How to pickle trout for smoking

It is no secret that trout is a truly amazing fish in its taste, nutritional value and abundance of beneficial properties. It is distinguished by delicate, juicy flesh of a pleasant pinkish color. The excellent taste of dishes prepared from trout is explained by the fact that this fish lives exclusively in clean water. In cooking it is used to prepare a variety of delicious salads and snacks. This fish can be fried, stewed, boiled, grilled, steamed - in any form it invariably turns out very tasty, tender and healthy. It is known that most of the beneficial properties of this product are preserved during smoking. We will consider the features and methods of preparing smoked trout in our article.

This is important to know

What are the benefits of trout? It is known that this amazing fish contains a huge amount of minerals, vitamins and proteins; the meat is well absorbed by the body. The unique Omega-3 acids contained in the product help strengthen blood vessels, improve the functioning of the brain, nervous system, and gastrointestinal tract.

Speaking about the benefits of trout, it should also be added that usually by including this incredibly valuable fish in the diet, one achieves increased performance and gets rid of hypertension and depression. The product is recommended for sports and dietary nutrition.

Calorie content Cold smoked trout. Chemical composition and nutritional value.

Nutritional value and chemical composition of “Cold smoked trout”.

The table shows the nutritional content (calories, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals) per 100 grams of edible portion.

The energy value of cold smoked trout is 183 kcal.

Primary Source: Created in the application by the user. Read more.

** This table shows the average levels of vitamins and minerals for an adult. If you want to know the norms taking into account your gender, age and other factors, then use the “My Healthy Diet” application.

What is smoking?

Smoking is the process of exposure of the surface of the product to various substances that make up smoke. Their value lies in the fact that most have bactericidal and antioxidant properties. By systematically penetrating into the product, they help prevent its spoilage. The effectiveness of smoking depends on how high the permeability of the processed products is. It is increased by pre-salting them. Experts recommend using smoking exclusively for fish that has been salted. As a result of smoking, any fish, be it trout, pike perch or perch, becomes tender, acquires an excellent taste, a special piquant aroma, and its surface becomes golden brown. The important thing is that smoke treatment increases the shelf life of the product.

Useful qualities of fish meat

You can meet trout both in the sea and in fresh water bodies. However, now we are talking about two completely different species, which differ not only in their habitat, but also in their internal composition. The meat of the saltwater fish has a scarlet tint, while the meat of river fish is slightly pink. The external color largely depends on the period, the diet of the fish, and the color of the bottom. The “calling card” of most individuals is the olive color. There are many small spots on the body surrounded by bluish rings.

Rainbow trout fishing is developed in Norway. The fish received this name due to the bright stripes that are located on the sides. This species can reach a length of up to 90 cm; at this size, their weight exceeds 2 kg.

Taste and benefits are the two main qualities for which our fish is considered very valuable. It is rich in vitamins, and it contains the entire known series. Omega-3 acid has a positive effect on many processes in our body, and we also need to remember that fish is a source of such rare elements as iodine, potassium, zinc, which are quite difficult to obtain from other products. With all the wealth listed above, the calorie content does not exceed 90 thousand calories per 100 grams. This indicator is considered extremely low, because some products of plant origin are higher in calories than trout meat.

All substances, if their actions are considered comprehensively, help normalize the functioning of the brain and central nervous system, reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, and increase the overall tone of the body.

Let's return once again to Omega-3 acids. Recently, it has become fashionable to “chase” this component, since it has been proven that it is it that lowers cholesterol levels in the blood, and its effect on strengthening the heart muscle is used to prevent myocardial infarction.

Regular consumption of trout in any of the types sharply reduces the risk of developing oncogenic formations. Gradually, all the above facts are proven scientifically, so trout often becomes one of the prescriptions not only of nutritionists, but also of doctors. For example, medical professionals recommend including trout meat in your diet if the patient complains of high blood pressure. Those who are struggling with obesity don't have to worry about extra calories. The proteins and fats contained in fish can be absorbed almost completely in a record short time. You also need to take into account that properly cooked fish does not cause any allergic reactions.

