Smoked silver carp (hot and cold smoked) - recipes for how to smoke at home

Smoked dishes will always delight people sitting at the table with their bright aroma and excellent taste. Smoking silver carp at home is a simple process and even a novice housewife can cope with the preparation of this dish. And although smoking silver carp is a specific procedure, nevertheless, both cold and hot smoking will give the desired result. Modern housewives use both of these methods to prepare smoked silver carp. Hot smoked silver carp and the process of its preparation are simpler and shorter, in contrast to the cold cooking method. Talented housewives and professional craftsmen always have a recipe that can be used to prepare a delicious dish.

Smoking silver carp is no more difficult than other fish

Hot smoking of silver carp

Classic smoking of fish is done on fruit chips laid out along the bottom of the smokehouse. Experts advise cooking it on grates, having previously greased them with oil, and placing a tray under the fish into which the fat will drip. Before smoking, the carcass is tied with twine to prevent the meat from falling apart. It turns out very tender, literally falling off the bones without any extra effort.

Traditional method

The classic technology for smoking silver carp using the hot method begins with salting. You can use any of the options presented above. After the fish has been marinated and aired, start cooking:

They make a fire. The fire must burn well for the wood to produce heat. You can make it in the grill.
Place 2-3 handfuls of pre-soaked wood chips on the bottom. A pallet is placed on top.
Install the grates over the tray and place the silver carp at a distance of 1-2 cm between them.
Place the smokehouse on the grill and cover it. If there is a water seal, pour water into it.
When white smoke comes out of the hole, the cooking time is noted, which should not be less than 25-30 minutes for medium-sized carcasses.

You need to smoke fish at a temperature of 120 degrees, gradually reducing it to 100 and 80 towards the end of cooking.

We smoke silver carp in a barrel

The fish is cleaned, all the insides are removed, and washed. It is salted dry so that it is not fresh. The carcasses are rubbed inside and out. Send to a cool place for 3-4 hours.

Before tying the fish, it must be washed under running water. The strapping is necessary to ensure that the carcass does not fall apart on the hooks at high temperatures.

Wood chips are poured into an aluminum container at the bottom of the smokehouse. Smoke until done at a temperature of 100-120 degrees. Every 20-30 minutes you need to add wood chips.

Smoking the Scandinavian way

Using a fish scaler, remove the scales. It is not recommended to process the carcass with a regular knife, as there is a risk of damaging the fish. Before filleting, the gills and fins must be removed.

Generously rub the fillet with seasoning on both sides. Place in a saucepan and marinate for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

It is recommended to use coniferous boards; they are sold in specialized stores. You can use regular kitchen cutting boards. The fillets are nailed along the entire perimeter.

During smoking, the boards must be constantly moved towards the direction of the smoke.

It is important that the flame does not touch the fish, otherwise it will be dry.

At the end of cooking, when the firewood has burned out, you need to place moistened pine branches in their place and wait 20 minutes until the fish absorbs the aroma.

Smoked silver carp Odessa style

An original recipe using a special mixture of spices. For 1.3 kg of silver carp take:

50-100 g salt;
120 g garlic;
several bay leaves;
a mixture of black, white, red, green peppers;
fresh dill, parsley;
lemon zest.

The carcass is gutted and the gills are cut out. Mix the spices and squeeze out the garlic. Rub the fish inside and outside with the prepared mixture.

Citrus zest and chopped herbs are placed in the gill slits and abdomen. Marinate the silver carp for 3-4 hours in a cool place, remove and wipe with napkins.

Next, they begin smoking by placing pear branches on the bottom of the smokehouse and covering them with foil.

The fish is laid out on racks. Cook for 40-50 minutes, maintaining a temperature of 90-110 degrees. Ventilate for 1 hour.

Quick smoking

Another way to prepare smoked silver carp is using a mixture of branches from berry and fruit bushes. Required:

sprigs of raspberries, currants, apple trees;
a few spoons of black tea leaves;
1-2 tbsp. l. salt and sugar.

The branches are cut into small chips or young shoots of trees are used. Mix the shavings with tea leaves and sugar. Place the prepared mixture 1-2 cm thick on the bottom of the unit.

A tray for collecting fat and a grill with prepared fish are installed on top. Carcasses must be dry. Place the smokehouse on the fire when the wood burns a little and gives off heat. When white smoke starts to appear, wait for 20-30 minutes, then remove the dish from the heat.

Smoking in the oven

You can cook silver carp at home without using a smokehouse. After placing the marinated fish on the grill, place it over a baking sheet in which there are wood chips. The oven should be preheated to 100-120 degrees. Cook for 30-40 minutes.

There is another way to cook in the oven using foil. To do this, after marinating with liquid smoke, the carcasses are placed in a foil pocket and closed tightly. Cook for 30-40 minutes at a temperature of 200 degrees.

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Preparing and marinating silver carp for hot smoking

Before the smoking process, the fish must be prepared. Thoroughly clean large carcasses of entrails, remove the gills, and rinse well. There is no need to remove the scales. During cooking, the scales and skin will retain moisture, so the fish will turn out juicy. If the carcasses are small, it is not recommended to clean them; simply wash them.

Then the silver carp is marinated with dry spices or in brine. For dry salting, the fish must be generously rubbed with salt (with the addition of black pepper) on all sides, including inside the belly. Place in a container and leave in a cool place for 24 hours.

For wet salting, prepare the following brine: take 40 g of salt per 1 liter of water, boil the marinade, cool. Pour the cooled brine over the fish until the liquid completely covers it, leave in the refrigerator for 5-6 hours.

