Employees of the online store website have prepared recommendations for proper marinating ➤ mackerel for hot smoking. From the material you will learn how not to make a mistake when choosing a product, as well as two basic recipes for the marinade used to prepare for smoking.
The taste of the smoked delicacy depends on the marinade no less than on the quality of the fish used. For smoking, it is recommended to buy fresh mackerel. Pay attention to the density of the tissues: fresh fish should be elastic, but not slippery. In addition, the fresh product should not have an unpleasant odor.
If fresh fish is not available, you can use a fresh frozen product. If possible, avoid buying fish with a thick layer of ice, because the quality of such a product is difficult to determine.
Preparing the fish
If you are going to marinate fresh frozen mackerel, the product must be slowly defrosted. To do this, place the fish in a deep container and put it in the refrigerator for 1-3 hours (defrosting time depends on the size of the carcasses and the amount of product). Accelerated defrosting in a microwave oven or hot water is not allowed, as this will partially cook the fish. Because of this, when smoked, the product will become soft and lose its presentation.
Mackerel is smoked either whole or after gutting (it is believed that when smoked whole the fish retains its flavor better).
- When smoking whole The carcasses are carefully cleaned of scales, taking care not to damage the skin (otherwise, when smoking, the fish may soften in the smokehouse).
- When smoking after gutting The entrails are first removed from the carcasses and the heads are cut off (optional).
How to marinate mackerel
The marinade is used at the final stage of preparation for heat treatment in a smokehouse. The taste of the finished delicacy depends on the marinade no less than on the quality of the fish. The effect of marinade processing is based on the effect of the sour-salty environment on the product. Let's look at two common mackerel marinade recipes.
Regular marinade
Ingredients:
- mackerel carcasses - 1 kg;
- water - 2 l;
- lemon - 1 pc.;
- bay leaf (to taste);
- salt - 220-250 g (glass);
- sugar - 1 glass;
- garlic - 3 cloves;
- black pepper;
- onion peel.
Preparing the marinade
Water is heated in a regular saucepan. After boiling, add sugar, salt, add bay leaves and onion peels. Then add 4-5 teaspoons of lemon juice and chopped garlic. Boil the marinade for 10 minutes, then turn off the stove and let the pan cool.
The fish carcasses are immersed in the cooled liquid so that all the product is hidden in it, and left for about 2 hours.
Then the carcasses are removed and dried until the marinade stops dripping from them. Cooking time: 3-4 hours.
Marinade with coriander
A simple recipe for quickly preparing brine, which makes the product soft, juicy and aromatic.
Ingredients:
- mackerel - 2-3 fish;
- water - 1 l;
- salt and sugar - 50 grams each (about 2 tablespoons);
- pepper (add to taste);
- coriander - 1 tablespoon;
- bay leaf - 5 pcs.;
- carnation.
Preparing the marinade
Place a saucepan with 1 liter of water on the fire and bring to a boil (if necessary, you can heat more or less). When boiling, add sugar and salt. The first ingredient makes the fish tissue softer and helps them absorb spices more deeply; salt forms the salty taste necessary for the smoked delicacy.
Then add the remaining spices. If desired, add any other seasoning.
The product is soaked in the marinade for about 12 hours. If necessary, this time can be increased to a day (when processing a large number of large carcasses).
Immediately before placing a portion of mackerel into the smoking chamber, it must be carefully wiped with a napkin and hung for 2 hours.
Fish marinated according to this recipe turns out juicy, refined, aromatic and acquires a beautiful brown-golden color.
More information about smoking mackerel can be found in the corresponding article.
At home, to prepare hot smoked mackerel, compact smokehouses made of ordinary or stainless steel are used, the lids of which are equipped with a water seal system. Any gas or electric stove is used as a heat source...
Bon appetit!
You can argue until you are hoarse which method of salting fish before smoking is better: dry or wet. And this debate can only be resolved by trying smoked fish prepared in both ways, which is what I want to do today.
In the wet method, the products are salted for some time in brine (water, salt, seasonings); in the dry method, the products are generously covered with coarse salt.
To be more precise, my goal is not to determine how best to salt fish, since both methods have a right to exist and are used under different conditions, but how they affect the taste, in this case of mackerel.
For the experiment I will use two frozen mackerel weighing 350 grams. I gutted both fish, removed the gills, washed them and dried them with a paper towel. Rub the first mackerel generously with coarse salt, both inside and outside, and put it in the refrigerator. For the second, I prepared a brine: to do this, I dissolved salt in cold water until the water stopped taking it, and a very cool brine solution came out. I poured the brine over the mackerel so that it completely covered it and also put it in the refrigerator.
