Char, what kind of fish, benefits and harms, properties of caviar, how to cook

Char has several unusual qualities. It is able to regulate the size of the intestines depending on living conditions, winter in reservoirs frozen to the bottom, and go without food for about a year. However, for the consumer, fish is interesting for other properties.

It has no scales, which complicates the cooking process; dishes made from char prolong life, strengthen bones, and restore potency. To benefit from the product, you should learn more about fish, its effect on the body, and the nuances of preparation.

Farm in Canada

Inside a fish farm

This is how Arctic char is dried in Nunavut (Canada)

What kind of fish

Char is a predatory representative of the salmon family. Found in mountain lakes and rivers. It also lives in the seas, but does not swim far from fresh waters, where it spawns. It feeds on plankton, caviar, small fish, crustaceans, and mollusks. Some individuals eat their own young. Loaches hunt day and night.

There are several dozen subspecies of this fish, differing in geography and appearance. Their general characteristics:

1. Torpedo-shaped body.
2. Flattened head.
3. There are no large scales.
4. The back and sides are grayish-blue or brownish-green.
5. Reddish belly, becoming brighter during spawning.
6. A strong backbone with long bones (almost no small bones).
7. The meat is red-orange.

Loaches are divided into several forms:

• nautical. It lives off the coast of the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans, and swims to river mouths to breed;
• river. Looks like a trout;
• lake Often found in mountain reservoirs. Due to the lack of a large amount of food, its length does not exceed 40 cm.

Among the subspecies of fish, the most famous are:

1. Far Eastern. Size up to 50 cm, tastes like pink salmon. Distributed in the Kuril Islands, Primorye, Amur Region, Khabarovsk Territory.
2. White or Kamchatka. It is distinguished by the presence of many light spots on the body. The main population lives in Kamchatka.
3. Arctic. It can reach a weight of about 15 kg.
4. Boganidsky or Bogandinsky. Found in Siberia in reservoirs with a good supply of oxygen. In lakes of Karelia it reaches 80 cm in length.

Attention! The Yambuy char is not related to fish. This is the name of the mountain heights in the Sakha Republic.

Peculiarities of behavior of the mustachioed loach

The mustachioed loach prefers to live in fast but shallow rivers that have a sandy and pebble bottom. It loves the upper reaches of rivers, but is also found in estuaries, including lakes with brackish water. It can live in reservoirs, ponds and other artificial reservoirs. It usually swims near the bottom and can tolerate being in bodies of water with poor quality water.

The fish feeds on both plant and animal foods. It eats algae, but does not disdain invertebrates, larvae of various insects, and fish eggs. It can feast on fry or growing individuals of other inhabitants of water bodies. At the same time, the fish itself often becomes prey for predators, so it goes hunting at night.

Char begins to reproduce in the 3rd year of life, when its body length reaches 6 cm. Female fish lay eggs in portions, and the whole process takes time from May to June (in the southern regions, spawning can begin in April). The fish are not very fertile; the maximum number of eggs reaches 22 thousand.

Beneficial features

Red char fish is valued by culinary specialists for its good taste, and doctors often include it in the medical menu. The main list of benefits of char:

• Reduces the risk of blood clots.
• Cleanses the body of cholesterol.
• Strengthens blood vessels.
• Has a beneficial effect on brain function.
• Increases the body's resistance to infections.
• Prevents early skin aging and cell destruction.
• Reduces the likelihood of developing tumors.
• Improves reproductive functions, increases potency.
• Normalizes the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
• Reduces nervousness.
• Saturates the body with calcium.
• Prevents the development of ophthalmic problems.

Habitat

Arctic char is an anadromous species. Its range covers the waters of the Arctic Circle.

However, during the spawning period, fish move to rivers and lakes:

1. Norway.
2. Spitsbergen.
3. Siberia.
4. New Earth.
5. Alaska.
6. Greenland.
7. Kola Peninsula.

Arctic char is found in the Arctic Circle.
Sedentary species live in the Baikal basin, some lakes of the Alps and the Kola Peninsula.

They are smaller and do not migrate to the oceans:

1. The Far Eastern red fish char lives in the rivers of the Amur Region, Khabarovsk Territory, Primorye, as well as in freshwater reservoirs of the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin.
2. The Kamchatka species is found off the coast of the Okhotsk and Bering Seas. It can migrate to feed in the waters of the Pacific Ocean. Most of the population comes to spawn in the rivers of Kamchatka.

Contraindications and possible harm

There are no direct contraindications to consuming char. However, red fish is a potential allergen. People with seafood intolerance should avoid this type of food.

