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Ordinary river fish can be easily turned into a real culinary masterpiece with simple manipulations. Cold smoked bream turns out to be very tender and tasty. The aroma of the finished product will not leave indifferent even a seasoned gourmet.
The benefits and calorie content of cold smoked bream
With strict adherence to the heat treatment technology, most of the most important elements for the body can be preserved. The chemical composition of the finished product is represented by a large amount of potassium, sodium, iron and chromium. There are also rare elements - fluorine, phosphorus and nickel. A distinctive feature of cold smoked bream is the low calorie content of the dish. 100 g of delicacy contains:
- proteins - 29.7 g;
- fats - 4.6 g;
- carbohydrates - 0 g;
- calories - 160 kcal.
Given the excellent ratio of BZHU, cold smoked bream is a source of building material for the body. But excessive consumption of smoked meats can be harmful to health. The maximum volume of the product should not exceed 100-200 g per day.
Cold smoked fish retains most of the nutrients useful to humans
Regular inclusion of the delicacy in your diet significantly improves the functioning of many body systems. Vitamins A, B, E, PP and fatty acids are beneficial. Under the influence of beneficial compounds, the work of the circulatory and nervous systems improves, the gastrointestinal tract normalizes.
Cold smoking rules for bream
A true culinary masterpiece requires strict adherence to the instructions and wishes outlined in the recipes. To prepare cold smoked bream, it is important to choose the right raw material, pickle or pickle it, and then proceed to direct processing with smoke.
To make the fish more tasty, after salting it must be slightly dried. Breams are hung in the open air for 2-3 hours. This will ensure the release of excess moisture left after salting or long marinating.
Selection and preparation of fish
Bream is a widespread fish in almost all water bodies of the country. That is why freshly caught fish will be the best raw material for cold smoking. Repeated freezing and defrosting cycles significantly reduce the consumer characteristics of the product. It is recommended to start pickling or pickling carcasses no later than 48 hours after catch.
The head and fins have only a decorative function, therefore they are recommended to be removed
If it is not possible to use fresh bream, cold smoking can also be applied to frozen or chilled fish. It is important to pay attention to its appearance. The eyes should not be cloudy. The scales of a quality product retain their natural shine. When pressed on fresh bream, the meat instantly compensates for the deformation.
Most river fish have very bony fillets. That is why it is recommended to refuse cold smoking of too small carcasses. The optimal size of bream is 1 kg - there is enough fat in such an individual for an ideal taste. Too large bream lose their characteristics.In addition, large individuals may simply not fit into the smokehouse.
Each fish has its head cut off, then the belly is ripped open and gutted. All dorsal and pelvic fins are removed with a sharp knife. The bream is thoroughly washed under running water, and then sent for further preparation.
Salting
Long-term aging in a salt mixture will allow not only to significantly improve the taste characteristics, but also to increase the shelf life due to the destruction of potentially dangerous microorganisms. There are several recipes for salting bream for cold smoking. The most popular method is to simply rub the carcasses and refrigerate them for 10-12 hours. For more flavors, a simple blend can be created with the following ingredients:
- 200 g of salt;
- 20 g ground pepper;
- 2 tbsp. l. Sahara;
- 1 tbsp. l. ground coriander.
All seasonings are mixed in a small container. The finished mixture is rubbed with bream outside and inside. Carcasses are kept in the refrigerator for up to 10 hours. The fish is washed from spices in cold water, wiped off with a towel and slightly dried.
Pickling
The use of aromatic brine allows you to significantly diversify the taste of the finished product. For the simplest marinade, use 100 g of salt per 1 liter of water. In such a liquid, bream is soaked for up to 10 hours. Before cold smoking, it is wiped dry and hung out in the open air for a couple of hours.
Complex brines can significantly improve the taste of the finished product
For a brighter taste, a variety of spices or specific ingredients are added to the marinade. Optionally, you can get a sweet, spicy or wine pickle. The most common cold-smoked marinade recipe will require:
- ½ lemon;
- ½ orange;
- 1 onion;
- 50 g of salt;
- 2 bay leaves;
- 1 tbsp. l. granulated sugar;
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon;
- a pinch of thyme.
Citrus juice is mixed with 1 liter of cold water. Salt, sugar and seasonings are added to the mixture. It is heated to a boil, then cooled. The fish is poured with the prepared marinade and kept for 6 to 8 hours. Bream is dried for cold smoking for 2-3 hours. Only after drying can the smoke be applied.
