Hot smoked trout. How to smoke trout at home

Trout belongs to the salmon family, but there are several species and genera of this fish. Thus, Atlantic and Pacific trout and the genus of char are distinguished. Brook, lake and rainbow trout are found on the territory of the Russian Federation. The first category includes small freshwater fish, reaching 2 kg in weight.

The lake species include larger representatives, the length of which reaches 100 cm. And the rainbow is part of the group of Pacific salmon; it is the one that can most often be found on store shelves, since the fish is grown on farms.

Composition, calorie content and beneficial properties

Trout meat is characterized by high benefits. Even hot smoked trout contains over 70% of all vitamins and minerals from its original state. The benefits of this fish are enormous for the body:

• strengthens the nervous, cardiovascular system, visual organs, as well as the musculoskeletal system;
• thanks to the phosphorus included in the composition, it improves memory and cognitive functions;
• helps with psycho-emotional disorders;
• easily digestible, and therefore indicated during rehabilitation after surgery;
• contains essential fatty acids that cannot be obtained in other ways.

If you do not eat smoked fish too often, salt it to a minimum and do not ignore contraindications, then it will only bring benefits.

Calorie content and nutritional value of smoked trout
Parameter	cotton	g/k
Calorie content	147 kcal	243 kcal
Squirrels	19.3 g	27.7 g
Fats	7.8 g	14.2 g
Carbohydrates	0 g	0 g

We should not forget that the calorie content may change if you use soy sauce, honey, or vegetable oil in the marinade.

You should not abuse smoked products during exacerbation of gastritis and stomach ulcers. They can also cause harm in chronic pathologies of the kidneys and liver.

About the product

Trout lives only in clean waters, so it does not contain toxic substances. Fish is valued not only for its fatty, tender meat, but also for its high content of minerals and vitamins.

By eating fish regularly, a person’s mental state is strengthened, the functioning of blood vessels is improved, and digestion is normalized. The risk of developing cancer will be significantly reduced, blood pressure will normalize, memory will improve, and hair and nails will become stronger.

Recommended reading: How to smoke bream

Attention! You should not eat smoked fish if you have an allergic reaction, if you have liver or kidney diseases, or if you have a stomach ulcer.

Shelf life of smoked trout

A hot smoked product can be stored in the refrigerator at a temperature of +2°...+6°C for no more than 48 hours. At -2°…+2°С – 72 hours. If you need to preserve the fish for a longer time, you can freeze it. In this case, the shelf life will increase to 1 month at a temperature of -18°C.

Cold smoked products can be stored for a longer time. At a temperature of 0°...+4°С - 72 hours, at -2°...0°С - 7 days, at -3°...-5° - 14 days, at -18° - 60 days.

How to select and cut fish

To prepare cold or hot smoked trout, both fresh and frozen fish are suitable. However, with the cold processing method, it is recommended to pre-freeze the trout. If you plan to cook the whole fish, then carcasses weighing up to 800–900 g are suitable. Larger fish are cut into fillets or layers.

You need to defrost fish in the refrigerator. It must reach room temperature before smoking.

Next, they begin cutting, making sure to remove the insides and black film. Some gourmets recommend smoking trout only without the head. However, other smokers do not agree that its presence adds bitterness to the meat. However, this rule necessarily applies to large trout, weighing more than 2–3 kg.

The note

Vladimir Kuznetsov

Professional smoker

You need to gut the fish with a very sharp and thin knife; it is easier for them to penetrate inside and carefully cut out the organs without damaging them, as well as cut off the tail and fins. This knife makes it easier to separate the backbone and rib bones when forming fillets and steaks.

As for the choice of smoking form, preference is usually given to whole, medium-sized carcasses. For cold smoking, it can be cut into balyk and tesha.

Trout cutting methods

The easiest way is to remove the entrails through the abdomen. In this case, the head is either left with only the gills cut out, or completely cut off along the gill line. Use scissors to remove fins and tail if the recipe requires it. The insides are also removed, thoroughly washing the fish.

Cutting into balyk and tesha usually happens at the same time, here's why:

1. In the classic way, the entrails and fins are removed from the fish, and the tail and head are cut off.
2. Then, along the white line of the abdomen, where there is very little meat and a lot of fat, the meat is cut off. These long layers are smoked along with other parts of the fish and used as an appetizer for beer.
3. 2-3 pieces of tesha are tied with twine to make smoking more convenient.

