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Silver carp is a freshwater fish loved by many. Housewives prepare different dishes on its basis. Silver carp is fried, pickled, baked in the oven and used to make hodgepodge. But the most exquisite taste of fish is achieved when it is smoked. This makes it possible to prepare a healthy delicacy at home with minimal cost. But in order to get cold and hot smoked silver carp, you need to pre-prepare the fish and adhere to the technology in the cooking process. Otherwise, the end result may not be as expected.
Only freshly caught or chilled fish can be used
Is it possible to smoke silver carp
This type of freshwater fish is ideal for smoking as it has sufficient fat content and its meat is tender and juicy.
It is believed that silver carp contains a large number of bones. Therefore, large specimens should be selected for this cooking method, which are less bony.
The benefits and calorie content of the product
Silver carp contains a large amount of vitamins and minerals that are beneficial to human health. Moreover, when smoked, they are preserved as much as possible in the fish, since during the cooking process the product is subjected to moderate heat treatment.
Regular consumption of smoked silver carp has a beneficial effect on the function of the circulatory and nervous system, improves the functioning of the digestive system, and increases the body's resistance to diseases.
The increased content of polyunsaturated fatty acids in silver carp meat improves the structure of hair, nails and skin.
This dish is considered a dietary product, so it can be consumed without fear by people watching their figure. The calorie content of 100 g of cold smoked silver carp is 117 kcal, and hot - 86 kcal. This is due to the low content of carbohydrates in the product, the mass fraction of which does not exceed 0.6%.
Principles and methods of smoking silver carp
You can use two methods to prepare a dish: cold and hot. The difference between them is only in the temperature of exposure to the product. The smoking process involves the use of wood, which, when heated, does not burn, but smolders. As a result, a large amount of smoke is emitted, which penetrates into the fibers of the meat, and gives it a pleasant taste and aroma.
Cooking technology involves adherence to a certain temperature throughout the entire time. In the case of lowering the regime, the silver carp meat becomes dry and bland. When it rises, soot appears, which subsequently settles on the surface of the fish.
To make smoked silver carp tasty, you also need to choose the right wood chips.The best options are alder, mountain ash, fruit trees and shrubs. You can also use birch, but first remove the bark from the wood, as it contains a large amount of tar.
Selection and preparation of fish
When buying a silver carp, you need to pay attention to the quality of the product, since the final taste of the dish directly depends on this.
Fresh silver carp should have slippery scales without mucus
The main selection criteria:
- light smell of algae, which is inherent in freshwater fish;
- eyes are bright, transparent, protruding;
- tail of the correct shape;
- gills of red, uniform color;
- when you press on the fish, the surface should recover quickly.
Before you start smoking, you need to prepare the carcass first. This stage is considered decisive, as it lays the foundation for the taste and texture of the meat of the final product.
The fish must first be cleaned of entrails and gills removed. Scales should not be removed, as it will help preserve the juiciness of the meat and prevent the possible ingress of carcinogens into it. Then rinse the carcass thoroughly with water, and wipe off the remains with a paper towel. In the future, you need to pickle or pickle silver carp for cold, hot smoking in order to give the necessary taste. Therefore, both options should be considered.
How to salt silver carp for smoking
This method involves rubbing abundantly with salt on all sides of the carcass. You can also additionally use spices and herbs. Salt silver carp before cold and hot smoking should be the same at the rate of 50 g per 1 kg of meat. After that, the silver carp should be folded into an enamel pan under oppression and refrigerated for 12-24 hours.
At the end of the waiting period, place the carcass in clean water for 15-20 minutes to remove excess salt. Then wipe thoroughly inside and outside with a paper towel.
How to pickle silver carp for smoking
This preparation method allows for a more refined taste in the final product. To do this, you need to collect water in a container and add salt at the rate of 40 g per 1 liter of liquid. Then heat it until completely dissolved and cool. In addition, add black pepper and five allspice peas to the marinade. After that, pour them over the fish so that the liquid completely covers it.
Marinating silver carp for hot or cold smoking will not be difficult even for novice cooks. The main thing is to keep the fish for at least six hours in the resulting mixture so that it can soak the meat well. After that, the carcass must be moistened with a paper towel to remove the remaining moisture.
Hot smoked silver carp recipes
The technology for cooking hot smoked silver carp at home requires preliminary drying of the fish in the fresh air for 3-4 hours. As a result, a thin film should form on the surface of the fish. This step removes excess moisture from the carcass and improves the quality of the final product.
Smoking silver carp in a hot smoked smokehouse
This method requires a special device with a smoke regulator. Such a smokehouse allows you to automate the process of supplying smoke and controlling the temperature.
Pre-wrap the carcasses with twine so that they maintain their integrity
Step by step cooking guide:
- Set up the smoker steadily.
- Lubricate the surface of the grate with vegetable oil.
- Lay them evenly at a distance of 1 cm.
- Then cover the smoker with a lid.
- Moisten the wood chips so that they give off plenty of smoke and not burn.
- Put it in the smoke regulator.
- Set the temperature at around + 70-80 degrees.
- In this mode, silver carp is smoked for 60 minutes.