If the rules for preparing and selecting a product are not followed, char can be not only beneficial, but also harmful. The consumer needs to consider the following:

• Stale fish causes food poisoning.
• Char caught in the wild may be infected with helminths. Meat must be subjected to good heat treatment.
• When frying, fillet loses some of its beneficial properties, becomes more caloric, and absorbs harmful cholesterol.

Char fish: harm and contraindications

Despite the large number of positive factors, it is better to avoid eating this fish if:

1. Individual intolerance and allergic reaction (redness or rash on the body).
2. If you are not sure about the quality of char, then avoid eating such a product to avoid food poisoning.
3. The salmon family is in second place in the contamination of meat with parasites (tapeworms and roundworms). This only applies to fish caught in wild waters. Meat infected with parasites contains small larvae the size of a grain of rice, which, when they enter the human body, develop into a mature individual.

Note! It is strictly prohibited to consume such a product in its raw form! The larvae die during heat treatment within 15-20 minutes after boiling.

Source

Pregnant and lactating

Char is recommended for pregnant and lactating women for the following reasons:

1. In the 1st trimester, the vitamins and microminerals included in the product contribute to the normal formation of the neural tube of the embryo. Magnesium, which char is rich in, reduces the possibility of miscarriage, premature birth, and fetal hypoxia.
2. In the second half of pregnancy, fish saturates the mother’s body with the elements necessary for intensive formation of the placenta and restores the woman’s energy costs.
3. Char meat contributes to the normal course of childbirth, as it helps maintain tissue elasticity.
4. The product saturates breast milk with substances beneficial to the baby.

The benefits of fish

1. Omega-3 fatty acids help maintain cholesterol levels in the blood, which is the prevention of cardiovascular diseases and primarily heart attack and stroke, as well as fight various inflammatory processes.

2. Phosphorus and calcium contribute not only to the strengthening of bone tissue in adults, but also to bone growth in children.

3. Potassium is necessary for strengthening and normal functioning of muscle tissue and maintaining normal water-salt balance in the body.

4. B vitamins increase the body’s performance, are beneficial for the nervous system, and help to cope with stress and depression more easily.

5. Selenium helps strengthen the immune system, slows down the aging process, promotes rejuvenation of the body, and reduces the risk of malignant tumors.

6. Dietary meat of this fish is a good product for those who want to lose weight. Its high protein content and lack of fat makes it a good product for any lunch or dinner. If you steam or boil it, then this meat is also suitable for therapeutic nutrition.

7. Vitamin A is necessary to prevent ophthalmic diseases and helps to recover faster from visual stress.

8. Char meat is a natural source of compounds that help normalize sleep and prevent the development of somnological disorders.

What are the benefits of char for women?

The benefits of char for women can be considered from the point of view of body rejuvenation.

Experts have come to a consensus that with regular consumption of char meat, after a short period of time, you can notice that the skin becomes smooth and silky, and acne decreases.

Antioxidants help fight the negative effects of the environment on the skin, strengthen the circulatory system in the body, cell renewal occurs faster, which enhances the anti-aging effect.

Char during pregnancy

The meat of this fish will be useful for pregnant and lactating women. A high concentration of magnesium contributes to the successful gestation of a child and the proper formation of the internal organs of the fetus.

During the period of breastfeeding, it is necessary to include this fish in the daily diet, since the baby will regularly receive the whole range of useful vitamins and microelements through breast milk.

Is char allowed for children?

As mentioned above, the meat of this fish will be useful for strengthening and growing bones in a child, which contributes to the proper development of the small organism as a whole.

A child especially needs magnesium to form the nervous system, as well as selenium to strengthen the immune system and protect the fragile child’s body from infections.

You can introduce a new product into baby food starting from the age of three and in small portions, so as not to provoke an allergic reaction and carefully monitor the baby’s reaction to this fish.

Benefits for older people

1. In old age, there is a risk of developing heart attacks and strokes. And this product, as written above, can act as a preventative against cardiovascular diseases.

2. In older people, bone fragility increases, which leads to frequent fractures, so char meat can reduce the risk of developing this disease.

3. The ability to prolong youth and slow down the aging process of the entire body is also an important factor for older people.