After marinating in any way, the product must be rinsed under running water. Then dry. To do this, hang each carcass on a hook by the tail or head, and place in a ventilated place for 6-8 hours. To save time, you can dry the fish using a fan; 60 minutes will be enough. Then you can start smoking.

Selection and preparation of fish

You need to start smoking flounder with the right carcass selection.

And for this it is important to know their healthy condition:

the sides of the body differ in color: the light, yellowish or cream side faces the bottom of the reservoir, it is softer and more delicate than the dark side, with which the fish “looks” upward;
the eyes are asymmetrical, located on the dark side;
individuals weighing from 300 to 500 g and whose length does not exceed 40 cm are more suitable for smoking. Large carcasses can become tough after processing;
there is no mucus on the skin, the eyes are shiny, they are not white or cloudy;
the flesh and skin of high-quality fresh-frozen or chilled fish must be without damage;
the color of both sides is bright, not faded;
pulp consistency – elastic, color – white;
The shelf life stamp on packages of frozen carcasses is clear, not smeared, not sealed.

In the store you can buy already cut fish - this is convenient if the cook does not want or does not know how to gut the carcasses.

If you choose frozen flounder, you need to make sure that it has not been frozen again. In this case, there will be an uneven accumulation of ice on the carcasses. A well-frozen product is usually covered with a uniform, very thin layer.

Cold and hot smoked silver carp

There are many recipes for how to cook smoked fish with seasonings and without silver carp. But they are based on the basic principles of this dish.

Hot smoking

Hot smoked silver carp cooks quite quickly. First, the scales are removed from the fish, the entrails are removed, and then it is thoroughly washed. For hot smoking, it is recommended to cut off the head, or, as a last resort, remove the gills with scissors. Now the carcass is almost ready and you can start cooking.

For smoking, either oak sawdust or alder chips are used.

Cold smoking

Cold smoked silver carp is a dish that requires a lot of labor and time. Let's look at the cooking process step by step:

First, the fish is cut, washed, and its gills are removed;
Next, you should prepare a brine from water, salt and spices to taste;
the fish is immersed in brine and placed in the refrigerator, where it will marinate for 2 days at a temperature of 4 to 5 degrees C under load;
then the load is removed from the fish, and marinating continues further (the carcasses must be completely covered with brine);
marinating can last up to 7 days;
Now you can proceed directly to smoking silver carp; for this, the product is moved to a smokehouse at a temperature of 30 degrees C to 35 for up to 4 days.

Useful material

Silver carp, whether cold smoked or hot processed, is a very appetizing fish in appearance, as you can see in the photo. Many lovers of smoked meats note the amazing and original taste, but in addition to culinary advantages, this fish contains a lot of useful substances:

the product contains large quantities of polyunsaturated acids “Omega-6” and “Omega-3”, which are in ideal balance with amino acids;
vitamins of groups: PP, A, B1, B2, B6, B9, C, H;
micro- and macroelements: copper, zinc, iodine, sodium, magnesium, iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, manganese, chlorine and many others;
fat volumes depend on weight and vary from 3% to 16%;
high quality protein.

The product reduces cancer risks and helps strengthen the immune system. Mental activity is stabilized and mental abilities are activated, blood pressure is normalized.

This type of fish has an antioxidant effect, slows down aging and improves the quality of nails, hair and skin.

Read Cooking cold and hot smoked flounder

Cold smoked silver carp can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 10 days at an average temperature of 3 degrees C;
It is not recommended to store hot smoked fish under the same conditions for more than 3 days;
You can store fish in the freezer for up to three months, the duration depends on the level of negative temperatures;
if you are outside the civilizational infrastructure, wrap the fish in paper and place the package in the shade so that the product is well ventilated.

The first sign of loss of freshness in fish is the appearance of mucus and “flavor.” There is no need to try to return the product to its suitability, since poisons and toxins could have accumulated in it.

If you have experience in smoking silver carp, or you know some unique secrets and rules, share your experience in the comments section.

How to smoke

The smoking process consists of the following steps:

We prepare firewood for smoking. Any type of hardwood is suitable, excluding coniferous.
You will definitely need sawdust.
We clean all the harvested wood from bark and chop it into small logs and chips.
We make a fire in the pit and wait for the wood to burn out by more than half.
Cover the fire with sawdust.
In our smoking chamber we hang dried fish on hooks or place them on a metal mesh greased with vegetable oil.
The fish should not touch each other so that smoke from the fire can pass freely between them.
Cover the top of the smokehouse with gauze or other air-permeable material.
We monitor the fire in the firebox, preventing it from getting too hot and adding wood chips and sawdust in a timely manner.

The smoking process will take from 4 hours to 3–5 days. The stronger the fire in our fire, the faster we will get hot smoked silver carp.

With a smoke temperature of no more than 23–25 degrees and longer processing, you will get cold-smoked silver carp.

Try different types of firewood and temperature conditions. You will definitely find the middle ground that you and your loved ones will like.

Tasty and healthy fish

Some interesting facts about chum salmon will allow us to appreciate this gift of fate when it appears on our table. The fact is that popularity is counterbalanced by its inaccessibility. It’s not that it can’t be found on the shelves, but the death of individuals after spawning and the underdeveloped domestic fishery dictate their pricing policy.

Fish going to spawn are valued the least, since they cover enormous distances during this period. In this case, there is a decrease in weight, an increase in the size of the teeth, and a change in color. Chum salmon caviar is also valuable, but it comes at too high a price, and given the share of poaching, the high cost is not surprising.