The trout is not cut up for butterfly, but neat layers are formed from large carcasses:

1. Gut the fish in the classic way, removing the head, but you can leave the tail.
2. Holding the tail area, cut off the meat on both sides along the rib bones.
3. The remaining bones are then removed with tweezers, resulting in a skin-on fillet.

To form steaks, proceed as follows:

1. Gut the fish, remove the head and tail.
2. Cut the carcass along the ridge into two halves - the spine should remain on one of them.
3. Then, using a very sharp knife, cut off the ridge along with the rib bones, capturing a 1 mm layer of meat.
4. Cut off the ribs on the other half and cut both layers into portioned pieces.

To form neat steaks without skin, after the final stage, take each piece and, turning it perpendicular to you, pass the knife between the skin and meat away from you at an angle of about 20 degrees.

To prepare yukola, the layers of fillet along with the skin are divided lengthwise in half again.

Smoking process

Many beginners wonder how to smoke trout. Everything is extremely simple.

Required ingredients and materials:

• trout (2-3 pieces);

• salt and pepper (to taste);

• smokehouse;

• sawdust or wood chips (preferably alder).

Before starting the process, it is necessary to install several halves of bricks, on which the smokehouse will later be installed. A fire is built between the bricks. It is better to use large firewood, they make good coals.

If a new smokehouse is used, the following steps must be taken:

• wash the container thoroughly;

• put on the fire for 15 minutes (without trout).

These actions are necessary to prevent unpleasant odor and taste of the finished fish.

It is important to lubricate the smokehouse grates with vegetable oil before placing the carcasses. This will make it easier to remove the cooked fish.

The next step is to lay alder sawdust (3 handfuls) in an even layer on the bottom of the smokehouse. The layer must be lightly watered. There is no need to add anything else, otherwise the fish will acquire a sour taste when smoked. Next, a container is placed on the bottom, serving as a tray (available in the smokehouse kit). The trout is salted and placed on prepared grids. The fish should lie in such a way that the juice does not flow out of the belly. The next step is to close the smokehouse with a lid and place it on the fire. Cooking time – 45 minutes (for the quantity of fish indicated above). After the specified time has passed, the smokehouse is removed from the coals and the smoke remaining in the container is released. Cooling time – 5 minutes. After this, the grids with fish are removed.

Ready smoked trout is shown in the photo.

Traditional hot smoking

Hot smoked trout is a real delicacy with a delicate texture and amazing aroma. However, to get excellent results, you must use the appropriate smoker. You can buy it on the Internet - the online selection is much wider, and the prices are lower than in regular stores.

Ingredients! For 3 pcs. For gutted carcasses, take 30–40 g of salt or a little less. At the second stage, you need spices for pickling: 2 tbsp. l. salt and 1 tbsp. l. fish seasoning.

The carcasses are gutted, washed and sprinkled with salt, placing them in a container. Leave for 4-5 hours in the refrigerator. You can increase the time to a day. Then the trout is washed and marinated:

1. Wipe with paper towels. Mix seasoning and salt. Sprinkle the carcasses with the mixture and leave for 2–4 hours. Be sure to rub the marinade on the belly.
2. Assemble the smokehouse according to the instructions and light the fire. Place the unit on it, pour wood chips on the bottom. Install a grill and place fish on it. Place lemon slices in the bellies. You can use a mixture of alder and apple.
3. Cover the smokehouse with a lid and wait 15–20 minutes until white smoke comes out of the tube.

The fish is cooled and served fresh along with vegetables. At the second stage of marinating, you can use other recipes.

Options for trout marinades

The most delicious, unusual and colorful recipes include:

With greens

. First, a mixture of lemon or orange juice and olive oil is added to the slits on the trout carcass. Make a dry mixture of fennel, black pepper, a small amount of sweet paprika and coriander. Fresh herbs are placed in the belly: rosemary, parsley and tarragon. The fish is packed in foil and left for several hours.

Marinating in brine and stuffing

. For 2–3 kg of fish, 0.5 tbsp is required for brine. brown sugar, 0.5 tbsp. coarse salt, 2 liters of water, 5 ml of lemon juice. Tomatoes and onions are used for stuffing. First prepare the marinade by bringing water to a boil and combining all the ingredients. The fish is soaked in it for 8 hours. Then it is stuffed with pieces of chopped vegetables.

