Content
Smoked sterlet products are deservedly considered a delicacy, so they are not cheap. But you can save a little by preparing hot smoked (or cold) sterlet yourself. A significant advantage of home-made smoked meats is complete confidence in the naturalness and high quality of the product. But you need to strictly follow the technology and algorithm of actions with regard to the preparation, marinating of sterlet and the smoking algorithm itself.
Benefits and calorie content of the product
Red sea fish is considered the most valuable and healthy. But Sturgeons, including sterlet, are not much inferior to them. The beneficial substances in it are retained even after smoking. Fish is rich:
- proteins (in a form that is absorbed by the body almost completely and provides it with the necessary energy);
- polyunsaturated fatty acids Omega-3, 6, 9;
- fats of animal origin;
- minerals (especially calcium and phosphorus);
- vitamins A, D, E, group B.
The composition causes a positive effect on health:
- stimulation of mental activity, less fatigue during intense loads on the brain, prevention of age-related degenerative changes;
- beneficial effects on the central nervous system, combating apathy, depression, chronic stress;
- prevention of vision problems;
- strengthening the walls of blood vessels, reducing cholesterol levels in the blood;
- prevention of strokes, heart attacks, and other pathologies of the cardiovascular system;
- protection of bone and cartilage tissue, joints from wear and tear.
The undoubted advantage of sterlet is its low calorie content. Hot smoked fish contains only 90 kcal, cold smoked fish - 125 kcal per 100 g. There are no carbohydrates at all, fats - 2.5 g per 100 g, and proteins - 17.5 g per 100 g.
Fish soup and smoked sterlet in Rus' were considered “royal” dishes
Principles and methods of smoking sterlet
At home, you can prepare both hot and cold smoked sterlet. In both cases, the fish turns out very tasty, but in the first it is tender, crumbly, and in the second it is more “dry”, elastic, the consistency and taste is closer to natural. In addition, there are the following differences between smoking methods:
- Equipment. Hot smoked sterlet can be cooked in the oven; cold smoked sterlet requires a special smokehouse that allows you to provide the required distance from the fire source to the grate or hooks with fish (1.5-2 m).
- The need to follow technology. Hot smoking allows for certain “improvisations”, for example, the use of “liquid smoke”.Cold requires strict adherence to the algorithm of actions. Otherwise, pathogenic microflora that is hazardous to health may begin to develop in the fish.
- Fish processing temperature. During hot smoking it reaches 110-120°C; during cold smoking it cannot rise above 30-35°C.
- Smoking time. Processing fish with cold smoke takes much more time, and the process must be continuous.
Accordingly, cold smoked sterlet requires a lot of time and effort. Here the fish is marinated and cooked longer. But its shelf life increases and more nutrients are retained.
When choosing a smoking method, you need to consider not only the taste of the finished product
Selection and preparation of fish
The quality of raw sterlet directly affects its taste after smoking. Therefore, naturally, the fish must be fresh and of high quality. This is evidenced by:
- Like wet scales. If it is sticky, slimy, flaky, it is better to refuse the purchase.
- No cuts or other damage. Such fish are most likely affected by pathogenic microflora.
- Elasticity of texture. If you press on the scales, the dent that appears disappears without a trace in a few seconds.
Fresh sterlet must be selected as pickily as possible
The selected sterlet carcass must be cut, first dipped in hot (70-80°C) water to wash off the mucus:
- Use a stiff wire brush to scrape off any bone growths.
- Cut out the gills.
- Remove head and tail.
- Cut off the vizig - a longitudinal “vein” running from the outside along the ridge. When smoked, it gives the fish an unpleasant aftertaste.
The cut fish is thoroughly washed in running water and dried on paper towels and a clean cloth. If desired, the sterlet is then cut into portions.
How to pickle sterlet for smoking
Salting sterlet before smoking is the most important stage of its preparation. Salt allows you to get rid of pathogenic microflora and excess moisture. There are two methods of salting - dry and wet.
For one cut fish (3.5-4 kg) in both cases you will need:
- coarse table salt – 1 kg;
- ground black pepper – 15-20 g.
Dry pickling looks like this:
- Thoroughly rub the dry fish inside and out with a mixture of salt and pepper, after making shallow cuts on the back.
- A layer of salt and pepper is poured onto the bottom of a container of suitable size, fish is placed on top, then salt and pepper are added again.
- Close the container, put pressure on the lid, and keep in the refrigerator for 12 hours.