If we consider fish as a food product in the prism of energy value and calorie content, then here it has a clear advantage in its favor compared to other foods of animal origin. Almost 75%, that is, ¾ of the total mass, is water. The remainder consists of protein and fat.

When recalculating the relative proportion, it becomes clear that chum salmon contains a lot of proteins, but this does not have any negative effect on the figure. In addition, fish contains amino acids that are not found in either pork or beef. The body is also unable to synthesize them. In a word, fish must be present in the diet of any person.

Moving on to microelements, it should be noted that modern means allow for a thorough analysis of the components of the product. It turns out that chum salmon meat contains phosphorus, calcium, potassium, fluorine, zinc, iron and vitamins of absolutely all groups. This allows nutritionists to use the dishes as a means of strengthening blood vessels and maintaining the functioning of the cardiovascular system. Recently, there have been popular opinions that chum salmon meat can reduce the risk of developing cancer.

A substance such as methionine has a positive effect on intestinal functions. Restorative effects on the gastric mucosa, treatment of ulcers or erosion are observed. Eating this fish improves the emotional state, since it contains substances that are antidepressants. And it is also necessary to remember the role of vitamin A in strengthening vision.

Useful properties of silver carp

Silver carp of any type of smoking is a tasty and very healthy fish. Almost all smoking lovers have noticed its original and refined taste. However, fish has not only culinary advantages, it contains a large number of useful substances:

polyunsaturated acids Omega-3 and Omega-6;
vitamins B, C and H;
macro- and microelements, iodine, copper, iron, zinc, calcium, manganese and much more;
the volume of fat directly depends on the weight of the carcass - from 3% to 16%;
protein.

According to expert research, this fish is recommended for people with cardiovascular diseases. In addition, it reduces the risk of developing cancer when consumed regularly. Increases the body's protective functions. Activates the work of brain cells, helps cleanse blood vessels, and normalizes blood pressure.

How should you prepare food for smoking?

In 100 g of raw smoked sausage, the amount of salt exceeds the daily requirement. This is simply a forced necessity. The content of smoking substances in the middle part of the smoked product, even after 2 weeks of drying, is 10–15 times lower than in the surface layer and several times less than the concentration at which the bactericidal effect of active smoke fractions is noted. Thus, during cold smoking, the main preservative is salt, and the bactericidal effect of smoke affects only a thin outer layer. The same remarks fully apply to fish.

For cold smoking

Seasonings (including vodka) for brines and marinades are chosen according to preference, but the salt concentration should be such that raw potatoes float. Here it is better to literally over-salt, otherwise the fish may spoil before cooking. The salt content, even according to the strict requirements of GOST, can be up to 10%, and a coating of salt is allowed on the gill covers.

Salting fish, depending on its variety and size, takes from 2 to 15 days. Then it is soaked (large fish for about a day) and dried for 2 to 5 days, and wooden spacers are inserted into the abdomen of large fish. A protruding shiny crust of salt indicates its excess. This can be corrected by additional soaking.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ua_mzwcvM4A

For hot smoking

When they are going to smoke in this way, they usually use dry salting: the fish is simply rubbed with coarse salt, and longitudinal cuts are made on the back of large specimens. The fish, sprinkled with salt, is placed in a valet (head to tail) in a wooden box, in which a clean canvas cloth is laid and pressed down with pressure. In about a week it is salted out: if the fish becomes hard, then the process can be considered complete.

Many fans also use garlic and spices when grating salt. Fatty fish, to avoid oxidation of fats, is wrapped in parchment or kept in strong brine. Balyk (backs) from fatty fish are sprinkled with coarse salt and saltpeter and each piece is wrapped in gauze so that they do not come into contact with each other. After about a week, the backs are soaked in water to remove excess salt and dried first in the sun and then in the shade.

In the good old balyk, dried under an open shed (after approximately 1 - 1.5 months), mold should have appeared, which was a sign of ripening; if this did not happen, then the balyk was considered over-salted. It was difficult even for experienced cooks to walk such a fine line between over-salted balyk and second-fresh sturgeon. So modern lovers, as a rule, limit themselves to cold-smoked halibut, which is also not bad at all.

For smoking, you need to buy only fresh fish and prepare it yourself.

You should avoid buying fresh fish if it has:

cloudy, deeply sunken eyes;
the gills are gray or brown in color;
gill covers raised;
swollen abdomen;
dents remain after pressing the backrest;
The meat flakes and falls away from the bones.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=M0ThF-up8rQ

Preparing fish for cold smoking

Smoking carp in a smokehouse Cold-smoked silver carp is distinguished by the elasticity of its flesh, which glows in the sun. The taste and smell of the meat is indescribable. Cold smoking technology takes much longer than the hot method. Carcasses require special preparation beforehand. Select carcasses of approximately equal dimensions, remove scales, remove giblets and gills, and rinse several times with running water. Pour salt into the places where the gills were. Pour a layer of coarse sea salt onto the bottom of the container, place the silver carp carcasses in one layer, then add another layer of salt. Alternate layers, close the container with a lid and leave for 2 days.

Before cooking, remove the silver carp, remove the remaining salt and prepare the marinade. To do this, boil water with a couple of bay leaves, peppercorns, Provençal herbs and any spices to taste. After salting, soak the pulp in a cold marinade for 4 hours. Grease the carcasses with lean vegetable oil, wrap them in gauze and tie them with threads so that no ashes get on the meat during the process. Send the pieces to the smokehouse so that they are positioned under the uniform influence of smoke. Smoke silver carp at low temperatures +25+26 degrees for 3 to 4 days. Important! In order for the smoke to cool down on the way from the firewood to the hanging fish, the distance from the smokehouse must be at least 4 meters.

