Useful properties and possible harm of burbot fish

Historical background and place of burbot in Russian cuisine

Russian book historian Olga Syutkina notes that there was practically no freshwater predator in Russian cuisine. The first mention of it under the name “menek” is found in Domostroy, a monument of Russian literature of the 16th century. Ignatius Radetsky in his “Almanac of Gastronomers” mentions a recipe for sterlet fish soup with burbot liver.

Despite its healthy meat and nutritious liver, burbot has never been a popular fish. This is because it is a seasonal fish that is difficult to catch. Burbot does not travel in schools, but migrates alone, like a catfish. In the old days, they liked liver more than burbot fillet. In the 19th century, pates, sautés and matlotes were prepared from it, and pies were filled with meat.

Types of burbot

The freshwater predator chooses cold water bodies with underwater springs, takes root in clean waters and leaves polluted places. The bulk of burbot is found in northern rivers and lakes; subspecies of burbot are found in the southern regions.

Among them is the galea, a fish up to 50 cm long that lives in the coastal zone with the rocky bottom of the Black, Mediterranean and Azov seas. Another subspecies includes the Mediterranean with three mustaches, which grows up to 35 cm and is found in the Mediterranean Sea. Sea burbot is a fish called menek, up to 120 cm long and weighing up to 30 kg. It belongs to the monothepic genus Brosme of the Cod family. Found in northern waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

The number of common burbot exceeds the number of subspecies individuals. It is caught in large numbers for sale. Frost-Fish supplies real freshwater burbot caught in Yakutia and other regions of the Russian Federation, and not representatives of its marine subspecies.

Northern burbot is fattier and tastier than southern burbot. It is actively fished from the beginning of March to the end of April, when smelt emerge, on which the river predator feeds.

What to catch burbot with: tackle and bait

I even got a little tense. What to use to catch burbot? If you stretch your fingers, there is enough gear to catch freshwater cod. Unfortunately, only a small number of them can be classified as sport fishing. The bulk are echoes of bygone times. They are also used in villages for mass procurement of fish. But, judging by the firm progress of legislation, the scam may soon be covered up. It's for the better.

Based on this, I will skip the review of muzzles, partitions, vents, prisons and piers. As well as about prohibited poking. But I’ll tell you about active and conditionally active gear.

Underwater hunting for burbot could also be mentioned. However, hand on heart, I don’t accept it as fishing. In my opinion, it looks like going to the store. I chose the largest fish, shot and was satisfied. Yes, and it’s good if so. A hunter with a gun can significantly reduce the burbot population in an area if he gets it into his head to make money from it.

So.

Tackle

The most popular sports gear for catching burbot are:

• Donka (trick).
• Squealing, or flashing of burbot.
• Winter zherlitsa, or supply.
• Shore fishing with a float rod.

In order not to repeat myself, I have provided links to already published material. As for coastal fishing for burbot using a float rod, to tell the truth, now rarely anyone indulges in fishing tackle.

Firstly, good fishing spots were flooded by the reservoir.

Secondly, it’s rare for anyone to dare to go to the river early in the morning, light a fire and watch the float. And the trophy will be “head and tail”. Pampering, in a word. And so, during the period of happy childhood, in the summer and early autumn, the boys and I often took fishing rods with worms, climbed onto the self-catchers (garages for boats) standing on the shore and calmly caught small burbots.

Now, when time allows or you want delicious juicy burbot cutlets, take a drill, a burbot fishing rod, or a spinning rod for open areas.

Bait

Regular bait:

• Earthworm.
• Bark beetle
• Lamprey (loach, seven-hole).
• Whitefish caught in the dark (dace, sorozhka, grayling).
• You can buy frozen shrimp at the store.
• At worst, a silicone bait or a fragrant piece of foam rubber soaked in fir oil.

Find out about your food preferences while fishing or what burbot bites best by clicking on the link.

