Content
- 1 Methods for hot smoking mackerel at home
- 2 Hot smoking mackerel technology
- 3 Selection and preparation of mackerel for hot smoking
- 4 How to cook hot smoked mackerel
- 4.1 Hot smoked mackerel in the oven
- 4.2 Hot smoked mackerel in onion skins
- 4.3 How to smoke hot smoked mackerel over a fire
- 4.4 Hot smoked mackerel with liquid smoke
- 4.5 How to smoke hot smoked mackerel over a fire in foil
- 4.6 How to smoke hot smoked mackerel on the grill
- 4.7 Hot smoked mackerel in a slow cooker
- 4.8 Hot smoking of mackerel in the airfryer
- 4.9 A very quick hot smoked mackerel recipe
- 5 How and how much hot smoked mackerel is stored
- 6 List of possible failures
- 7 Conclusion
Original fish recipes allow you to significantly diversify your diet and get a real delicacy that cannot be bought in a store. Hot smoked mackerel with the help of familiar kitchen equipment will turn out to be incredibly tasty and very aromatic.
Methods for hot smoking mackerel at home
The absence of a smokehouse should not put an end to the desire to enjoy a fish delicacy. You can deliciously cook hot smoked mackerel at home, using the usual technique. The most common ways are:
- oven;
- bonfire;
- barbecue;
- multicooker;
- airfryer.
It is quite easy to cook hot smoked fish even at home.
Considering the lack of smokiness obtained by using the above methods, you can use onion peels for coloring or liquid smoke for a more powerful aroma. To avoid burning, you need to cover the fish in foil and make several holes in it.
Hot smoking mackerel technology
Under the influence of high temperature, the fish is steamed, while the smoke accompanying the fire permeates the meat and skin, making them very aromatic. For improved smoke generation under open fire conditions, chips soaked in water are added to a brazier or fire, covering it with foil from the intense heat.
For hot smoking indoors, it is recommended to use liquid smoke. In small doses, this substance significantly improves the flavor of the finished product. To smoke 1 kg of hot smoked mackerel at home, just 10 ml of this substance is enough. In large doses, a significant deterioration in the taste characteristics of fish is possible.
At what temperature to smoke hot smoked mackerel
Heat treatment should take place over a fairly high heat. Given the impossibility of creating the same temperature over the entire surface of the mackerel over an open fire, the processing area must be exposed to severe heat, as is the case with kebabs. When smoking in an oven, airfryer or multicooker, the temperature is most often set to 180 degrees.
How much to smoke hot smoked mackerel
The duration of cooking in kitchen appliances depends on the selected recipe. For an oven, the heat treatment period is usually 30-40 minutes.Cooking in a multicooker will take up to an hour, and cooking hot smoked mackerel in an airfryer lasts no more than half an hour.
The duration of smoking mackerel depends on the selected cooking method.
When smoking on open sources of fire - brazier or fire, the degree of readiness is determined by external characteristics. Given the uneven heating and the need for periodic turning, the dish is removed only after reaching the desired condition from all sides. You can make a small cut with a knife to the spine - if the meat turns white evenly, then the fish is ready to eat.
Selection and preparation of mackerel for hot smoking
To prepare a delicious dish, you must carefully consider the choice of raw materials. Considering the problem of buying fresh mackerel, you have to resort to a frozen product. The main problem is the acquisition of fresh frozen fish, which has not been repeatedly defrosted.
Regardless of the chosen recipe for hot smoking mackerel, the integrity of the skin of the fish should not be compromised. Physical damage can significantly complicate the cooking process in the future - causing carcasses to fall apart and skin cracking.
The selected fish is gutted and the finned head removed. The next step in any recipe for making hot smoked mackerel is salting or pickling. Carcasses are placed in a solution of water and salt in a 2: 1 ratio for 2-3 hours, then washed and wiped off with a paper towel.
How to tie hot smoked mackerel
For the convenience of cooking and improving the appearance of the finished product, it is recommended to wrap the fish with a thin string. The long rope is visually divided into two parts and a double knot is formed exactly in the center on the tail of the mackerel. Further, one side of the twine is led along the lateral line of the body, and the other is made in a circle 4-5 cm from the tail. A small knot is tied at the intersection of the threads and the direction of both ropes is changed. So they reach the end of the carcass, after which one side of the twine is cut off, and the second is carried out from the back of the fish along the lateral line.