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The overall picture would be incomplete if we did not mention harm. Indeed, even such a valuable fish can cause harm to the body, but this will only happen if a person develops an individual intolerance to the product.

About smoking methods

Experts call cold and hot smoking methods and variations as the main methods of smoking. They resort to baking in smoke and semi-hot smoking much less often. The differences between these technologies lie in their duration and the characteristics of the temperature conditions used. Smoking time directly depends on temperature: the longer the process lasts, the lower the temperature used. But the shelf life increases accordingly.

Many people consider hot smoked trout to be the most delicious. Fish prepared in this way is an undeniable delicacy with an amazing taste.

Hot smoked fish at home

When preparing dishes at home, use:

• fresh trout;
• smokehouse for hot smoking;
• wood chips;
• spices.

To smoke trout in a hot-smoked smokehouse, choose fresh fish that is not very small in size. Carcasses weighing 700-800 grams are ideal. It is recommended to cut large specimens into steaks or separate fillets. The trout is freed from its entrails and washed thoroughly. Salt the fish immediately before putting it in the smokehouse. This will make hot smoked trout more juicy.

Preparing fish for smoking

Trout is an expensive fish, so the preparatory stage should be treated with special care so as not to spoil the raw materials.
Trout is an expensive fish, so the preparatory stage should be treated with special care so as not to spoil the raw materials. The carcasses are first gutted. There are recipes for cooking trout with entrails. These options have many nuances. Smoking gutted fish guarantees a good result. The cold cooking method involves long-term processing at low temperatures. In such conditions, the development of pathogenic microorganisms is possible. The abdomen with giblets is an ideal environment for their life, so the entrails should be removed. The preparation looks like this:

1. An incision is made in the abdomen through which the entrails are removed.
2. The black film from the inside is removed.
3. The head is cut off in large specimens. If the whole carcass is smoked, the gills are cut out.
4. The trout is washed inside and out.
5. The workpiece is dried with paper napkins or towels.

Depending on the size of the individuals, fish can be smoked in various forms:

• whole carcass with head;
• divided into fillets: for this, the backbone and side bones are removed;
• cut into longitudinal pieces, no more than 200 g. every.

Regardless of the option chosen, salting should be carried out correctly. This procedure allows you to remove harmful substances, saturate the meat with flavor, and make its structure tender and soft. A standard pickling recipe involves using a minimum of spices:

• 3 tbsp. coarse salt;
• 1 tsp Sahara;
• 1 tsp ground black pepper.

Sugar allows the salt to soak deeper into the fibers. Proportions are indicated per 1 kg. trout. The carcasses are thoroughly coated with a mixture of the listed ingredients and sent to containers wrapped in cling film in the refrigerator.

It is important to salt the product in a closed container so that the fat does not oxidize and the product does not acquire an unpleasant odor. The duration of marinating is 2 days.

You can also use marinade recipes, but excessive amounts of spices and seasonings are not required, since trout meat has a self-sufficient taste. Professionals recommend adding lemon juice to the brine, which helps break down fiber and makes the meat softer and looser. Liquid brine makes it possible to reduce the salting time to 8-10 hours, and a correctly calculated proportion of salt and water will allow you to avoid soaking the fish after salting. The liquid marinade recipe includes:

• 1 l. water;
• 50 gr. salt;
• spices to taste.

The fish is soaked in clean water after salting to remove excess salt. The next stage is drying. When placing wet fish in a cold smoker, there is a high risk of developing pathogenic bacteria that cause rotting. Drying takes 12-24 hours.

What types of smokehouses are there?

The main requirement for any smokehouse is tightness. Under no circumstances should air get inside the device, as this often leads to firewood fire, which can significantly reduce the quality of the future delicacy. The smokehouse must have considerable depth. Otherwise, the fish hung in it will touch the wood and the bottom, which can lead to burning or cooking of the product, but not to smoking.

