Smoked capelin - simple recipes for a home smokehouse. Smoking capelin

V. Odintsov, engineer

Traditional technologies for smoking fish are cold and hot, but experienced tourists widely use semi-hot. The latter has a number of advantages, which we will discuss below. For now about the main thing.

About wood

The best wood for smoking is alder and juniper. But the latter has become rare in many areas and needs protection. Therefore, when harvesting, carefully break off only dry branches; besides, raw ones are still not suitable. Just a few branches of this wonderful plant are enough to give the fish both a golden color and a unique aroma.

If there is no alder, you can use dry wood of any hardwood: oak, hazel, ash, maple, apple, pear, cherry, plum; It is imperative to remove the bark from a birch tree - it contains tar. Under no circumstances should you use pine, spruce, or cedar - they contain a lot of resin. The wood must be chopped into small pieces or chips of 4...6 centimeters. When smoking, you can and even need to use sawdust. Chicks, branches and sawdust are poured onto the bottom of the barrel in an even layer. They will begin to smolder and emit smoke as soon as the bottom of the barrel or bucket is heated from a fire built below.

A few words about the fire itself. When smoking fish, it should be small, but give a lot of heat - you can choose any kind of wood. Keeping a fire burning evenly for a long time is an art that can only be acquired through personal experience. But the quality of the prepared smoked fish depends on this experience.

Hot smoking

This method has many advantages. It's fast, reliable, simple; The fish is immediately ready to eat. And there is no need for complex structures. There is a metal barrel - great, no - you can get by with an old bucket, but they need to be thoroughly calcined. A prerequisite is well-fitting lids. How to use these containers is clear from the figure. The insert nets on which the fish are placed are made of annealed steel wire with a diameter of 4...6 millimeters.

So, we are going to smoke fish using the hot method. We do not cut small fish, we gut the medium one, cut large fish into a layer or flank - cutting along the spine into two fillets. Wash the cut fish and salt it dry. For this we need a board or piece of plywood, coarse salt No. 1 or No. 2. After sprinkling salt on the board and the fish, rub the salt into the carcass, moving it along the table with slight pressure. Rub the inner surface of the belly with salt by hand. If the fish has a thick back, make a cut in it along the ridge and rub salt into it.

Salting oily fish (capelin, mackerel, halibut, horse mackerel, catfish, flounder, silver carp, catfish, burbot) is somewhat different from what was described above. Rubbed with coarse salt, each fish or layer is wrapped in parchment or pencil tracing paper so that the fats do not oxidize. Then the fish is placed in layers in enamel dishes, preferably in trays with a lid. Everything is covered with parchment on top, and its edges are folded. It is advisable to place the fish in a small mound and press it down with a lid, securing it with a rope or wire.

Salting fish thawed in cold water lasts slightly longer than fresh fish - from 4...6 hours to a day.

Under the influence of salt, proteins coagulate, the taste and smell of raw fish are lost, its meat thickens and becomes usable without further cooking.

The next operation is drying the fish for 40...60 minutes. During this time, its salinity reaches the required 1.5...2.0 percent and the fish is partially dehydrated, as brine - a salt solution - drains off. The fish is tied with twine and hung on hangers and covered from flies with a gauze canopy. Can be placed in plastic bags and stored in a cool place, for example, in a refrigerator or cellar. In the second case, before putting the fish in the smokehouse, it is thoroughly wiped of brine, the over-salted fish is washed with fresh water, and then wiped.

A– with insert key, b- firmware, V– harness. When it’s cold, the fish is simply hung.

Now you can smoke the fish. A mixture of alder or other chicks with the addition of juniper is loaded into the bottom of a bucket or barrel, and fish is placed on metal wire grates in the middle and upper part of the vessel, with larger ones at the bottom. It is laid loosely in one layer. The harness made with harsh twine (do not use synthetics!) is not removed. Make a fire under the barrel and, if possible, close it tightly with a lid or metal sheet. After 30...60 minutes, depending on the size of the fish and the smokehouse, the smoke from under the lid becomes dry and acquires a characteristic aroma. The final readiness is determined by the appearance of the fish, golden tea color and dry surface of the skin. In this case, the smokehouse can be opened only for a very short time, so that the lumps do not ignite due to air access.

