In ancient times, when the country was called the USSR, hot smoked fish was sold in grocery stores. These were mackerel, rockfish and pollock backs. Now this delicacy cannot be found in stores. Perhaps somewhere in the capitals it is sold at fabulous prices, but in the outback, hot smoked fish is very rare. At our dacha we make this delicious dish almost every week.
How does a smokehouse work?
I first saw such a structure in my mother-in-law’s garden. She lived on the shore of Lake Baikal, and every time we came, we bought kilograms of omul to smoke, eat ourselves and treat our friends.
A rusty barrel placed on old bricks coated with clay. The firebox is raised to approximately 40-60 cm.
There is a net suspended inside, on which raspberry sticks are laid out. Why raspberries? I have no idea, but my mother-in-law did exactly that.
The top of the smokehouse is covered with thick canvas, burlap or tarpaulin.
Dry branches of fruit trees are used for smoking.
Which fish is best to use?
When omul fishing was banned in 2018, we had to experiment using other fish. I would like to give some advice from an expert who has tried all the types available to me:- omul, whitefish, broad whitefish, peled, grayling, carp - liked by everyone without exception;
- mullet - it is better to take young specimens;
- trout and salmon - sometimes you can enjoy it, but it’s expensive;
- mackerel, greenling perch, flounder, char, pollock - tasty, but not for everyone: some like it fatter, others leaner;
- Hot smoked pink salmon meat turns out to be a bit dry, decide for yourself whether to cook it or not;
- herring – has a characteristic taste;
- pike, perch, sorog, crucian carp - too bony;
- Under no circumstances should you cook burbot this way - it has a very specific taste.
To avoid getting a product that falls apart under your fingers after smoking instead of a tasty dish, the fish must be freshly caught or after deep primary freezing. That is, if it has been frozen several times, then it is not worth using.
Master class on preparing and smoking fish
Under the strict guidance of my mother-in-law, I mastered this process to perfection. Today we will cook peled. You will need a sharp knife and a basin of water where we will place the cleaned carcasses.
Purchased fish, after initial deep freezing. Defrosted at room temperature.
We clean the scales: from head to tail, capturing no more than 2 cm, otherwise the skin will tear.
We rip it open and remove the insides.
Place it in a bowl of water and take the next one. When all the fish is cleaned, rinse it thoroughly.
Take a clean rag or paper towels and wipe, especially inside, to absorb excess moisture.If you have time, you can let it drain a little before doing this.
We coat the carcass with salt, but without fanaticism. Sprinkle a little into the gills and inside the fish. Immediately put it in the smokehouse.
Cover with canvas, leaving a small hole until the fire burns.
We make a fire in the firebox using twigs. There is no need to have a Pioneer fire: the fish should be smoked, not fried. It is important that there is more smoke, so thick branches must be split.
When the fire flares up, close the hole. We make sure that the fire in the firebox does not go out, we throw branches.
The process lasts 40-60 minutes, sometimes longer. It all depends on the size of the fish being smoked.
In order to remove the finished peled, you need a metal or glass tray and cotton gloves. Rubber ones won't work - you'll get burned.
The smoked fish turned out not just plain, but golden.
Carefully remove it onto the tray, doing this with both hands. Let it cool a little.
Hot smoked fish is especially good when it is served still warm, but it is also very tasty when cold.
A simple but delicious country dinner is ready. It's time to call the family to the table. Bon appetit!
