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Ordinary river fish can easily be turned into a real culinary masterpiece with the help of simple manipulations. Cold smoked bream turns out very tender and tasty. The aroma of the finished product will not leave even an experienced gourmet indifferent.
Benefits and calorie content of cold smoked bream
With strict adherence to heat treatment technology, most of the most important elements for the body can be preserved. The chemical composition of the finished product is represented by a large amount of potassium, sodium, iron and chromium. Rare elements such as fluorine, phosphorus and nickel are also found. A distinctive feature of cold smoked bream is the low calorie content of the dish. 100 g of delicacy contains:
- proteins - 29.7 g;
- fats - 4.6 g;
- carbohydrates - 0 g;
- calories - 160 kcal.
Considering the excellent ratio of BJU, cold smoked bream is a source of building material for the body. But excessive consumption of smoked meats can be harmful to health.The maximum volume of the product should not be more than 100-200 g per day.
Cold smoked fish retains most of the substances beneficial to humans
Regular inclusion of the delicacy in your diet significantly improves the functioning of many body systems. Vitamins A, B, E, PP and fatty acids have a beneficial effect. Under the influence of beneficial compounds, the functioning of the circulatory and nervous systems improves, and the gastrointestinal tract is normalized.
Rules for cold smoking bream
A true culinary masterpiece requires strict adherence to the instructions and wishes set out in the recipes. To prepare cold smoked bream, it is important to choose the right raw material, salt or marinate it, and then proceed to direct processing with smoke.
To make the fish more tasty, after salting it must be slightly dried. Bream are hung outdoors for 2-3 hours. This will ensure the release of excess moisture remaining after salting or long-term marinating.
Selection and preparation of fish
Bream is a widespread fish in almost all water bodies of the country. That is why the best raw material for cold smoking is freshly caught fish. Repeated cycles of freezing and defrosting significantly reduce the consumer characteristics of the product. It is recommended to start salting or marinating carcasses no later than 48 hours after catching.
The head and fins serve only a decorative function, so it is recommended to remove them
If it is not possible to use fresh bream, cold smoking can also be applied to frozen or chilled fish.It is important to pay attention to its appearance. The eyes should not be cloudy. The scales of a quality product retain their natural shine. When you press on fresh bream, the meat instantly compensates for the deformation.
Most types of river fish have very bony fillets. This is why it is recommended to avoid cold smoking of too small carcasses. The optimal size of bream is 1 kg - such an individual has enough fat for an ideal taste. Bream that are too large lose their characteristics. In addition, large individuals may simply not fit into the smokehouse.
The head of each fish is cut off, then the belly is cut open and gutted. All dorsal and ventral fins are removed with a sharp knife. The bream is thoroughly washed under running water, after which it is sent for further preparation.
Pickling
Long-term aging in a salt mixture will not only significantly improve taste characteristics, but also increase shelf life by destroying potentially dangerous microorganisms. You can pickle bream for cold smoking using several recipes. The most popular method is to simply rub the carcasses and keep them in the refrigerator for 10-12 hours. For those looking for a bolder flavor, you can create a simple mixture using the following ingredients:
- 200 g salt;
- 20 g ground pepper;
- 2 tbsp. l. Sahara;
- 1 tbsp. l. ground coriander.
All seasonings are mixed in a small container. The prepared mixture is rubbed on the outside and inside of the bream. The carcasses are kept in the refrigerator for up to 10 hours. The fish is washed to remove spices in cold water, dried with a towel and slightly dried.
Pickling
The use of aromatic brine allows you to significantly diversify the taste of the finished product. For the simplest marinade, use 100 g of salt per 1 liter of water.Bream is soaked in this liquid for up to 10 hours. Before cold smoking, it is wiped dry and hung in the open air for a couple of hours.
Complex brines can significantly improve the taste of the finished product
For a brighter taste, various spices or specific ingredients are added to the marinade. If desired, you can get a sweet, spicy or wine brine. For the most common cold smoking marinade recipe you will need:
- ½ lemon;
- ½ orange;
- 1 onion;
- 50 g salt;
- 2 bay leaves;
- 1 tbsp. l. granulated sugar;
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon;
- a pinch of thyme.
Citrus juice is mixed with 1 liter of cold water. Salt, sugar and seasonings are added to the mixture. It is heated to a boil, then cooled. The finished marinade is poured over the fish and kept for 6 to 8 hours. The bream is cold-smoked for 2-3 hours. Only after drying can you begin to smoke treatment.