The temperature inside the barrel is about 80° during drying, which is about a quarter of the time, and about 100° during direct smoking. As a result of this process, proteins coagulate, low-resistant organic compounds are destroyed, some nitrogenous substances are lost along with moisture, and fat is rendered.

Determining the temperature is quite simple - just splash water on the lid. If the water does not boil, but simply evaporates, the smoking mode is maintained correctly.

The finished dish cannot be stored for long; it must be consumed within two to three days.

Cold smoking

Cold smoking is more labor-intensive. It is necessary to build a special smokehouse, salt the fish longer, and the process itself takes from two to three days.

Cold smokehouse. The chimney groove is made approximately 100 × 100 or 150 × 150 mm. From above it is covered with a board and turf. Below is a fire pit. On top is a smoking box.

The structure of the simplest smokehouse is clear from the figure. The optimal length of an inclined chimney should be at least 7...10 meters. If there is a cellar on the site, you can use it; if not, you will have to build an artificial embankment.

Fresh fish is salted for five days, defrosted - twice as long. Moreover, the fish placed in trays is additionally sprinkled with salt. Soaking also lasts longer - 4...6 hours or more. After this, the fish is tied and dried for 24 hours. The smoke temperature in the smokehouse should be no more than 35°. After smoking, the fish can be dried for 24 hours - this will increase the shelf life.

During cold smoking, fish loses a significant part of its moisture and becomes saturated, as if preserved, with smoke from the fire. And one more addition: the more salt in the fish, the lower the temperature should be.

Semi-hot smoking

Fish that has been salted for more than a day is suitable for it; soaking can be done “by eye.” As a smokehouse, an ordinary iron “stove stove” was used with a couple of additional elbows on the pipe so that the smoke temperature was around 50...60°. The blower was covered to ensure smoldering in the firebox, and the fish was hung at some distance from the end of the pipe in the zone where the smoke mixed with air. One day of light is enough for smoking. The taste of the fish is somewhat unusual, and the appearance and aroma are closer to hot smoking. This technology is currently not widely used, but is interesting in its simplicity and great opportunities for experimentation.

Science and life. 1988. No. 7.

Capelin is a very tasty and relatively inexpensive fish. By its origin, it belongs to marine fish species. Its teeth and scales are small, which are its distinctive features. One of the cooking variations is smoked capelin. You can easily make this delicious dish yourself. Smoking capelin is one of the original and simple options for your table.

Cold cooking option

Before laying, you first need to leave it for about an hour, completely covering it with salt. Then rinse and let dry a little. While the fish is drying, you should start preparing the smokehouse. Next, pour fine sawdust onto the bottom of the smokehouse.

After this procedure, a foil container should be built on the grid where the product will be laid out. This will help in its own juices, which will naturally make it juicier when it's finished cooking. If you want to get a drier product, then simply place the fish on the second rack. It takes about an hour to smoke.

Hot smoked capelin in a smokehouse is an excellent addition to any side dish.

It is also very common to make products by coating them. Capelin smoked with liquid smoke has a different taste and is significantly inferior to the cold or hot cooking method. But this option saves a lot of time and money.

Cooking principle

How to cook smoked capelin? Here is a recipe that is easy to follow and does not require much effort from you.

Ingredients you will need:

Capelin - 0.5 kg;
Loose tea - 3 tbsp. spoons;
Rice - 3 tbsp. spoons;
Sugar - 3 tbsp. spoons;
Salt;
Pepper;
Seasonings.

First you need to take a pan, the bottom of which is covered with foil. Pour rice on top, after the rice - sugar, and on top of all this - tea.

Cover with foil in two layers so that everything is well sealed. Then we poke holes in the foil. The best way to make holes is with a toothpick.

Video on how to smoke this fish at home:

Now place the pre-salted and washed fish on top. Close the lid as tightly as possible and wrap it with a wet towel. This ensures tightness. Place the pan over high heat, and after a minute turn the heat to medium. Cooking lasts 20 minutes. Home-smoked capelin - . And most importantly, you will know that this dish was prepared by you personally, and not by the hands of sometimes not entirely conscientious producers.

How to cook smoked capelin at home without any special equipment? Very simple! This will require very little time, the fish itself and a piece of foil. Using a stove and a saucepan, you can prepare incredibly tasty smoked capelin, which will become an excellent appetizer on your table, or can be served as a main course with some side dish.