With allspice and thyme

. You will need 1 large lemon, coarse sea salt, a bunch of fresh thyme, 1 tsp. allspice peas, a few bay leaves and a little olive oil. Mix the zest of 1 lemon and chopped thyme. Leaves and peppers are poured with a small amount of oil. Salt is mixed with the lemon-herb mixture. Add oil with pepper and leaves.

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With garlic and dill

. To prepare, take salt and pepper and pour it into the belly of the fish. Crushed garlic and chopped dill are also placed there. Place in a saucepan and fill with cooled brine prepared from a mixture of a third of a glass of salt and 0.5 liters of water. Marinate for 2 to 4 hours.

Each of these recipes is suitable not only for smoking, but also for cooking fish in the oven.

Preparing fish for smoking

It is important not only to know how to smoke trout, but also how to properly prepare the product for smoking.

This type of fish is quite expensive, so failure to comply with the cutting technology will lead to a deterioration in taste. The preparation procedure includes the following steps:

1. Evisceration. An incision is made along the abdomen through which the entrails are removed. Some smoking recipes involve cooking ungutted fish, but in inexperienced hands, using carcasses with entrails will lead to bitterness in the finished product.
2. Cutting. If the fish is smoked whole, then the gills should be cut out. In cases where trout is prepared into pieces, you will need to cut off the head. The tail and fins are left. Using them it is easy to determine the readiness of smoked meat.

At the end of preparation, the fish are thoroughly washed with water. The fish is dried with paper towels to remove excess liquid.

Pickling

Trout has an original, bright taste, so using a large amount of spices can negatively affect the taste of the finished product. The traditional salting option for cold and hot smoking of trout is dry salting. To emphasize the natural taste and aroma, only salt and ground black pepper are used. The salting procedure is as follows:

1. A mixture of salt and pepper is prepared, possibly with the addition of chopped bay leaves.
2. Individuals are rubbed with the mixture. The carcasses should be thoroughly processed so that the salt gets under the scales and into the abdomen.
3. Place the trout in a container and place in the refrigerator.
4. Let the fish sit for at least 24 hours.
5. Rinse the carcasses under running water.
6. Dry the fish overnight in the fresh air.

Marinating in liquid brine will allow you to obtain smoked meats with a more piquant taste and aroma. The use of additional components allows you to add originality to the product. To prepare the marinade use:

• water;
• salt;
• black peppercorns;
• Bay leaf;
• juice or lemon slices.

Adding citrus juice allows you to change the structure of the fibers, making the meat more tender and loose. Compliance with the proportions specified in the recipe makes it possible to avoid rinsing after salting. The advantage of this option is speed. The liquid marinade penetrates the fibers faster and adds flavor to the trout.

Semi-hot smoking

The method is ideal for preparing medium-sized trout, such as rainbow. Carcasses do not require long-term salting and quickly undergo heat treatment.

Ingredients! For 4 kg of fish take 140 g of salt, 4 liters of water, 5–6 pcs. bay leaf, 1 tbsp. l. allspice peas, 1 tsp. crushed coriander seeds and 6-7 sprigs of thyme.

Gutted fish is placed in a cold marinade for 8–12 hours. When it is salted, start cooking:

1. The trout is ventilated for 2–4 hours in fresh air to remove excess moisture.
2. Prepare the smokehouse: light a fire in the grill, place the unit on top and pour alder or fruit chips inside.
3. Dried trout carcasses are laid out on the grill. If hooks are selected, then you need to hook it not by the eyes or by one gill, but by covering the entire head so that the carcass does not fall down when heated, becoming soft.
4. The fish are smoked for 2.5–3 hours at a temperature of 50–60 degrees. Once cooked, allow to cool completely after removing from hooks.

Ready trout has a bright dark brown hue with golden flanks.

What is smoking

Before we begin describing the recipes, let’s figure out what the smoking process is. This is the effect of various substances contained in smoke smoke and components on the surface of the fish. The substances have bactericidal and antioxidant effects. By penetrating the meat, they prevent its spoilage. The smoking result depends on the permeability of the product. This property is increased by pre-salting. As a result, the fish will become tender, acquire a great taste, a piquant smell and a beautiful golden skin.

