Thanks to its low cost and amazing taste, the small fish has long gained popular love. If you salt the sprat correctly, you will be reluctant to look at other fish. I always look forward to making poutine at home, since store-bought is not the same at all. I’m lucky, I live on the Baltic Sea, so I know the taste of real fish, not frozen several times. I am familiar with the recipes firsthand, all have been tested and approved.
Did you know that sprat received recognition several centuries ago? Residents of the Baltic countries were the first to learn how to use salt to preserve fish for a long time. Back in the 17th century, when man created large ships, the era of active navigation and geographical discoveries began. Then the question arose about the provisions that the sailors stocked for long journeys. Observant residents of the Baltic coast noticed the ability of salted fish to remain edible for a long time. Many recipes have been invented over the centuries. I have selected the fastest, simplest and most delicious ones. But first, I suggest you get acquainted with some secrets of pickling.
How to salt sprat at home - the secrets of proper salting
Salting a small fish is easy and simple, the whole process happens quickly, the main thing is to act correctly, knowing some secrets.
- There are two known methods of salting sprat: in brine and dry salting. In both cases, you can add spices or do without them.
- Give preference to fresh fish, it is much tastier. Defrost freshly frozen first, but in natural conditions, on the kitchen table.
- It’s up to you to clean the fish from the insides, or do without this manipulation. But if you come across entirely large specimens, it is better not to neglect the process by cutting the sprat into fillets.
- Salt. It is strictly forbidden to be iodized. Take the largest, stone one. Fine salt can salt the top layer of fish.
- If salted sprat is made for long-term storage, I do not recommend washing it before the process, otherwise it will not last long. Rinse fish immediately before eating. Experienced salters recommend in this case to deviate somewhat from the recipe by adding more salt.
- If you add a little sugar, the fish will be strong and elastic.
- Utensils for preparing sprat. In small quantities it is better to cook in glass containers.
What spices to take:
Traditionally they add pepper, regular and allspice. Bay leaves and mustard seeds are often found, adding a special piquancy to the taste. In addition, you can experiment with coriander, cloves, herbes de Provence, dill seeds, and various types of peppers, including hot red ones.
Attention! Depending on the quality of the salt and the size of the fish, the sprat turns out different every time, regardless of whether the recipe is followed. Keep in mind that the longer she waits for you, the saltier it becomes. Try to salt in small portions to have lightly salted fish.
Tips for pickling
To get tasty, healthy, spicy fish you need to follow a few simple recommendations:
- For salting, use only rock salt. Other types, for example, iodized and extra salt are not suitable.
- If the fish is large, gut it before using so that the product cooks faster. Small fish do not need to be cleaned of their entrails.
- Purchase only fresh sprat for harvesting.
- You can increase the shelf life of the product by adding more salt to the recipe.
- It is not advisable to salt the product in a plastic container; it is better to give preference to enamel or glass containers.
Lightly salted sprat, quickly salted in a dry way
This salting is not suitable for long-term storage; it is better to eat the sprat soon. But it always turns out lightly salted and amazingly tasty.
Take:
- Fresh sprat – kilogram.
- Coarse salt – 2-2.5 large spoons.
- Granulated sugar - a small spoon.
It is not necessary to add sugar, especially if we are talking about fresh fish, which will quickly get to the table. If you get frozen sprat, it is advisable to add sweetness. The carcasses will become elastic and will not spread, which often happens if the fish was frozen and thawed several times during transportation before it reached the store.
How to salt:
- Rinse the carcasses and place them in a bowl. There is no need to remove the insides yet.
- Add salt and sugar if you decide to use. Stir with your hand to distribute the spices throughout the fish.
- Place in a cool (not cold) place for 2-3 hours. Sometimes I leave the bowl right on the table.
- Cover with a plate and place pressure on top. I recommend stirring the contents a couple of times during cooking.
- If you decide to add spices, add them sparingly, especially if you are still an inexperienced pickler. It's best to sprinkle with pepper. Take peppercorns, chop them and add.
- Clean the finished fish from the insides and rinse again. Pour some vegetable oil and add lots and lots of onion, cut into half rings.
Dry salting recipe
To prepare spicy sprat using the dry method you need:
- fish – 1 kilogram;
- table salt – 3 tablespoons;
- coriander (seeds) – 1/4 teaspoon;
- black peppercorns – 1 teaspoon;
- bay leaf – 5 leaves;
- cloves - 5 cloves;
- allspice – 5 pieces;
- ground ginger – 1/4 teaspoon.
Rinse the sprat under running cool water and dry on a paper towel.
Crush pepper, cloves, coriander in a container, chop bay leaf, add ginger, add salt. Mix everything well.
Pour the prepared mixture over the sprat and mix gently. To salt fish, it is preferable to use a wide enamel bowl or saucepan.
Lay out the sprat evenly, cover with a plate or lid, and press down on top with a heavy weight. Place the container in a cool place for ten or twelve hours.
After this, the sprat is ready to serve. It is good with boiled potatoes or for a sandwich with butter.
How to deliciously salt sprat in brine at home
The recipe also applies to quick salting methods. It is made in brine, as fishermen call brine, and is also often used for salting capelin .
- The proportions of salt, sugar and fish are the same as in the previous recipe.
Preparation:
- Boil water, adding salt and sugar. If you decide to flavor the brine with other spices, add them together right away. After the spices have completely dissolved, let the brine boil again and immediately turn off the burner.
- Remove from heat and cool completely.
- Pour cold brine over the sprat. Press down on top with pressure.
- After 2 hours, take the sample. The sprat is almost ready to eat. Add salt if necessary. Stir the brine thoroughly and leave to add salt for another 1-2 hours.