Burbot habitats

Burbot inhabits rivers and lakes everywhere in the northern and middle latitudes of Russia. More often found in rivers flowing into the Arctic Ocean. In Siberian reservoirs it grows up to 1 m and gains over 20 kg of weight. In the middle zone, its weight reaches 1 kg, less often 5-6 kg. In European countries, burbot is widespread, and in some it is completely destroyed. Local authorities are combating declining freshwater fish populations by setting fishing quotas or banning them entirely.

Burbot can be found in the waters of the Scandinavian Peninsula. Distributed in Finland, Norway, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

List of countries where burbot populations have become extinct or declined:

• British Isles. The last burbot was caught in 1969.
• Belgium. After the complete destruction of the species in the 70s, the authorities are engaged in its restoration.
• Germany. Almost completely exterminated and occasionally found in the Danube, which originates in the Black Forest mountains.
• Netherlands. Endangered.

France, Hungary and Austria have assigned the freshwater predator the status of a vulnerable species, Bulgaria - the status of a rare species. Fishing has been banned in Slovenia, and in Poland its numbers continue to decline.

In the Northern Hemisphere, burbot is treated differently. There is a lot of it in water bodies of the USA and Canada. If in Alaska fishermen consider it a trophy for winter fishing, then in the United States it is called a trash fish, just as it was once in the Russian Empire. The authorities do not set any restrictions on catching the predator, unlike in Russia, where a ban on fishing during spawning is imposed.

Burbot fish, photo and description

Initially I wanted to refuse to describe what the burbot fish looks like. The fish is such that it is impossible to confuse it with another representative of the ichthyofauna. For clarity, you can look at the photo.

The handsome man was caught on Lake Onega and weighed 15 kg.

I won’t lie, I didn’t have to catch such monsters. Yes, so far there is no particular desire. It’s possible for the sake of sports excitement, but from a culinary point of view, definitely not. I’ll tell you a secret that the most delicious burbot are fish weighing from 2 to 5 kg. But more on that later.

We periodically have cases of catching “snotty ones” of this size on the Angara. But less and less often. With the construction of the Boguchanskaya hydroelectric power station, a lot has changed. Now the usual size is from 1.5 to 4 kg. The maximum size, according to ichthyologists, is a length of slightly more than 1 m and a weight of 25 kg.

The elongated body is covered with small rounded scales. Regardless of the season of the year, the body is slippery because it is abundantly lubricated with mucus.

Big mouth. One unpaired antennae grows on the chin. The body has 2 dorsal fins, a long anal fin, paired rounded pectoral fins and pelvic fins located in front of the pectoral fins. The elongated pelvic fins bear sensory cells similar to those on the antennae.

Coloration may vary depending on habitat, soil characteristics, water and age. Usually it is greenish-yellow with many spots of various shapes.

Sometimes articles contain lines about catching light forms. Whether to believe this miracle or not, I don’t know. However, aquarium lovers sometimes have white burbot living in “jars”. Not an albino. Pigment spots are present on the body. But the overall light color makes it called “white”.

In general, no matter how much I searched on the Internet, I couldn’t find any documented cases of catching white burbot. The photos posted are the works of aquarists.

So. We figured out what burbot fish looks like. Let's rush on.

When is burbot caught?

Burbot is a nocturnal, cold-blooded predator that walks on rocky or muddy bottoms at temperatures no higher than +15°C. In the summer, when the reservoir warms up, it hibernates and fattens only at night. Behaves restlessly during the full moon. It thrives in cold water, when the temperature drops to zero and the surface is covered with ice. They catch burbot from September to May, with advantage on moonless nights with inclement weather.

In what form can you buy burbot?

A fresh, uneviscerated carcass is sold in places where predators are caught. Burbot is sent to the regions of Russia and neighboring countries in fresh frozen form. It is difficult to deliver fresh northern fish to the regions. It is frozen on fishing vessels with refrigerated containers. Carcasses retain their beneficial properties thanks to shock freezing at -20°C. In the north, burbot is not particularly favored, considering it a cheap and unprofitable fish to catch compared to whitefish and nelma, for which they pay more.

