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Smoked fish is one of the most delicious delicacies of all time. The main condition is to follow all preparation requirements, otherwise the result may be disappointing. Smoking mackerel in a hot smoker is quite simple.
Technology of hot smoking mackerel in a smokehouse
Hot smoking refers to short-term heat treatment in a special box - a smokehouse. It can be purchased at the store, or assembled yourself from scrap materials. Hot smoked mackerel will turn out equally tasty in a smokehouse made from an ordinary iron bucket, and in a modern device with a water seal and a smoke generator.
Hot smoked fish is prepared quite quickly - in just 30-40 minutes
The principle of operation of the device is simple - the iron box is heated using fire, coals, gas or special heating elements.Soaked wood chips are placed at the bottom of the smokehouse, which begins to smoke as the temperature rises. Impregnation ensures quick cooking and saturation of fish with smoky aromas.
Selection and preparation of fish
To prepare delicious smoked mackerel in a hot smoked smokehouse, you need to take care in choosing high-quality raw materials. If possible, you should give preference to chilled fish. It’s easy to guess its freshness by its appearance. The eyes of stale mackerel become cloudy and the shine of the skin is lost. The body is elastic - when you press on the carcass, it should immediately return to its original state.
Most residents of the continental part of the country have difficulty purchasing chilled mackerel. Frozen food comes to the rescue. When choosing, you should pay maximum attention to the thickness of the glaze and the integrity of the skin. In the first case, you can judge the number of freezing cycles - the less ice, the better. The skin must be intact to protect the meat from acrid smoke.
The next stage is preparing the product for hot smoking. If necessary, the fish is thawed and washed. The head is then removed and the belly is cut open to remove the intestines and other entrails. The abdominal cavity is thoroughly washed. Dry the carcasses with a paper towel.
Marinade recipes for hot smoked mackerel in a smokehouse
Initially, the taste of fish fillet is rather weak and needs additional bright notes. Regardless of the recipe chosen, before smoking mackerel in a hot smoker, it must be salted or marinated.The most common method is to keep the carcasses in a saline solution for 2-3 hours. To prepare it, dilute ½ cup of table salt and 1 tbsp in 1 liter of water. l. sugar, and also add 2 bay leaves and 10 allspice peas.
How to cook hot smoked mackerel in a smokehouse
There are a large number of ways to prepare a delicious fish delicacy. Most differ in the type of smoker they use. Among the wide range of devices that will help you prepare hot smoked mackerel are:
- classic smokehouses with a water seal;
- devices with a smoke generator;
- homemade country smokehouses;
- home mini smokehouses.
Depending on the device used, hot smoking technology may vary
Taking into account the features of your device, the conditions for preparing a fish delicacy will differ significantly. At home, you won’t be able to cook mackerel in a classic hot-smoked smokehouse—you’ll have to use special devices that remove smoke from the apartment.
Choosing wood chips and preparing the smokehouse
The most important point in smoking is a large amount of smoke. The best way to achieve the goal is a lot of moistened sawdust at the bottom of the smokehouse. Given the fairly high temperature during hot smoking, it is better to use larger wood chips that will withstand prolonged heating without ignition.
To deliciously smoke mackerel in a hot smoked smokehouse, it is not enough to choose the appropriate recipe; you also need to select the optimal wood chips. In country stores you can most often find sawdust made from oak or alder.A better quality product will be obtained from self-harvested apple or cherry chips. It is strictly forbidden to use coniferous wood - the dish will taste bitter.
Regardless of the type of smokehouse and marinade for hot smoked mackerel, the device must be prepared for use. Several handfuls of pre-moistened wood chips are poured onto the bottom. The next step is to install a container for fat - without it, the oil will drip onto the sawdust and ignite it. Afterwards, grates or special hooks for fish are installed. To prevent the skin from sticking to them, they are lubricated with refined sunflower oil.
How to smoke mackerel in a hot smoker
A classic device with a water seal and a smoke generator will allow you to easily prepare a large amount of delicacy. The heating function in such a smokehouse can be performed either by a separate heating element or by an ordinary fire. The device can be installed in an apartment provided there is a special chimney vent. Hot smoked mackerel in a smokehouse according to the recipe presented in the video is prepared in the following sequence:
- The device is plugged in or preheated on a gas stove.
- Place moistened wood chips into the smoke generator bowl and seal it tightly.
- The fish is washed after marinade and wiped with a paper towel. It is placed on oiled stands.
- The smokehouse is covered with a lid with a water seal. They put a smoke vent on it and take it out the window.
Hot smoking with a smoke generator is an ideal find for lovers of delicacies
The approximate time for hot smoking mackerel in a smokehouse is about 30 minutes. After this, the device is turned off, the fish is carefully taken out and cooled, after which it is served.
Hot smoking mackerel in a smokehouse at the dacha
Having a dacha or a country house, you don’t have to worry about the constant presence of smoked fish in your diet. You can even create a homemade smokehouse from scrap materials. The main thing is that the metal box has a lid and can rest on a flat surface. A small box with a wire rack that can accommodate 3-4 fish will do the job best.
Moistened fruit tree chips are poured into the bottom of the box. An oiled grate is placed on top, on which the previously salted mackerel is placed. The device is hermetically sealed with a lid and placed on fire. The intensity of the heat can be adjusted by increasing the amount of coals or adding additional firewood.
10-15 minutes after the first wisps of smoke appear, the lid must be removed to allow excess burning to escape. At the same time, you can turn the carcasses over for better roasting. After the lid is closed again, count 15-20 minutes and remove the smokehouse from the heat. The fish is cooled slightly and served.
How to smoke mackerel in a mini hot smoker
Modern kitchen appliances are improving every year, giving consumers the opportunity to prepare unusual dishes at home. One of these mini-smoking houses in which you can make hot smoked mackerel is a product from the Hanki company. A miniature device of 12 and 20 liters will easily fit even in a small kitchen. It is equipped with a smoke exhaust pipe - this will allow you not to worry about possible burning in the apartment.
Cooking smoked fish in a mini smokehouse is possible even in small apartments
Place a handful of alder chips at the bottom of the container and moisten it with a small amount of water. Then a container is placed on the grate to catch the draining fat.Mackerel is hung on special hooks. The lid of the device is hermetically sealed, and a tube is placed over the water seal. Place the container on a gas or electric stove and turn on medium heat. After 5 minutes the first white smoke will appear. Hot smoking lasts about half an hour. The mackerel is removed and cooled before serving.
How long to smoke hot smoked mackerel in a smokehouse
Cooking times can vary greatly not only from the recipe used, but also from the size of the fish and the strength of the heat. On average, it takes about half an hour of hot smoking to prepare a small mackerel carcass weighing 300 g. When the heat treatment temperature increases, the cooking time can be reduced to 20 minutes, but there is a risk of early ignition of the wood chips. If the mackerel carcasses are too large, cooking takes 40-50 minutes from the moment the first wisps of smoke appear.
Storage rules
Hot smoked mackerel is a fairly perishable product. Even taking into account the large amount of salt during pickling, the maximum shelf life of the delicacy is rarely more than 7 days if kept in the refrigerator. Mackerel cannot survive at room temperature for more than 2 days. The only way to preserve food for a long time is freezing, but this significantly spoils the taste and aroma of the product.
Conclusion
Smoking mackerel in a hot smoker is an easy task that even novice cooks can handle. You just need to properly prepare the fish, select the ideal wood chips and know the intricacies of working with the device. Simply following the rules guarantees excellent results.