IMPORTANT! Smoking extends the shelf life of any product.

There are 2 methods - cold and hot. The differences lie in the cooking time and temperature. The longer the fish is smoked, the lower the temperature needed.

Pre-salting of fish is carried out using wet or dry methods. When drying, the trout is rubbed with salt outside and inside, and a little is added to the gills. Then the fish is placed in a container and put in the refrigerator.

In the smoker grill

The smoker grill allows you to achieve heat treatment that is not available when using other units. This massive equipment with precise adjustments is suitable for cooking large fish, small trout and steaks.

First recipe

To implement the recipe, take a stand between which you can insert the fish, for example, a wide dish drainer (like in IKEA).

While the fish is drying, prepare a marinade from 1 liter of water, 1 tbsp. l. juniper berries, 1 tbsp. l. allspice peas, 1 tbsp. l. mustard seeds, 10 pcs. bay leaves. Bring to a boil and cool completely. Instead of marinade, you can use classic dry salting with a small amount of ingredients.

In a separate container, mix 1 liter of water with 70 g of salt, pour in the cooled marinade. Trout is marinated in the solution for 24 hours. The carcasses are put on pins through the abdomen and dried in the fresh air.

Prepare the starter by lighting a fire in a special compartment. The temperature should reach 80 degrees. It is supported in a range of 120 degrees. Smoke dried fish directly on a stand for 1.5–2 hours.

Second recipe

The note

Author: GEORGY KAVKAZ

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHK357UDDmL6EMTb4YPE7ew

This option involves smoking along with frying. And the marinade is prepared semi-liquid:

• 1 tbsp. sunflower oil;
• 5–6 tbsp. l. paprika or to taste;
• 1–2 tsp. black pepper.

Cover gutted fish carcasses with marinade inside and out. Sprinkle with salt inside and outside. Start smoking:

• Heat the smoker to 400 degrees – at this temperature peak smoke production occurs. The grate is greased with vegetable oil so that the trout skin does not stick.
• Cook for 15 minutes, reduce the temperature and add cherry twigs or other wood chips to the coal compartment.

After another 20–30 minutes, the fish will be completely ready and ready to serve!

Grill smoking

Modern grills allow you to prepare a very tasty and healthy fish delicacy. Moreover, both massive expensive units and small country options are suitable. The only difference between them is capacity.

Cooking whole carcasses

The recipe requires the use of carcasses up to 40 cm in size. It is ideal for smoking river trout. The cooking process uses indirect heat.

Ingredients: salt, pepper to taste, 50–100 ml olive oil, 4–6 sprigs of rosemary and 2 lemons. The quantity indicated is for 6 trout.

After gutting the fish (the heads are left) proceed to salting and smoking:

1. Install the grill by placing the dividing grid on ¼ of the side of the unit. Pour coals into the middle, using half the amount recommended by the manufacturer. To make them flare up, use a special round limiter. The wood chips are soaked for 30–40 minutes.

2. While the coals are reaching, they salt the trout: grease the carcasses with olive oil on both sides, mix the dry ingredients. Place a sprig of rosemary and a few slices of lemon inside the gutted fish, after rubbing the inside with salt and pepper and sprinkling the mixture on the outside.

3. The charcoal in the grill is pushed to the prepared side, and a foil container with holes filled with wood chips is placed on top. They install another grate over all this.
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4. A container is placed at the bottom to collect fat. When the temperature reaches 170 degrees, place the fish on the grill. Cook for 20 minutes. If the heat rises above 190 degrees, open the lower and upper dampers. 10 minutes after the start of cooking, carefully turn the carcasses over with a spatula.

Serve the fish when it has cooled down a little. The head and skin are easily separated from the tender meat.

Fillet with cognac

To prepare you will need 2 layers of trout fillet with skin, 6 tbsp. l. salt, 4 tbsp. l. brown sugar, 3 tsp. ground black pepper, 30–40 ml cognac, 40 ml vegetable oil.

First, mix the dry ingredients and sprinkle both parts of the fillet, slightly driving the mixture into the fibers of the meat. Refrigerate the meat for 2 hours. Remove the salt and sugar, wash the fish and dry it with a paper towel. Mix cognac with oil and apply with a pastry brush to the dried fillet. Leave to brew for 15–30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the grill:

1. Pour in half the starter of coal briquettes and set it on fire.
2. After 20 minutes, pour the briquettes onto one side of the grill.
3. Place 2 handfuls of wood chips on the coals.