The dry method of salting fish is considered the most suitable for hot smoking
Wet passes according to the following algorithm:
- Pour salt and pepper into the pan, add water (about 3 liters).
- Heat until the salt is completely dissolved, let cool to approximately body temperature.
- Place the sterlet in a container, pour in brine so that it completely covers the fish. Leave in the refrigerator for 3-4 days (sometimes it is recommended to increase the salting period to a week), turning daily to ensure even salting.
It is not recommended to keep any fish in brine - you can “kill” the natural taste
Recipes for marinades for smoking sterlet
The natural taste is highly valued by gourmets and professional chefs, so many believe that marinade will only ruin it. But it’s quite possible to experiment with different compositions.
The marinade with honey and spices gives the fish an original sweetish taste and a very beautiful golden hue. For 1 kg of fish you will need:
- olive oil – 200 ml;
- liquid honey – 150 ml;
- juice of 3-4 lemons (about 100 ml);
- garlic – 2-3 cloves;
- salt – 1 tsp;
- ground black pepper - to taste (1-2 pinches);
- spices for fish – 1 sachet (10 g).
To prepare the marinade, you need to mix all the ingredients and first chop the garlic. Sterlet is kept in it for 6-8 hours, then smoking begins.
In a wine marinade, sterlet turns out very tender and juicy. For 1 kg of fish take:
- drinking water – 1 l;
- dry white wine – 100 ml;
- soy sauce – 50 ml;
- juice of 2-3 lemons (about 80 ml);
- cane sugar – 2 tbsp. l.;
- salt – 2 tbsp. l.;
- garlic – 2-3 cloves;
- pepper mixture – 1 tsp.
Sugar and salt are heated in water until completely dissolved, then cooled to body temperature and other ingredients are added. Sterlet is marinated for 10 days before smoking.
Citrus marinade is especially suitable for hot smoking. Required ingredients:
- drinking water – 1 l;
- orange – 1 pc.;
- lemon, lime or grapefruit – 1 pc.;
- salt – 1 tbsp. l.;
- sugar – 1 tsp;
- medium onion – 1 pc.;
- mixture of peppers – 1.5-2 tsp;
- dry herbs (sage, rosemary, oregano, basil, thyme) and cinnamon - a pinch.
Salt, sugar and chopped onion are thrown into water, brought to a boil, and after 2-3 minutes remove from heat. Onion pieces are caught, chopped citrus fruits and other ingredients are added. Sterlet is poured with marinade, cooled to 50-60°C, and smoking begins after 7-8 hours.
Marinade with coriander is very easy to prepare, but not everyone likes its specific taste. You will need:
- drinking water – 1.5 l;
- sugar and salt - 2 tbsp each. l.;
- bay leaf – 4-5 pcs.;
- cloves and black peppercorns - to taste (10-20 pcs.);
- coriander seeds or dried greens – 15 g.
All ingredients are added to boiling water and stirred vigorously. Once cooled to room temperature, pour the liquid over the sterlet. Smoking begins after 10-12 hours.
Hot smoked sterlet recipes
You can smoke hot smoked sterlet not only in a special smokehouse, but also at home, using an oven or cauldron.
How to smoke hot smoked sterlet in a smokehouse
The algorithm of actions is as follows:
- Light the wood for the fire and let the flame burn until it becomes steady but not too intense. Pour small wood chips into a special container in the smokehouse. Fruit trees (cherry, apple, pear), oak, and alder are best suited. Any coniferous species are excluded - the bitter “resinous” taste is guaranteed to spoil the finished product. The suitability of birch is a controversial issue; not everyone likes the tar notes that appear in the taste. Wait until light white smoke appears.
- Place the fish on racks or hang them on hooks, if possible, so that the carcasses and pieces do not touch each other.
- Smoke the sterlet until golden brown, opening the lid every 30-40 minutes to release the smoke. You can’t keep it in a smokehouse until it turns chocolate brown—the fish will taste bitter.
Important! Ready-made hot smoked sterlet should not be eaten immediately. It is ventilated for at least half an hour (even an hour and a half is better).
Hot smoked sterlet in the oven
At home in the oven, hot smoked sterlet is prepared using “liquid smoke”.As a result, the fish develops a characteristic taste, although, of course, for gourmets the difference between a natural product and a “surrogate” is obvious.
