How and how much to cook sturgeon?

The preliminary preparation of the sturgeon for cooking and the cooking process itself differ in some nuances. If you cut this fish incorrectly, then after boiling it may taste bitter. There are parts that must be removed not only without fail, but also with the utmost care. Sturgeon is appreciated not only for its delicious meat, but also for its quantity. There are practically no bones in this type of fish, and the amount of waste does not exceed 10% of a whole sturgeon.

The nuances of preparing sturgeon for cooking:

• before cooking, the sturgeon must be thoroughly rinsed in cold water;
• if the fish is frozen, then it is necessary to wait for its natural thawing;
• from the sturgeon it is necessary to remove not only the entrails, but also the vizig (the sturgeon does not have a spine, but it has cartilage, which is called “viziga”);
• the vizig can be removed by simply pulling it through the incisions in the head and tail;
• fins and tail must be cut off;
• instead of scales, the sturgeon has bone plates (it is also recommended to remove them before cooking);
• after cutting the sturgeon, it must be washed again.

Viziga can spoil the taste of sturgeon during the cooking process. Cartilage can change the aroma of fish and make it bitter. The siege is easily removed, therefore, if it is necessary to leave the fish intact, then this procedure will not affect its shape.

The nuances of the sturgeon cooking process:

• it is necessary to lay the sturgeon in boiling water, and during the cooking process, be sure to close the container with a lid and reduce the heat to a slow boil;
• before boiling the sturgeon, it must be borne in mind that the cooking process depends on the size of the fish;
• boil the sturgeon over medium or low heat (the ideal option is to bring the water to a boil over medium heat, and then reduce it to a minimum level, but the cooking time may increase);
• it is recommended to use only salt, pepper and bay leaves as additional ingredients;
• foam may form during cooking (it must be removed);
• during cooking, the sturgeon must be completely immersed in water (otherwise it will cook unevenly and will not be so juicy);
• if, when boiling sturgeon, the liquid boils away in large quantities, then you can add it;
• you can add a small amount of vegetable oil to the water (the fish will be more juicy, boil well, and the broth will be more saturated and aromatic);
• if the sturgeon is cooked in a double boiler, then it is better to soak it in salt water first (or rub it with salt before putting it in a double boiler);
• it is better to cook the sturgeon in the multicooker in the “Stew” mode (the timer should be set for at least 30 minutes and, if necessary, the cooking time should be extended);
• the readiness of the sturgeon is checked by the consistency of the meat (there should not be any pink areas, and the meat itself should be soft and easy to separate).

In a pressure cooker or in a multicooker, sturgeon can be cooked with additional ingredients. This type of fish goes well with vegetables and even mushrooms. It is best to first cook the sturgeon separately and gradually add additional ingredients to it. Otherwise, the required consistency of the dish may be disturbed. For example, mushrooms, tomatoes or peppers will cook much faster than fish, and until the sturgeon is cooked, these ingredients will boil.

How much to cook sturgeon

If the sturgeon is cooked whole or in large pieces, then the cooking time will be about 30-40 minutes. Small pieces of sturgeon reach readiness in a maximum of 20-30 minutes. When using kitchen appliances, this time increases.

The cooking time of sturgeon can be:

• 30 minutes in a double boiler;
• at least 40 minutes in a multicooker;
• at least 35-40 minutes in a pressure cooker.

The larger the sturgeon piece, the longer it takes to cook. Sturgeon is difficult to digest, so the longer it is cooked, the better. Undercooked sturgeon will taste bad and spoil the impression of the dish. In addition, eating undercooked fish can lead to eating disorders or even poisoning.