4. A grate is installed on top and fish is placed. You can put a tray down to collect fat. The fish should be placed on foil to prevent it from falling apart.

Cook trout for 1.5 hours at a temperature of 140 degrees.

While the fish is smoking, make a sauce from 3 tbsp. l. sour cream, a pinch of salt and black pepper, 1 tsp. orange zest, a small amount of chopped mint and dill leaves.

On a cedar board

To implement the recipe, you will need a special cedar board, which is soaked a couple of hours before cooking. Also take:

• 2 layers of fillet;
• Lemon Pepper Seasoning from Kotanyi;
• 1 lemon;
• 1 tsp. brown sugar;
• soy sauce without additives.

Be sure to remove all bones from the fillet before cooking.

The bellies are cut off from the layers and smoked separately.

Start marinating:

1. Place the layers in a tray and pour in a small amount of soy sauce so that it slightly envelops the fish. Sprinkle with a mixture of peppers and a little sugar. Cover with cling film and shake a little. Leave to marinate for 2 hours.

2. Prepare a third of the starter coals, bringing it to a temperature of 120 degrees. When the coals are hot, level them in the middle. Open the lower vent. Place 1-2 handfuls of apple or alder wood chips on the coals.

3. They put a grate and on it - a cedar plank with fish. Cook the trout for 30–35 minutes, then let it sit for a while.

4. Sprinkle with lemon juice and serve.

You can use slivers of other fruit species: cherries, plums, apricots. If the grill is prepared in winter, then the temperature is raised slightly.

How to smoke trout on a grill

It is more convenient to cook fish on a grill in a grill, but you can also build a place out of bricks.

Smoking technology:

1. The wood chips are pre-soaked in water for 20 minutes. Before use, squeeze them out so that there is no excess liquid that will simply flood the fire.

2. Place the alder chips in a grill set over heated coals.

3. Place the prepared carcasses on the grill.

4. Cover the semi-finished product with a pan of a suitable size. Cooking time 25-30 minutes. If desired, you can remove the original lid and grease the carcasses with soy sauce.

In a cauldron on dried leaves

You will get an unusual smoked trout if you use a cauldron and a combination of fresh aromatic leaves for cooking.

Ingredients:

• a handful of plum or apple leaves, as well as blackberries and raspberries;
• 2 trout carcasses with heads (total weight 500–700 g);
• a mixture of salt and pepper;
• tomato relish with dried tomatoes, basil and onions.

First, mix the dry ingredients and rub them on the trout inside and out. Then they begin to form the smokehouse:

1. Make a fire in the grill, immediately put a cauldron and put all the fresh leaves in it. They should dry within 10–20 minutes.
2. When the coals burn out, set up a cauldron with dry leaves poured into it.
3. Apply 1-2 layers of foil on top, forming a protective tray.
4. The carcasses are placed on foil, you can use chopsticks to make them hang a little.
5. Time it for 20 minutes, then remove the cauldron from the heat and let the fish brew for a while.

Serve the smoked meat immediately or leave it in the refrigerator for several days.

Is it possible to smoke trout

In a hot smoked smokehouse you can cook meat, homemade sausages, and fish, including trout. To obtain an ideal result, you need to choose the right raw materials. You should pay attention to the following points:

1. Quality of fish. To successfully smoke trout at home, you need to purchase only fresh specimens with bright, bulging eyes. The color of the gills should be red, the surface of the carcass should be without obvious deformations. No specific, putrid odor should come from the trout. Living individuals are always distinguished by their mobility, the absence of spots and damage to the scales.
2. Carcass sizes. For uniform salting and smoking, it is better to give preference to individuals of the same volume.

There is no need to peel trout from scales for smoking in a homemade smokehouse; it allows you to protect the product from soot

Advice! If the trout is after freezing, then for hot smoking it must first be thawed, changing the cool water several times. Only after this can you start salting.

