with a chainsaw - you get excellent sawdust, very similar in structure to the store ones. I don’t have a chainsaw, so I use an electric drill, I drill holes in a tree with a 22-23 mm spade drill, I get excellent sawdust, in my opinion even more correct than from a chainsaw, and there is no smell from the drill. The process of harvesting sawdust for 1 smoking takes me no more than 10-15 minutes.

There is an opinion that sawdust for smoking should be moistened - I did not find the need for this.

Hot smoked fish

For me, the number one fish for hot smoking is perch. This is due to the fact that I believe that smoking is the easiest and most delicious way to cook perch. It is also important that, when smoking, the perch does not need to be cleaned. In second place is bream. Pike perch, bersh are very tasty in smoked form. Smoked pike, crucian carp are too dry. Small carp are successfully smoked - but I prefer this fish in the ear.

The most convenient for me is perch 400-800 gr, small bream 800-1000 gr. This is partly due to the fact that the given size of the fish is most successfully placed in my smokehouse.

When laying fish in a smokehouse, it is advisable to select fish of a similar size for one smoking - this will avoid a situation where a small fish has dried up and a large one is not yet ready. A moderate variation in size is acceptable if you are just mastering smoking, by laying fish of different sizes, you can determine in one smoking that 20 minutes is excellent for a 300 g perch and not enough for 1 kg, which needs to be smoked longer, that is, it is faster to choose smoking modes.

Recipe for preparing fish for smoking

It is not necessary to clean the scales, and even harmful.

All preparation of fish for smoking comes down to gutting and salting.

The most convenient way to gut a perch is in the following way. The gill cover is bent, from the back to the lower jaw, a thin membrane is cut with a knife or scissors, connecting the last gill arch to the body on both sides, a thin bridge connecting the body with the lower jaw is cut with scissors, the place of attachment of all gills to the lower jaw is cut. The head of the perch is slightly bent towards the back, all the gills are grasped by hand, separated from the place of attachment to the head from the side of the upper jaw. Further, holding the separated gills as a single block together with the pharynx, we begin to pull out the insides of the perch for them. As a rule, it is possible to completely remove all the insides, the risk of damage to the gallbladder is minimal. If desired, abdominal fat, swim bladder, caviar can be put back into the stomach. Gutted bream classically.

Next, you need to salt the fish. You can make a concentrated, bitter saline solution and put the fish in it for an hour or two, then take it out, rinse, dry and smoke, this method is faster. I prefer to pour salt into the stomach of the fish, rub salt on top and leave for 12 hours - a day (this method is especially good when you return from fishing late in the evening), although in principle it salts out in 4-6 hours. After the fish has been salted, depending on the time spent in salt and the desired salinity, it must be washed from salt and can be soaked for 15-30 minutes in water. Personally, I perch 400-800 gr, after a day in salt soak for 10 minutes. After the salt is removed, it is very important to wipe the fish from moisture and let the water drain, for which I hang the fish upside down for 30 minutes. Excess moisture during smoking gives the fish a cooked flavor and makes the meat less dense.

Recipe for smoking fish using perch and bream as an example

So, the fish is caught, salted, washed and dried. Sawdust and a fire are made. Let's start smoking!

While the fire burns out and a steady moderate flame is formed from thicker logs, you can load the smoker. Sawdust is laid on the bottom of the smokehouse in a uniform layer of 1-2 cm, a pallet is placed directly on the sawdust. The fish is laid out on the grill. Perches are placed in the gaps between the grates vertically, back down, belly up - this allows fat and juice not to flow out. Perches weighing 400 grams fit perfectly in my smoker, larger perches need to turn their tails.

