Red fish is not a frequent guest on our tables. Still, its cost is high for everyday use. But sometimes everyone is still ready to be generous with a piece of the delicacy. Unfortunately, already salted fish often does not please with either quality or taste. Therefore, if possible, housewives strive to buy “clean” salmon, sockeye salmon or chum salmon and cook it on their own. Connoisseurs especially recommend salted salmon. With it, the fish turns out tender, but not spreading, without the taste of everyone’s unloved fish oil and very beautiful.
Tricks and subtleties
Salmon salting red fish requires some theoretical knowledge. Not every one of us is an experienced fisherman. Therefore, cleaning a carcass is hard labor for many. Meanwhile, the scales will come off without any problems if you first rub the fish with table vinegar and leave to rest. To ensure that there is no smell of vinegar left, the carcass is washed and dried, after which pre-treatment can begin. And if the fish tries to “escape” from your fingers, periodically dip them in salt.
If possible, buy fresh or at least chilled fish for salmon salting. When frozen, the tissue structure is disrupted during thawing. Therefore, firstly, the fish absorbs a lot of salt. It is extremely difficult to seize the moment when it is ready and not let it become too salty. And secondly, the pulp will be less elastic and more loose. The only thing you don’t have to worry about is fatty specimens: they contain little water, so the carcass won’t take up too much salt. You can even store it directly in brine.
When salted salmon fish is completely salted, it must be put in the refrigerator. Moreover, it is advisable to coat each piece with vegetable oil: upon contact with air, fish oil oxidizes, losing its usefulness. And the fish loses its appetizing pinkness, acquiring a suspicious yellow-orange color.
What kind of fish to take
Usually, a person far from the habitat of red fish does not have a very large choice. But if there is one, give preference to winter and spring specimens. Before spawning, their meat is fattier, more tender and tasty.
Another subtle point is the choice between farmed and “wild” fish (again, if available). On the one hand, salmon caught in the wild is dangerous due to parasites, among which helminths are not the worst. On the other hand, it is less tasty when grown on a fish farm. And in addition, to enhance the natural pink color of the meat, the fish are fed feed with dyes that contain cadmium, which is categorically incompatible with the needs of the body. Therefore, fishing professionals recommend choosing “free” fish and preparing it according to special rules.
However, city dwellers rarely have to face the problem of such a choice: what is on the counter is what they take.
Description of preparation:
There is nothing easier than cooking fish with salted salmon.
It turns out very tasty. See the step-by-step instructions for the recipe and cook with pleasure. If you use chilled fish for salting, then it is better to freeze it well before salting in order to protect yourself from possible parasites. The longer the fish sits in brine, the saltier it will be, but keeping it in brine for more than three days is not advisable, since the fish will be very salty. You can use it within a day. Purpose: For the holiday table Main ingredient: Fish and seafood / Pink salmon Dish: Appetizers / Salty
Salted red salmon fish: “wet” recipe
There are quite a few options for salting precious fish. You can try a version using brine. The salmon is filleted and placed in a large container. The brine is being prepared; The approximate amount of salt is three level spoons per liter. To check the strength of the brine, a raw egg is dropped into it - it should float. A spoonful of sugar is added and the fillet is poured with brine. It should be completely covered with liquid. The bowl is placed in the refrigerator for two weeks; As the layer of brine decreases, it is topped up. If the test shows readiness, the fish is transferred to a storage container and returned to its place (or eaten immediately).
Salting caviar
If you encounter caviar during the process of cutting fish, you can also salt it yourself; this is very simple to do. You need to carefully remove it from the abdomen, place it in a separate container, carefully, so as not to crush the eggs, separate it from the films manually. Some people know how to do this with a mixer, but such a procedure requires experience. The mixer is immersed at low speed into the container with caviar for just a few seconds. The films are wound onto the whipping device, and the caviar remains intact.
If you have to salt the caviar for the first time, it is better to spend more time, but separate the films with your hands.
Then they prepare the brine to make it perfect by throwing one raw small potato into boiling water with salt. If it floats to the top, the brine is perfect. When the water has cooled, pour it over the caviar, let it sit for 5 minutes, and then transfer the caviar to a colander so that all excess liquid drains well. After this, the caviar is ready to eat.
Delicious recipe! How long does it take to cook carrots and potatoes?
Dry method
The following recipe for salted salmon, on the one hand, seems faster. On the other hand, for safety you will still have to endure the same amount.
The fillet is cut into layers, washed, but not dried. A mixture of salt and sugar is prepared in a 2:1 ratio. Ground pepper or a mixture of them is also added here; The quantity is not regulated, as it depends on your tastes.