Benefits and harms in diseases

Depending on the disease, experts indicate some features of the impact of char on health:

• hypertension. Fish is rich in substances that help normalize blood pressure. People suffering from pathology are advised to eat 100 g of the product daily;
• pancreatitis. In case of chronic disease in remission, fish helps restore the balance of vitamins and minerals. During an exacerbation, char is prohibited;
• thrombosis. Only properly prepared products are allowed: steamed, grilled, baked in the oven;
• osteoporosis. Red fish - contains substances that promote the accumulation and absorption of calcium. It is advisable for patients to eat char daily.

Description

Appearance

Char is a predatory, cold-loving fish. There are no scales on the body. The color depends on the color of the bottom of the reservoir in which it lives. Can vary from light to dark brown with characteristic spots.

It eats various shellfish with red pigment, so the meat acquires a characteristic color: from orange to deep scarlet (depending on the place of catch).

Where is it found?

Char is found in the waters of northern Russia, from the Kola Peninsula to Kamchatka, as well as Canada, Alaska, and Greenland. It can be found in the Ob, Yenisei, and Lena rivers. The freshwater species inhabits Lake Baikal.

Large-scale fishing is carried out on Novaya Zemlya and in the rivers of Siberia. This is done using a special seine.

Varieties

Char, depending on its habitat, is divided into types: Arctic, river, lake, stream, Pacific, Far Eastern and Kamchatka.

• Arctic is the largest representative of the family: length reaches 90 cm and weight - 16 kg. A predatory lifestyle contributes to the accumulation of mercury salts in the meat of this fish. Therefore, it can be consumed only in limited quantities.
• River - smaller. Weight can reach up to 10 kg, but on average does not exceed 3–4 kg. Body length is up to 50 cm. It has fattier and less harmful meat compared to marine species.
• Kamchatka (white) - lives only in the rivers of Kamchatka and Lake Kronotskoye. Dimensions reach 45 cm, and weight is about 2 kg. It is considered one of the most useful, as it lives in fresh water bodies and does not accumulate toxic compounds.

Attention! Char is one of the fish that is especially susceptible to infection by parasites and lampreys.

Recommendations from nutritionists for losing weight

Nutritionists recommend including red fish in your diet. It is fattier than hake or halibut, but contains more amino acids. If a person has a choice between salmon, salmon or char, it is better to take the latter. Its calorie content is lower than that of the listed varieties. When losing weight, you need to follow several rules:

1. Steam, bake, boil fish.
2. If you are overweight, eat the product 1-2 times a week, 100 g.
3. After eliminating extra pounds, you can use it more often.
4. Avoid smoked, salted, and oil-fried fish.

Nutritional value, calorie content

Nutritional value of char per 100 g:

• proteins – 21 – 23 g;
• fats – 5.48 – 5.7 g;
• carbohydrates – 0;
• cholesterol – 59.83 g;
• water – 72 – 73 g;
• saturated fatty acids – 0.9 g.

Vitamins:

• choline (B4) – 64.7 mg;
• niacin (PP) – 2.92 mg;
• pantothenic acid (B5) – 0.75 mg;
• pyridoxine (B6) – 0.28 mg;
• thiamine (B1) – 0.14 mg;
• tocopherol (E) – 0.18 mg;
• riboflavin (B2) – 0.12 mg;
• retinol (A) – 35.45 mcg;
• folic acid (B9) – 14.98 mcg;
• cobalamins (B12) – 0.97 mcg;
• phylloquinone (K) – 0.098 mcg.

Minerals:

• potassium – 316.577 mg;
• phosphorus – 269.1 mg;
• sodium – 50.91 mg;
• magnesium – 34.416 mg;
• calcium – 25.66 mg;
• zinc – 0.99 mg;
• iron – 0.37 mg;
• manganese – 0.066 mg;
• copper – 71.61 mcg;
• selenium – 12.71 mcg.

100 g of raw char – 134.761 kcal.

Calorie table for different cooking methods

Dried, smoked char

It is not advisable to dry red meat, since the cooking method deprives the product of its unique taste characteristics. Smoked char is considered a delicacy. When processed hot or cold, it retains its tenderness and attractive color.

However, eating fish in this form is dangerous:

1. Artificial colors and flavors are often used in cooking. In addition, during the smoking process, a large number of carcinogens are formed, which contribute to the formation of cancer cells.
2. A hot smoked product loses some of its beneficial elements.
3. A piece of such fish contains more calories than boiled, steamed, grilled or oven-baked fish.

How to choose and store correctly

Frozen char should be selected according to several principles:

1. A high-quality carcass has no creases or cracks.
2. The fins of the fish should be pressed tightly against the body.
3. The natural color of the gills is pink.
4. A normal product has a solid tail and fins.