The bream is placed worse in the smokehouse, therefore it is placed on its side, nothing terrible happens from this. The grate with fish is installed in the smokehouse, a prerequisite is that the fish should not touch the walls of the smokehouse, otherwise it will burn badly. If desired, the fins can be trimmed for the bream so that they do not burn, large perch have fins on the tail. The smokehouse with fish is closed tightly with a lid and set on fire. Keep the fire going evenly. After 5-10 minutes, smoke should begin to break through from under the lid of the smokehouse, if there is any doubt, you can check it by slightly bending the lid a millimeter or two along the free edge and immediately releasing it (protect your hands from burns!) - at the moment of releasing smoke comes out. From the moment the smoke appears, you can track the time of smoking and focus entirely on maintaining the “right” fire. One of the criteria for correctness is the heating of the lid, allowing you to touch it, but not giving you the opportunity to hold your hand for more than 1-2-3 seconds. The smoking time is selected to taste. I prefer the next duration. I smoke perch 400-500 gr for about 20 minutes, 700-800 gr for 25-30 minutes, bream 800-1000 gr for 25-30 minutes. Toward the end of smoking, a wonderful smell of smoked perch or bream may appear. The time is up - I remove the smokehouse from the fire, it’s not worth opening right away - suddenly the sawdust flares up - I wait 10-15 minutes. I open the smokehouse - a divine moment! - the magnificent smell of smoked fish hits the nose, and perches lie on the grate. Properly cooked fish has a characteristic copper color. If you are not satisfied with the result, you can close it and put it back on fire.

Someone likes to eat while the fish is still hot, someone from the refrigerator, I like it best when it cools down and is slightly warm. Hot smoked fish is stored in the refrigerator, not for a long time, several days, it is not worth wrapping it in a bag. And remember, hot-smoked fish is very tasty, but not healthy, it is believed that there are carcinogens in the resin, and the dish itself can exacerbate cholecystitis, pancreatitis and contributes to atherosclerosis, and if eaten with bones, then you can pierce the intestine :). Plus, you can get burns from a fire and smokehouse. But I wouldn’t trade smoked perch for oatmeal!

Fragrant smoked fish on the table is a real treat for the whole family. Many housewives prefer to cook it on their own. 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 pick up fish for cold and hot smoking.

A few important rules will help here:

1. The ideal option is freshly caught prey.
2. The frozen product is not suitable for smoking.
3. Copies of the same 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, mullet are not suitable for processing.

During the smoking process, it is important to follow safety rules. Therefore, it is advised to cook in dry weather without wind. Most men know how to smoke fish properly. However, this procedure is within the power of any woman.

How to smoke fish in a hot smoked smokehouse

Usually, fish is cooked in a smoker, which is a metal box with a lid and a grill. 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, a grate and a tray.

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

Alder is the best wood for smoking. It can be shavings or chips. It is permissible to add fresh twigs and leaves.

Other trees are also suitable:

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

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.

Cooking:

1. The fish is prepared before smoking. It is washed, gutted, peppered and salted. The scale does not need to be removed. The product is advised to salt 2-3 hours before smoking. You can pickle it in salty brine with pepper and spices.
2. Fish weighing less than 500 g do not need to be gutted, and larger specimens need to be butchered. Too large specimens are cut into pieces.
3. Slightly damp sawdust is poured inside the smokehouse with a layer of 2-3 cm. Dry 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 appliance over a medium fire or barbecue.
6. After 15 minutes, lift the shutter to release the smoke. Although some anglers do not adhere to this rule and prefer not to open the lid during the entire preparation.
7. Lower the shutter again and smoke for 30 minutes. Cooking time depends on the size of the carcass.
8. Open the smokehouse after complete cooling. 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. They are recommended to be preserved during the smoking process. Other fish can be marinated in brine with various spices, and it is advised to put garlic arrows and green onions in the carcass.

At what temperature to 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 smoking properly and will not cook. With this test, you can adjust the temperature by increasing or decreasing the fire.

What kind of fish can be smoked hot

River and sea fish species are suitable for hot smoking:

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

If you can't get fresh fish, you can use frozen. It needs to be defrosted naturally.

The technology of smoking in a smokehouse in a cold way

The principle of food processing by the cold method is the constant supply of 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 takes place 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 smoke fish in a cold way, you will need the following ingredients:

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

Step by step recipe:

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

If the product is dried in the open air, it is necessary to enclose it from insects with gauze.

How to smoke fish with liquid smoke

The method of smoking with liquid smoke involves the following manipulations:

1. Firewood is burned in the stove.
2. The resulting smoke is passed through water.
3. 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 on a regular fire using a grate.