The fish is stacked. The bottom piece is sprinkled with the composition on all sides. After placement, a couple of laurel leaves are placed on it. The manipulations are repeated with each layer. A weight is placed on the top one, the structure is covered with foil - and in the cold. After two days, the layers are rearranged so that the top ones are at the bottom, and salmon salting continues for another day. In principle, the fish is ready. However, taking care of family health requires wrapping all the records separately and carefully placing them in the freezer for two weeks. Parasites will definitely be exterminated, and the taste of the fish will only improve.
Different ways
Salmon salting involves a salting process in which the fish is cut into small pieces and placed in sterile jars. The simplest recipe is to roll the fish pieces in salt and sugar and put them in a jar. To do this, you need to prepare two containers - one with salt, the other with sugar. First, the fish should be cut, removing the head, tail, and fins. For salting, choose the belly, where there are the fewest bones.
It is advisable to remove absolutely all the seeds. Then the fish can be placed directly from the jars onto a dish and served on the table, or various snacks can be prepared from it.
After the fish is cut into pieces, each of them is dipped first in salt, then in sugar. Place in the jar until it is full. A piece of clean gauze or sterile bandage is placed on top.
Under no circumstances should you tighten the lid, as is done when preparing vegetables.
The jar is closed with a regular plastic lid. It is believed that fish is ready for consumption after 40 days.
Another recipe makes the fish incredibly tender and very tasty. It can be eaten 10 days after salting. The chum salmon is also cut, cut into pieces, placed in jars, and in the meantime, brine is prepared. For 1 liter of water add 2 level tablespoons of fine salt and 1 tablespoon of honey. They boil water and add salt and honey to it, wait until the water has cooled completely, and only then pour in the fish. Then they put it in the refrigerator.
Another method of preparing salted salmon also allows you to eat a tasty product for a long time. To do this, the fish is prepared and cut into large pieces. One fish can yield approximately 4 pieces. They are sprinkled with salt and sugar, each piece is wrapped in clean gauze and sent to the freezer. Since the fish is salted, it will not freeze, but will remain in the same form. 2 weeks after removing the piece from the freezer, you can prepare any appetizer, salad, or cut into pieces and simply eat as is. First, you need to scrape off the remaining salt well with a knife from a large piece.
Ambassador in Sakhalin
In the Far East, not a single ambassador is recognized as salmon, which includes anything other than fish, salt and sugar. In addition, Sakhalin residents insist that the fish must be cut meticulously. Up to the removal of bones. The pieces are rubbed with a mixture of salt and sugar. The starting proportions are 3:1, but can be adjusted after the first experiment. The fish is wrapped either in gauze or parchment and put in the refrigerator. The bag needs to be turned over daily. Salmon will become lightly salted after three days, but experts advise waiting a week.
By the way, if the fish was fresh, then the packages with it are sent to the freezer for three days, where the temperature is set as low as possible - all for the same fight against possible parasites. Then the packages are moved to the refrigerator, and further actions correspond to the main algorithm.
Lightly salted pink salmon for salmon - a very tasty salting at home
It is not always possible to purchase fresh fish. Therefore, you can buy frozen pink salmon. When prepared correctly, it will not be inferior to fresh. Here is a step-by-step description with photographs of cutting and salting pink salmon. Simple and understandable even for novice housewives.
Lightly salted salmon is not just a quick and inexpensive holiday treat. A fabulous delicacy will decorate the table without any reason. My family absolutely loves sirloin sandwiches for breakfast. And my husband especially loves thinly sliced fish with beer.
Salting is also good as the easiest way to cook fish. We need to achieve the effect of juiciness and fat content. In addition, excessive softening of the product should not be allowed.
What you will need:
- pink salmon carcass - 1 piece
- salt - 2 tbsp. spoons
- sugar - 1 tbsp. spoon
- peppercorns
- coriander
- lavrushka
Cutting and salting pink salmon at home
1. It is best to defrost a carcass naturally. That is, just leave it to thaw at room temperature. During this time, calmly go about your business.
Remember the main rule of defrosting - no heat treatment!
I don’t recommend putting fish in the microwave or in water. The fillet will become soft and fall apart right in your hands.
2. Clean the thawed carcass from scales and wash. Cut the belly of a whole fish and remove all the entrails. Milk, like caviar, can be salted separately or together with fillet.
When cutting the product, use the sharpest knife. But be careful not to cut yourself.
3. Now cut off the head along with the front fins and wash the fish again. Dry or blot with napkins to remove excess water. Butchering is difficult only the first time. And when you understand the sequence of actions, they will seem very simple to you.