Fillet pieces are preserved and burbot liver, rich in fats, Omega-3 and beneficial microelements, is sold separately. Fresh and frozen carcasses are used in the preparation of first and second courses. Burbot is served salted, fried, boiled and smoked.

Fish is valued for its high protein content and complete absence of carbohydrates. Fatty liver, which accounts for about 10% of the total weight of burbot, is easily absorbed by the body. Fillet and offal are recommended for people on diets and suffering from various diseases.

Burbot cleaning

There is another way to remove scales from fresh fish:

• first eliminate the mucus;
• then freeze the carcass a little - so that only the skin sets;
• After this, the scales are scraped off with a knife under running water.

However, it is easier to remove the skin after first removing the entrails, fins and head - cut the skin along the ridge and abdomen. Remove from one side, from the top corner of the head, then from the other.

How to clean frozen burbot

Experienced fishermen cut the fish with a hacksaw and clean each piece separately.

Great care should be taken not to damage the gall bladder, as its contents can make the meat bitter and unusable.

If you don’t want to take risks, then place the fish under running cold water and as soon as the scales thaw, scrape them off with a knife, then leave the fish in water or at room temperature until completely thawed. Then they clean it like a fresh one.

How to skin a stocking

You can remove the skin using pliers:

• first you need to cut out the fins and make a circular cut in the skin near the head;
• then use a knife to separate the skin from the flesh of the body so that you can pick it up with pliers;
• remove in one motion.

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If the head on the carcass is not needed, it will be removed immediately. If you plan to beautifully serve a dish where the burbot will be with its head (for example, stuffed and baked whole), then the gills should be removed from it and carefully scraped with a knife. After this, the carcasses begin to be gutted.

The skin is removed from large specimens with a stocking; small fish are not suitable for this purpose.

You can also gut the fish first, and then:

• separate the head;
• cut the carcass lengthwise into two halves;
• Rinse;
• remove the bones;
• Remove the skin using the same pliers.

Thus, the finished fillet is obtained.

Burbot pulp has a delicate texture and a pleasant, sweetish taste. Cooked in the oven with milk or cream, it is simply incomparable.

Calorie content and composition

The meat of the river predator is low-calorie. 100 g contains only 81 kcal. As a percentage, the product consists of 93% proteins and 7% fats. It is added to the diet of athletes on a strict diet. Calorie content can be further reduced by steaming the fish or baking it in the oven.

Chemical composition of 100 g fillet:

• potassium - 270 mg;
• copper - 200 mcg;
• phosphorus - 191 mg;
• sodium - 97 mg;
• calcium - 32 mg;
• vitamin PP - 1.62 mg;
• iron - 1.4 mg;
• zinc - 0.76 mg;
• manganese - 0.7 mg;
• vitamin B2 - 0.141 mg;
• vitamin B1 - 0.372 mg;
• vitamin B6 - 0.3 mg;
• vitamin B5 - 0.15 mg;
• vitamin A - 5 mcg;
• vitamin B9 - 1 mcg;
• vitamin B12 - 0.8 mcg;
• selenium - 12.6 mcg.

100 g of burbot contains 0.192 g of Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid and 0.105 g of Omega-6.

Beneficial properties of burbot and nutritional value

This fish contains a whole pantry of useful minerals and vitamins, polyunsaturated fatty acids. Large amounts of sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, as well as phosphorus, make its value almost invaluable. Burbot meat contains vitamins A and B, which are not only necessary for the body, but are also easily absorbed. It has been proven that eating this product at least once a week will strengthen the heart muscle and protect against heart attack and other serious diseases.

Burbot liver contains a lot of healthy fats - 60%-65%. Even with such fat content, this is an excellent dietary product. Despite the high nutritional properties, the calorie content of this fish is low: 100 grams of burbot meat contains only 88 kilocalories.

