All the secrets of properly salting and drying fish at home

Author: Alexander

To dry fish at home, you need to properly prepare it, salt it and dry it naturally or using additional equipment. The taste characteristics of the finished product will depend on the size of the carcass, as well as the fat content and structure of the fillet.

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Drying or drying

The distinctive features of drying and drying are presented in the table:

What kind of fish can be dried?

Small or medium-sized river fish are suitable for drying or drying, namely:

• rudd;
• bream;
• ram;
• roach;
• vobla;
• saberfish;
• perch;
• zander;
• carp;
• white bream;
• pike;
• gudgeon;
• crucian carp;
• carp.

For drying, you should use only fresh fish, caught no more than a day ago. Otherwise, the product may go rotten before it has time to cook.

Preparing the fish

Before drying fish at home, it must be carefully prepared as follows:

1. Rinse the carcasses, remove mucus.
2. Do not clean scales, do not gut small fish. Remove the entrails of herbivorous species in hot weather - if this is not done, the fish will begin to taste bitter and quickly spoil.
3. Large representatives should be cut completely - gutted without peeling off the skin and scales. To do this, cut the carcass along the dorsal fin. Leave the belly whole so that the fat remains inside. Do not rinse cut fish and its parts with water.

How to dry river fish

Before the drying process begins, the fish is first salted. Dried river fish turns out to be especially tasty if it is salted in artificial brine. To do this, add enough salt to a liter of boiling water so that an average raw potato can float on the surface. Also add 1 tsp to the water. sugar, coriander, bay leaf and other favorite spices. Place the already strung carcasses into the cooled solution, which should cover the entire area of ​​the fish. Leave fish weighing up to 500 grams for 2 days and fish weighing more than 5 days. Then send the “garland” to dry in a convenient way.

Basic preparation steps

The cooking process includes:

1. Treatment.
2. Salting.
3. Soaking.

Pickling

There are three main ways to salt fish:

• dry;
• wet;
• brine.

Dry pickling

The dry method is most often used when salting trophies weighing more than one kilogram, namely:

• pike;
• carp;
• bream and other large fish.

For dry salting you need to do this:

1. Cut the carcasses along the ridge, remove the entrails, and spread them out.
2. Salt the inside.
3. Place the fish belly up in a wooden box.
4. Sprinkle the scales with salt.
5. Cover with film and press down with a weight.
6. Leave the box in a cool place for a period of three to seven days.

This method can also be used to salt small fish without gutting it.

Wet salting

The wet method is used for carcasses weighing up to one kilogram. For salting you will need large enamel pans or plastic barrels.

This process includes steps:

1. Clean the fish from dirt using a dry method.
2. Remove entrails.
3. Cover the bottom of the container with at least a few centimeters of salt.
4. Arrange the carcasses so that the back of one overlaps the belly of the other, sprinkling with salt.
5. Place the next layer of fish perpendicular to the previous one.
6. Complete the installation and generously sprinkle the top layer with salt.
7. Cover with a lid of smaller diameter and press down with a weight.
8. After some time, after the juice has released and covers the fish, remove the container to a cool place.
9. The readiness time depends on the size of the carcasses and is up to three days.

Salting in brine

This salting method works best for small fish weighing up to half a kilogram.

For this method you need:

1. Prepare brine - add salt to water and stir thoroughly. Determine the concentration of the solution by dropping an egg into it; it should float up. Approximate ratio: three liters of water per kilogram of salt.
2. Place the fish in the solution so that it covers it completely (approximate volume - 1 liter per 3 kilograms of raw material). It is more convenient to pre-string the carcasses on a rope and immerse them in the brine along with them.
3. Cover with gauze and press down with a weight.
4. Let stand for three days in a cool place.

Vladimir Plisov shares his video recipe for salting large river fish.

Soaking

Before drying, the fish is soaked in order to remove excess salt from the carcasses and desalinate the surface. This is necessary so that the finished product does not become soggy and is tasty.

To do this you should:

1. Remove the fish from the brine and let it rest so that the salt is evenly distributed throughout the carcass.
2. Rinse the fish thoroughly in running fresh water and remove any mucus from it.
3. Place the carcasses in a container and fill them with cold water, changing it periodically. (The soaking time is equal to the salting time; readiness can be determined by the floating carcasses).
4. Wipe the fish dry and place it on paper to drain excess liquid.

Drying

The final step is hanging the carcass for further drying.