Trout smoked in a frying pan with tea

For 600 g of fillet or 2 steaks you will need a mixture for smoking: 3 tbsp. l. sugar, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 2-3 tbsp. l. rice and the same amount of tea leaves. For salting, you will need salt and a little seasoning for the fish. Start cooking with the following manipulations:

1. Pieces of trout on the skin are sprinkled with salt and spices, sprinkled with lemon juice.
2. Mix tea, rice, sugar and cinnamon, place in foil, folded in several layers. An envelope is formed and pierced with a knife on one side.
3. Place a wire rack on the frying pan and place the fish on top. You can put the fish on skewers and place it on the sides of the dish.
4. Turn on high heat and place a bag of smoking spices on the bottom of the frying pan.
5. After 2-3 minutes, when there is light smoke, cover the fish with a lid and reduce the heat.
6. Cook for 7-10 minutes and then turn off the stove.

With the lid closed, the fish is left for the same amount of time. Then open and serve immediately.

How to assemble a structure for hot smoking fish

Sawdust or wood chips need to be placed on something iron - a piece of tin, a bucket lid, a tray or a shiny stainless steel gastronorm container, it’s up to you. Without this, sawdust consumption increases greatly, but they cost money. Again, we protect nature.

Let's say your fish has been salted, the fire has burned out, the coals are ready - all that remains is to assemble the structure. Place a baking sheet, wire rack, skewers, fittings, and just branches at worst on the bricks. At a height of about 15 cm from the coals, which, we note, are no longer too hot. Or shovel them to the sides. Place the foil with the fish on this area. Place your iron with sawdust in the middle of the coals. And then you cover it with a trough, a copper basin, or simply lower the dome of the grill boiler. It is good to press down the trough or basin with something so that the smoke does not escape. How long are we waiting? About 20 minutes. Open the lid and look. The fish should turn golden and separate into plates. There should be no translucent areas. If this is exactly the case, then take it out quickly and serve it on the table right away. There are few things that compare to freshly smoked, smoky-smelling trout.

In a saucepan

To prepare this recipe, you will need 18 sugar cubes per 1 kg of trout, 300 g granulated sugar, you can take brown sugar, 300 g salt, 1.5 liters of water.

Step-by-step cooking plan:

1. Soak 100 g of alder chips for 30 minutes.

2. Place 2 layers of foil on the bottom of the pan. Additionally, wrap a ceramic bowl with a diameter 5–8 cm smaller than the size of the bottom of the pan.

3. Place the wood chips around a bowl placed in the center, avoiding their contact with the walls of the dish. Pieces of sugar are placed on the wood chips.

4. The plate is wrapped in foil and parchment is placed on top. Place fish fillet on it, pre-marinated in a solution of salt and sugar for 2 hours.

5. Cover the top of the pan with foil to prevent smoke from escaping, and put a lid on. Place on medium heat on the stove and cook for 15–20 minutes. If the smell is too strong, reduce the heat slightly.

For larger pieces, the cooking time is increased. But it’s better to under-smoke a little than to over-smoke. After all, such heat treatment can lead to the formation of bitterness.

Another recipe

Ingredients for preparing brine (per 1 kg of fish):

• 1 liter of water;
• 2 tbsp. l. lemon juice;
• 4 tbsp. l table salt;
• 3 cloves;
• allspice – 3 pcs.;
• black peppercorns – 5 pcs.;
• 1-2 bay leaves.

The brine is prepared from all the ingredients presented, with the exception of lemon juice. Cool, filter, then add lemon juice. The trout is placed in a container for marinating, poured with the prepared mixture, pressed down on top and, covered with a lid, left in the refrigerator for a day. After this time, the fish is taken out, washed and dried with paper towels. Next, smoke as in the previous recipe.

Finnish smoking on a board

One of the traditional methods of cooking fish in Finland is on a board. You can use a variety of tree species, except pine.

For the recipe you need to take 1 kg of meat, coarse salt, pepper to taste and fresh lemon:

1. Trout fillets, skin side down, are attached to a board using wooden pegs.
2. Rub with pepper and coarse salt. Sprinkle with lemon juice immediately or before serving.

3. Make a fire and, when the wood burns out a little, place the boards vertically along the edges of the fire pit. There should be 20–25 cm left to the fire.

The fish cooks for about an hour; from time to time you can sprinkle it with water or lemon juice. Served directly on the board - aromatic, original and very beautiful.

Where is the best place to buy hot smoked trout?

It is not advisable to purchase fish from hand or in stores. Spoiled trout can be doused with smoke to kill the rotten smell.