Salting lasted about 15-17 hours, after which both mackerels were placed in cold water for soaking for 30 minutes to remove excess salt. During this time I changed the water four times.
Before loading the fish into the smokehouse, lie for an hour on a mesh so that the water drains and dries (weathers), this is necessary so that the smoke “sticks” to it better.
For smoking I used beech chips, which I poured in small quantities onto the bottom of a portable smokehouse. I placed the well-weathered mackerel on the first tier, covered the smokehouse with a lid, and poured water into a special chute so that there was no smell of smoke in the apartment. As soon as smoke appeared from the tube, the time countdown began: this is approximately 20 minutes at medium heat.
Read how to smoke in a home smokehouse
Bottom line
Both smoked mackerel turned out exactly the same in appearance. Different types of salting did not affect the appearance at all. The same cannot be said about the taste - although the difference is insignificant, it is still there. Fish that was salted dry has a denser consistency and, despite the fact that it was soaked from salt for the same amount of time, it turned out to be saltier. The fish that was salted wet had a slightly softer consistency and juicier meat. My guests, whom I asked to compare the taste of mackerel, preferred the fish that was salted in brine. My conclusion is this: the type of pickling does not fundamentally affect the taste of the final product, but nevertheless it is preferable to pickle it wet, in brine.
Choosing wood for smoking
For smoking nut undesirable, as the products acquire a pungent and specific odor.
Cherry used in small quantities, as it gives a pleasant but intense smell; it is worth adding no more than 30% to other types of wood.
Cherries a little softer than cherry.
Plum can be used independently, but preferably in mixture with linden or alder sawdust. But the trunk and old branches can impart a pungent odor.
Pear and apple tree can be used in any proportions.
Mackerel is an excellent fish option for cooking at home. There are few small bones in it, and the flesh itself is dense and fatty. We will tell you how to make cold smoked mackerel in this article. Here are several simple recipes available to any housewife. Let's try to cook!
Salt plus smoke
The magic of these two ingredients has long been known to cooks from different countries. Smoking gives meat and fish a unique taste and aroma. Plus, this is a great way to preserve the product. Some housewives think that preparing cold smoked mackerel at home is difficult, because the process itself will require special equipment. But it is not so. Homemade cold smoked mackerel will turn out very tasty and aromatic if you use the recipes below.
Smoking methods
There is a significant difference between the types and the hot ones. Cold is, rather, a drying process at 25-30 degrees. It gives the dish a wonderful smoky aroma and delicate taste, and is a way of preserving and preserving fish. Hot - the product is cooked at a fairly high temperature (up to 120 degrees).
Preliminary preparation of fish
The mackerel should first be salted, as this process will remove excess liquid from the fish carcass. The result is a richer aroma. We take (large). Rub the fish, placed on a cutting board or baking sheet, thoroughly on all sides and leave to lie for half an hour. If the carcasses are large, let them soak for about an hour (the larger the fish, the more salt).
Home smokehouse
Cold smoked mackerel at home is very well prepared in a homemade smokehouse. It’s easy to build from an old large saucepan (or one you don’t mind). We drill several holes on its sides at a height of fifteen centimeters. We insert into these holes where the fish will be located. The pan should also have a tight-fitting lid.
The process itself
Place a layer of sawdust on the bottom of the pan. In this case, any non-coniferous species are suitable: cherry, apple, alder, oak - the most popular of them. Place the pan on low heat. Try to keep the prepared sawdust barely smoldering (to prevent it from burning, some cooks periodically water the raw materials with water from an ordinary spray bottle). Place pre-salted carcasses on the grill. Close the lid. Quite a lot of smoke should be generated, but it should not be too hot (maximum 40 degrees). Then cold smoked mackerel at home turns out tender and soft. And the cooking method will be cold.
If you have a private house or cottage, this delicacy can be prepared right in the yard, on the hearth, grill, campfire, or barbecue. If you are cooking in an apartment, open the windows wide (and warn your neighbors, as the cooking process creates a lot of smoke)!
Marinade
Instead of pure salt, some housewives use marinade (brine). It's quite simple to prepare. You need to dilute half a kilogram of salt, a glass of sugar, lemon juice, a mixture of peppers, garlic in four liters of warm water and bring to a boil, but do not boil! If there is too much marinade, you can store the excess in the refrigerator for ten to fifteen days. By this time you might want to smoke something else. Place the mackerel carcasses or fillets in the prepared warm brine for an hour (or better yet, overnight, then the fish will be completely ready for smoking and will cook quickly).