The cooked fish has a beautiful golden hue of flesh and a rich smoked fish aroma. To soften the taste of a smoked silver carp carcass, it is better to ventilate it in an open space for at least 12 hours. Calorie content of the dish is 117 kcal/100 g.

Ready smoked meat can be used as an addition to tartlets, sandwiches or fish salads.

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How to select and cut fish

To prepare cold or hot smoked trout, both fresh and frozen fish are suitable. However, with the cold processing method, it is recommended to pre-freeze the trout. If you plan to cook the whole fish, then carcasses weighing up to 800–900 g are suitable. Larger fish are cut into fillets or layers.

You need to defrost fish in the refrigerator. It must reach room temperature before smoking.

Next, they begin cutting, making sure to remove the insides and black film. Some gourmets recommend smoking trout only without the head. However, other smokers do not agree that its presence adds bitterness to the meat. However, this rule necessarily applies to large trout, weighing more than 2–3 kg.

Note Vladimir Kuznetsov Professional smoker

You need to gut the fish with a very sharp and thin knife; it is easier for them to penetrate inside and carefully cut out the organs without damaging them, as well as cut off the tail and fins. This knife makes it easier to separate the backbone and rib bones when forming fillets and steaks.

As for the choice of smoking form, preference is usually given to whole, medium-sized carcasses. For cold smoking, it can be cut into balyk and tesha.

Trout cutting methods

The easiest way is to remove the entrails through the abdomen. In this case, the head is either left with only the gills cut out, or completely cut off along the gill line. Use scissors to remove fins and tail if the recipe requires it. The insides are also removed, thoroughly washing the fish.

Cutting into balyk and tesha usually happens at the same time, here's why:

In the classic way, the entrails and fins are removed from the fish, and the tail and head are cut off.
Then, along the white line of the abdomen, where there is very little meat and a lot of fat, the meat is cut off. These long layers are smoked along with other parts of the fish and used as an appetizer for beer.
2-3 pieces of tesha are tied with twine to make smoking more convenient.

The trout is not cut up for butterfly, but neat layers are formed from large carcasses:

Gut the fish in the classic way, removing the head, but you can leave the tail.
Holding the tail area, cut off the meat on both sides along the rib bones.
The remaining bones are then removed with tweezers, resulting in a skin-on fillet.

To form steaks, proceed as follows:

Gut the fish, remove the head and tail.
Cut the carcass along the ridge into two halves - the spine should remain on one of them.
Then, using a very sharp knife, cut off the ridge along with the rib bones, capturing a 1 mm layer of meat.
Cut off the ribs on the other half and cut both layers into portioned pieces.

To form neat steaks without skin, after the final stage, take each piece and, turning it perpendicular to you, pass the knife between the skin and meat away from you at an angle of about 20 degrees.

To prepare yukola, the layers of fillet along with the skin are divided lengthwise in half again.

How to choose fish for smoking

Like all representatives of cyprinids, silver carp meat contains a lot of bones. In this case, you need to opt for larger sizes. Large carcasses will delight you with their fat content and the absence of small bones.

You can only hope for fresh fish if you catch it yourself. Even live silver carp sold on the market does not guarantee complete safety. Meat may contain opisthorchiasis helminths. For live products, the supplier must have appropriate documents. Otherwise, you will have to look for frozen carcasses.

There are some universal parameters that allow you to assess the degree of freshness of the fish, because you may also get a chilled version.

Fish from freshwater bodies smell of algae; this smell of pond and mud cannot be confused with anything else.
The tail of the carcass should have elasticity and be of a classic shape.
The eyes are transparent, like those of a living fish. Cloudiness or hollowness indicates that the product is not fresh.
The gills are light pink, without inclusions of blood, without areas of darkening.
The scales are covered with transparent mucus. The presence of mucus is considered normal, but if it becomes matte, then it is better to refrain from purchasing.
When you press on dense areas of the body, the fingerprint should quickly disappear.

Recipe for hot smoked silver carp at home

Silver carp is a freshwater fish that loves salt very much, therefore, before immersing the prepared carcasses in the smokehouse, they must be salted. Light salting is exactly what this type of fish needs. To salt silver carp before smoking at home, you need to take 1 kg of salt per 15 kg of fish.

Small specimens are salted whole, along with scales, entrails and gills, so it will be more juicy and tender. But with large silver carps you will have to tinker. The entrails and gills must be removed; if desired, you can fillet the fish, but the skin and scales should not be removed: when smoked, the scales retain moisture, making the meat softer.

Salting hot smoked silver carp occurs as follows: salt must be poured onto a table or cutting surface and thoroughly rubbed into the carcass, pressing lightly on it. Next, rub the silver carp's belly from the inside. This is done by hand. If the fish has a very thick back, you need to make a small cut on it and also rub the meat with salt.

Depending on the size of the carcass, it should be in salt for 1 to 3 days, after which it must be wrapped with twine or wire, since the fish may fall apart during hot smoking. If you smoke not freshly caught, but frozen silver carp, then the salting time will be longer - 4-5 days. Such a product can be eaten without heat treatment, since the salt reacts, the proteins in the silver carp meat coagulate, and it becomes denser, ready for consumption. In addition, pathogenic microorganisms die.

After the fish has been well salted, it is necessary to wash off the remaining salt from it (larger fish should be soaked in water for about an hour), dry it, tie it with twine and let it “rest” in a cold place for an hour or two.