How to cook hot smoked mackerel
There are many ways to prepare a fish delicacy. For hot smoking, use any option of salting or pickling you like. A prerequisite for obtaining a high-quality finished product is following the algorithms.
Hot smoked mackerel in the oven
To get a great dish, you can use an ordinary electric or gas oven. The recipe is quite simple and suitable even for novice cooks. The cooking process consists of the following steps:
- The fish is salted outside and inside, then coated with vegetable oil and put in a plastic bag for marinating for a couple of hours.
- Grease baking paper with sunflower oil, spread the carcass on it and wrap it in a roll. The edges are pinched to create an airtight package.
- The rolls are placed on a baking sheet and cooked for half an hour at a temperature of 180 degrees.
Baking paper is best for smoking mackerel in the oven.
It is recommended to cool it before unrolling the finished product, otherwise the high heat may damage your hands. The cooled delicacy is served with a side dish of baked vegetables or mashed potatoes.
Hot smoked mackerel in onion skins
One of the quickest ways to create a culinary masterpiece. This method proves that there is no need to smoke fish to get hot smoked mackerel. The recipe will require:
- 1 carcass of fish;
- 1 liter of water;
- 1 tbsp. onion peel;
- 3 tbsp. l.salt.
Onion peel allows you to get an excellent delicacy in the shortest possible time
The cut carcass is divided into 2-3 equal parts. Salt and onion skins are placed in water. The liquid is brought to a boil, after which the fish is immediately placed in it. It is boiled for no more than 5 minutes. The pot is removed from the stove, and the mackerel is left until the water cools completely.
How to smoke hot smoked mackerel over a fire
Smoking over an open fire is one of the easiest ways to prepare a delicacy, even for inexperienced cooks. In conditions of a lack of time, it can be done in just an hour, however, it is recommended to prepare more thoroughly for a better aroma development. For hot smoked mackerel as in the photo, you will need:
- 1 carcass;
- 50 ml soy sauce;
- ½ tsp salt;
- 3 juniper berries;
- a pinch of saffron;
- 2 tsp vegetable oil.
The grill should be greased with oil to prevent the fish from sticking.
Mackerel is marinated in soy sauce with herbs and spices for an hour. Then it is tied with twine and laid out on a special grill for cooking fish barbecues, oiled with vegetable oil. She is placed on a makeshift stand over a burnt-out fire and covered with an iron saucepan or wok. To enhance smoke generation during hot smoking, wet oak sawdust is thrown into the coals. Cooking continues until the carcass is browned on both sides.
Hot smoked mackerel with liquid smoke
The recipe is incredibly simple and is suitable even for novice housewives. The liquid smoke makes the fish indistinguishable from the real hot smoked fish. For the dish, you only need this substance, salt and the mackerel itself.
Mackerel with liquid smoke turns out juicy and very aromatic
The mackerel is cut into pieces and salted to taste. Put the fish in a frying pan and cover it with liquid smoke. The container is hermetically closed with a lid and turn on medium heat for 20-25 minutes. The finished product is cooled and served.
How to smoke hot smoked mackerel over a fire in foil
The use of foil allows you to get an excellent dish with a minimum of time. Making hot smoked mackerel at home using this recipe will be a great experience for novice cooks. One fish carcass will require a little salt, 1 tbsp. l. soy sauce and 1 bay leaf.
It is recommended to make small holes in the foil for better smoke passage
The fish is cleaned, gutted and salted to taste. Then it is coated with soy sauce and wrapped in foil along with bay leaves. Several holes are made in it for better smoke passage. The package is placed directly on the coals, generously sprinkled with wet oak chips. After 10-15 minutes, it is recommended to turn the foil over for even baking.
How to smoke hot smoked mackerel on the grill
As in the case of the fire, cooking on the grill does not require serious culinary skills from the chef. To properly smoke hot smoked mackerel on the grill, it is marinated in soy sauce with a little salt, saffron and a couple of juniper berries. Then the carcass is placed in a grate and smoked over embers sprinkled with wet sawdust.