In the photo you can see the natural appearance of the char. Important points when buying chilled fish:

• after pressing, the dents should level out;
• gills of fresh fish with a pink tint;
• transparent eyes without white film.

A frozen carcass can be stored for up to 7 months in a freezer at a temperature of -18. Fresh fish must be cooked within a maximum of 3 to 4 hours after purchase.

Distribution, habitats and some varieties

Char is quite widespread in almost all European water bodies. On the territory of our country, the fish is found in the waters of the Gulf of Finland, in the basin of the Neva, Volkhov, Northern Dvina, Onega, Vychergda, Mezen, Oka, Pechora, Don, Dnieper, Kuban, Volga, and Ural. In the Terek River basin, most likely, there is no baleen loach, since the Terek subspecies described by Berg in 1898 has an unclear species identity. It could have been mistakenly identified as Krynicki's loach.

Char is a fairly numerous species and has no economic importance. As a rule, experienced fishermen use char as bait. The anadromous form of fish is widespread in a large number of European rivers. The northern and eastern parts are especially rich in this fish. Siberia, Norway, Canada, Greenland and many others are also rich in char. The residential form of char is found on Lake Baikal and in the reservoirs of the Alps.

Char is predominantly a schooling fish, which mainly tries to stay in bottom areas with decent depth. And only while passing the shallows does he separate from the flock. Lake char is found in the reservoirs of the Kola Peninsula, as well as in northern Siberia. Unlike the river species, the lake species is large in size and reaches up to 70 centimeters. This species leads a sedentary lifestyle under stones or among cracks, algae and snags.

What products does it combine with?

Char is best paired with vegetables.
Those who like to experiment should take into account that the simultaneous consumption of incompatible ingredients leads to digestive disorders and reduced absorption of nutrients. Compatibility table with other products

Cooking secrets

Important preparation steps:

1. Proper defrosting of the carcass.
2. Cutting.

When defrosting, you need to take into account a number of features:

• the fish does not lose excess water if the process takes place slowly in the refrigerator;
• to preserve natural moisture, you need to cover the carcass with plastic wrap;
• Do not defrost fish in the microwave, expose it to contrasting temperatures, or bend it.

Cutting rules:

1. Use a knife to remove small scales from the carcass.
2. Remove fins and gills.
3. When ripping open the belly, make a shallow incision from head to tail without damaging the gall bladder.
4. To remove the backbone and bones, it is better to cut the carcass half-thawed.

Advice. If the bile still spreads, you need to cut off the top layer of the affected pulp or treat the area with lemon juice.

You can cook many dishes from char in a frying pan, in a slow cooker, or in the oven. Several recipes are offered to the reader's attention.

Char baked in foil with vegetables

Compound:

• 2 medium fish carcasses;
• 1 small carrot;
• 2 tomatoes;
• 1 sweet pepper;
• several sprigs of parsley;
• 2 tbsp. spoons of olive oil;
• a pinch of Italian herbs;
• 0.5 lemon;
• salt to taste.

Stages:

1. For the sauce, mix herbs, salt, olive oil, lemon juice.
2. Cut the fish into medium pieces, vegetables into rings or half rings.
3. Make bags out of foil and fill them in the following order: carrots, tomatoes, peppers, herbs, char.
4. Pour the sauce over the dish, seal with foil, and place in the oven.
5. Bake at 180 - 200 degrees for 30 - 40 minutes.

Char pie

Ingredients:

• 500 g puff pastry;
• 800 g fish fillet;
• 2 onions;
• 3 chicken eggs;
• spices and salt to taste.

Preparation:

1. Boil the eggs and cut into cubes.
2. Divide the fillet into medium pieces, the onion into half rings, mix, fry and cool.
3. Place half of the dough on a baking sheet, fill with filling: 1st layer - eggs, 2nd - fish with onions.
4. Cover the pie with the remaining dough and pinch the edges.
5. Bake until golden brown at 190 degrees.

Char soup

Compound:

• 1 fish carcass without entrails;
• 2 units each tomato and potato;
• 1 medium onion and 1 carrot each;
• 3 liters of water;
• salt to taste, spices, herbs.

Cooking steps:

1. Place the loach in cold liquid.
2. Bring to a boil, add salt and collect foam.
3. Boil for 15 - 20 minutes, remove the fish.
4. Add chopped vegetables and spices to the broth.
5. Bring the potatoes until cooked and add the char meat separated from the bones, cook for 1 - 2 minutes.
6. Sprinkle with herbs before serving.