4. First, use a knife with a long, thin blade to cut the carcass in half. Try to keep as little meat as possible on the spine and ribs. Separate the second half from the ridge in the same way. I pull out the remaining ribs with regular tweezers. And I cut off the fins and tail with scissors.
5. We will not remove the skin at this stage. This way it will keep the outer layer elastic and uniform. You can leave the fillets in halves or cut them in half. Leave the head and bones on the ear.
6. After this, proceed directly to salting. Mix salt and sugar. It will be necessary to fill both parts on both sides.
Do not rub the salt into the meat, otherwise it will become too soft.
It is enough just to generously salt the fillet pieces on both sides so that they are completely soaked. Sprinkle with the spices you like. I use pepper, coriander and bay leaves.
7. Next, place the pieces of fish in a plastic bag for 24 hours. Moreover, after 12 hours, turn both halves over to the other side.
8. After this period, it is necessary to rinse the fish to remove any remaining salt and sugar. Then blot it dry with a paper towel or napkins. Next, you can start cutting the fillet itself and separating it from the skin. Cut into even small pieces. They will be easier to store and much tastier.
4. Next, place the slices on a plate. Add onion rings, lemon and sunflower oil. In principle, such a product is already ready for use. However, it can be stored in the refrigerator for about three days.
This salmon recipe is suitable for treating both adults and children. Delicious breakfast sandwiches can easily replace not-so-healthy products from supermarkets. I hope you will be satisfied with this lightly salted pink salmon for salmon.
Long version
Salmon ambassador in jars seems very interesting. It allows you to make only one approach to cooking and store the product for an almost unlimited time (though only in the cold). The preparatory work includes, in addition to removing bones, also removing the skin. And for the pickling mixture, salt and sugar are combined equally. One side of the fish is dipped into the mixture and placed side down in a sterilized or pasteurized jar. Each layer is sprinkled with quality oil. Every third one is sprinkled with ground pepper and decorated with a bay leaf. If you plan to store the fish for a long time, the jars are sealed. If you plan to look into them often, choose containers with a screw-on lid. In this case, the sample can be taken no earlier than after 10 days: due to the presence of oil, salting proceeds more slowly.
Some nuances
As we have already said, preparing a product such as salted chum salmon at home has its own subtleties. But as a result, you get amazing, aromatic and tasty fish. You will need a large carcass. This is the kind of fish that has managed to accumulate enough fat and will be very tasty. There is no need to wash the fish. Now you need to prepare the fillet. To do this, cut it from the inside along the ridge. The most important thing is that the skin remains intact. There is no need to remove it.
Alternative option
It is considered the fastest, but only farmed fish are suitable for it. Or, for the first three days, the salted fillet is again kept in the freezer. For the curing mixture, combine sugar, salt, vodka and chopped dill in equal parts. They say that for a kilo of fish it is enough to take a spoonful of each component, but experienced chefs recommend making the mixture with a reserve, so as not to fuss in the process, finding out that the composition is not enough.
Here you also need to remove the skin from the fillet and cut it into two halves (no need to make it smaller: there is a risk of over-salting). Each of them is lubricated with the resulting gruel on all sides. The plates are placed in a vessel with fairly high sides - the juice will be released. A lightly salted version will be available in just a day. Fans of strong salting can wait another 24 hours. You don’t need any longer, you might ruin the delicacy. When the degree of readiness satisfies you, the resulting brine is decanted from the fish, and it is put into a glass or enamel container.
I would also like to say something about spices. Red fish has a delicate flavor of its own that can easily be overpowered by seasonings. Therefore, chefs recommend categorically abandoning ready-made sets. If you like spicy fish, you can add natural herbs (dill is ideal) or a little garlic. If you think this is not enough, try the spices on a small piece so as not to tear your hair out later and not to scold yourself for being too culinaryly bold.
When the New Year begins to approach inexorably, shake out your fish egg, decide which salmon salmon you prefer, and please your loved ones with the delicious fish put on the table.
Far Eastern salmon ambassador
We already said at the beginning that not only salt, but also sugar is added to the recipe. There are simply several options, from which you can choose the one that you like most. Now we will tell you how to salt chum salmon with salmon according to the rules of Far Eastern sailors. For them, the ideal option is to take sugar and salt in equal proportions. You will need fresh fish, which must be flattened, sprinkled with salt inside and in the cut on the back. Add a teaspoon of sugar to this, add pepper and bay leaf. Now wrap the fish in a clean cloth and place it in the refrigerator. After a day you can eat. This cooking method is very tasty, so I recommend that you try this fish.
