Cold and hot smoked asp at home: recipes and preparation

Asp is a popular fish that lives in freshwater bodies and belongs to the carp family. This product is good to cook, fry and smoke at home; it can be combined with vegetables and any side dish. Smoked asp is a dish that can surprise guests and please loved ones.

Smoked asp

Nutritional value and calorie content of the product

Fish food is very healthy and nutritious, rich in protein. River fish meat is tender and fatty. Asp is very bony, so it is prepared smoked and dried. Salt makes bones brittle.

The meat is enriched with vitamins A, B1, C, PP, as well as minerals: fluorine and magnesium, sodium and calcium, nickel and iron. 100 g of product contains 98.6 calories.

Chemical composition and calorie content of fish:

Chemical composition	Contained in 100 g of product
Proteins, g	18.8
Fats, g	2.6
Carbohydrates, g	0
Calories, kcal	98.6

Vitamin content in fish:

Vitamins
Vitamin C	1 mg
Vitamin A	30 mcg
Vitamin B1	0.02 mg
Vitamin B2	0.06 mg
Calcium	30 mg
Magnesium	35 mg
Sodium	100 mg
Potassium	265 mg
Phosphorus	220 mg
Fluorine	430 mcg

Fresh asp

All asp dishes have a unique taste. You can smoke any fish in the same way as smoking an asp.

The caloric content of smoked asp consists mainly of protein and some healthy fish oil, so you can afford an extra piece, even if you adhere to a strict diet.

Useful properties of fish

The river “predator” of the carp family has an oblong body with silvery sides and a dark gray back. An interesting fact is that despite the fact that the asp leads a predatory lifestyle, the fish does not have teeth.

The product is enriched with a huge amount of useful substances and macro- and microelements vital for the human body. Tender and nutritious asp meat contains a large amount of protein, and it is also enriched with vitamins A, C, B1, PP. In addition, the river dweller contains useful minerals (iron, nickel, magnesium and fluorine). Regular consumption of asp meat helps strengthen the immune system and has a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin, bones and hair.

When boiled, asp has a low calorie content (about 100 kcal), and when smoked its energy value is slightly higher - up to 136 kcal. Compared to other “smoked meats,” this fish retains most of its beneficial properties during heat treatment and is not included in the “list of harmful foods” when losing weight.

Followers of a balanced diet can eat smoked asp in small quantities. There will be no harm!

Preparing the fish

The process consists of the following steps. Fish needs:

peel and cut;
pickle in brine;
soak and dry.

Gutted asp

You need to remove the insides with the film. Small specimens are smoked with the head on, while large specimens are smoked without. The gills are removed, but the scales are left. The fins are indicators of the readiness of the dish; they come off well, so they are not removed.

Pickling

To smoke, it is necessary to keep the asp in a large amount of salt: 120 - 150 g of salt is required for 1 kg of product. Smaller ones are salted for up to four days, large ones for at least seven days. You can immediately prepare a large volume, and then take it, dry it and cook it smoked.

To add flavor, peppercorns and bay leaves are added. For fatty meat, add ground sweet pepper, anise, thyme, and curry. For low-fat - dill seeds, sage, nutmeg. Fish goes well with dill, basil, and cilantro.

Asp in brine

Spices are placed in a hot solution with salt, and the carcasses are poured with the cooled brine. You can salt using the dry method: combine the spices with salt and grate the carcasses, place them in rows in containers.

Small fish are soaked for up to two hours, large carcasses - for at least a day. Hang out to dry overnight, covered with gauze to prevent flies and midges. Fish is dried for up to three days in the open air, large fish - up to five. Then placed in a smoking unit.

Hot smoking asp recipe

Fish is smoked using both methods in a smokehouse. But during hot treatment with smoke, the temperature rises to 80-100 degrees. Heat treatment of meat makes it loose. Cooking time is about 40 minutes.

Smoked asp

Rules for smoking asp in a hot smokehouse:

The fish should be the same size and not touch each other.
You need to watch the smoke: strong thickness will make the meat not smoked, but steamed.
The fish must cool down in the smokehouse; they do not take it out right away.
It is especially necessary to monitor the temperature.

Smoking asp in a hot installation depends on the choice of wood. Sawdust and chips from alder or fruit wood are poured into the smokehouse. Then special dishes are placed to drain the liquid and fat. The carcasses are laid out loosely on a greased grill. Cover the smokehouse with a lid and put on fire. When smoke starts to appear, cook the product for 40 minutes. Then remove and leave for half an hour. The fish should be aired for about an hour.

Hot smoked asp

The recipe for hot smoked asp with photo is simply fascinating, it makes you want to try a piece.

For 1 kg of product you will need:

2 tbsp. l. salt;
1/2 tbsp. l. Sahara;
spices to taste.