INGREDIENTS

Capelin - 0.5 KG;
Rice - 3 tbsp. l.;
Loose leaf tea - 3 tbsp. l. (black or green, unflavored);
Sugar - 3 tbsp. l.;
Salt, pepper, sugar, seasonings - To taste

COOKING

We take an old saucepan. We cover the bottom with foil so that it forms sides. Pour rice (the most ordinary), then sugar and tea (without flavorings) on top.
Cover everything with foil, fold up the sides from the first layer so that the ingredients are well “sealed” in the foil. Using a toothpick or skewer, make holes.
Place capelin on top of the foil. Before placing the fish on foil, it should be salted, peppered, seasoned and sugared to taste. Cover with a lid (tightly), tie with a wet towel (this will create a tight seal). Then place the saucepan on the stove over high heat; after a minute, reduce the heat to medium. Smoke the capelin over medium heat for about 20 minutes. A strong smell of fish will begin to spread throughout the apartment, so do not forget to turn on the hood. That's all…

Capelin is a small sea fish that has many useful qualities. This fish is affordable and tasty. It is fried, baked, prepared into pates and canned food. But the most delicious for gourmets is smoked capelin. Even a novice cook can prepare such a delicacy at home. The main thing is to know some of the features of smoking.

Composition and calorie content of smoked capelin

Like any sea food fish, capelin is very useful. It is rich in vitamins A and D, as well as a high content of iodine, fluorine, calcium, and selenium.

Capelin contains all the amino acids necessary for the body, omega-6, omega-3 fatty acids, a large amount of protein and easily digestible fat, which has a positive effect on health. The use of such a product normalizes the functioning of the cardiovascular system, the thyroid gland, improves digestion and the condition of the nervous system.

100 g of smoked product contains:

Protein – 18.0 g.
Fat – 22.0 g.
There are no carbohydrates.
Calorie content is 270 kcal.

The smoked dish is high in calories, so consuming it in unlimited quantities is not recommended, especially for overweight people.

Hot smoked capelin at home

Cooking begins with preparation and marinating. Since the fish is sold frozen, first you need to defrost it, remove the insides, rinse it, and place it on a paper towel to remove excess moisture.

Then marinate with dry spices. Marinade recipe: 3 tbsp. tablespoons of salt, half a teaspoon each of ground black pepper, coriander and sugar, a pinch of ground ginger, 2 pieces of chopped bay leaves (per 1 kg of fish). Mix the resulting mixture with the prepared capelin and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. The fish is ready for smoking.

Place two small handfuls of wood chips evenly on the bottom. Cherry, apricot, oak, alder are suitable. A mixture of sawdust would be an excellent option.
To give a beautiful color, you can sprinkle half a teaspoon of black tea on top of the sawdust.
Cover the wood chips with foil or install a special tray to drain fat and juice.
Place the fish on the grill, loosely. Before placing in the smoker, pat each carcass dry with a paper towel.
Place the smokehouse on the fire, smoke for 30 minutes at a temperature of 90⁰C. Let the dish cool slightly and serve.

Cold smoked capelin: recipe

Cold smoked fish turns out juicy and tasty, and also lasts longer than hot smoked fish. Of course, smoking will take a little time, but the result will please you.

All you need for this method is fish, salt, a smokehouse for cold smoking, firewood, and wood chips.

Thaw the capelin, rinse, and salt in plenty of salt. There is no need to remove the insides. The fish is salted for 1 day.
Then soak the fish in cold water for 30 minutes. Using a large needle and strong thread, string the carcasses, leaving 3-5 cm gaps between them.
Hang the fish in a ventilated place for 3-4 hours. Then start smoking.
Place the fish bowls in the smokehouse and close the lid tightly.
Light a fire in the firebox using wood from fruit trees or alder.
Smoke for 12-18 hours, at a temperature of 25-30⁰С.

After the process is completed, the fish must be ventilated for 12 hours in the fresh air. The finished dish will have a beautiful golden hue and a piquant smoky aroma. Bon appetit!

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Capelin is a commercial sea fish that does not grow more than 25 cm. This small predator gathers in huge schools before spawning. Up to 1 million tons are mined annually around the world. It is also called smelt, and when smoked it is called sprats.

