Keta hot, cold smoked at home: recipes, calories

Many people love smoked fish. However, the taste of the store product often leaves much to be desired. Therefore, it is quite possible to switch to home-made delicacies – hot, cold smoked salmon at home is relatively easy to prepare, there are recipes that do not even require special equipment, a professional smokehouse.

Useful properties of the product

Like any red fish, keta is rich in proteins and proteins. And when smoking, they are lost slightly. Proteins provide the body with the necessary energy and are absorbed almost completely, so the figure, if you include the product in the diet in small quantities, but regularly, will not suffer.

In addition, red fish is a valuable and practically the only source of amino acids and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.

The quality of store-bought smoked chum salmon naturally raises questions

Red fish contains vitamins of all groups (A, B, C, D, E, PP). Of the microelements, chum salmon almost completely retains those present in it in high concentration:

• phosphorus;
• potassium;
• calcium;
• magnesium;
• zinc;
• iron;
• fluorine.

This rich composition provides comprehensive health benefits. Regular inclusion of fish in the diet has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular, digestive and nervous systems, and is the prevention of relevant diseases. The psycho-emotional state is normalized (smoked fish contains natural antidepressants), the appearance of the skin, hair, and nails improves.

Calorie and BJU

Approximately 3/4 of the entire mass of the finished product is water. In principle, there are no carbohydrates in it, the fish contains only proteins (18 g per 100 g) and easily digestible fats (10 g per 100 g). The calorie content of cold-smoked chum salmon per 100 grams is 184 kcal. The calorie content of hot smoked salmon is slightly higher – 196 kcal per 100 g.

Smoked keta – a delicacy that will not harm the figure

Principles and methods of smoking chum salmon

Ketu can be smoked in two ways – hot and cold. The main principle in both cases is the same – processing pre-salted or pickled fish with smoke. But with hot smoking, the process takes less time due to the higher smoke temperature.

Therefore, the taste of the finished product is also different. Hot smoked fish is crumbly, but at the same time juicy and soft. The cold consistency is denser, not much different from raw fish, the natural taste is felt more.

How to prepare ketu for hot and cold smoking

Many gourmets believe that an excess of spices and complex marinades only spoil and “clog” the natural taste. Therefore, the most popular way to prepare it is salting. However, nothing prevents you from experimenting and looking for the option that you like the most.

How to salt ketu for smoking

Salting of chum salmon is needed both before hot and cold smoking. This allows you to get rid of excess water and destroy pathogenic microflora. Salting is carried out in several ways:

1. Semuzhny. The invention of the northern peoples. Takes the most time (about 20 days). Ketu is placed on a piece of burlap or canvas on a “pillow” of salt. From above they fall asleep with it and wrap it. As a result, the fish is not only salted, but also canned. If you freeze it after salting, then you can eat it even without smoking.

   

2. Dry salting. More suitable for cold smoked salmon. It is rubbed with a mixture of coarse salt and pepper (a couple of pinches to taste for each tablespoon). Then wrap with cling film as tightly as possible and put in the refrigerator for at least 10-12 hours.

   

3. Wet salting. Ketu is soaked in a pre-cooked brine of water and salt (about 80 g/l). Bay leaf, black peppercorns are added to taste. The brine is filtered, the fish cut into fillets or pieces is poured into it so that the liquid covers them completely. It is turned over several times a day for even salting.

   

4. syringe. The method is widespread mainly in the food industry, at home it is used relatively rarely. To properly prepare slightly salted salmon for smoking at home, you need to boil a brine of 80 ml of water, 20 g of salt, lemon juice (1 tsp), ground black pepper and finely chopped onion (to taste). This liquid is boiled for 7-10 minutes, filtered, cooled to body temperature and, using a syringe, is “pumped” into the carcass as evenly as possible. When using this method, the fish can not even be cut, leaving the insides. It is ready for cooking almost immediately after “pumping up”.

