Smoking carp at home: cold and hot methods

Carp is a popular freshwater fish that belongs to the cyprinid species. It is fried in vegetable oil, baked in the oven with onions, lemon and white wine, and cooked in fish soup. A recipe for smoked carp at home is a wonderful snack for beer, which has no equal in taste.

Beautifully served smoked carp

Calorie content and composition

Domesticated carp meat is a rich source of protein: 100 g - 18.2 g of protein, 2.6 g of fat, no carbohydrates. Protein is most needed by growing children and athletes. Calorie content per 100 g of meat – 97 kcal.

In addition to protein and fats, most of the nutritional value comes from vitamins: A, E, C, PP, B1 and B2, niacin. Among the macro- and microelements with a high content are:

Nutrient	Quantity per product
Calorie content (kcal)	97
Proteins (g)	18,2
Fat (g)	2,7
Carbohydrates (g)	0
Water (g)	78
Vitamin A, RE (mcg)	10
Retinol (mg)	0,01
Vitamin B1, thiamine (mg)	0,13
Vitamin B2, riboflavin (mg)	0,12
Vitamin C, ascorbic acid (mg)	1,5
Vitamin E, alpha tocopherol, TE (mg)	0,5
Vitamin RR, NE (mg)	6,2
Niacin (mg)	2,8
Potassium, K (mg)	280
Calcium, Ca (mg)	35
Magnesium, Mg (mg)	25
Sodium, Na (mg)	55
Sulfur, S (mg)	182
Phosphorus, Ph (mg)	220
Chlorine, Cl (mg)	165
Iron, Fe (mg)	0,6
Iodine, I (µg)	50
Cobalt, Co (µg)	20
Manganese, Mn (mg)	0,05
Molybdenum, Mo (µg)	4
Nickel, Ni (µg)	6
Fluoride, F (µg)	430
Chromium, Cr (µg)	55
Zinc, Zn (mg)	0,7

When cooking fish, the calorie content of smoked carp meat remains virtually unchanged; at most, it becomes 20 units higher.

The calorie content of hot-smoked carp is 109 kcal.

Useful and harmful properties

The rich phosphorus content in meat ensures normal function of the musculoskeletal system, and the presence of fatty acids helps reduce cholesterol levels in the blood.

Carp contains only 50 mg of cholesterol, so it is considered a dietary fish. The nutritional value of cold smoked carp lies in the absence of connective tissue, so it is quickly absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract. This is important for overweight people.

Vitamins of group B, PP are necessary to improve the condition of skin and hair. The iron content is high, so regular consumption of carp meat replenishes the lack of microelement in the body and improves blood composition.

The product is included in the treatment menu for inflammation of the pancreas and obesity. Periodic consumption of fish stabilizes the heart rhythm.

Carp caviar is very nutritious. These are polyunsaturated fatty acids, as well as lecithin and a set of other minerals.

Fresh carp caviar

Carp is a domesticated carp. Only breeds that are found in dirty water bodies can cause harm to the human body. The fish is unpretentious in food and absorbs harmful substances - metal oxides and waste oil products.

In addition, any smoked product absorbs a lot of smoke carcinogens. Therefore, people with problems with the digestive organs are not recommended to eat smoked meats. This negative effect especially affects the liver. This is the main cleansing filter of the human body. Carp meat is healthy, but the long smoking process impregnates it with resin, soot, and soot.

The choice of fish when purchasing is very important. Such products must be purchased fresh. As a result of long-term storage, mucus forms on the scales, the gills lose their red color, and the eyes become cloudy.

Very often, large carp are sold in portioned pieces without scales. When choosing such a fish, it should have a river smell, and when you press on the flesh with your finger, the place is quickly restored back, no hole remains.

Carp caviar: benefits and harms

Carp caviar has a beneficial effect on the organs and systems of the human body:

immunity increases;
hemoglobin level is balanced;
cholesterol levels drop;
vision improves;
the functioning of the thyroid gland is normalized.

Despite this positive effect, carp caviar can also cause harm to the body, but only if a person suffers from intolerance to fish products.