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

For this you will need the following ingredients:

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

Cooking progress:

1. The onion peel is washed and poured with water.
2. Add salt and sugar to taste.
3. Put on fire until boiling.
4. The composition is boiled for 20 minutes.
5. Then it is filtered, liquid smoke and laurel leaves are added.
6. Leave the composition with the lid closed for 30 minutes.
7. Mackerel is thawed, the head is cut off and the insides are removed. Washed with water.
8. When the broth is infused, take out the bay leaf and put 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. From above it is necessary to put oppression.
10. After the time has elapsed, the fish is taken out and hung up for a day, placing a baking sheet under it for flowing fat.
11. Then the mackerel is wrapped in cling film and stored in the refrigerator.

Today, many housewives prefer to use purchased liquid smoke. However, you can cook it yourself at home. To do this, mix rice, sugar, green and black tea. Wrap them in 2 layers of foil. During frying or stewing, put the foil with the 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. Keep it in the refrigerator at a temperature of about 0 degrees. You can't freeze fish.

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 about 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 placing the product in storage, it is recommended to defrost and rinse the shelves.

In the absence of a refrigerator, it is advised to place the fish in cloth bags and store in the attic, in small boxes with sawdust. The main thing is to prevent insects from approaching it and protect it from extraneous odors. During smoking, it is recommended to put juniper branches on the bottom of the smokehouse. They will increase the shelf life of the product.

Many people love smoked fish. But the cost is sometimes quite high. Therefore, many are interested in the technology of smoking fish, how you can make it yourself. This process is simple, but requires certain knowledge.

Smoking process

Fish smoking technology allows you to see the results the first time, even for a non-professional. The process requires only special tools. Smoking of different types of fish is different, but similar in one thing - it is smoke treatment, cold or hot. Each technology has its own advantages.

Types of smoking

The technology of smoking fish at home allows you to save all the useful properties. The meat should separate easily. After smoking, the fish can be stored for a long time. There are three main cooking modes:

1. Cold smoking - carried out at a temperature of 15 to 35 degrees. The duration of the process is from twenty-four hours to two days.
2. Warm smoking (or semi-hot) - carried out at a temperature of 35 to 60 degrees. The duration of the process is from three to six hours.
3. Hot smoking - occurs at a temperature of 60 to 80 degrees. The fish is cooked from one to three hours.

Choice of wood

Fish smoking technology implies a careful choice of wood. This gives the final product different flavors. Softwoods are not suitable for smoking due to their high resin content. This will give the fish a bitter taste. Juniper and alder are ideal for smoking. Also used:

• maple;
• hazel;
• ash;
• Apple tree;
• cherry;
• pear;
• Rowan;
• plum.

Each type of wood gives a special taste, shade and piquancy to the finished product. Some craftsmen use birch for smoking, but then the fish will acquire a tar smell, and only a narrow circle of gourmets like it. Several types of wood can be used for the process at once.

Dry wood will give the product a golden hue and a delicate taste, while wet sawdust and coals will cause brighter fish colors and a tart aroma. The bark is completely peeled off before smoking.

The wood is then ground down to sawdust and chips. Do not use material affected by mold or fungus for smoking. Otherwise, the release of harmful substances can cause human poisoning.

Fish selection

The technology of cold smoking fish at home can be used for any river and marine life. The choice depends on personal taste preferences and the complexity of processing due to the bony skeleton. In fish, which contains a lot of fat, the excess goes away during smoking. For the procedure, only fresh fish should be used, and best of all - one size.

Preparation for smoking

The technology of smoking fish in production and at home begins with the preparation of carcasses. They are carefully washed and sorted by size. Fishes up to 700 g are usually smoked without gutting and removing scales. Individuals up to three kilograms are deprived of the insides. The scales remain to protect against soot. Large fish are gutted, large fins and head are cut off.

After that, the prepared carcasses are washed and dried to remove excess moisture. Then the fish is rubbed with salt and pressed down with oppression for three hours. If frozen carcasses are taken for smoking, then it is left at room temperature for several hours to move away from the cold. Then the above actions are repeated with it, but under the yoke of the carcass they must stay for a day.