At the end, the fish must not be taken out of the smokehouse hot, it must cool down there. After that, ventilate the product in the fresh air for 4-12 hours so that the taste and aroma become balanced.
How to quickly smoke a hot smoked silver carp
You can also prepare a dish in an accelerated way over a fire. Instead of a smokehouse, in this case, you can use a bucket with a lid.
For smoking, it is necessary to prepare branches of raspberries, currants and apple trees. They should be finely chopped, mixed with 2-3 liters of black tea leaves and 50 g of sugar added. Put the resulting mixture on the bottom of the bucket in a layer of 1-2 cm. Meanwhile, make a fire. Put a homemade smokehouse on it. When heated, white smoke will begin to evolve abundantly. Place the fish in the smokehouse for 25-30 minutes. and cover with a lid on top. Throughout the entire time, you need to constantly keep the fire.
When finished, allow the fish inside to cool down and then ventilate.
How to smoke silver carp in Odessa
This recipe is based on the use of a special spice mixture. It gives silver carp its special taste and aroma.
To prepare 1 kg of fish, you need to prepare the following components:
- 50-80 g of salt;
- 100 g of garlic;
- 2-3 bay leaves;
- a mixture of peppers;
- 50 g of dill, parsley;
- lemon zest.
Cooking process:
- Pre-gut and prepare the silver carcass.
- Then rub it liberally with salt, pepper and chopped garlic.
- Put lemon zest and herbs in the middle of the carcass and in the gill slits.
- Marinate the fish for four hours and then dry.
- Place moistened wood chips on the bottom of the smokehouse, and cover it with foil on top.
- Then put the silver carp.
- Set the temperature at + 80-90 degrees.
- Smoke hot smoked silver carp for 40-50 minutes.
At the end of cooking, the fish should cool down, and then it should be ventilated for another 2-3 hours.
Scandinavian hot smoked fathead
To prepare according to this recipe, you must first clean the carcass from the insides, scales and remove the head. Then cut along the ridge and discard the bones.
Cooking process:
- Grate the resulting fillet parts with salt and seasonings, marinate for 40 minutes. in the fridge.
- Then nail the fish along the perimeter to coniferous or cutting boards.
- Make a bonfire with fruit twigs.
- As soon as the smoke goes out, you need to place the boards with the fish next to it.
- During cooking, they should be constantly rearranged in the direction of the wind.
- When the wood burns out, you need to throw the moistened pine branches into the heat.
- Wait 20 minutes for the fish to absorb the aroma.
How to smoke hot smoked silver carp in the oven
You can cook the dish without a smokehouse. In this case, it may well be replaced by an electric oven, which should first be placed outside under a canopy. Place prepared fish wrapped in foil on a greased grid, and set a drip tray slightly lower.
Then turn on the oven and lay damp wood chips on the bottom. Set the temperature to 190 degrees.
Every 10 min. the oven should be opened slightly to reduce the concentration of smoke
The first sample can be taken after 40-50 minutes. If necessary, the fish must be prepared.
Cold smoked silver carp recipes
With this method, the fish is cooked at a low temperature for several days. Therefore, you should first prepare a sufficient amount of chips, which will allow you to maintain the required mode constantly.
Cold smoking silver carp in a smokehouse
To prepare a cold smoked silver carp, as in the photo, you will need a special device in which the fish tank and the smoke regulator are connected by a pipe. When smoke passes through it, the temperature drops to 30-35 degrees. This mode is considered optimal for cold smoking.
The increased temperature turns the cold smoking process into a hot one
Cooking algorithm:
- Prepared silver carcasses should be hung on hooks located at the top of the smoker.
- Put moistened wood chips in the smoke regulator.
- Set the temperature to 30-35 degrees.
- Smoke for two to four days.
- At the end, the fish must be ventilated in the air for 24 hours.
Cold smoked fathead in the Black Sea style
To cook fish according to this recipe, you need to gut it and remove the ridge. Can be cut into pieces if desired.
Only if all the conditions are met will the taste of the dish be balanced.
Cooking process:
- Sprinkle silver carp with plenty of salt.
- Place in an enamel container under pressure.
- Marinate in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
- At the end, soak the silver carp for 3-6 hours in cold water.
- Dry for 12-20 hours until a thin crust appears on the surface.
- Smoke according to the standard scheme (36 hours) at a temperature of 30-35 degrees.
At the end of the process, the fish should be allowed to cool in the smokehouse, and then ventilated in the fresh air and kept in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
Smoking time
The duration of the silver carp cooking process directly depends on the chosen method. For hot smoking it will take 20-60 minutes, depending on the size of the silver carp, and for cold smoking - 1.5-3 days.
Storage rules
Store cooked silver carp in the refrigerator away from odor-absorbing foods. Hot smoked fish is perishable. Therefore, its shelf life at a temperature of + 2-6 degrees is two days. Cold smoked silver carp can maintain its quality for ten days.
To increase the shelf life of a dish, you need to freeze it. In this case, the fish can be stored for up to 30 days.
Conclusion
It is not difficult to cook cold and hot smoked silver carp at home if you strictly follow all the recommendations. It is important to adhere to all stages of preparation and cooking technology. Only in this case can we expect that the result will meet all expectations.
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