Calorie content of carp caviar, its composition and nutrition

Carp caviar contains 179 kcal, nutritionists advise eating it. The composition of carp caviar includes the most necessary elements for human life:

lecithin;
polyunsaturated fatty acids;
vitamins (A, D, E and group B);
phosphorus;
iron.

100 g of this product contains fats (12.5 g), proteins (18.5 g) and carbohydrates (1.0 g), which are easily absorbed in the human body.

Hot way

Before the smoking process, fish should first be salted whole or gutted. Small carcasses are washed, rubbed with salt and placed whole in a refrigeration unit. The salting period depends on the size of the fish: medium-sized specimens take a day, large ones – two days. If the carapaces are small, then salt them for a short time, remove excess salt and dry them.

Large fish are cut along the back and the backbone and entrails are removed, leaving the scales behind. Having flattened the carcass, make cuts, rub in salt and place in a cold place for 5 hours.

For 1 kg of product you need:

40 g salt (this is approximately 2 tbsp.);
1 tsp. ground black pepper.

The process of preparing carp meat is not much different from smoking other types of fish:

If the carp is completely placed in the smoking chamber, then the head and tail are not removed. If these parts are cut off, then they are sent to fish soup. Fat dripping from the fish will degrade the quality of the dish, so a tray is placed above the sawdust to collect it.

Carp prepared for smoking in a smokehouse
A little sawdust and fruit tree chips are poured into the bottom of the chamber. The best are considered to be branches of bird cherry and apple trees. The sawdust should be sprinkled with a little water.
Ready time depends on the type of smoking chamber and the size of the fish. Identified by its golden color and specific aroma. The meat comes off the bones easily.

Many housewives liked the carp, and the smokehouse allows you to get an exquisite delicacy. There are several recipes for cooking carp.

Selection of raw materials

Usually they take poplar, chestnut, maple, alder, and oak wood. If you add juniper, the product will get a golden hue and a unique smell. Do not use pine and birch needles for smoking - they contain a lot of resin. To produce smoke you will need twigs and sawdust without mold.

Universal method

The usual recipe for cooking carp in a smokehouse involves using various spices: herbs, dill, parsley, coriander, onions.

To obtain a special smell, you can experiment with apple or cherry wood chips. You can combine sawdust: aspen will give the fish a golden color, and pine will give it a bronze color; you can add a few cones to give a good heat.

Required Products:

fresh fish;
1 tbsp. l. table salt per 1 kg;
1 tsp. ground black or white pepper as desired.

The cooking process is always the same, only the ingredients differ in different recipes:

Clean the fish from the back, wash it, rub the carcasses with a mixture of salt and pepper, and marinate for 4 hours. If the size is suitable for the camera, smoke it whole; if not, divide it into several parts.
Place the wood chips in the liquid for two minutes, squeeze out and ventilate. It should be a little damp. Spread it evenly in the chamber.
Remove excess salt, dry, place the carcasses on the bars of the grill, greased with vegetable oil. The time for smoking carp in a hot smokehouse at a temperature of 150 degrees is from 30 to 50 minutes.

Carcasses with lemon

Lemon is used by lovers of citrus fruits. The following ingredients are needed:

lemon – 1 pc.;
1 tbsp. l. table salt;
a little ground black pepper.

Rub salt and pepper into the cleaned fish. The lemon is cut into rings and the grains are removed (they impart bitterness), placed in the fish and left to dry for 2 hours. Then you need to put the carcasses into the chamber and hot smoke the carp.

Important! Experienced smokers advise not to add lemon before cooking, but to pour lemon juice over the finished product.

With greens

Products needed:

2 tbsp. l. table salt;
1 tsp. ground black or white pepper;
a bunch of dill, cilantro, green onions.

Combine salt and pepper and grate the gutted carcasses. Chop the greens and stuff each fish with the resulting mixture. Then dry it for 2 hours and smoke the carp in a hot smoked smokehouse.

Carp in Anasay style

This recipe will require a large specimen up to 6 kg. The product is not cleaned of scales; the back is carefully cut, the pulp is separated and the entrails are removed. Cut off the head and fins and make careful cuts. Using a fine grater, rub three medium-sized cloves of peeled garlic cloves and rub into the fillet. Grate 0.5 kg of tomatoes through a coarse grater, pour the resulting mixture over the fish and sprinkle with coriander.