   

Before this, the fish must be cut. In the presence of caviar and milk, the first is salted separately, the second – together with the fish. Most often, the insides are removed, the head, tail and gills are removed, the fins and the longitudinal vein that runs along the ridge are cut off. Then the fish is turned into two fillets or cut into portioned pieces 5-7 cm wide. But there are other options – tesha (tenderloin from the abdomen with part of the fillet on the sides) or cold-smoked salmon salmon (backbone part).

Most often smoked chum salmon fillet

Pickling

Marinating allows you to give the taste of hot and cold smoked fish new original notes. There are many recipes, simple and complex. For home conditions, the following can be recommended. All ingredients are given based on 1 kg of chopped salmon.

Spicy honey marinade:

• drinking water – 2 l;
• liquid honey – 100-120 ml;
• freshly squeezed lemon juice – 100 ml;
• coarse salt – 15-20 g;
• olive (or other refined vegetable oil) – 150 ml;
• ground cinnamon – 8-10 g;
• ground black pepper – to taste (1,5-2 pinches).

All components are simply added to warm water and brought to a boil. Then the liquid is cooled to body temperature and the fish is poured with it before smoking for at least 12-15 hours.

Citrus marinade:

• drinking water – 1 l;
• lemon and orange (or grapefruit) – half each;
• medium bulb – 1 pc.;
• salt – 2 Art. l .;
• sugar – 1 tsp;
• bay leaf – 2-3 pcs .;
• ground black and red pepper, cinnamon – 3-5 g each;
• spicy herbs to taste (thyme, thyme, oregano, rosemary, marjoram) – about 10 g of the mixture.

To prepare the marinade for smoking chum salmon, mix all the ingredients, after cleaning the citruses to a state of pulp and cutting, finely chopping the onion. The mixture is boiled for 10 minutes, insisted for about a quarter of an hour, then filtered, cooled and poured over the fish. It takes 18-20 hours to marinate.

Wine marinade:

• drinking water – 0,5 l;
• red wine (dry is better, but semi-sweet is also suitable) – 0,25 l;
• salt – 1 Art. l .;
• fresh grated or ground ginger – 10 g;
• fresh rosemary – 1-2 sprigs;
• cumin seeds – 3-5 g;
• cloves – 5-8 pcs.

Water is boiled with salt and cloves. After cooling to body temperature, add other ingredients. The marinade is mixed, let it brew for 15-20 minutes, then pour the salmon. You can start smoking after 8-10 hours.

How to smoke ketu

Both ways of smoking salmon fish – both cold and hot, are feasible at home. You need to choose, not only based on the taste of the finished product, but also taking into account other factors – for example, the time spent on cooking, the presence of a special smokehouse.

Hot smoked salmon recipes

Hot smoking ketu is the most suitable option for someone who is just “learning science”. The technique allows certain experiments and improvisations, does not require exact adherence to the algorithm. Another definite plus is that the fish cooks faster.

How to smoke hot smoked salmon in a smokehouse

Hot smoked salmon in a smokehouse is prepared as follows:

1. At the bottom, pour a couple of handfuls of sawdust or small wood chips, after soaking them in water and drying them. Some recommend mixing them with 2-3 tablespoons of sugar – this will give the fish a beautiful shade.

   

2. Hang prepared fish on hooks inside the smokehouse or lay it out on a wire rack. It is desirable that the pieces or parts of the fillet do not come into contact with each other.

   

3. Connect the pipe through which the smoke will flow. Light a fire or barbecue under the smokehouse, achieving a steady flame.

   

4. After 30-40 minutes, slightly open the top cover, getting rid of excess moisture. If this is not done, hot smoked salmon will be too “loose”.

   

5. When the fish is ready, remove the smoker from the heat and let it cool. You can not get it right away – it can crumble.

   

   Important! The most suitable “source of smoke” is fruit trees, alder, beech, maple.
   

   Any coniferous sawdust during the smoking process gives the fish an unpleasant “resinous” taste.

Hot smoked salmon at home (in a smoke cabinet)

A smoking cabinet is a home analogue of a structure that has a heating element powered by the mains.

The main advantage of such a device is the ability to easily maintain the required temperature at 80-110 ° C.