Hot smoked mackerel in a slow cooker
The recipe requires a minimum amount of ingredients. For one carcass, you need to take 1 tbsp. l. liquid smoke and a little salt to taste. The fish is marinated in a plastic bag with 1 tbsp. l. liquid smoke and a little salt. Then it is laid out in a baking sleeve.
1 liter of water is poured into the bottom of the multicooker bowl. To obtain the taste of hot smoking, it is necessary to clearly set the sequence of programs in the device. The cooking algorithm is as follows:
- 20 minutes of the "Steam cooking" mode;
- 10 minutes of the "Baking" mode;
- turning over the baking bag;
- 10 minutes of the "Baking" mode.
Mackerel in a slow cooker turns out to be very juicy and tasty
Before opening the package with the finished dish, it must be allowed to cool slightly. Hot smoked delicacy served with potatoes or baked vegetables.
Hot smoking of mackerel in the airfryer
As in the case of the multicooker, the use of this modern kitchen technique will greatly simplify the life of all housewives. To smoke three fish, you need 1 tsp. liquid smoke, 1 tbsp. l. lemon juice and 1 tsp. sunflower oil. Salt is added to taste before placing it in the appliance.
It is recommended to wrap the mackerel with twine before putting it into the airfryer.
Lemon juice, liquid smoke and sunflower oil are mixed until smooth. The resulting mixture is treated with carcasses and put into the device. It is turned on for half an hour. The finished delicacy is cooled and served.
A very quick hot smoked mackerel recipe
For the fastest possible result, you can combine some of the above solutions. To smoke hot smoked mackerel with a minimum amount of time, thawed carcasses are salted and greased with a mixture of liquid smoke and vegetable oil. They are placed in a baking rack and placed on a heated grill. On average, one fish needs about 5-6 minutes on each side to reach condition.
How and how much hot smoked mackerel is stored
A natural product cannot boast of long shelf life. From the moment of preparation, it retains its consumer qualities only for 3 days. A prerequisite for this is storage in a refrigerator at a temperature not exceeding 3 degrees.
For the preservation of smoked mackerel, it is placed in an open container on the middle shelf of the refrigerator. At the first manifestations of spoilage - sticky mucus, plaque or an unpleasant odor, it is recommended to get rid of the delicacy.
Is it possible to freeze hot smoked mackerel
Freezing the product allows you to preserve its consumer qualities for a long time. Experienced housewives do not recommend storing hot smoked mackerel in the freezer. The main reason for this approach is a significant change in the consistency of the product after defrosting - the meat becomes loose and loses the smoked smell.
List of possible failures
Even with a thorough adherence to the presented recipe, it is impossible to completely protect yourself from unforeseen problems with the finished dish. The most common failures are:
- sticking to the grill or frying surface - if there is insufficient lubrication of the place of contact with the fish;
- raw dish - at low temperature or non-observance of the time regime;
- burnt product - as in the previous case, just the opposite.
The ideal cooking time is obtained by taking into account the peculiarities of your technique.
One of the most popular disadvantages of hot smoked mackerel at home is excessive concentration of liquid smoke. Given the presence of several manufacturers of this product on the market, finding the ideal proportion can only be done through trial and error.
Why does mackerel burst during hot smoking?
If, during heat treatment over an open fire, cracks appear on the body of the fish, it is most likely that a poor-quality raw material for smoking was chosen. As indicated in the requirements for the selection of mackerel, its skin should not have any traces of mechanical damage. It is these areas that are most susceptible to high temperatures.
Why hot smoked mackerel falls apart
Loss of structural integrity is most often observed when preparing a delicacy in a slow cooker or oven. This is due to prolonged exposure to insufficiently high temperature. Do not put mackerel in a cold oven.It must be heated to operating temperatures - only after that fish is put into it.
Conclusion
Hot smoked mackerel is one of the most delicious fish delicacies. It can be made at home even if you don't have any serious culinary experience. A large number of recipes will allow everyone to choose the ideal method for themselves that satisfies consumer needs.