Marinate for 5 hours. Then the carcasses are placed on a grate greased with vegetable oil, and the carp is smoked in a smokehouse using the hot smoking method for 50 minutes.

Carp with onions

Required Products:

2 pcs. bulbs;
60 g of table salt is approximately 3 tbsp. l.;
1 tsp. ground black or white pepper;
1 tbsp. l. vinegar.

Clean the fish from the insides and rinse. Cut the onion into rings and add the remaining ingredients. Spread the resulting mixture onto each fish. Marinate for 24 hours in the refrigerator. Then lay it out and let dry for 2 hours.

Hot smoked carp at home without a smokehouse

Cooking process:

The carcasses are cleaned and marinated using any recipe for 3 hours.
Place foil in 2 layers, pour slightly damp wood chips into the middle.
Place the fish on the tray and place it on the wood chips.
Fold the foil over the edges and secure it to prevent smoke from escaping.
The temperature for hot smoked meat is 150 degrees.
Cooking time – from 30 to 40 minutes,
When finished, turn off the improvised smokehouse and let it cool.

An unusual smoking option without a smokehouse

You can use a gas stove or cauldron to cook smoked carp at home. But to start the smoking process, the first thing you need to do is prepare the fish:

Remove the scales, head, entrails and backbone of the carp. Afterwards, rinse thoroughly with water.
Unfold the carcass along the cut, and make horizontal and vertical cuts on the fillet.
Rub the fish with salt and put it in the refrigerator.

After 5 hours, start smoking:

Line the bottom of the cauldron with a sheet of foil and sprinkle wood chips on top.
Wrap the stand in foil to prevent grease from getting on the sawdust.
Place the prepared fish on the same stand and cover with a lid, which should also be wrapped in foil.
Place the cauldron on high heat.
After 30 minutes, set the container with smoked meat aside and keep it with the lid closed for at least 2 hours.

After the time has passed, take out the delicacy, let it cool completely and only then start tasting.

Tips for hot smoking

Typically, sawdust or wood chips are kept in water for 30 minutes, but it is advisable to soak them longer - about three hours, so that they do not add tar and soot during the combustion process.
Place a container under the grate to collect liquid so that it does not drip onto the sawdust and burn.
Temperature is about 150 degrees, maximum is 170.
The taste of the finished product depends on the marinade, which can be varied with spices or cumin, cilantro, dill, oregano, as well as herbs, tomatoes, and onions. For any recipe, the product is wrapped in a special film and kept overnight in a refrigeration unit. You can use mayonnaise or your own recipe for pickling.
Hot smoked carp can be stored for a maximum of 5 days.
Before placing the fish in the smoking chamber, it is lubricated with any vegetable oil. You can place the grape leaves on a wire rack.
If it is necessary to speed up the smoking of carp at home in a hot smoked smokehouse, reduce the salting time, but it should be at least three hours.

Hot smoked carp in Anasay style

To prepare this unusual recipe, you need a large specimen - from 4 to 6 kg.

the carcasses, without peeling the scales, are cut from the back, carefully separating the backbone and entrails from the meat;
the head and tail are separated from the body;
deep cuts are made along the meat along and across the carcass, being careful not to damage the skin;
Pass 2-3 heads of garlic through a press and rub the fillet evenly;
Spread 500 g of grated tomatoes or tomato sauce over the surface of the fillet, and then season with 50 g of coriander;
leave to marinate for 4-5 hours;
then the pickled carp is placed on a wire rack and placed in a hot smokehouse for 40-50 minutes.

This dish is a real delicacy, equally tasty both hot and chilled.

How else can you smoke carp using the hot method? We will describe the classic version of preparation, but you can diversify it by adding various spices to your marinades, dried spices, fresh herbs, and lemon. In addition, if you prepare hot smoked carp at home, you can experiment with sawdust/chips. Cherry, apple, and alder will give the product its unique aroma. You can mix different sawdust, taking into account the fact that aspen gives the fish a golden hue, and pine gives it a darker, bronze color. Pine sawdust contains a large amount of resin, so you will only need a small amount. You can add a few pine cones - they give thick smoke and good heat.