Hot smoked sterlet is prepared as follows:
- After dry salting for 10 hours, add a mixture of 70 ml of dry white or red wine and a teaspoon of “liquid smoke” to the container with the fish. Place in the refrigerator for another 6 hours.
- Rinse the sterlet and place on a wire rack. Smoke by selecting the convection mode and setting the temperature to 80°C for at least an hour.Important! Readiness is determined “by eye”, focusing on the characteristic color and aroma.
The specific cooking time depends on the size of the sterlet pieces and the oven itself.
How to smoke sterlet in a cauldron
Very original, but at the same time simple technology. Before smoking, sterlet must be marinated according to any recipe:
- Wrap the sawdust or wood chips for smoking in foil so that it looks like an envelope, and pierce it with a knife several times.
- Place the “envelope” on the bottom of the cauldron, and place a wire rack with pieces of fish on top.
- Close the container with a lid and place on the stove, setting the flame power to medium. When light smoke appears, reduce it to minimum. Hot smoked sterlet is ready in about 25-30 minutes.
Recipe for smoking sterlet with a smoke generator
If you have such a device at home, you can prepare hot smoked sterlet like this:
- Place the pieces of cut fish in water, adding salt to taste. Bring to a boil, remove from heat. Dry the fish by wiping it with napkins and placing it on wooden boards.
- Pour very fine wood chips or shavings onto the smoke generator mesh and set it on fire.
- Place a wire rack with pieces of sterlet on top and cover with a glass lid. Adjust the direction of the smoke so that it goes under this “hood”. Cook the sterlet for 7-10 minutes.
Important! Professional chefs recommend serving fish smoked in this way on toast with butter, sprinkled with finely chopped chives on top.Not every housewife has a smoke generator in her kitchen.
Cold smoked sterlet recipes
For cold smoking, you need a special smokehouse, which is a container for fish, equipped with a smoke generator and a tube connecting it to a “heating element.” If it's not a fire, maintaining a constant temperature is much easier.
How to smoke sterlet in a smokehouse
The process of cold smoking sterlet at home is not much different from hot smoking technology. The sterlet needs to be salted, washed, hung on hooks or laid out on a wire rack. Next, they light a fire, pour wood chips into the generator, and connect it to the chamber in which the fish is located.
The readiness of cold smoked sterlet is determined by the consistency of the meat - it should be tender, elastic, not watery.
Cold smoked sterlet with apple flavor
You can prepare such cold smoked sterlet using the technology described above. The marinade with apple juice gives the fish its original flavor. For 1 kg of sterlet you will need:
- drinking water – 0.5 l;
- freshly squeezed apple juice – 0.5 l;
- sugar – 2 tbsp. l.;
- salt – 1.5 tbsp. l.;
- half a lemon;
- black peppercorns and cloves – 10-15 pcs.;
- bay leaf – 3-4 pcs.;
- onion peel - half a glass.
First you need to boil the juice and water, then add the onion skins to the pan, after another 5-7 minutes - lemon juice and the rest of the ingredients. Boil for about half an hour, until brick-colored.
The sterlet pieces are kept in this marinade for at least a day. It must first be strained and cooled to room temperature.
Apple marinade gives smoked sterlet not only an unusual taste, but also a beautiful color
How long does it take to smoke sterlet?
The period varies depending on the size of the fish carcass or its pieces. Hot smoked fish is cooked in a smokehouse for at least an hour. Cold – 2-3 days without a break. If the sterlet is especially large, smoking can take 5-7 days. When the process is interrupted for some reason, even if only for a few hours, it is necessary to extend it for another day.
Storage rules
Homemade smoked sterlet is a perishable product. Hot smoked fish will last in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, cold smoked fish – up to 10 days. If you freeze it in airtight plastic bags or containers, you can extend the shelf life up to 3 months. But you need to freeze it in small portions, since re-freezing is strictly prohibited.
At room temperature, cold and hot smoked sterlet can be stored for a maximum of a day. To do this, the fish is covered with nettle or burdock leaves and tightly wrapped in paper, leaving it in a cool, well-ventilated room.
Conclusion
Hot smoked sterlet is an amazingly appetizing and aromatic fish. Its taste does not suffer even with the cold method. In addition, when consumed in moderation, it is extremely beneficial for health.The technology for smoking sterlet in both cases is relatively simple; you can prepare the delicacy at home. But in order for the finished dish to live up to expectations, you need to choose the right fish, prepare a suitable marinade and strictly follow the instructions during the cooking process.