How to cold smoke bream
There are a huge number of ways to prepare a delicious fish delicacy. The most popular method for bream is cold smoking - it involves long-term treatment of carcasses with smoke. If you do not have the necessary equipment, you can use home appliances - an oven or a convection oven. You can reproduce the taste of cold smoking using liquid smoke. In small doses, this substance is absolutely safe for the body.
How to smoke cold smoked bream in a smokehouse
This method allows you to obtain the highest quality delicacy, but it will require serious technical equipment. An essential component of a cold smoked smokehouse is a smoke generator. This device provides a continuous supply of cold smoke to the main room of the smokehouse.If in more expensive devices it is built-in, home-made options most often have to be completed manually.
Simply following the instructions will result in a finished product of the highest quality. Given long-term smoke treatment, it is important to ensure a continuous supply. Chips that are too small will burn out quickly. It is best to make it yourself from the wood of fruit trees. The wood chips are soaked for 1-2 hours in cold water. It is then placed in a special bowl inside the smoke generator.
Choosing wood chips for cold smoking is a fairly simple task. Since during the cooking process hot fat does not fall on wet wood, almost any type of raw material can be used - from alder to cherry. The main thing is not to use coniferous wood chips, otherwise you can seriously spoil the taste of the product.
Smoke treatment may take up to 24 hours
The main cabinet of a cold smoked smokehouse should be quite large in order to accommodate several large carcasses. The bream are tied with twine and hung on special hooks. The smoke generator is connected to the smokehouse and the cooking process begins.
Treating bream with cold smoke is a rather lengthy procedure. It will take about 24 hours for a kilogram carcass to be fully prepared. Then the delicacy is hung out in the open air for an hour for ventilation. The fish is served cold as an appetizer with other dishes.
Cold smoked bream with liquid smoke
The lack of a smokehouse with a smoke generator should not discourage you from enjoying delicious dishes. Using a little secret, you can get that same smoky aroma.For the recipe you will need:
- 1 liter of water;
- 100 ml liquid smoke;
- 1 cup onion peel;
- 3 tbsp. l. salt;
- 1 tbsp. l. granulated sugar;
- 2-3 bream.
First you need to prepare a flavorful marinade. Onion peels are crushed and filled with water. The liquid is brought to a boil, salt and sugar are added. After the seasonings are completely dissolved, the marinade is removed from the heat and cooled. Liquid smoke is poured into it and mixed thoroughly.
Liquid smoke allows you to preserve the bright taste of smoked meats
Pre-prepared bream is placed on the bottom of a wide pan. They are poured with marinade and placed under pressure. The fish is stored for 2 days in a cool place - a refrigerator or basement. The finished product is thoroughly washed, dried with a towel and served.
Recipe for cold smoked bream in an air fryer
To obtain the perfect delicacy, you can use your usual kitchen appliances. An air fryer with the ability to set a minimum temperature of 50-60 degrees is best suited for these purposes. Stronger heat will not allow you to get the same taste and consistency of cold smoking.
Before proceeding with direct heat treatment, the bream must be prepared. It is cleaned, gutted, and the head and fins are cut off. The carcasses are thoroughly washed in water, then generously coated with a special mixture for smoking, consisting of liquid smoke and spices. The fish is placed under oppression for 3 days, then washed and dried.
You can place several chips of alder or apple tree on the bottom of the air fryer.
The bream is cut into portions 4-5 cm wide. They are laid out on oiled air fryer grates. The minimum temperature is set on the device and connected to the network. Cold smoked bream in an air fryer will be ready within three hours.The snack is ideal for a quick snack.
How and how long is cold smoked bream stored?
Using a large amount of salt can significantly increase the preservation of the finished delicacy. The shelf life of cold smoked bream in the refrigerator can be up to 2 weeks if the necessary conditions are met. The temperature should not exceed 4 degrees. It is important to have a separate drawer for fish so that the strong aroma of smoke does not spoil the neighboring products.
To keep cold smoked bream in the refrigerator much longer, you can use a trick - use a vacuum sealer. This device completely protects the product from oxygen, thereby minimizing oxidation processes inside the meat. The shelf life of the fish in this case increases to 1 month.
Conclusion
Cold smoked bream is an incredibly tasty and very healthy delicacy. In the absence of a high-quality smokehouse, you can create a real culinary masterpiece even with the help of simple kitchen appliances. To improve the taste of smoked fish, you can use clever marinade recipes - spicy, honey or wine.