The benefits of burbot

Thanks to a large amount of minerals and vitamins, burbot saturates the body with energy, improves metabolism, and supports the normal functioning of the nervous, cardiovascular and digestive systems. Regular consumption helps the immune system respond to irritants, improves skin condition and reduces the risk of developing hypertension and heart disease.

The nutritional value and chemical composition make burbot useful for people who adhere to a healthy diet and want to lose excess weight.

Thanks to its characteristics, burbot is capable of:

• dull the feeling of hunger for a long time;
• quickly restore strength after physical activity;
• protect against stroke and heart attack;
• strengthen blood vessels;
• improve heart function;
• prevent the emergence and development of neurological diseases;
• strengthen bones;
• prevent the development of osteoporosis and arthritis;
• improve thinking;
• maintain visual acuity;
• increase resistance to colds;
• alleviate the condition of people suffering from diabetes;
• prevent intrauterine pathology of fetal development.

The unique properties of burbot will not heal, but will strengthen the immune system and help fight serious diseases or avoid them altogether.

How is burbot good for children?

Burbot is useful for adults and children. Pediatricians recommend giving children under 3 years of age sea fish with white meat. Complementary feeding is not started with burbot; it is given at the age of one year and older.

Cod fish contributes to:

• normal formation of the spine;
• laying healthy teeth;
• improving thinking and memory;
• strengthening the immune system;
• preventing the development of rickets.

For a small child, 1 teaspoon of boiled burbot fillet is enough. A small amount is given as a sample to check whether you are allergic to the river predator or not. In the absence of individual intolerance, no more than 50 g of fish can be given 2 times a week. Starting from 7 years old, the portion is increased to 70 g of fish per day, and after 14 years - to 100 g. Children are prepared with steamed fish cutlets, stewed or baked fillets with vegetables.

How to fry burbot

Products:

• Burbot – 500 grams
• Flour - 2 tablespoons
• Butter - cube 50 grams
• Tomato - 1 piece
• Salt - 1 teaspoon
• Ground black pepper - 0.5 teaspoon
• Parsley - a few sprigs

How to fry burbot

1. Process burbot: rinse under running water and, for ease of further processing, wipe with a napkin.
2. Gut the burbot, remove the entrails, remove the skin and remove the bones.
3. Cut the burbot into portions with a side of 5-7 centimeters.
4. Rub the burbot pieces with salt and pepper.
5. Place a piece of butter in a frying pan and place the frying pan on the heat.
6. While the butter is melting, pour flour into a bowl and roll each piece of burbot in it.
7. Place the breaded fish pieces in the pan and fry for 5 minutes, then flip and fry for another 5 minutes.
8. Wash and cut the tomato into thin slices.
9. Wash the parsley, dry and finely chop.

Serve the fried burbot, placing a slice of tomato on each piece and a handful of herbs.

Burbot - a product for disease prevention

The easily digestible dietary meat of the river predator contains many substances necessary to maintain health. It is prepared like any other river fish, adding to soups, salads and main dishes.

Against diseases of the cardiovascular system

If there is a predisposition to heart disease or existing pathologies, burbot is recommended. Fish oil promotes recovery and reduces the risk of disease in still healthy people.

How burbot fatty acids are beneficial for the cardiovascular system:

• normalize cholesterol levels;
• remove cholesterol plaques on the walls of blood vessels;
• prevent the development of coronary heart disease and atherosclerosis.
• strengthen the coronary arteries;
• increase the elasticity of blood vessels;
• help improve heart function.

Burbot meat normalizes blood pressure and improves blood viscosity.

Against diseases of the musculoskeletal system

Fish strengthens bones, reduces pain and inflammation in joints, and prevents bone loss. Burbot liver fat stops the development of osteoporosis and forms cartilage tissue in children. Relieves pain from rheumatoid arthritis and blocks processes that destroy articular cartilage. By adding burbot to your weekly diet, your joints will become more mobile.

Burbot is the same source of protein as sturgeon, perch and flounder. Together with the calcium and phosphorus it contains, it strengthens bone tissue and promotes the normal development of the musculoskeletal system, which is especially important in childhood.