How to smoke cold smoked bream
There are a huge number of ways to prepare a delicious fish delicacy. The most popular method for bream is the cold smoking method - it involves long-term smoking of carcasses. In the absence of the necessary equipment, you can use home appliances - an oven or airfryer. You can reproduce the taste of cold smoking with liquid smoke. In small doses, this substance is absolutely safe for the body.
How to smoke cold smoked bream in a smokehouse
This method allows you to get the highest quality delicacy, but it will require serious technical equipment. An obligatory component of a cold smoked smokehouse is a smoke generator. This device provides a continuous supply of cold smoke to the main smoking area. If it is built-in in more expensive devices, home-made options most often have to be completed manually.
By simply following the instructions, you will get a finished product of the highest quality. Given the long exposure to smoke, it is important to ensure a continuous supply of smoke. Chips that are too small will burn out quickly. It is best to make it yourself from the wood of fruit trees. Chips are soaked for 1-2 hours in cold water. Then it is placed in a special bowl inside the smoke generator.
Choosing wood chips for cold smoking is a fairly straightforward exercise. Since hot fat does not get on wet wood during cooking, almost any type of raw material can be used - from alder to cherry. The main thing is not to use coniferous wood chips, otherwise you can seriously spoil the taste of the product.
Smoke treatment can take up to 24 hours
The main cabinet of a cold smoked smokehouse should be large enough to accommodate several large carcasses. The bream is tied with twine and hung on special hooks. The smoke generator is connected to the smokehouse and the cooking process begins.
Cold smoke treatment of bream is a rather lengthy procedure. It will take about 24 hours for a kilogram carcass to be fully prepared. Then the delicacy is hung out for an hour in the open air for airing. The fish is served cold as an appetizer to other dishes.
Cold smoked bream on liquid smoke
The absence of a smokehouse with a smoke generator should not repel you from the desire to enjoy delicious dishes. Using a little secret, you can get the very flavor of smoking. The recipe will require:
- 1 liter of water;
- 100 ml of liquid smoke;
- 1 cup of onion skins
- 3 tbsp. l. salt;
- 1 tbsp. l. granulated sugar;
- 2-3 bream.
First you need to prepare a fragrant marinade. Onion husks are crushed and poured with water. The liquid is brought to a boil, salt and sugar are added. After the seasonings are completely dissolved, the marinade is removed from the heat and cooled. Liquid smoke is poured into it and mixed thoroughly.
Liquid smoke allows you to preserve the bright taste of smoked meats
The breams prepared in advance are laid out on the bottom of a wide saucepan. They are poured with marinade and put under oppression. The fish is removed for 2 days in a cool place - refrigerator or basement. The finished product is thoroughly washed, dried with a towel and served.
Cold smoked bream recipe in an airfryer
For the perfect delicacy, you can use your usual kitchen appliances. An airfryer is best suited for these purposes with the ability to set a minimum temperature of 50-60 degrees. Higher heat will not allow you to get the same taste and consistency of cold smoking.
Before proceeding with direct heat treatment, the bream must be prepared. They clean it, gut it, cut off its head and fins. The carcasses are thoroughly washed in water, then abundantly coated with a special mixture for smoking, consisting of liquid smoke and spices. The fish is put under oppression for 3 days, then washed and dried.
At the bottom of the airfryer, you can put a few chips of alder or apple
The bream is cut into portions 4-5 cm wide. They are laid out on the greased grills of the airfryer. The minimum temperature is set on the device and connected to the network. Cold smoked bream in the airfryer will be ready within three hours. The snack is perfect for a quick bite.
How and how much cold smoked bream is stored
The use of a large amount of salt can significantly increase the safety of the finished delicacy. The shelf life of cold smoked bream in the refrigerator can be up to 2 weeks, provided that the necessary conditions are met. The temperature should not exceed 4 degrees. It is important for the fish to set aside a separate drawer so that the strong smoke aroma does not spoil the nearby food.
To keep cold smoked bream in the refrigerator for much longer, you can use a trick - use a vacuum cleaner. This device completely protects the product from the ingress of oxygen, thereby minimizing the oxidation processes inside the meat. In this case, the shelf life of the fish increases to 1 month.
Conclusion
Cold smoked bream is an incredibly tasty and very healthy delicacy. In the absence of a high-quality smokehouse, you can create a real culinary masterpiece even with simple kitchen appliances. To improve the taste of smoked fish, you can use tricky marinade recipes - spicy, honey or wine.