How to prepare hot smoked fish at home? You can smoke fish in a smokehouse in your home kitchen, on the river bank or in your country house. A bucket, barrel or any other container, for example, an old beehive, is suitable as a container. More “advanced” options are smoking using gas or charcoal grills, as well as in a metal box on the grill. Homeowners in the private sector set up a smokehouse in the attic, in a chimney, or adapt a stove to this process.

The most correct option is to purchase a reliable portable smokehouse of industrial production, equipped with all the necessary devices for high-quality and efficient smoking.

Smoking trout in a cold smokehouse

To cook cold smoked trout, you need to have certain skills and patience. This requires a special smokehouse, which you can make yourself. It is more convenient to purchase a smoke generator, which is connected by a smoke pipe to the food chamber. Next, a recipe for cold smoked trout for a smokehouse will help.

The day before cooking, the salted fish should be washed and dried thoroughly: first pat dry with a towel, then hang on hooks for drying, protecting from flies with gauze. Leave the trout in this form overnight. It is not recommended to hang it in a strong draft, otherwise the outer layer will dry out, moisture will not be able to leave the inner layers, and when smoking, the smoke will not penetrate well into the pulp.

Place the trout on a grill or hang it in the smokehouse on hooks and close the door or lid, depending on the design. Then set fire to the wood. It is best to use alder or beech wood chips. The smoke temperature should be 25-27 degrees, maximum 30. Smoking time for fish is from 10 to 24 hours, depending on the size of the trout pieces.

Attention! If the temperature in the smokehouse exceeds 40 degrees, the fish will turn out the same as during hot smoking.

Once the process is complete, the trout should be kept suspended for several hours to dry and mature.

During this time, all layers of fish will be evenly saturated with smoking substances, which initially predominate in the outer layer, and it will become more aromatic and softer.

After smoking, the fish must be hung out to dry.

After drying, it should be wrapped in film and put in the refrigerator for 3 days so that the taste is completely formed. Only after this can you try cold smoked trout fish.

Process Features

When using a purchased smokehouse for the first time, you should rinse it and put it on the fire to heat it for 10 minutes. At the same time, contaminants and industrial oils should evaporate.

After this, wood chips are placed in an even layer of two or three small handfuls on the bottom of the smokehouse. Chips of pear, cherry, apple, alder, juniper or willow will give an unusually pleasant aroma. A tray is placed above it to drain fat, which is usually included with the smokehouse. If it is not available, you can cover the chips with a layer of foil. A grate for food is installed above the tray, which must be lubricated with oil (vegetable). This is done so that the finished product can be easier to remove from the grill.

Thoroughly rub the trout on all sides with salt and add ground black pepper if desired. Sometimes a sprig of dill or thyme is placed in the belly. Place the fish on the grill so that there is some distance between the carcasses, cover with a lid and place the smoking device on the fire.

Cooking hot smoked trout usually takes 30-40 minutes, it depends on the weight and size of the fish. At the end of the process, open the lid and allow the dish to cool without removing it from the smokehouse. Then the trout is placed on a tray and served with herbs, pickled cucumbers and lemon wedges.

How to smoke fish in a smokehouse on a grill?

If the smoking device is not too large, it is most convenient to place it on the grill. The coals under the smokehouse should be distributed as evenly as possible, it is a good idea to leave a few unburned logs, but the fire should not be too strong.

As the smoker heats up, white smoke begins to come out. This means that the alder (or other) chips have warmed up and the smoking process has begun.

When the smokehouse is properly warmed up, the burning logs can be removed and smoking can continue using only coals. For medium-sized fish, the process will take no more than half an hour.

Before opening the lid of the smokehouse, you should wait until it has completely cooled down and smoke has stopped coming out of it. Trout can be considered ready when the surface of the carcass turns a dark golden reddish color. If the fish is still light, it means it is damp.