How is burbot useful for pregnant women?

Burbot is useful for expectant mothers due to its high concentration of calcium and phosphorus. The diet of pregnant women should alternate between river fish and sea fish. It is enough to alternately cook burbot, cod, perch, trout or sardine a couple of times a week. Burbot fat strengthens the body of a pregnant woman and promotes the normal development of the fetus.

According to a study by scientists at the University of Bristol, Omega-3 protects a woman from premature birth. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found in its study that children with higher intelligence received a sufficient amount of polyunsaturated acids inside the womb.

The vitamin and mineral composition normalizes metabolic processes in cells, thereby slowing down the aging process. Burbot nourishes the skin, prevents the appearance of wrinkles and helps fight acne. Improves hair condition, restores healthy shine and strengthens hair follicle.

Dietary fish for weight loss

Burbot is an ideal product on the way to a slim figure. Most diets are based on reducing carbohydrates, and the river carnivore has none at all. For example, the Atkins diet alters metabolism by limiting carbohydrate intake. With a low-carbohydrate diet, the body begins ketosis - a process in which fat is broken down due to carbohydrate starvation at the cellular level.

Northern fish is rich in microelements and vitamins that improve the condition of the skin, so that it retains its elasticity and does not sag during weight loss. The high concentration of proteins allows you to feel full after eating a low-calorie dish. There will be no loss of strength on a fish diet. It is better to cook vegetables with burbot, stewed or baked in the oven.

Is burbot a tasty fish?

There was a time when burbot was not considered a delicacy. I'll tell you one case.

At that time I was still a pioneer. The NVP teacher drove us around the nearest villages to help WWII veterans. Where to chop wood, fetch water, to help with housework, in a word. Along the way, they collected information about their native area and people. And then one day one grandmother told us that during the war they lived poorly - they ate burbot.

The male population went to the front; there was no one to catch taimen, sturgeon, grayling and whitefish. Women and children remained. We had to use simple fishing gear and catch mainly trash fish.

Now the preferences of the Angara residents have changed. The grandiose construction projects of the century destroyed the fish river. Now we have to rejoice in everything the river gives. Or maybe people's taste preferences have changed? I won't say for sure. But no one will definitely refuse burbot cutlets, fried pieces in a frying pan or baked in the oven. Although they continue to catch fish as food for dogs or as bait for hunting.

There are few bones in burbot, but a lot of meat. The burbot fish soup is just as tasty.

In addition to meat, burbot liver (maxa) is considered a delicacy.

Due to massive cases of burbot infection with diphyllobothriasis, only a suicide will decide to eat stroganina. However, in the north there are fewer problems with this disease (I would like to believe this). That’s why videos and notes about raw food diets appear periodically. I don’t recommend trying your luck, but I will say that a tasty dish is made with pepper, garlic and salt.

That's it. In conclusion, I suggest watching a short video from fellow countrymen from Krasnoyarsk. Be sure to look for something interesting in the plot that I overlooked (or maybe on purpose). If you have any questions, write in the comments.

Many housewives rarely use a product such as burbot fish in cooking. But in vain, because such an inhabitant of fresh water bodies is considered the “cleanest”, since it simply cannot survive in muddy waters. In addition, its meat has excellent taste and beneficial substances for our body. If you don’t know what kind of burbot fish this is and how to cook it, then read our article.

Contraindications and harm

The fatty liver of burbot poses a potential threat to people with urolithiasis. Tender meat can cause an allergic reaction in people with individual intolerance to fish.

Burbot is contraindicated for:

• kidney and gallstones;
• hypercalcemia - increased concentration of calcium in the blood plasma;
• pathology and liver diseases;
• allergies to fish oil.

If there are no contraindications, dishes with burbot can be prepared for adults, pregnant women and children.

Which is better: burbot liver or cod liver?