Next comes the actual smoking process. Ideally, silver carp is smoked on a grill with a fine and fine mesh. This method of cooking will allow the fish to cook more evenly than if left hanging. It should be placed loosely on the grill so that the carcasses do not touch each other or the walls of the smokehouse.

The temperature inside the smokehouse should not exceed 120 degrees Celsius at the initial stage. The silver carp is kept at this temperature for about an hour, after which it is necessary to reduce the heat first to 100, and then to 80 degrees.

This is very important because higher temperatures cause the protein to coagulate and form a golden crust, but high temperatures can cause the fish to burn on the outside without being cooked on the inside. In addition, large silver carp must be turned from side to side during smoking.

The readiness of the product is determined as follows: the color of the skin becomes tea-colored, the scales on the carcass are dry, the meat is easily separated from the bone, the consistency of it should resemble the meat of boiled fish - it should be soft and juicy.

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Hot smoking method

To properly smoke silver carp using the hot smoking method, you must follow the rule: the product must be surrounded by uniform smoke at a high temperature.
Then the meat will become soft and juicy. When choosing fresh fish, you should pay attention to its appearance: the eyes should be light, the gills should be light pink, the scales should have characteristic mucus.

It is not recommended to store hot smoked silver carp for a long time; it is better to eat it within 3-4 days.

Preparation process:

Fish should be salted in moderation. Large-sized individuals weighing more than 5 kg are selected: they turn out tastier.
Wash in water, do not remove scales, remove gills and entrails.
Each carcass is divided in half from the back and laid out into two parts with the back down.

There are two ways to salt silver carp for hot smoking:

with the dry method, the carcasses are well sprinkled with table salt and placed in the refrigerator for a day;
You can also wet marinate silver carp for hot smoking at the rate of 40 g of salt per 1 liter of water.

After boiling, the solution must be cooled and poured into the fish. Marinating lasts 6 hours. Bring the water to a boil and pour in the fish until it is completely covered.

If the product was purchased frozen, the marinating time should be increased to avoid food poisoning.

After salting, you can begin the cooking process by placing the chamber with the fish on the coals, or you can further process it using a marinade. This way the finished product will be more aromatic and tasty.

Marinade

A delicious recipe for hot smoked silver carp includes a spicy brine. After dry salting, the fish is placed in a marinade with spices:

Heat water, add laurel leaves, allspice and bitter peppercorns, spices. Let the water cool.
The fish is removed from the salt, washed and placed in the cooled marinade for 4 hours. Remove and dry with paper towels.
Then the carcasses are aired outside for 10-12 hours. They are strung with string behind the eyes and hung by hooks.

Another original recipe for silver carp marinade for hot smoking at home:

1 tbsp. l. soy sauce and white wine;
1 tbsp. l. citric acid;
1 tsp. thyme, rosemary, bay leaves.

Dilute lemon juice with water. Add sauce, spices and wine. Heat the mixture, but do not bring it to a boil. Pour the cooled solution over the carcasses for 4 hours.

Hot smoked silver carp can be prepared at home either with or without a smokehouse. The smokehouse is placed on the stove and the smoke is exhausted out the window or into the hood.

If you don’t have an apparatus, it’s convenient to use a regular baking tray for your apartment - wood chips are placed in it and the structure is placed in the oven. The fish is placed on a wire rack over a baking sheet. The temperature is maintained at 100-120 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Be sure to have a good hood that will remove excess smoke from the room.

There is also a quick way to cook smoked silver carp at home in the oven using foil or a cooking sleeve. Liquid smoke is used, which imitates the taste and smell of a smoked product. Rub the fish with salt, pepper and spices and leave to salt in a cold place for 4-5 hours. Before cooking, add 1-2 tsp to each piece.

The smoking time for silver carp is determined individually. The main criterion by which readiness is determined is the color is a rich reddish tone, the scales are dry, and the meat is easy to pull away from the bones.

We suggest you read: What to catch crucian carp with during the year - analysis by month

As soon as smoke appears from the smokehouse, mark the time to smoke the silver carp in the smokehouse for 40 minutes. For small fish, half an hour is enough. Large specimens must be turned over as they cook.

The smoke temperature should be 120 degrees. Slowly it is reduced to 100, then to 80 degrees.

A smokehouse is a very convenient device for cooking fish. It can be placed on a grill, an open fire, or even on a stove.

You need to build a fire and let it burn to get good coals. Prepare pear, apple, alder or oak chips and spread them on the bottom of the smoking chamber in an even layer.

It is better to smoke silver carp using the hot smoking method on grates. The carcasses are lubricated with vegetable oil so that they do not stick to the rods. Then they place a tray to collect the liquid and a grid on which the fish are laid out at a short distance from each other.

During cooking, the fish becomes soft and the meat comes away from the bones. Therefore, it is tied with twine in advance so as not to compromise the integrity of the finished product. You can place silver carp in a suspended position by hooks, but a grid is preferable.

The taste of silver carp will depend on the use of spices during marinating. Whether the fish will be tasty when hot smoked depends on the use of raw materials for the smoke. Such species as poplar, beech, hornbeam, as well as grape, currant, rowan and raspberry twigs are used for both hot and cold methods.

For smoke, it is good to use alder, oak chips and sawdust from plums, cherries, and apricots. This wood gives a pleasant smell. Coniferous trees are not suitable: the resin will make the product bitter. Juniper branches are added at the end to give a unique flavor to the fish. If you add thyme and marjoram under the lid of the chamber, they will add different flavor notes.

