Nutritionists advise including fish dishes in the menu at least 1-2 times a week, and it is advisable to choose fish with a fairly high percentage of fat. Together with it, valuable polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) of the Omega-3 family enter the human body, which, with adequate consumption, have a beneficial effect on its vital functions. One of the most accessible ways to enrich your diet with PUFAs is regular consumption of mackerel. There are quite a lot of recipes for its preparation, but almost all of them involve heat treatment, during which most of the healthy fat is destroyed. But in salted mackerel it is completely preserved. How to salt mackerel, where and how long to store it and in what form to serve it?
Secrets of proper preparation of mackerel for salting
To tastefully salt mackerel, you need to buy high-quality frozen fish. To do this, go to a trusted fish store, where the storage of frozen products is more or less correctly organized - the temperature regime is maintained, the conditions of the commodity neighborhood are maintained, there are marking labels with information about the manufacturer and production date.
If these points suit you, carefully inspect the carcass for:
- are there any dents, ice build-ups, frozen parasites or damage on it;
- are there any signs that the mackerel was frozen fresh - even color of the eyes and skin, fins tightly pressed to the body, pink color of the gills, pleasant fishy aroma;
- how long ago the fish was frozen - this will be directly indicated by the production date on the label and indirectly indicated by yellow spots on its surface.
Refuse to purchase if the quality of the carcasses does not meet at least one of these points. You should also not purchase fresh mackerel for salting, with a layer of ice that is too thick (more than 5 mm), previously defrosted and cleared of the head and entrails. It is important to observe all these precautions, since the fish will not be thermally processed, and your health directly depends on its quality.
It is equally important to defrost mackerel correctly. To do this, you can use the following methods:
- natural thawing in a closed container on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator - the fish will completely thaw in 5-6 hours, so do not keep it longer than this time;
- keeping in a cool water-salt solution prepared at the rate of 2 liters of cold boiled water and 2 tbsp. l. salt per 1 kg of fish (salt is needed so that the product does not lose minerals);
- heating in the microwave at the appropriate mode (this method is recommended only in exceptional cases, since the taste of the fish deteriorates somewhat).
Under no circumstances should you defrost in warm and hot water, or at room temperature, especially during the hot season. And, of course, you can’t refreeze mackerel.
For salting, it is better to use coarse salt - rock, sea or iodized.It slowly dissolves at low temperatures and gradually takes moisture from the carcass. If you use finely ground salt, the mackerel may end up dry and tasteless.
Delicious mackerel at home - step-by-step recipe with photos
The method of salting mackerel proposed in this recipe is called dry, since it does not require preparing a marinade. To prepare salted mackerel at home you will need:
- 2 large defrosted fish;
- 3 tbsp. l. salt;
- 1 tbsp. l. Sahara.
If you wish, you can add your favorite spices - bay leaf, allspice peas, coriander, cloves, fresh dill. Before salting the mackerel, you will need to grind the dry spices in a mortar and add the resulting powder to the sugar and salt. In this case, you will get spicy salted mackerel. If you value salted mackerel for its pure taste, any additional seasonings should be omitted.
Pour the required amount of salt and sugar into a suitable sized container (perhaps a regular soup bowl).
Mix the mixture thoroughly.
Cut the fish: cut off the fins and the tip of the tail with kitchen scissors, and the head with a knife, then open the belly and pull out all the insides. Remove the black film from the inside and rinse the carcass under running water.
Place fish on a clean cutting board. Sprinkle a layer of salt and sugar mixture on them and thoroughly rub the abdominal cavity and all external surfaces with it.
Place each carcass in a separate plastic bag. Sprinkle them with the rest of the mixture.
Place the mackerel in a bowl.
Close the container and place the fish in the refrigerator. In just 48 hours it will be ready for use.You can tell that mackerel is ripe by the changed color of the meat, its hardness and elasticity.
Lightly salted mackerel should be stored in the refrigerator at a temperature no higher than 5 °C and no longer than 3 days. To extend the shelf life to 1 week, it can be marinated additionally in vinegar and vegetable oil, however, marinating already spoiled fish is strictly prohibited.
Mackerel prepared according to this recipe is delicious served in the form of rye bread sandwiches with a variety of fillings. Thin slices of sweet and sour green apple, radishes, onions, fresh cucumber, and Adyghe cheese go perfectly with mackerel. Try it - it's a very tasty snack!