In the USSR, cod became popular not only because of the benefits of the liver, but because of the large number of individuals. Compared to cod, much less burbot was caught, although its liver is just as healthy, but fattier. Cod has a denser liver, while burbot has a more flavorful liver.

The liver is glazed, vacuum-sealed or preserved to preserve its beneficial properties and not lose its delicate taste. It can be frozen for a short time. The longer it sits in the freezer, the more bitterness will appear in the taste.

Is it possible to catch burbot during the day?

Of course you can. There is a lot of evidence for this. With the onset of dusk it becomes active. However, it does not lose its predatory tendencies even during the day.

Previously, many fishing booths were put up on the ice on the Angara. They were about 1.5 by 2 - 3 meters in size. They insulated it and put a potbelly stove inside. Having found the path, a hole was drilled, which became wider over time after spilling boiling water. This house was installed on top. So the fishermen spent their time fishing day and night.

In the spring, on the last ice you can often hear swearing on the ice. A fisherman is sitting, catching fish with a spinner, a spinner or a jig. He rejoices at the catchy tackle. Then a splash, a grip, a fight with the fish and not always thin tackle allows you to defeat the snotty one. And this is during the day, when the sun is warm.

So, don’t be shy about going out to catch burbot during the day.

Fish oil from burbot liver is a source of Omega-3, vitamin A and D

The benefits of fish oil, which was fed to children in the USSR, have been known for a long time. Our ancestors learned to extract it by hand. In the study of the ancient methods of preparing fish oil by the Evenks, which was carried out by Stepanov K.M., Koryakona N.N. and Popova Z., it is written about catching burbot and extracting fish oil.

Hereditary fishermen say that the Evenks, a people living in Yakutia and Eastern Siberia, extracted fat from fish caught in the spring and early summer in the Lena River. In spring, river flows weaken and fish become fatty. During this period, the freshly caught fish was cut, the giblets were removed, and the gall bladder was separated from the liver. The washed entrails were placed in a hot frying pan. At high temperatures, fat was released, which was drained and settled at +2°C.

According to the second method, a large catch of burbot was gutted, the entrails were placed in a bowl and covered with a lid. The liver was left for a day at room temperature. Under pressure, light fat flowed out of the liver. With this processing method, a pungent odor and bitter fishy taste remained.

Evenks still freeze burbot livers to prepare stroganina. Seasoned thin slices of liver are served at the table.

What is special about the processing?

The abundance of natural mucus and the size of the scales make cleaning difficult. The method of processing fish is chosen based on the cooking recipe.

What scales does burbot have and does it need to be cleaned?

The scales are very small, so if the fish is going to be grilled, they are left on. If you plan to fry burbot in a frying pan, then remove the scales with a knife and lower the fish into the water. It is also recommended to remove the scales when preparing fish soup, so the broth will be cleaner and more pleasant to the taste. When baking burbot in the oven, it is better to remove all the skin.

How to remove mucus

Before getting to the scales or skin, you have to rid the carcass of copious mucus. To do this, you can pour boiling water over the fish. The slippery mass will curl up and can be easily removed with a knife along with the scales. The second well-known trick is to remove mucus with salt. Dip the carcass in it and wash it off after a few minutes, helping with a knife. Then dry it and you can start gutting and cutting.

What's edible in offal

Milk and caviar are used for food - fried or salted. But burbot liver is considered a real delicacy, since it is almost identical in composition to cod liver.

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At the same time, the calorie content is 613 kcal, while the cod organ contains 420 kcal.

Some fishermen beat freshly caught burbot with a stick, because it is believed that then the liver increases in size and becomes tastier. The method is strange and completely inhumane, but unfortunately it still occurs in some remote villages.

You can prepare it in different ways. The simplest recipe is the Yakut one: the pieces are rolled in flour, quickly fried in a frying pan, then seasoned with salt and pepper. In addition, a pate is made from the liver, to which mushrooms, herbs, nutmeg and salt are added. It is also stewed with vegetables and canned.

In general, when cutting burbot at home, there is little waste, since both the pulp and internal organs are used for food.