The calorie content of hot smoked silver carp is no more than 100 kcal per 100 g of product.

The cold smoking time is long, but the taste is amazing. A special smokehouse or a device made by hand is used.

A delicious recipe for cold smoked silver carp will be obtained if you use alder and rowan wood chips, apple wood, and apricot wood chips. Such raw materials have bactericidal properties, give a pleasant aroma, and a brown color.

Dry salting:

First you need to select a fresh product of the same size weighing 1-1.5 kg.
Remove the scales, remove the entrails and gills, pour salt into them, and wash.
Sprinkle a layer of table salt on the bottom of the dish and place the cooked carcasses on it. Sprinkle on top.
If there are a lot of carcasses, lay them in layers and sprinkle with salt. At the end they put oppression.
Leave to salt for two days in the refrigeration unit.

Pickling

You can additionally marinate the product to obtain a more spicy aroma. For cold smoking, the wet salting method is most often used - marinating.

After dry salting, you need to heat water with bay leaf, allspice and black hot pepper and let it boil. Favorite spices are added there to taste.

The boiling water is cooled. The fish is placed in cold brine for 3 hours. The carcasses must be removed and dried for 12 hours.

Cooking process:

Coat each fish with vegetable oil and place it in the chamber on the wire rack.
Silver carp should be smoked using the cold smoking method from 1 day to four days, the optimal temperature is 25 degrees.
Experienced professionals recommend taking breaks every 6 hours to get delicious cold-smoked silver carp. This way the pulp is better saturated with smoke.
When the process is completed, the fish is aired for up to 12 hours.

With a high content of fat and protein, raw fish per 100 g contains only 86 kcal. During cooking, this parameter changes slightly.

So, fried fish has a calorie content of 193 kcal per 100 g of product, boiled fish - 76, baked - 80, steamed - 86. Cold smoked silver carp has a calorie content of 100 kcal per 100 g.

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If you decide to cook hot smoked silver carp, then you just need to know all the nuances of its preparation. So, we buy a medium-sized silver carp (about 40 centimeters long). We clean the fish from scales, take out all the insides and wash the carcass in cool water. We cut off the head with a knife, and cut out the gills (if we leave the head) and fins with scissors. The carcasses are ready - you can start cooking.

We wash the fish again, take salt, garlic, bay leaf, black pepper or a mixture of peppers. Place in a bowl and leave the fish to marinate. Crumble the bay leaf, rubbing it between your palms. Sprinkle with seasonings to taste. We crush the garlic and rub it on the fish. We make sure that it is well marinated, add salt and spread spices on the back.

At this time, we prepare sawdust from the trees. Before smoking, lubricate the grate with oil - this fact will affect the presentation of the fish. Place the silver carp on a wire rack set at a height of 15 centimeters from the bottom. This way we will get smoked fish and not burnt fish. It takes about 40 minutes for the fish to cook (the exact time depends on the size of the carcasses). You can also reduce the time if you choose a small fish - about 15–20 centimeters.

Silver carp smoked with one of the above options is very tasty and quick to prepare. Of course, these methods differ from each other both in taste and in cooking time. Try both and choose the best for yourself and your loved ones.

Hot and cold methods of smoking silver carp

Smoking silver carp is no more difficult than other fish

Smoking methods

It is possible to smoke silver carp using both cold and hot smoking methods. At the same time, the taste qualities of the product, as well as the cooking technology, will differ.

Hot method

Fish smoked using the hot method is distinguished by tenderness, juiciness and softness of the meat. To make hot smoked silver carp amazingly tasty, you should adhere to the following recommendations:

Choose the right wood chips. Traditionally, alder is used. Adding fruity notes will help add some flavor to the dish. Sawdust is used sparingly. 2-3 pinches are enough. Large amounts of fuel will cause smoked silver carp to become bitter.
Control the fire. To do this, the smokehouse is installed on a grill, fire or stove and the maximum temperature is set to bring the wood chips to smoldering. As soon as smoke begins to be produced, the fire is reduced to maintain smoldering.
Provide a tray for grease. Draining juices will negatively affect the smoldering of wood chips, lead to the formation of carcinogens and add bitterness to the fish.
Prepare the grates before laying out the silver carp. If you grease them with vegetable oil, the fish will be easier to separate.

If you follow the tips listed above, hot smoked silver carp will turn out aromatic, tasty and healthy.

Hot smoking time

The duration of cooking depends on the temperature, the number and size of individuals. On average, the process lasts 40 minutes. It is possible to increase the cooking time to 1-1.5 hours if required. Readiness is determined by the consistency of the meat and the presence of a golden crust on the surface of the silver carp. At the end of cooking, the smokehouse is removed from the heat. The fish should be removed after cooling so as not to disturb its appearance.

Cold method

Cold smoked silver carp is more elastic with a pronounced fishy aroma and taste. It is great as a snack with beer or as a component for preparing various salads.

It is important to properly prepare the fish, salt it and dry it before placing it in the smokehouse.

The prepared silver carp is placed in the smoking chamber, pre-lubricated with vegetable oil. The smokehouse is connected to a chimney or smoke generator. The operating temperature should not exceed 30°C. The temperature must be maintained at the same level. Smoking is carried out intermittently every 6-8 hours. This will allow the fish to better absorb the aroma of smoke.