Cold smoking

Cold smoking of fish is a simple technology, but it takes a long time. Processing of carcasses takes place at a temperature of 16 to 40 degrees. Duration of smoking can be from three to four days. This process requires a special large unit with an inclined chimney from seven to ten meters.

If you wish, you can build it yourself, but this requires a lot of space. Therefore, the technology for the production of cold-smoked fish is mainly used in large-scale production. Salted carcasses are strung on wooden or iron twine through the eyes. Large fish are additionally attached through the tails.

The fish is hung out to dry in the fresh air. After 2-3 days, the carcasses are moved to the smokehouse (large barrels can be used for small areas). Fish should be treated with cold smoke. Smoldering sawdust is used as a heat source. Constantly need to maintain a certain temperature regime.

Semi-hot (warm) smoking

Half hot smoking of fish is a technology for processing carcasses with smoke at an optimum temperature of 50 to 60 degrees. Before the procedure, carcasses are salted for 18 hours. If the individuals are small, the time is reduced to twelve hours. Then the fish is washed and dried with a towel.

For smoking, both a special apparatus and an ordinary potbelly stove can be used. The fish is hung by the tail or eyes in a place where smoke and air mix. Carcasses are smoked from 10 to 12 hours. All this time it is important to maintain the desired temperature. This method is quite complicated and for beginner smokers it is better to use other processing methods.

Hot smoking

Hot fish smoking technology differs from previous methods. This method requires a weak salting at the rate of 16 kg of the initial product per 1 kg of salt. Large fish will definitely gut. An incision is made on the spine and sprinkled with salt. Small individuals are prepared as a whole, without cutting.

Oily fish is rubbed with salt and wrapped in parchment or tracing paper to prevent oxidation. Then the carcasses are placed in an enameled container. From above, the fish is again covered with parchment. Capacity from above is pressed down by oppression. A trifle remains to be salted for a day, large individuals - from two to three days.

Then the fish is dried for 60 minutes. Then it is washed with clean cold water, hung or placed on a smoking grate. Sawdust and wood chips are poured into the bottom of the unit with a layer of 20 millimeters. Carcasses must be processed in a strict temperature regime from 65 to 85 degrees. The duration of the procedure is 2-4 hours.

During the smoking process, the lid of the unit must be tightly closed so that the wood does not ignite. At the very beginning of processing, a strong fire is maintained, but the fish must be at a decent distance from it so that it does not burn out. Periodically, the carcasses are turned over.

After half an hour, the desired temperature is set in the smokehouse, which is maintained during the entire process. The fish must be completely cooked through. This is determined by the color and density of the finished product. The meat should separate easily from the bones. The finished product has a golden or brownish crust.

Production smoking

The technology of hot smoking fish in production is distinguished by its scale and processing methods. Initially, the carcasses are cut and salted. Then they are laid on the grids. The fish goes through three stages of processing: drying, boiling and smoking. The finished product is then cooled and packaged.

The peculiarity of industrial smoking is also that after drying the fish, it is taken out of the oven and coated with a layer of sauce with a thickener. Then the carcasses are returned to the smokehouse until fully cooked. This method helps to significantly reduce the evaporation of moisture and get a new variety of tastes. Modified starches are used as thickeners.

Smoking with liquid smoke

There is also the technology of smoking with liquid smoke. This method is considered a new development. First, firewood is burned in a stove. The smoke that is formed in this case is passed through the water. It turns out a liquid saturated with a smokey aroma. Then it is cleared of harmful compounds. It turns out a solution containing several times less carcinogens than smoke from an ordinary fire.

The tool can be made independently or purchased ready-made in stores. The technology of smoking is very simple. The fish is taken, cut into large pieces and salted. Liquid smoke is added to the same water. After a few hours, the fish is cooked on a grill, on an ordinary fire.

If, after smoking, the fish is whitish, this may indicate its spoilage or poor processing. This product is dangerous to eat. In order for the fish to turn out evenly processed, it must be the same size. To spice up the finished product, small amounts of herbs are added to the sawdust: sage, rosemary, basil and others.

If the fish is dried in the open air, the area must be fenced off from flies and insects with a gauze or mosquito net. Smoking is carried out in calm and dry weather, away from flammable objects and residential buildings. During the process, it is necessary to carefully observe the safety rules when handling fire.