Tip: spices should add flavor, but not drown out the fishy aroma. You can add black pepper, thyme, ground red pepper, sesame seeds, dill, basil.

Gut the fish, remove the gills, wash. Then spread it out, leaving the ridge on one side.

Prepare the ingredients: salt, sugar, spices. Add laurel, pepper, cilantro, crushed cloves.

Rub the fish with the spicy mixture and leave for 24 hours. Hang to dry for two days. Once the carcasses have stopped sticking, they are ready for cooking.

You can salt using the wet method by preparing a brine - 150 g of salt per 1 kg of product. If small fish can be cooked in a few hours, then large carcasses should be in salt for a day. Fish meat takes as much salt as needed. Many people pickle a decent amount and store it, and then periodically take it out and smoke it.

Smoking methods

Smoked asp prepared by cold and hot methods differs in taste and aroma.

You should choose a cooking method based on capabilities and personal preferences. Regardless of the method chosen, you will need to prepare wood fuel. The best option is considered to be alder in combination with fruit species. This combination will allow you to achieve a unique taste and aroma.

Hot

The hot smoking method involves processing the product with high temperature smoke - 80-100°C. This mode allows you to destroy harmful microorganisms, make the meat tender and juicy. Hot smoked asp is prepared using the following technology:

2-3 tablespoons are poured into the smokehouse. wood chips
A tray for collecting fat and a grate with asp is fixed.
The smokehouse is tightly closed with a lid and installed on the heater.
During hot smoking, a stable temperature is maintained. If there is a lot of smoke, you should release the excess smoke so that the product does not acquire a bitter taste.
After 40-60 minutes, the smoked fish is ready. The smoked meat is removed from the smokehouse after cooling.

In order for the meat to mature, after smoking the asp is kept in the fresh air. This will make the product more tasty and aromatic.

Cold

Cold smoked asp is distinguished by its elasticity and density of meat.
The surface of the fish takes on a golden color. This method allows you to obtain a bright fishy taste and aroma. The key condition is maintaining optimal temperature. Cold smoking is carried out at a temperature of 27-30°C. It is possible to exceed the limit, but in this case the product will be slightly cooked. The duration of cold smoking is 3-5 days. The duration depends on the size of the fish. The preparation period affects the shelf life. The longer a cold smoked asp is smoked, the longer it will retain its taste.

Cold smoked asp at home

Cold smoked gutted asp is a delicious dish with the aroma of alder or apple tree smoke. This smell makes anyone's mouth water. When smoked, the fish changes color to golden, and its appearance is appetizing.

Cold smoked asp

Asp can be smoked cold - for this you need an appropriate smokehouse. You can do it yourself or use a smoke generator.

The recipe for cold smoked asp provides for smoke of no more than 40 degrees. But sometimes, in an effort to make a dish faster, they exceed this limit. The result will be half-cooked carcasses with carcinogens.

For 1 kg of product you will need:

2 liters of liquid;
1/2 cup salt;
spices.

Roll the cleaned carcasses in salt, place them in rows in a deep container, add more salt and place them in a refrigeration unit for a day.

You can pickle it in brine, for this you make a saline solution and add spices. The liquid is poured out and the press is placed. It is necessary to keep the fish in brine from six hours to several days.

Then the carcasses are washed well and placed in a bowl with clean water for two hours to remove excess salt.

Hanging asp

The fish are taken out, dried, and hung for 12 hours in a place where they are well ventilated until they stop sticking. When smoking asp, the temperature is maintained at 25–28 degrees. With the cold method, you cannot stop the process earlier than after 8 hours.

Cold smoked fish

Core Technology

The fish, which has gone through all the preparatory stages, is split open with wooden sticks. It is permissible to strip large fish and make transverse cuts. The smoke should envelop the carcass from all sides. This will ensure uniform smoking across the cross section. They are smoked at a temperature not exceeding 40 degrees C. The time is selected individually depending on the size of the carcass and takes from several hours to two days. The process cannot be interrupted.

Cooking time depends on the size of the carcass

Features of the technology

Hot smoked carp

At the end of smoking, the asp is removed from the smokehouse. The carcasses are hung in a cool, ventilated area for several days.

During this time, the fermentation process must take place and the smoke products must disappear. Proper aging will provide exactly that unique smell and taste that is characteristic only of smoked asp.

Everything needs moderation. Spices should not interrupt the natural taste of the fish, and the smoky aroma should not overwhelm all other nuances.

Selection and preparation of wood chips for smoking

In order for cold smoked asp to pamper you with its delicate taste and delicate aroma, you need to take the choice of wood chips seriously. The wood chips should produce clear smoke. The moisture content in it is in the range of 60–65%.

If this indicator is exceeded, the finished product becomes bitter. When lowered, the products lose their juiciness and become tough.

Important! The wood chips should not burn. Just smolder.