Nutritional value and benefits of greenling

The composition contains a large amount of healthy fats, including Omega 3 and 6, as well as essential minerals: phosphorus, calcium, potassium, zinc, vitamins B, A, D, E. Sea fish is rich in iodine, a substance necessary for the normal functioning of the thyroid gland . It contains a lot of useful and nutritious protein necessary for the renewal of all cells. With regular consumption of green grass, essential microelements provide improvement in many body functions:

condition of bones and teeth. Phosphorus protects against caries and stimulates metabolic processes;
the sulfur contained in the composition supports immune functions, restores normal blood consistency;
amino acids help fight harmful substances in the liver and activate wound healing;
polyunsaturated fatty acids protect the heart and blood vessels from blood clots and cholesterol plaques;
iron normalizes hemoglobin levels, improves oxygen supply to the blood;
a tandem of microelements improves the condition of hair, skin, nails;
nutrients and vitamins stimulate mental activity;
zinc helps fight bad cholesterol.

What method do you use to smoke greenlings?

HotCold

All these benefits come against the background of the low calorie content of smoked greenling. However, people on a diet should remember that smoked meats should not be present in the diet constantly.

BJU and calorie content per 100 grams of greenling
Hot smoked	Cold smoked
Calories	102 kcal	148 kcal
Squirrels	17.8 g	18 g
Fats	3.4 g	8.4 g
Carbohydrates	0 g	0 g

Possible harm from processed fish

A healthy person can consume this product a maximum of 1-2 times a week, so as not to harm the digestive organs. But there are diseases for which it is better not to eat greenling or consume no more than 100-150 g a couple of times a month:

thyroid diseases;
acute pathologies of the kidneys and liver;
history of seafood allergy;
stomach ulcer or high acidity, gastritis.

It is not recommended to consume smoked greenling for women during breastfeeding, especially at the beginning.

Fish poisoning occurs much more often than intoxication due to consumption of other products.

It is important to process the meat well: salt and smoke the carcasses in such a way as to prevent the preservation of microorganisms and bacteria. Good salting helps remove some toxic substances

Benefits and harms

Silver carp of any type of smoking is a very appetizing product with a unique taste. It includes elements necessary for the body:

Omega 6 and 3 fatty acids;
vitamins PP, A, C, H, group B;
micro- and macroelements: copper and zinc, iodine and sodium, phosphorus and calcium, iron and manganese and others;
fat content – 3-16%;
high molecular weight protein – 26%.

Among the amino acids, lysine – 9 g, methionine – 3 g and tryptophan – 1 g should be highlighted, which are valued in the menu of bodybuilders. The high percentage of fat is similar in biochemical composition to medical preparations with polyunsaturated fatty acids. These substances are very necessary to stabilize blood pressure and strengthen blood vessels. Despite its fat content, fish is perfectly absorbed by the gastrointestinal system.

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The calorie content of smoked silver carp is not much different from the fresh product. The finished dish can be used in the diet by people on a diet.

The product is useful for people with cardiovascular pathologies: it reduces cholesterol levels, reduces the risk of atherosclerosis and improves immunity. Activates mental capabilities, stabilizes blood pressure, promotes hemoglobin production, and slows down the aging process.

But besides the benefits, smoked silver carp also causes harm. It is not recommended to eat this dish often: dangerous carcinogens provoke complex diseases.

There is a category of people who should refrain from eating fish. The reason is protein intolerance and allergic reactions. People with problems of the digestive organs, especially the liver, should not eat any smoked products.

The benefits of silver carp in nature and medicine

Each organism in nature fulfills its mission. If you do not consider silver carp as a food product, then it will also have a worthy mission. Feeding on phytoplankton, it effectively cleans the body of water, especially ponds. There have been cases when this species was specifically launched for water purification.

Almost any fish contains a lot of protein, but not everyone can boast of containing omega-3 acids. Silver carp meat, in addition to the listed elements, is rich in vitamins and minerals. Vitamins of group “A”, “B” and “E” in combination with phosphorus, iron, calcium and zinc help the body fight atherosclerosis and normalize the functioning of the central nervous system. Not only nutritionists, but also other medical specialists note that fish must be present in the diet of every person, and especially the patient.

Women use various skin, nail and hair care products, and meanwhile, regular consumption of silver carp will replace all synthetic products. It is also useful for patients with diabetes, but sugar levels need to be controlled in any case.

Another piece of advice from the medical field is that fish meat normalizes acidity in case of gastritis (at low acidity values). Cosmetologists use a special substance – collagen, contained in silver carp meat; it is added to various rejuvenation and wrinkle smoothing products.

Cold smoking horse mackerel

Black Sea smoked mackerel is very tasty when cold processed. This method preserves the texture of the meat, and the small size of the fish makes it simple and relatively quick.

To do this, you will need a special smokehouse - with a separate compartment for wood chips and smoke. Making such a device yourself is very difficult. But you can buy it online in a store. The modern assortment is represented by a variety of small, medium and large-volume product models.

Traditional recipe

When preparing cold smoked horse mackerel, the main thing is to properly salt the fish. This process does not require any additional ingredients. You need to take at least 100 g of salt per 1 kg, the fish will not take excess. Further preparation looks like this:

Salting takes 1–2 days, after which the fish is thoroughly washed with cold water and dried for 3 days. It is most convenient to string the carcasses on a rope or skewers.
For smoking, the mackerel in the eye area is strung on long wooden skewers, as for kebabs. Large carcasses can be divided into 2 parts - with a weight of 1 kg.
Wood chips are placed in the smokehouse and a fire is built. Skewers with fish are hung on crossbars.
When white smoke appears, close the smokehouse and cook in several stages. The first day is 8 hours, then leave for a break. On the second day they smoke for another 8 hours.

