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Smoked fish is one of the most delicious delicacies of all time. The main condition is to follow all the requirements for cooking, otherwise the result may be disappointing. Smoking mackerel in a hot-smoked smokehouse is quite simple.
The technology of hot smoking mackerel in a smokehouse
Hot smoking is understood as a short heat treatment in a special box – a smokehouse. It can be purchased at the store, or assembled independently from improvised materials. Hot-smoked mackerel will turn out equally tasty both in a smokehouse from an ordinary iron bucket, and in a modern device with a water seal and a smoke generator.
Hot smoked fish is prepared quite quickly – in just 30-40 minutes
The principle of operation of the device is simple – the iron box is heated by fire, coal, gas or special heating elements. Soaked wood chips are laid out at the bottom of the smokehouse, which begins to smoke when the temperature rises. Impregnation ensures quick cooking and saturation of the fish with smoking aromas.
Selection and preparation of fish
To cook delicious smoked mackerel in a hot smoked smokehouse, you need to take care of choosing high-quality raw materials. If possible, chilled fish should be preferred. In appearance, it is easy to guess about its freshness. In stale mackerel, the eyes become cloudy, the luster of the skin is lost. The body is elastic – when you press on the carcass, it should immediately return to its original state.
Most residents of the continental part of the country have difficulty purchasing chilled mackerel. Frozen food comes to the rescue. When choosing, you should pay maximum attention to the thickness of the glaze and the integrity of the skin. In the first case, you can judge the number of freezing cycles – the less ice, the better. The skin must be intact to protect the meat from acrid smoke.
The next step is preparing the product for hot smoking. If necessary, the fish is thawed and washed. Then her head is removed and her belly is cut open to remove the intestines and other offal. The abdominal cavity is thoroughly washed. Carcasses are dried with a paper towel.
Marinade recipes for hot smoked mackerel in a smokehouse
Initially, the taste of fish fillet is rather weak and needs additional bright notes. Regardless of the recipe chosen, before smoking mackerel in a hot smoked smokehouse, it must be salted or pickled. The most common method is to soak carcasses in saline for 2-3 hours. To prepare it, dilute ½ cup of salt and 1 tbsp in 1 liter of water. l. sugar, and also add 2 bay leaves and 10 peas of allspice.
How to cook hot smoked mackerel in a smokehouse
There are many ways to prepare a delicious fish delicacy. Most of them differ in the type of smokehouse used. Among the wide range of devices that will help cook hot smoked mackerel, there are:
- classic smokehouses with a water seal;
- devices with a smoke generator;
- homemade country smokehouses;
- home mini-smokehouses.
Depending on the device used, the hot smoking technology may vary
Given the features of your device, the conditions for preparing a fish delicacy will differ significantly. At home, you won’t be able to cook mackerel in a classic hot-smoked smokehouse – you will have to use special devices to remove smoke from the apartment.
Choice of wood chips and preparation of the smokehouse
The most important point in smoking is a large amount of smoke. The best way to achieve the goal is a lot of wetted sawdust at the bottom of the smokehouse. Given the relatively high temperature of hot smoking, it is better to use larger chips that will withstand prolonged heating without igniting.
In order to deliciously smoke mackerel in a hot-smoked smokehouse, it is not enough to choose the right recipe, you also need to choose the best wood chips. In country stores, you can most often find sawdust from oak or alder. A better product will be obtained from self-harvested apple or cherry chips. It is strictly forbidden to use coniferous wood – the dish will be bitter.
Regardless of the type of smoker and marinade for hot smoked mackerel, the device must be prepared for use. A few handfuls of wood chips soaked in advance are poured into the bottom. The next step is to install a container for fat – without it, the oil will drip onto the sawdust and ignite them. After that, grates or special hooks for fish are installed. So that the skin does not stick to them, they are lubricated with refined sunflower oil.
How to smoke mackerel in a hot smoked smokehouse
A classic device with a water seal and a smoke generator will allow you to prepare a large amount of delicacy without any problems. The heating function in such a smokehouse can be performed by both a separate heating element and an ordinary fire. The device can be installed in the apartment, subject to the availability of a special chimney. Hot smoked mackerel in a smokehouse according to the recipe presented in the video is prepared in the following sequence:
- The device is plugged into the network or preheated on a gas stove.
- Moistened wood chips are placed in the smoke generator bowl and hermetically sealed.
- The fish is washed after the marinade and wiped with a paper towel. It is placed on oiled stands.
- The smokehouse is covered with a lid with a water seal. They put a chimney on him, take him out the window.
Hot smoking with a smoke generator is an ideal find for lovers of delicacies
The approximate time for hot smoking mackerel in a smokehouse is about 30 minutes. After that, the device is turned off, the fish is carefully removed and cooled, after which it is served to the table.
Hot smoked mackerel in a smokehouse in the country
Having a summer house or a country house, you can not worry about the constant presence of smoked fish in the diet. You can create a homemade smokehouse even from improvised materials. The main thing is that the metal box has a lid and can stay on a flat surface. Best of all, a small box with a grate, which will fit 3-4 fish, will cope with the task.
Soaked fruit tree chips are poured into the bottom of the box. An oiled grate is installed on top, on which the previously salted mackerel is laid out. The device is hermetically sealed with a lid and put on fire. The strength of the heat can be adjusted by increasing the amount of coals or adding more firewood.
After 10-15 minutes after the appearance of the first wisps of smoke, the lid must be removed to allow excess burning to escape. At the same time, you can turn the carcasses for better frying. After the lid is closed again, count 15-20 minutes and remove the smoker from the fire. The fish is slightly cooled and served to the table.
How to smoke mackerel in a hot smoked mini smokehouse
Modern kitchen appliances are improving every year, giving consumers the opportunity to cook unusual dishes at home. One of these mini-smokers in which you can make hot smoked mackerel is a product from the company Hanki. A miniature device for 12 and 20 liters will easily fit even in a small kitchen. It is equipped with a smoke exhaust pipe – this will allow you not to worry about possible burning in the apartment.
Cooking smoked fish in a mini smokehouse is possible even in small apartments
A handful of alder chips are laid out at the bottom of the container and moistened with a small amount of water. Then a container for dripping fat is placed on the grate. Mackerel is hung on special hooks. The lid of the device is hermetically sealed, a tube is put on the water seal. The container is placed on a gas or electric stove and a medium fire is turned on. After 5 minutes, the first white smoke will appear. Hot smoking lasts about half an hour. Mackerel is taken out and cooled before serving.
How much to smoke hot smoked mackerel in a smokehouse
The cooking time can vary greatly not only from the recipe used, but also from the size of the fish and the strength of the fire. On average, it takes about half an hour of hot smoking to cook a small carcass of mackerel weighing 300 g. By increasing the heat treatment temperature, the cooking time can be reduced to 20 minutes, but there is a risk of early ignition of the chips. If mackerel carcasses are too large, cooking stretches for 40-50 minutes from the moment the first wisps of smoke appear.
Storage Rules
Hot smoked mackerel is a rather perishable product. Even taking into account the large amount of salt during pickling, the maximum shelf life of the delicacy is rarely more than 7 days, provided it is kept in the refrigerator. At room temperature, mackerel does not withstand more than 2 days. Freezing is the only way to preserve a dish for a long time, but this significantly spoils the taste and aroma of the product.
Conclusion
Smoking mackerel in a hot-smoked smokehouse is a simple task that even novice cooks can handle. It is enough to properly prepare the fish, choose the perfect wood chips and know the intricacies of working with the device. Simply following the rules guarantees great results.