The technology is similar to that described above. Here, too, wood chips are required for smoking chum salmon. The fish is hung on hooks or laid out on a grill, the smoking cabinet is closed, turned on and waited until cooked.

Hot smoked chum salmon heads

The heads left after cutting the fish can also be smoked in a hot way. They have a lot of meat left. And although not everyone can eat this, among the northern peoples, heads are considered a real delicacy, especially cheeks. They even eat eyes and cartilage.

The technology of hot smoking heads is no different from how the fish itself is smoked. The only caveat is that it takes less time.

Heads are more convenient to lay out on a lattice than to hang

Cold smoked chum salmon recipes

It is impossible to smoke cold-smoked chum salmon with the help of “artisanal” devices. It is necessary to have a special smokehouse or smoke generator, otherwise it will simply not be possible to maintain the required constant temperature of about 27-30 ° C.

How to smoke cold smoked salmon in a smokehouse

The main difference in the design of a cold smoked smokehouse is the greater distance from the source of smoke to what is inside (about 2 m).

Passing through the pipe, the smoke has time to cool to the required temperature

The source of smoke is also sawdust or small chips (it is desirable that they be the same size). It is better to hang the chum salmon fillet for cold smoking, so it will be smoked more evenly. Pieces are laid out on racks.

A necessary condition for the high quality of the finished product is the continuity of the process. Ideally, it cannot be stopped at all. But if it doesn’t work out, at least the first 6-8 hours.

The readiness of cold-smoked chum salmon is determined, guided by the characteristic aroma, dryness of the skin and its golden brown hue.

Cold smoking chum salmon with a smoke generator

A smoke generator is a device that is not found in every kitchen. Meanwhile, the device is very useful. Its compactness and simplicity of design allows it to be used for smoking chum salmon both hot and cold, both at home and in the “field” conditions. The smoke generator independently regulates the process of supplying smoke to the smoking cabinet (industrial production or home-made).

Cold smoked salmon using a smoke generator is prepared as follows:

1. Pour sawdust or small chips with a moisture content of no higher than 14-15% into the body of the device. Connect with a pipe to the smoking cabinet.
2. Place the salmon inside for smoking, set fire to the fuel.

Modern smoke generators are equipped with filtration systems. Due to this, soot particles are retained.

Ketu after smoking with a smoke generator can be eaten immediately, it is not necessary to ventilate it

How to make cold smoked salmon heads

Cold-smoked chum salmon heads are prepared in the same way as the fish itself. To do this, you can use both a smokehouse and a smoke generator.

It takes about three times less time to bring the heads to readiness than a whole chum salmon

Smoking time

Keta is not the largest red fish. Its average weight is 3-5 kg. After cutting, there is even less. The mass of one fillet, as a rule, does not exceed 2 kg. Therefore, hot smoking takes about 1,5-2 hours. If heads are smoked – 35-40 minutes. You can check the readiness by piercing the salmon with a wooden stick – no liquid should come out.

Cold smoking takes 2-3 days if the fillet is smoked. Cold-smoked chum salmon tesha and heads will be ready in about a day. To determine if it’s time to get a delicacy, you need to cut a piece of meat from under the skin. It should be light, dense, resilient, without escaping juice.

Storage rules and periods

Homemade chum salmon, both hot and cold smoked, spoils quickly enough. Therefore, it is not recommended to cook it immediately in large portions. In the refrigerator, hot-smoked fish will lie for up to 4 days, cold – up to 10. At the same time, it must be packed in cling film, parchment paper, foil or a vacuum container.

You can store smoked salmon in the freezer for up to two months. This applies to both hot and cold smoked fish. It must be placed in a vacuum container or a sealed plastic bag with a zipper. Ketu is packaged in small portions – it is no longer recommended to freeze it again.

Conclusion

Hot, cold smoked salmon at home is prepared according to many different recipes. A homemade delicacy, unlike a store-bought product, turns out to be absolutely natural, does not contain preservatives, dyes, flavors, and other chemical additives.