Remove the fish from the brine. Dry with a kitchen towel. Place on a greased grate. We smoke on sawdust over the lowest heat. Remember that the smoking temperature should not be high!
Cooking time
Most likely, you will need at least half an hour to prepare the treat. Although for fillet sometimes twenty minutes is enough. It all depends on how the future cold-smoked mackerel is pre-marinated at home: the longer, the faster the smoking process itself goes. The finished fish can be stored in the refrigerator for quite a long time (if you wrap it tightly and put it in the freezer, it will still be delicious in a month).
Cold smoked fake mackerel: recipe
To prepare the dish we will need: three mackerel fish, half a glass of salt, two large spoons of sugar, vegetable oil, liquid smoke (for those who do not know, this is a water solution of wood smoke).
Hot smoked mackerel at home in a smokehouse is prepared very quickly. This is an ideal fish for smoking, the meat is fatty, tasty and there are few bones.
Smokehouses for hot smoking mackerel
At home, use any hot smoked smokehouse. If you don’t have a portable smokehouse, you can buy special packages for hot smoking (express smokehouse). It is convenient to cook in an apartment (oven), over a fire.
Cold smoking of mackerel is a long process; the smokehouse must be large and, as a rule, stationary. Alternatively, you can
How to smoke mackerel in a hot smoker
The actual recipe for hot smoking mackerel is quite simple, the main thing is to observe the temperature and cooking time. A fish without scales, a lot of heat under the smokehouse and the mackerel will dry out, the skin will crack and turn black.
The average temperature is about 45/50 degrees (semi-hot smoking), the smoking time depends on the volume of the smokehouse, on average 20-30 minutes (spring-summer).
How to prepare mackerel for smoking
Before smoking, the carcasses are gutted, it is better to make a cut slightly above the abdomen, and cut off the head or remove the gills (bitterness). Rinse the ridge until the blood is completely removed and salt the fish using a dry method or marinade. The addition of spices/spices depends on the taste of the smoker. For hot smoking, salt + a little black pepper is enough. For a half-kilogram mackerel, take about a heaping tablespoon of salt. It is enough to salt with dry salting for 3/4 hours, in the marinade for 12/24 hours. It is not necessary to rinse after salting, just wipe. The carcasses must be dried to remove moisture; in a good wind, the fish will dry for about an hour.
How to smoke mackerel in a smokehouse
Wood chips or thin branches of any fruit trees/shrubs are placed in the smokehouse. You can smoke with alder, rowan (without bark), willow, acacia, sea buckthorn... It is best to mix different branches/chips; during the hot smoking process, each gives the mackerel a special aroma. They put in enough to just cover the bottom, too much smoke is bitterly sour + black fish! It is advisable to place a tray on the wood chips so that the dripping juices do not give the fish a bitter taste.
Mackerel smoking process
First, the smokehouse is placed over the fire, when white smoke appears, a grate with mackerel is inserted. In a small smokehouse, you definitely need to release the moisture. After ten minutes, remove the smoker from the heat and open it slightly, otherwise the fish will cook and the skin will burst. The appearance of clear steam during hot smoking indicates that the mackerel is ready. We take out the grill with the fish and, drooling, wait until it cools down. The melted fat/juice will be absorbed into the mackerel, the meat will become stronger and will be very tasty.
Everyone is familiar with this excellent taste of smoked mackerel. Its meat has a wonderful aroma, tenderness and high nutritional value. In addition, it contains a lot of useful components that are so necessary for human health.
However, lately this fish has become very expensive, and in stores it is often not sold fresh. Therefore, it is worth learning how to smoke it yourself. Moreover, during the independent cooking process, you can adjust the degree of smoking, thereby making it the way you like.
Smokehouse and fuel
Before you start smoking mackerel, you need to prepare your smokehouse and fuel. You can make a smokehouse yourself or purchase a ready-made one. If you do not want to waste time on the manufacturing process of this tool, then you can buy it.
But when buying, you should pay attention to some important qualities:
- the material of this device - the smokehouse must be made of stainless metal;
- The cover on the device must be securely fixed. The best element for fixing is considered to be a plug or cover with screw-on valves;
- The parameters for the size of the smokehouse directly depend on how many times you plan to use it, but in any case its height should be 50-60 cm. If these parameters are smaller, then the fish will constantly burn, and if it is larger, then, on the contrary, it will not have time to warm up.