Cold method

Salting and marinating

Cold smoked carp is salted at home using dry or wet methods. For mixed salting, sprinkle the product with salt, after 24 hours, pour in a strong salt solution and leave for 7 days.

When dry salting, black pepper, crushed bay leaves, garlic, spices and herbs are used. Rub the resulting mixture onto the fish, apply pressure and hold until water appears.

The process of marinating carp

For liquid brine, 1 liter of water will require 150 g of salt. When the brine boils, add laurel leaves, cilantro, pepper, herbs and spices. Cook for 5 minutes and remove from the stove. The cooled mixture is poured into the fish and kept for three to seven days. If the holding time is longer, add more salt.

Processing fish before smoking

After brining, wash the fish. If it has stood for a long time, then it should be soaked in water (maximum 3 hours). Then the carcasses should be dried in a well-ventilated place for up to 5 days. When the fish stops sticking to your hands and is covered with a crust, transverse cuts are made and sent to the smoking chamber.

Classic way

Ingredients:

150 g salt;
1 tsp each ground black and red pepper;
2-3 bay leaves;
other spices to taste.

Brine is being prepared:

Salt and spices are poured into water, put on fire, and brought to a boil.
Cool to room temperature, pour the resulting marinade over the fish and leave for 2-5 days.
Remove and dry with paper towels.

The smokehouse is being prepared for use. If a smoke generator is used, moistened wood chips are loaded into it and set on fire, and the smoke is directed into the smoking chamber. If a homemade smokehouse is used, the wood chips are loaded into one chamber, and the fish is placed in another. A long pipe of 8-10 meters is passed from the first chamber to the second. Passing through the pipe, the smoke cools to the desired temperature (no more than 40 degrees).

Cooking lasts from 10 hours to 3 days, depending on the size of the carcasses.

Quick recipe

For 1 kg of carcasses it is necessary

100-130 g table salt;
1 tsp. chopped laurel, ground black pepper, paprika, turmeric, oregano, cilantro, dill, cumin.

Cooking process:

Chips or sawdust are placed in water for half an hour.
The fish, cleaned of its entrails, is spread with salt, spices and seasonings, wrapped in a special film and placed in a refrigeration unit for 24 hours. Then the flame is lit, and the carapaces are dried in the air.
Before smoking, you can put onions, bay leaves, herbs, chopped garlic, sliced lemon or other citrus fruits inside the fish.
The fish carcasses are placed on marinated grape leaves or a griddle coated with oil. You can also simply hang the fish in the smoking chamber, if the device allows it.
The temperature is maintained from 20 to 40 degrees, the smoking time is up to two days and depends on the size of the fish.
When the carcasses have cooled, they are kept in air for up to three days.

Densely packed cold-smoked carp can be stored for up to three months. The calorie content of cold-smoked carp is 109 kcal.

Smoking without a smokehouse

For cold smoking you need a special smoking box and chimney. But if you use your imagination, you can do without a smokehouse; this will not spoil the taste of the delicacy.

First, prepare the fish carcasses:

Take out the insides, the ridge, get rid of the scales and gills (you can leave the head). Finally, rinse the carp thoroughly under running water.
Rub the fish with salt, place it in a container and sprinkle the salt mixture on top thoroughly. Place the container in a cool place for salting.
After 5-6 hours, remove the carcasses, rinse with water and dry with a paper towel.
Make holes near the tail and insert hooks through them.
Spread the belly with a toothpick so that during smoking the smoke flows evenly throughout the entire carcass.

Now begin the cold smoke treatment process:

Make a frame from wooden blocks and hang hooks with fish on it.
Cover the homemade structure with gauze to prevent midges or flies from flying in and leave the fish to dry for 24 hours.
After the time has passed, remove the gauze and place a cardboard box on top of the frame. Connect a smoke generator to the side, and make a hole on top to allow excess smoke to escape.
Connect the compressor with a temperature of 30 degrees, add alder chips and smoke for 6-7 hours.