Readiness is determined by its bright golden hue. If carcasses are larger than 300 g, then the smoking time is increased. Store cold smoked fish in the freezer.

Delicious recipe from a reader

You can prepare smoked horse mackerel with spices. The delicate aroma will add an original taste to the dish.

Ingredients

The dry ingredients are mixed and rubbed onto the horse mackerel. Salt for 8 hours in the cold. From time to time, excess liquid is drained. Before smoking, each carcass is wiped with a paper towel, hung on a thread and aired for several hours.

Then the carcasses are hung directly on a thread or placed on a grate in a smokehouse, and a smoke generator is connected. The heat treatment temperature should be between 50–60 degrees. Smoking time – up to 2 hours. After cooking, the product is ventilated for another 12 hours.

Cold option

Let's take a closer look at how to cook cold smoked silver carp. So what do we need? The very first thing is, of course, a smoking device, preferably not a homemade one, because the cooking process is long-term and the temperature must be constant, and smoke must be supplied regularly. If you are confident in your smokehouse, then feel free to start studying the question of how to smoke silver carp. If it is installed and prepared for work, all that remains is to prepare sawdust from fruit trees, so the prepared dish will turn out tastier. By sawing the branches into small pieces, we obtain sawdust from them.

The first thing we will do is pickle the silver carp for smoking. We take up to 15 kilograms of fresh fish, each weighing from 400 to 800 grams and up to 40 centimeters long. About 30 carcasses are placed in the chamber at a time. Experts recommend smoking fish of the same size at one time.
The fish must be euthanized with a blow to the head with a hammer. If its weight is up to 600 grams, just rinse with cold water, remove the gills and pour a teaspoon of salt under the gill covers. When the weight exceeds 600 grams, it is necessary to cut the fish along the ridge, remove the insides and rinse thoroughly.
Salted fish should be kept at a temperature of 4–5 °C. The dishes should be of such a size that they can be placed in the refrigerator (if the room temperature is above 10 °C).
Sprinkle a layer of salt on the bottom of the dish. We also fill the voids that have formed in the head with salt. Place them tightly in rows and place them in a bowl. The fish should be 2–3 centimeters below the level of the dishes. Cover the last row with salt and cover tightly with a lid or plate.
After 2 days, the brine completely covers the product, then we remove the oppression.
The salting lasts no more than 8 days, the top and bottom rows are swapped several times.
After the salting is complete, we begin soaking: fill it with water, which we constantly change. If the fish is dry, you need to put it wrapped in gauze for 5-6 hours so that it absorbs moisture.
Before loading into the smoking chamber, rub the fish with oil to speed up the process and reduce cooking time. This allows the smoke to settle faster, which speeds up the cooking process.
Before loading into the smokehouse, leave two glasses of water to increase air humidity and prevent the fish from drying out.
When the fish is fried until golden brown, smoking is over. At this moment, turn off the burner and leave the chamber to ventilate. We take out the fish and leave it to cool on the table so that the smell of smoke disappears a little, and only a pleasant aroma remains.
We wash the smoking chamber, process it - and enjoy the cooked fish.

The recipe for cold smoked fish is simple and easy to use.

Storing smoked meats

There are several ways to preserve the taste and aroma of smoked char:

wrapped in parchment and cling film - in this form, hot-smoked fish can be stored for up to 4-5 days, and cold-smoked fish - no more than 2-3 weeks;
in a vacuum bag – the shelf life increases by 2 times;
freezing (if a lot of fish is cooked) - freshness will remain for 4-6 months.

You should not store smoked char on a plate without covering it with anything. This speeds up the spoilage process and changes the smell of other foods in the refrigerator.

Smoking char has no difficulties even for a novice gourmet. After all, fish carcasses are in most cases small in size and do not require complex cutting. At the same time, the result of both hot and cold smoking of char is a real delicacy!

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Technology for preparing hot smoked delicacies

Wood material is loaded into the bottom of the smoking chamber (preferably on foil or in an envelope). It must be one-size so that during smoldering the uniform heating of the smoking chamber is maintained and no open flames arise. If you do not adhere to this rule, the meat or fish will become covered with soot, which will spoil the taste of the finished dish. In addition, the products will not be able to smoke evenly.

Before loading raw materials, the smokehouse warms up for approximately 30 minutes. Next, grates are installed with laid out products (meat, lard, poultry, fish, cheese, vegetables or mushrooms). The second option involves hanging meat or fish carcasses on hooks. Portioned pieces should be placed or hung with a gap of 2 - 3 cm between them. Then the processing of products with smoke and heat will be uniform.

The smoking chamber is tightly sealed. The camera lid should fit very tightly. It is necessary that smoke does not leak out through it, and, accordingly, oxygen does not get inside. As is known, combustion is activated by oxygen supplied from outside. If its volume inside the smokehouse is minimal, then the risk of an open fire is eliminated. The starting point of the smoking process is the beginning of smoke formation from smoldering wood or coals.

When hot smoking, it is not recommended to remove the lid to check the readiness of the dish, thereby interrupting the process. But a beginner cannot do without violating the instructions. Therefore, when acquiring the skills of a smoker, it is worth laying in some raw materials and testing its readiness.

If the starting products are fatty, then under the influence of temperature the melted fat begins to flow to the bottom. To avoid contamination, wood chips/charcoal are poured onto a pre-spread sheet of aluminum foil. At the end of the process, the foil is thrown away, and a minimum of traces of greasy carbon and ash will remain in the smoking chamber.