It will be safer to buy hot smoked trout , raised on an environmentally friendly farm. It is important that the conditions in the reservoir are close to the natural habitat.

The price for 1 kg of hot smoked trout varies from 1000 to 2000 rubles. Rarely such fish can cost up to 500 rubles. Most likely, sellers are offering a low-quality product.

Cold smoking

For this method, fish carcasses are selected, the size of which is suitable for forming steaks. Fish must weigh at least 2 kg. After cutting into pieces, they begin salting and smoking.

Teshu, or bellies, are cut off and smoked separately:

1. Prepare the ingredients for 1 kg of steaks: 25 g salt, 12 g brown sugar.
2. Mix the dry ingredients, spread cling film and place pieces of fish skin side down on it. Sprinkle with the mixture, then take other pieces and rub them, placing meat to meat on the first layer. Can be placed in vacuum bags for better salting. Wrap the film and put it in the cold for 48 hours.
3. When the fish is ready, it is washed and tied with twine. Hang out to dry for at least 9-10 hours. The room must be ventilated. You can build a box with a gauze curtain and put it on the balcony.
4. To protect meat from smoke carcinogens, dry pieces are wrapped in one layer of gauze, removing the string. Place everything in the smoker on a cold processing rack.
5. Small pieces (about 7 by 12–14 cm) are smoked for 3–4 hours at a temperature of 20–22 degrees.

The finished cold-smoked trout is aired for another 7–8 hours in a place protected from flies.

How to cook hot smoked trout in a smokehouse - step-by-step recipe

First, the fish must be washed and cut. It is cleaned of scales and fins. Then they gut it. Small trout does not need to be cut into pieces; it will be well soaked in salt. But it’s better to chop large ones.

Afterwards the solution is prepared. In addition to salt, Provençal herbs are added to it. They will give the snack a special aroma. The trout is left in the mixture for a day. Next, take it out, blot it with paper napkins and hang it on hooks. The fish should dry well.

The finished trout is placed in the smokehouse. First you need to put sawdust there. Cover the top with a lid so that the product absorbs the delicious smell of the fire.

Smoke until golden brown on both sides. Cooking one carcass will take 30-40 minutes.

It is recommended to use fruit tree shavings. They give off a pleasant and unobtrusive aroma. And fir, spruce and pine needles will make the dish smell bad. In addition, harmful resins will begin to be released. They are dangerous to humans because they lead to poisoning.

Trout yukola

Yukola is a simple, tasty and beautiful fish appetizer. It looks like a filleted balyk with thin slits in the meat right down to the skin. To prepare delicious yukola, you can combine the salting method with cold smoking:

1. Cut into layers, removing the bellies and using them in other recipes. The layers are first frozen for 2–3 weeks, wrapped in cling film.
2. One layer with separated bellies is cut in half lengthwise.
3. Then, at a distance of 3-4 mm from each other to the skin itself, trying not to damage it, incisions are made. They should be made at an angle of 45 degrees from the tail, so that during the drying process they fall down a little under their own weight and do not stick together.

4. Head down, strips of fish are hung in a cool place. You can turn on the fan to dry the trout faster. Before this procedure, the pieces are slightly salted.

5. After 3–4 days, the dry yukola is removed and sent to a smokehouse for cold smoking at 20–25 degrees for 1–2 hours.

Immediately after the final airing, smoked trout yukola can be eaten!

How to smoke trout in the oven

Home-style smoked fish is prepared as follows:

1. Wash the trout, remove the entrails, and remove the head.

2. Pour water into a container, add salt, bay leaf, pepper, and liquid smoke. The marinating time for fish is one day in a cool place under a tightly closed lid.

3. Remove the carcasses, dry with a paper towel, and coat with vegetable oil. Place the trout on the grill. To drain the fat, place foil under the baking sheet, folding the sides. Cooking time 25-30 minutes at 200 °C.

In the oven with liquid smoke

The easiest way to taste smoked trout without resorting to the smoking process in a special device is to cook it in an oven with liquid smoke. But you need to observe certain subtleties:

1. The carcass is completely cleaned of entrails, the fins and head are also cut off, and the tail is removed.
2. The trout is washed, dried and cut into portions; this is the only way to get thoroughly processed meat in the oven.
3. Each piece is smeared with liquid smoke and sprinkled with salt and seasonings to taste.
4. Marinate for at least 20 hours in the refrigerator, placing in several bags. During this time, shake the pieces 6-7 times, but very carefully.
5. Leave to air for 2 hours in the open air.
6. Smoke for 30–40 minutes in the oven at 190 degrees, wrapping the fish in foil.