Nutritionists determined the calorie content of smoked capelin - 188 kcal per 100 g of weight, which is 9% of the daily requirement of an adult. This product consists of 48.3% protein and 46.8% fat.

This small fish contains many vitamins (A, B12, D) and microelements (calcium, iodine, fluorine, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, sodium), which are very necessary for every person. It contains 10 times more selenium, which is responsible for your psychological state, than beef or pork. Regular consumption of capelin can prevent many diseases:

thyroid gland;
of cardio-vascular system;
hypertension;
myocardial infarction;
excess cholesterol.

Capelin is the cheapest fish on our shelves, and this is also a good quality product.

Preparing for smoking

Since you are dealing with a small fish, you can rightfully leave it as is, with its head and giblets, before smoking it. You just need to wash the thawed carcasses and dry them. Some gourmets remove the entrails, leaving the head. For special occasions, the head is also cut off.

For capelin, they mainly use a dry salting recipe. The preparation itself consists of generously sprinkling the fish with coarse rock salt. If you want a special taste sensation, you can add chopped spices. Leave the bag or container with the product to be salted for 1 hour. Then rinse the capelin under running water and dry.

It's not just fish that needs to be cooked. It will take a little time to prepare the wood chips that you will use; it can also be improved. A few hours before smoking, it should be filled with sweet water. The sugar will be absorbed into the wood and, when burned, will create a golden hue and a pleasant taste for the fish.

Hot smoking in a smokehouse

Place the prepared fish on the grill so that they do not touch each other. Capelin is a small fish. For complete readiness, when processing it with hot smoke, only 25 minutes will be enough. Moreover, the smoke temperature should be from 85 to 100 degrees. After the smoker stops working, leave the cooked fish in it for another half hour.

3-5 minutes after smoking starts, open the lid or open the smokehouse door slightly for a few seconds, release the smoke and close it again. The taste will improve, the fish will not be bitter.

In order for cold-smoked capelin to appear on your table, you cannot do without a smokehouse. And it is unlikely that you will be able to do this at home, because the entire smoky process will take 14-18 hours. Place the prepared fish on a wire rack or hang it on a twine, threading it into the eye circles of the fish.

For smoke, use wood chips from alder, fruit trees, walnut and beech. It is not recommended to use coniferous and birch wood. To give the smoke a special flavor, gourmets add mint, sage, rosemary, bay leaves, eucalyptus, almonds, and blackberries to the wood chips. The smoke temperature is -25 o C. After finishing smoking, you need to leave the capelin for another half hour to ventilate.

We smoke at home

Those who do not have a smokehouse or a summer house should not despair. There are many ways to smoke at home. At the same time, capelin smoked at home turns out no worse than in nature. And if you don’t use “liquid smoke”, then it’s very useful.

Of course, this recipe is not intended for a large family, but it is enough for two.

Place wood chips on the bottom of a thick-walled cauldron.
Place a saucer on top to catch the rendered fat. You can form it from food foil.
Install the grill.
Place the prepared fish on the grill.
Cover tightly.
Turn on high heat and once smoke appears, smoke for 15 minutes.
Leave without opening for 4-6 hours. Nothing bad will happen if everything sits overnight.

If you use a pressure cooker instead of a cauldron, the process can be extended by 25 minutes. At the same time, remove the smoke from the steam valve on the lid with a pipe into the window or into the hood, and reduce the heat to medium.

This second recipe will allow you to make smoking capelin a very common everyday activity.

You will need:

half a kilo of capelin;
vegetable oil - 1 cup;
strong black tea - 1 glass;
salt - 1 tbsp. with top;
spices (black peppercorns, cinnamon, bay leaf, 1 tsp lemon juice).

Place fresh gutted, washed capelin in a saucepan. Mix all the other ingredients included in the recipe and pour into the pan. Boil for half an hour over low heat.

And a few more words about smoked capelin

Those who don’t drink beer need to be told how and with what else they can eat smoked capelin. Many people think that it can only be rice. However, it also goes well with potatoes, zucchini, tomatoes, red and green beans. And you can wash it down with white wine.

Hot smoked capelin can be stored in the refrigerator for 20 days, cold smoked capelin can be stored for no more than two months. For long-term storage, it can be frozen, thereby doubling the shelf life.

If you know something interesting about smoking capelin, tell us, and the whole country will know your recipe. Post a message in the comments below this article.