How to salt fish at home

Only fish that has not been frozen should be salted. According to housewives, char cooked according to the following recipe turns out delicious:

1. Divide the fish lengthwise into two parts.
2. Mix salt and sugar 2:1 (1 kg of raw materials – 100 g of dry marinade).
3. In a deep container, mix the carcass with the prepared mixture.
4. Close the container tightly and put it in the refrigerator.
5. After 12 hours, shake the fish to remove excess marinade and leave for another 12 hours.
6. Before serving, cut into slices and sprinkle with spices or herbs.

Cooking methods

Char is a versatile fish. It turns out incredibly tasty any way you cook it.

How to bake whole in the oven?

Oven-baked char has a pleasant aroma and a very tasty fried crust. To prepare, the fish is cut, rubbed with spices, coated with sour cream or butter. Next, put it in foil, and sprinkle onion, garlic or lemon on top - it all depends on personal preference. After pinching the foil on all sides, the loaches are placed in an oven preheated to 200 °C. It takes about 30-35 minutes to bake the fish until it is fully cooked. For those who want to enjoy an appetizing crispy crust, it is recommended to open the top of the foil 5-10 minutes before the end of cooking.

To get a complete dish for the table, you can add vegetables or potatoes to the fish in foil.

How to fry in a frying pan?

For frying, the char is pre-cut, cut into small pieces, or a whole fillet is taken for frying. The fish is coated with salt and spices, and then, if desired, dipped in crackers or batter. The next step is to pour a little vegetable oil into the frying pan and, after heating it, lower the fish into it. Fry the char for several minutes on all sides.

How to steam?

Steamed char will be useful for people who follow a healthy diet, those on a diet and those who simply do not like heavy fried food.

To prepare steamed fish, you will need a steamer or multicooker. Peeled and cut into pieces, the loach is coated with salt and spices to taste, and then placed in the bowl of the kitchen device. The fish is cooked for 20 minutes.

Those who do not have a modern appliance should not despair; you can steam fish the old-fashioned way - in a water bath. To do this, pour water into the pan, and place an iron colander on top so that it does not touch the water. Place the fish in a colander, place the pan on the water and boil. The resulting steam will be enough to cook the dish.

How to salt fish?

The best way to prepare it is to salt the char using the dry salting method. To do this, the fish is pre-washed and wiped dry. In a separate bowl, mix salt and sugar in a 2:1 ratio, respectively. Part of the mixture is poured into a deep salting container, then chopped pieces of fish are laid out and the remaining amount of salt and sugar is added. Char is salted at the rate of 100 g of bulk mixture per 1 kg of fish. The container with the product is placed in the refrigerator overnight.

The next day, the fish is taken out, shaken off the salt, washed and dried. Next comes the second stage of salting: the loach is rubbed with ground black pepper, placed in a deep container, and chopped pepper is placed on top of the fish. After 2 hours in the refrigerator, the char will be ready to eat.

How to smoke?

There are two ways to smoke char – cold and hot smoking.

Hot way

To prepare hot smoking, the loach is initially cut and dried. Afterwards, the fish is immersed in a special marinade for 8 hours. It is prepared like this: a glass of soy sauce is mixed with a glass of semi-sweet wine, lemon juice and spices to taste. The marinade is boiled, poured over the fish and placed in the refrigerator.

After marinating, the carcasses are hung out for several hours to dry. The next step is to place the fish on the pre-oiled smokehouse grates. The smokehouse is covered with a lid and placed on a grill, stove or other fire source. At a temperature of 80-110 °C, the fish is cooked for about half an hour.

Cold way

The technology for preparing char in a cold way is as follows:

1. Mix a liter of water, 2 pcs. bay leaf, 4 tbsp. salt, 3 cloves, several peas each of allspice and black pepper.
2. The resulting mixture is poured into a saucepan and brought to a boil. Add lemon juice.
3. Place the fish in a container, fill it with chilled brine and, having installed the press, put it in the refrigerator for a day.
4. Every other day, the fish is taken out and thoroughly dried.
5. Fish carcasses are hung outside for a day, tail down, to dry completely.
6. The fish is placed on the grates in the smokehouse, the wood chips are set on fire and the smoking process begins.

Cold smoking requires constant maintenance of a temperature not exceeding 30 °C. Cooking time depends on the size of the carcass. It can vary from 8 hours to one and a half days.

How to cook on the barbecue and grill?

Cooking fish on the grill and on the grill have similarities. The loaches are first cleaned, gutted, and coated with salt, pepper and other spices. Next, the carcasses are placed on a grill or grill and fried on each side for 7-10 minutes.