In an electric oven, the time may increase slightly.

Contraindications

Before being sent to the smokehouse, the trout is dipped in a concentrated salt solution. She is kept there for at least a day. During this time, the salt fits into the carcass, which means it remains in it even after smoking. This product is dangerous for people suffering from diseases of the genitourinary system.

Excess salt is also harmful for pregnant women and nursing mothers. You should consume no more than 200 g of smoked trout per week.

But stale fish has the worst effect on the body. You may see expired products on store shelves. To sell low-quality trout, manufacturers add artificial flavors. It can lead to poisoning or cause severe pain in people with gastritis and stomach ulcers.

In a slow cooker

Tender smoked trout can be prepared in a slow cooker at home. These recipes are ideal for small carcasses. But you can also smoke steaks that have been prepared in advance.

With liquid smoke

For 2 trout you need to take salt with aromatic spices and black pepper to taste. The fish is rubbed with a dry mixture and coated with liquid smoke inside and out with a culinary brush. Further:

1. Wrap each carcass in foil.
2. Place in the multicooker bowl.
3. Bake for 30 minutes in the “Baking” mode.

The finished dish is served hot with rice or vegetables.

Using wood chips

To prepare, you will need a suitable multicooker with the “Smoking” mode. The ingredients are trout steaks, salt and a little alder or fruit chips. Start cooking:

1. Pieces of fish are rubbed with salt and placed on a two-level grill, if one is included in the device.
2. Wood chips are placed in a special container and placed in a multicooker.
3. Place everything in the device, select the “Cold smoking” mode for 20 minutes.

Serve the prepared fish with tomatoes, cucumbers or other vegetables.

The benefits and harms of smoked trout

Trout in any form remains a useful product. It can be fried, boiled, baked and smoked, and it will be equally healthy.

The benefits of smoked trout

Smoked trout contains:

1. Vitamins, minerals and amino acids. It is when smoked that this fish retains most of its beneficial properties. This type of heat treatment is the most gentle. It allows you to preserve up to 80% of the vitamins, amino acids and microelements contained in fish.
2. Squirrels. Their content is about 25 grams per 100 grams of product.
3. Fats. Fish contains polyunsaturated fatty acids Omega-3, -6 and -9.

If you regularly eat trout, including smoked trout:

• the functioning of the cardiovascular system improves;
• the level of “bad” cholesterol in the blood decreases;
• efficiency increases;
• slows down and stops certain cancer cells;
• brain function is normalized;
• the process of skin photoaging slows down;
• weight decreases.

Harm to trout

Harm from eating smoked trout is possible only in two cases:

• If a person consuming this fish has serious diseases of the genitourinary system or gastrointestinal tract; or he has an individual intolerance to this product.
• If smoked trout was prepared in violation of technology. In this case, there is a risk of infection with helminths and intestinal parasites. When smoking stale fish, there is a risk of serious food poisoning.

In a convection oven

The juiciest trout can be prepared at home using any air fryer. You will need liquid smoke and salt to taste. For this method, trout is cut into steaks or fillet layers are used:

1. The meat is seasoned and brushed with liquid smoke using a pastry brush. Leave to marinate for 40 minutes, placing skin side down.
2. Set the air fryer to 180 degrees and place the meat on the middle rack.
3. Cook at medium speed for 25–30 minutes. If the backbone is easily separated from the meat, then the trout is ready.
4. After cooking, wrap the fish in foil to help it cook better.

Serve slightly cooled along with tomatoes, cucumbers, fresh bell peppers and herbs for beauty.

How to choose trout for smoking

The color of trout individuals depends on their habitat. As a rule, trout meat is pinkish-reddish in color; sometimes there is a white or yellow fillet.

Fish selection rules:

• use only fresh fish;

• selection of specimens of almost the same size (this is necessary so that smoking is carried out evenly).

Fresh fish has bright red gills and bulge-shaped eyes. The presence of any foreign odor indicates deterioration of the product.