- It is better to store cooked fish on the refrigerator shelf. If you have salted a small portion, I advise you to immediately clean the carcasses, wash them, add oil and store them. In brine, the fish continues to be salted further, and during long-term storage it becomes too salty.
Another way to preserve fish for a long time without oversalting it. Cut up the carcasses, fill with water, adding a little table vinegar (dilute, taste, add if desired, but make the solution slightly acidic). I usually use apple cider vinegar, it's milder. But there is a recipe for originally marinated fish, here you go.
Pickled sprat - a delicious homemade recipe
Lightly salted pickled sprat is so tasty that it’s impossible to stop until it’s gone.
Required:
- Fish - a kilogram of peeled sprat.
- Water - liter.
- Salt – 2.5-3 tablespoons.
- Sugar - a teaspoon.
- Vinegar 6% - 1.5 large spoons.
- Peppercorns – 6-7 pcs.
- Ground coriander – ½ teaspoon.
- Bay leaf – 3 pcs.
- Sunflower oil – 2 tablespoons.
How to marinate:
- Place the cleaned fish in a bowl.
- To prepare the marinade, pour water into a saucepan and turn on gas. Add all the spices from the recipe list and stir until dissolved. Pour vinegar and oil into the hot brine. Let it boil and remove from the stove.
- Cool the marinade and pour over the fish. Be patient for 3-4 hours. After a specified time, take a sample.
Marinated fish
If you need to quickly prepare a spicy treat for guests, the following recipe will come to the rescue. This fish goes well with potatoes or rice.
Marinated fish
Ingredients:
- Purified water – 2 l
- Fish – 2 kg
- Vinegar 6% - 3 tbsp.
- Allspice – 16 pcs.
- Laurel leaves – 8 pcs.
- Salt – 6 tbsp.
- Granulated sugar – 2 tsp.
- Ground coriander – 1 tsp.
- Vegetable oil – 4 tbsp.
Attention! To end up with lightly salted fish, adjust the amount of salt to 5 tablespoons.
The algorithm for preparing pickled sprat is as follows:
- Prepare the marinade. To do this, pour purified water into an enamel pan, bring to a temperature of 80-90 degrees, do not boil. Pour salt, granulated sugar, vinegar, and vegetable oil into the bubbling liquid. Add spices to the preparation. Stir the mixture and boil.
- Cool the marinade to room temperature.
- Pour the prepared sprat with warm marinade.
- Ready in 2-3 hours. For a richer taste and aroma, you can keep the fish for a day.
Spiced sprat in brine
Spicy pickling is done with the addition of different types of spices. In brine or dry method, decide for yourself, I will show you all the recipes. You will find several more options for spicy salting
You will need:
- Fresh sprat – kilogram.
- Allspice and regular black pepper – 10 pcs.
- Cloves – 2-4 buds.
- Bay leaves - a couple.
- Coarse salt – 2 large spoons with a small heap.
- Ginger, coriander - a tiny whisper.
- Sugar - a teaspoon.
Salting in brine:
- There is no need to clean the sprat, just rinse it and put it in a bowl.
- Crush the cloves and both types of pepper in a mortar. You can take ready-made seasoning powder, but it tastes better if you grind it yourself. Add ginger, coriander, salt and sugar to them. Stir in seasoning mixture.
- Add spices to hot water, bring to a boil, and immediately turn off the burner.
- When the brine has cooled, pour over the fish. Press down with a plate and place pressure on top. The sprat is ready in 10-12 hours.
Recipe for spicy sprat per day
Having spent no more than 5 minutes on preparation, in just a day you can have delicious homemade spicy fish on the table.
Ingredients
Components:
- Sprat – 1 kg
- Black pepper – 50 g
- Sea salt – 75 g
- Carnation inflorescences – 2 pcs.
- Dried coriander – 30 g
- Laurel leaves – 2 pcs.
- Ground ginger – ½ tsp.
The process of salting the product is as follows:
- Rinse the fish well under strong water and dry.
- Mix the spices in a bowl with the prepared sprat.
- Press down the workpiece with a plate and place a weight on top.
- After a day, the spicy treat can be served.
Spicy dry salting of sprat
Take per kilogram of sprat:
- Salt – 2-2.5 tablespoons.
- Sugar - a teaspoon.
- Ground red pepper - a pinch.
- Dill seeds (white mustard seeds) – a little bit.
How to pickle spicy sprat:
- Remove the entrails from the fish, rinse, and dry the carcasses a little.
- Mix all the seasonings listed in the recipe.
- Place the spices in a bowl. Use your hand to mix the fish, distributing them evenly.
- Press down with pressure and place in a cool place overnight.
- After 10-12 hours, the sprat is ready to eat.
Spicy marinated sprat with vinegar
Another recipe for preparing small sea fish involves marinating them using vinegar.
Spicy-cured sprat should be marinated and salted in a ceramic or glass container. It is very convenient to use a plastic bottle with a cut off neck.
- sprat – 800 grams;
- granulated sugar – 2 tablespoons;
- coarse table salt – 4 tablespoons;
- vinegar 9 percent - 1 tablespoon;
- water – 0.5 liters;
- black peppercorns - to taste;
- bay leaf - 5-6 pieces.
Defrost the sprat, rinse thoroughly under running cold water, and dry.
Place the fish in a marinating container in layers, sprinkle each layer with pepper and bay leaf.
Add salt and granulated sugar to the water. Boil, cool. Add vinegar to the cold brine and mix everything.
Pour the prepared marinade over the fish sprinkled with spices. Cover with a lid and leave in a cool place for 12 hours.
The marinated fish is ready to serve.