It is worth taking into account one important tip: after every third smoking cycle, you must clean the smokehouse. This will help get rid of carbon deposits, resin residues and other contaminants. The grates must be cleaned after each smoking.
Wood should be used as fuel. The best firewood for smoking mackerel, as well as poultry and lard, is willow, birch and other types of fruit trees. It is best to stock up on firewood in advance.
Preparation stages
You definitely need to choose the right fish. The quality and taste of the prepared smoked product depends on this condition. You should purchase fish from trusted stores and supermarkets so as not to accidentally purchase spoiled goods.
How to check quality:
- Check the smell. Fish should not have a rotten smell. If there are even slight signs that it does not smell fresh, then it is not suitable for smoking;
- The structure of mackerel should not be loose;
- There should not be a thick layer of ice on the surface. Many stores try to mask the stale signs of mackerel using ice;
- Mackerel should be elastic, hard, strong, without a pronounced smell of staleness.
After mackerel is purchased, it should be properly prepared for smoking. The preparation stages are carried out according to the following scheme:
- First, wash the fish, cut off the head;
- remove all the intestines from the carcass;
- if desired, you can cut off the tail and fins;
- After this, the carcass is wiped and dried with dry wipes.
Hot smoked mackerel in a smokehouse
Description of the process step by step:
How to smoke fish and determine its readiness
In order to correctly determine the readiness of mackerel, it is worth considering the entire smoking process and the features of its implementation:
- Smoking begins over high heat;
- After 5-7 minutes, the fire must be dimmed a little so that it is no longer so strong;
- After this, the average cooking period will be about 25-30 minutes;
- It is not recommended to open the smokehouse until the entire smoking process is completed. Smoking should only be done under a closed lid;
- After cooling, you can check the degree of readiness. We look at the color of the mackerel; if it is not golden enough or completely whitish, then the smokehouse should be returned to the fire. In these cases, you can still leave it to cook, but not for too long, otherwise everything may burn;
- If the color of the fish is dark or golden, this will mean that it is ready;
- After this, the mackerel can be served. You can serve vegetables and light salads with it.
How to cook in the oven
What ingredients are needed for preparation:
- mackerel, quantity at your discretion;
- salt to your taste;
- vegetable oil.
Preparation time: 3-4 hours for salting and 30 minutes for cooking.
Calorie content – 322 kcal.
Cooking process:
- First, prepare the fish for smoking;
- First of all, the mackerel needs to be washed; if there are scales on top, then they need to be removed;
- Next, cut and remove all the giblets, wash the carcass;
- Then you need to cut off the head, you can also remove the fins and tail;
- Sprinkle the fish with salt on all sides. Don’t forget that you need to salt it on the inside as well;
- After this, coat the carcasses with vegetable oil;
- We put all the fish in plastic bags;
- Leave the mackerel to marinate at room temperature for 3-4 hours;
- After this, prepare the baking paper. The sheet should be of such a size that it can be used to wrap the fish;
- Place the carcass on the surface of a sheet of baking paper and wrap it on both sides in the form of a roll;
- The edges and top of the sheet should be tied with thread. This will prevent fat from leaking out;
- After this, place the carcass on the surface of a baking sheet;
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees;
- Place the pan in the oven and leave to bake for 30 minutes;
- After this, take out the finished mackerel, remove it from the paper and cool slightly;
- Cut the fish into pieces and serve with boiled potatoes and any other vegetables.
- carefully select the smokehouse for cooking mackerel, it must meet all the necessary criteria;
- prepare the fish properly. To do this, it should be cleaned, washed and all fins and head cut off. But still, many experienced smokers advise smoking it directly in its entirety, along with the head and giblets; in their opinion, in this form it turns out much tastier;
- the fish should be smoked for 20 minutes, but if the carcasses are large, the smoking period should be increased to 30-35 minutes, but no more;
- if desired, several sprigs of herbs can be placed inside the belly; they will give the mackerel a pleasant aroma and unusual taste;
- After cooking, the fish is immediately served. If suddenly there is some left over, you can store it in the refrigerator, but not for long.
Cooking hot smoked mackerel is not that difficult, but it is still a more masculine job. Typically, men prefer to smoke fish, meat, and lard.
But before you begin this process, you should carefully study all its features, namely the selection and preparation of a smokehouse, the preparation of fuel, as well as the proper preparation of fish. If you follow everything strictly according to the recipe, you can make an excellent fish for the dinner table.
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