How to smoke mackerel in a hot smokehouse
How to salt mackerel for smoking
To make hot smoked mackerel really tasty, it must first be salted. Easy recipe, so anyone can handle it. First you need to wash the fish under cold water. Cut off her head, tail or fins not required, as it is possible to smoke mackerel quite.
Now you need to get salt and spices to taste. They should be mixed to a homogeneous mass, and then rub the surface of the fish. To salt the mackerel well, you need to wrap it in foil and send in a cool place for at least a day. After that you can start smoking.
Rub the mackerel with the prepared brine
As an option, you can use brine. To do this, follow 1 liter of water put 50 g of salt. Add spices to taste. The solution should be boiled, and then allow to cool. Then pour them the fish and send in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. Tim, who likes low-salt option, it is recommended to wash the mackerel before, how to cook in a smokehouse using the hot method.
Hot smoking technology
Smoking mackerel takes less time, than cooking pork or beef. For how much on average you can make fish? About 30 minutes, sometimes even less time is required. It takes longer to prepare, than cooking in a smokehouse using the hot method.
To make the fish tasty, you need to know the right recipe. In general, there is nothing complicated in the process. Knowing, how to smoke mackerel, the method of cooking other types of fish will also be clear.
First you need to prepare the smokehouse:
Take a smoking container. It can be as specially purchased, and a smokehouse made with their own hands. For the second option, an ordinary metal bucket with a lid is suitable.
- Pour the fruit chips inside. Sprinkle them lightly with water.
- Place inside the grid. They should be pre-washed and coated with vegetable oil.
- Prepare a place for a fire. By the way, you can use a barbecue for this purpose.
- Light a fire and put a smokehouse over it. Put the fish inside it and cover with a lid.
Cold-smoked fish technology
To cook this hot smoking recipe properly, you need to watch out for that, that the fire was medium. About through 10 minutes after the start you need to open the lid and release excess smoke. After that, the container should be covered again and left on 15 minutes. It is desirable during this time to turn the fish to the other side, so that it is evenly treated with smoke.
The whole process of hot smoking should not take longer 30 minutes. Usually, the fish is ready through 20-25 minutes. It is not recommended to serve immediately, allow to cool slightly. If you want, then you can eat warm or already cold. It will be very tasty in any case, and will be a good stand-alone dish, and a snack.
Cold smoking recipe
The process of cold smoking is much more difficult, than the hot way. Besides, it takes longer. The average fish can be made for 10 hours, but you can keep it longer in a special smokehouse. The main thing, so that the temperature in the container with mackerel does not exceed 25 degrees. Otherwise, it will no longer be a cold way, and hot. And it will lead to another result.
The principle of cold smoking is as follows. The fish needs to be washed, if desired, you can cut off the head, and then salt the carcass. After that it needs to be hung up in a special metal compartment, in which the cooled smoke from a fire will arrive. This is necessary for that, that the fish smoked in a cold way, and not hot.
Cold smoking will allow you to store the product much longer
After, how some time will pass, carcasses should be hung outdoors. Keep them in this state for several days, then you can send for storage. Product, cooked in a cold way, can remain edible for a long time.
It is advisable to keep the fish in a dark place with humidity within 40-60% and a temperature of about 5-10 degrees. The product can be folded into a wooden box, and just hang. If there is no such possibility, then you can just wrap it in foil and put it in the fridge.
Product, cooked in a cold way, will be the decoration of any table. It will be much tastier buying option and more interesting. It can be served sliced, garnished with greens and onion rings. Guests and loved ones will definitely appreciate this recipe, so, if possible, then it is really worth cooking.
