Smoked nutria - the intricacies of cooking at home
Interesting facts about nutria
It is a mammal of the rodent group that looks like a rat, reaching in length 60 cm, with a bare tail about 45 cm. Straighten the carcass of an animal, reaching 10-12 kg, without heads, tail and viscera weighs approximately? from the initial weight. The meat in nutria is dark red with white layers of fat. Its taste is similar to rabbit and beaver meat.
Under the skin in the area 4-6 vertebrae are glands, which must be carefully removed during processing, without compromising integrity. Otherwise, the meat will acquire a specific unpleasant taste.
IN 100 The meat of this animal is contained 138-142 kcal, depending on its fat content. The product is 11% polyunsaturated fatty acids. A squirrel, as studies have shown, more, than in other types of meat.
Nutria is recommended for human consumption, suffering from cardiovascular diseases, as well as to lower blood pressure and strengthen blood vessel walls. Nutritionists recommend it for the elderly, suffering from multiple sclerosis.
Due to the increased content of iron in the muscle tissue of nutria, it is recommended for patients with anemia. Due to the low content of sodium salts, the meat of this animal is considered one of the most easily digestible dietary meat products.. Brought, that smoked nutria almost does not lose its wonderful qualities.
we smoke nutria
Before, how to smoke nutria at home, it must be pickled, salt in one way. But before that, divide the carcass into four parts: along the spine into two symmetrical halves and again across into two or three parts.
Small carcasses can be smoked whole. Cut the remaining diaphragm film and blood clots. Make it weak (pink) manganese solution and soak in it carcasses or pieces on 10-20 minutes, and then pour boiling water over them. Put on 2-3 years in the cold.
- Fast way. Rub the meat with a large rock salt and spices. It may be: cardamom, Bay leaf, basil, nutmeg, turmeric, dill, saffron, paprika, garlic. And you can do with allspice. Wrap in cellophane and leave for a day in a cool place. Rinse under running water and dry.
- Before smoking 10 kg of meat, mix 1 kg of salt and 150 g of sugar. Add the mashed garlic head, paprika, hops-suneli, black and red (baking) pepper. Grate and sprinkle this composition on the meat and leave in a cool place for a week under pressure. Rinse with cool water. If the meat seems slightly oversalted, soak it 2-3 hours in the water. Hang in a ventilated place for a day to dry.
How to smoke pig ears
Hot smoking
To make your hot-smoked nutria especially delicious, use the marinade recipe with different spices. In many respects taste qualities also depend on the combustible materials used. Alder cod is most often used to create smoke, which is pre-soaked in water 1-3 years. In addition, beech is used, oak, clear, aspen. A special "delicacy" is given by the smoke of fruit tree cod and special aromatic additives: rosemary, eucalyptus, mint, Bay leaf, almond.
Arrange the carcasses or pieces of nutria on the grill or hang in the smokehouse. Raise the temperature to 80-100oC. Hot smoking nutria at home takes about 3-4 years.
Experts recommend through 10-15 minutes after the start of the process, open the smokehouse and release the first smoke, and in the end do not rush to open, and leave the meat to cool in the smokehouse.
When you have finished smoking, leave the meat on first 2-3 hours for ventilation, and then for the same time in the refrigerator.
Hot smoking at different temperatures
Often used to delay hot smoking. Before, how to smoke this way nutria, prepare it as one of the options. Heat the smokehouse to maximum and maintain the temperature for an hour. Then lower it to 40oC and smoke more 9 hours.
You can store hot smoked meat for a maximum of one week, in the freezer for up to a month.
The quality of the wood material also affects the quality of the smoke. When burning small sawdust can give too intense combustion and high concentrations of carbon dioxide, which gives smoked foods unacceptable bitterness.
cold smoking
Before, how to smoke a whole nutria, it must be pickled. The second method is better for this.
- Put the pieces in the smoking nets each separately. You can do with ordinary gauze, wrapping the meat in it. Or just pull the wire hooks into the carcasses.
- Hang the prepared product in the smokehouse.
- Start the smokehouse.
- Maintain the process at a temperature of 28-30oC for 2-3 days.
- Hang the smoked meat on 10 an hour in a shaded ventilated place.
This delicacy can be stored at room temperature 2 weeks, in the fridge 4 months, in the freezer 6-8 months. If you rub the pieces with red pepper, shelf life can be extended.
If you have other recipes, we offer to share them with the whole country. Write your recipes for cooking and smoking nutria in the comments section.