After the time has passed, let the delicacy cool and only then take it out and serve.

An example of carp storage

Classic hot smoking method

fresh carp, not frozen;
coarse salt - 1 tbsp. l. for 1 kg of fish;
ground white pepper – 1 tsp.

Gut the carp from the back, wash it, mix salt and pepper and rub it on the fish, leave to marinate for at least 2-4 hours at room temperature. If the carcasses correspond to the size of the smokehouse, then it is better to smoke them whole, and chop large fish into several pieces.
Soak wood chips or sawdust in water for a couple of minutes, then squeeze out and ventilate slightly. The sawdust should be damp, not wet. Distribute them in the smoker in an even layer.
Remove excess salt from the fish with a paper towel, drying the carcass at the same time. Place on the smokehouse grate and cook at 150°C until fully cooked – approximately 30-50 minutes.

For variety, the carcass can be stuffed with:

onions, chopped into large rings;
lemon slices;
coarsely chopped mixture of greens - dill, parsley, cilantro, green onions.

Cold Method Tips

The recipe for cold smoked carp has some tricks:

Be sure to remove the entrails and gills because they will add a bitter taste to the fish. Instead of gills, plant branches are inserted.
The scales are not removed - they ensure the integrity of the fish and prevent smoke carcinogens from entering the meat. Before eating, the skin is removed, leaving tasty pulp.
The temperature range is 25-35 degrees, no more than 40. Smoking time can last up to 7 days.

Oven smoking recipes

There are several ways to smoke fish in the oven using sawdust, liquid smoke, and in a sleeve.

You can prepare fish for smoking in a liquid salt solution or dry method. The whole process is carried out in the same way as when marinating for smoking in the classical way.

Cooking in a makeshift smokehouse:

Rub the fish carcasses with seasonings - approximately 2/3 tsp. for each piece, pour liquid smoke in the amount of 2 tbsp. l.;
Cut the foil and wrap one piece at a time in it, secure the edges well so that the fish juice does not spill out.
Place the finished portions on a baking sheet, place in an oven preheated to 200 degrees and leave for an hour.

You can cook fish in an electric oven on the balcony:

Place alder or apple chips evenly on a baking sheet, cover another container with foil and make holes.
Place the finished fish on the grill bars.
Heat the oven together with the wood chips. You can add any herbs to give it a special smell.
Heat the equipment to 200 degrees, place the grill with fish on the middle level, close the doors.
Cook until smoke forms at high temperature for another quarter of an hour, then reduce to 45 degrees and hold for 20 minutes.
Then turn off, but do not open the oven until the smoke stops.

Cooking carp meat in a sleeve is very convenient and practical. Firstly, the liquid does not leak out, and secondly, acrid smoke does not spread in the apartment. The fish turns out juicy.

Coat the prepared fish with a liquid smoke substance, you can add rosemary or special herbs. Fasten the sleeve and place the fish, back up, on a wire rack in an oven preheated to 200 degrees.

When the sleeve swells, pierce in three places. Baking time – 30-40 minutes. When the product has cooled, divide into portions. It turns out something between baked and smoked fish.

Hot smoked carp recipe

In all recipes, the calculation of ingredients is given for 1 kg of fish.

Hot smoked carp marinated in onions

Onions - 2 pcs.
Coarse salt - 3 tbsp. l.
Ground black pepper - 1 tsp. (without top)
Table vinegar - 1 tsp.

Gut the fish, wash thoroughly and wipe. Cut the onions into thin rings. Add the remaining ingredients to the onion. Coat each fish with the mixture. Marinate for a day in a cool place. Place the marinated carcasses on paper and let them dry, leaving them for a couple of hours. Then send it to the smokehouse.

How to smoke hot smoked carp with herbs

Salt grains - 2 tbsp. l.
Ground white pepper - 1 tsp.
Parsley, dill, cilantro, green onions - 1 large bunch of each.

Mix salt and pepper and coat the gutted fish. Finely chop the bunches of greens and mix. Stuff each carcass with the mixture. Let the fish sit without covering them so that the carp can dry out. After a couple of hours, send it to the smokehouse.