You can do this in two ways:

1. The fish is suspended by the tail - to do this, you need to make a hole in the area of ​​the rear fin through which the wire is threaded. The bundles are then hung in a ventilated place. In this position, excess moisture and stomach contents will flow out through the mouth, therefore, the finished product will not have a bitter taste.
2. The fish is suspended by the head - for this, a wire or rope is threaded through the eye holes. Fat and bile will remain inside and saturate the meat, it will become softer and have a slight bitterness.

General rules for drying fish:

• hang carcasses on stainless steel wire or fine weaving rope;
• the workpieces should not touch each other;
• fagots are hung in a small draft in the shade;
• for better drying, you can hang the carcasses in direct sunlight for 3-5 hours;
• if the weather is humid and not warm enough, large fish need to cut the belly, open it and insert “spacer sticks” there;
• Complete drying time in good, non-humid weather is from three to five days.

In the apartment

In the oven

In an electric dryer

Outdoors

On open air

Features of drying fish in the open air:

• the procedure is carried out in sunny weather at a temperature of 18-20°C;
• bundles are placed on horizontal nets, slats, hung in open boxes or under a canopy;
• in rainy weather they hide it under an awning or indoors.

On the balcony

Ventilated balconies are suitable for drying catch, especially in cloudy and cold weather.

We dry the fish on the balcony like this:

1. We cover the floor in the room.
2. We place the basin under the hung seafood so that the leaking fat does not stain the room.
3. Open the windows slightly to allow air circulation.

In the room

Drying fish at home is not the best option due to the specific smell. In an apartment, the fagots can be hung next to the heating device (in the winter season), placing a fan nearby, or the carcasses can be placed above the gas stove.

In the cellar

The cellar is suitable for drying small fish, but most likely it will have to be brought to the desired condition in a warmer place. Large seafood dries more slowly and will go rancid before it dries well.

In the cellar, due to the low temperature, drying can take up to two to three weeks.

In the attic

Advantages of drying in the attic:

• the roof gets very hot, drafts will speed up drying;
• neither sun nor rain will hit the carcasses;
• There is always enough space under the roof.

The main rule is to hang the ligaments higher.

In the oven

Drying in the oven goes like this:

1. Place the salted fish in rows on the grill. Place a baking sheet down or line with aluminum foil.
2. Set the temperature to about 80°C (not higher) so that you don’t end up with just baked fish. Open the oven door 5-7 cm.
3. The fish should dry for two hours, then cover the heads with heat-resistant foil and leave for another 4-6 hours.
4. Hang and dry for a few more days.

In an electric dryer

Any convection electric dryer with a heat shut-off function is suitable for drying. A built-in fan will ensure air circulation.

The temperature should be about 30°C, otherwise the fish will steam and begin to fall apart. Depending on the size, the process will take from 2 to 4 days.

Pink salmon

• Time: 2 days.
• Number of servings: 8-10 people.
• Calorie content of the dish (100 g): 182 kcal.
• Purpose: snack.
• Cuisine: Russian.
• Difficulty: easy.

If you often have guests or organize long gatherings with friends, then be sure to pay attention to this simple recipe. The delicacy is excellent consumed alone or with an intoxicating drink. Pink salmon is not too fatty, so it is suitable for those who are watching their figure. Balyk is delicious to eat with bread and vegetables: you can form canapés and sandwiches.

Ingredients:

• pink salmon – 1.5 kg;
• salt – 3 tbsp. l;
• sugar – 1 tbsp. l.;
• spices - optional.

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Cooking method:

1. Defrost, rinse, cut the carcasses into plates.
2. Combine salt, sugar, spices. Sprinkle the mixture over the meat and stir. Leave everything for a day.
3. Place the pink salmon on a baking sheet and place in the oven at a temperature of 40 degrees for 4-6 hours. The oven door must be open.
4. The finished delicacy is cooled in the refrigerator and then served.

How to determine readiness?

The best way to determine the readiness of fish is by taste or other signs:

• the fish shines through in the light;
• has a dense and elastic texture;
• has an oily sheen;
• there is absolutely no salt on the surface of the carcass;
• the skin or scales are strong and can be easily removed;
• has a rich, pungent, spicy aroma.

Dried fish is suitable for consumption immediately after drying. For final ripening, it should be left in a cool place for 3-4 weeks, wrapped in parchment paper or newspaper.

How to salt and dry fish

We invite you to familiarize yourself with a method of drying without frills and nuances that anyone can master.

1. Cut a large fish along the back (do not remove the scales), remove the insides, rinse the cavity, and also cut out the gills. Do not cut small fish.
2. Place a layer of salt at the bottom of a container, such as a pan or basin.
3. Lay the carcasses, sprinkling each layer with plenty of salt.
4. Leave large fish under pressure for 5-7 days or small fish in the palm of your hand for 2-4 days.

After salting the carcass, string it on a wire or rope, if desired, shake off the salt or soak in water for 2-3 hours, hang the “garland” in the designated place. Separate the halves of the cut carcasses with skewers.

The readiness of the product is checked as follows:

• the structure of the fish is visible in the light;
• no protruding salt;
• The meat is elastic and not moist.

How to get rid of flies?

In summer, the following methods are used to control flies and other insects:

1. Before drying, the carcasses are soaked for 10 minutes in a vinegar solution - 10 liters of water and 120 milliliters of essence.
2. Fish heads are treated with sunflower oil.
3. The carcasses are rubbed with onions or garlic.
4. The knitting is covered with gauze, leaving no large holes. Sprinkle it with 9% vinegar.
5. The workpieces are treated with a solution prepared from vegetable oil and vinegar (at a ratio of 1:3).

Drying box

Drying cabinet

Drying cabinet for withering

Dry salting

This salting method is most often used, as it is very simple. The dishes should be chosen so that the carcasses can easily fit in it (a wide pan or cup). You should pour a thin layer of coarse salt on the bottom, lay a row of fish, cover it with salt so that it is completely covered. The next row should be laid on top in the same way. And so you need to lay out the carcasses in rows, generously sprinkling each of them with resin.

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After the last row is laid, you need to put a plate or lid on top that fits freely into the pan and press it down with pressure (for example: a jar of water or a weight).

Place the dishes in the refrigerator for 4-7 days (depending on the size of the carcasses). After the specified time has passed, the fish must be taken out, the salt washed off well, and then soaked in water (4-7 hours), changing it several times. In this case, the number of hours is equal to the number of days of salting.

After this, you can dry the fish. It should be hung in a well-ventilated place. In summer you can dry it outside, and in winter a balcony or kitchen is suitable for this. You can dry it on the veranda or in the summer kitchen. The main thing is that it should not be exposed to direct sunlight. Carcasses can be hung by piercing a wire through the eyes, or you can make hooks from paper clips, with which they are hooked onto the upper lip, and the other side is hung on a stretched cord or fishing line. You can hang the fish by the tails, but in this case the fat and juice will flow out, and it will turn out drier and fresher.

Features of drying fish in the cold season

For high-quality drying, you need warm, dry weather, so in winter and autumn you have to create it at home.

If we dry fish in the cold season, you need to know:

• After soaking, hang the fish over the bath to drain the fat;
• the best place for drying is a glazed loggia or balcony with slightly open windows;
• when drying in winter or autumn, only the dry salting method is suitable;
• Places near the radiator or above the stove are suitable;
• plus drying in the cold season - the absence of flies.

In winter it is difficult to cook fish well. Drying requires fresh cool air and low humidity, and during the heating season the apartments are very warm. The meat will dry out quickly, but will not have time to ripen.

Drying fish on the balcony

Often, residents of apartment buildings have to dry their catch on the balcony. In this case, it often happens that the final result does not live up to expectations or deteriorates. So that your efforts are not in vain, it is important to consider the following subtleties of drying:

• the fish must be gutted before salting;
• after salting, place the carcasses on twine or wire, hang them over the bathtub, and let the liquid drain;
• start drying in the evening, protecting the catch from insects;
• the balcony should be well ventilated.

By following our recommendations, you will receive a delicacy with a unique taste.

Video

The author of the video channel “Prikhodko Brothers Fishing Mastery Nature” will tell you how to dry fish correctly and how long each stage takes.

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Salt in brine brine

This method is also good for home use. It allows you to get evenly salted fish in a shorter period. To do this you need:

• Prepare a supersaturated saline solution (brine). To do this, dissolve the salt in water, gradually increasing the concentration. The solution is considered ready if a piece of potato or a raw egg does not sink in it. You will need approximately 1 liter of brine per 2 kg of raw materials.
• Pour a thin layer of salt into the bottom of a wide container.
• Place the carcasses in a container.
• Pour brine so that it covers the fish completely.
• Cover with a plate or lid and put pressure on top.
• Place the container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days (depending on the size of the fish).
• After the required time has passed, remove the carcasses from the brine and soak in clean water for about 30 minutes, changing the water every 10 minutes.

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After this, let the water drain and dry, hanging in the same way as with the dry salting method.