Spicy salting: what spices to use, the best recipes from the chef

Perhaps every housewife has a favorite seasoning for pickling red fish. Its composition depends on the type of delicacy and the method of its preparation. In this case, it is necessary to take into account taste preferences and the desired degree of salinity.

How to prepare aromatic seasoning yourself at home?

Description

A marinade for spicy salted sprat or any other fish not only emphasizes the aroma and taste of the fish, but also has a beneficial effect on the body.
The spices used stimulate the immune system, improve the digestive process, and increase appetite. You can prepare the spice mixture yourself. It is also sold ready-made in stores.

Basic rules for home pickling

Depending on the type chosen, red fish is salted in marinade, sauce, vegetable oil or dry seasonings:

1. It is better to salt pink salmon, chum salmon, sockeye salmon, and salmon using the “wet” method.
2. Dry salting is suitable for juicier trout, salmon, and nelma.

For uniform salting, use granulated sugar and coarse salt, such as sea salt. Both fresh and frozen fish, previously thawed in cold water or the refrigerator, are salted.

When purchasing a frozen product, a whole carcass is preferable, which you can cut yourself. Salted fillets or ready-made briquettes will taste significantly different, and they will not look as appetizing.

Depending on the desired result, red fish is salted in a cold place for 1-3 days, then excess seasonings and salt are removed. To avoid oxidation of the container over this period, use enamel dishes or plastic bowls with a lid. The finished food is stored only in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Use in cooking

The fish can be eaten in its form immediately after salting or added to various dishes. Below is only a small part of what can be prepared from spiced sprat and other varieties of fish.

What dishes are they added to?

What kind of fish can be salted:

• spicy salted pink salmon;
• salmon;
• spicy salted ivashi;
• roach;
• vobla;
• spicy salted smelt;
• blue;
• spicy salted capelin;
• bream;
• spicy salted peled, etc.

Dishes:

• omelette with salmon and cream cheese;
• salad with carrots, red fish and almonds;
• sandwiches with spiced sprat;
• fish soup;
• Olivier with fish;
• Mimosa salad";
• herring under a fur coat.

Expert commentary

Daria Sakharovskaya

Founder and owner of the House of Spices and Herbs "World of Spices".

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“To make the dish more tender and richer, you can add 1 tbsp of salt per 1 kg of salt to the recipe for spicy salted sprat at home. l. sugar, as well as natural flavors depending on taste preferences. For example, bay leaf, cinnamon, dried clove buds, pepper, basil, etc.”

How many grams

Below is the calorie content of spiced salted herring and the ratio of proteins/fat/carbohydrates in it.

Sprat with spices

Recipes for spicy salted fish are varied. Some people like herring, others like mackerel. But don’t forget about smaller specimens. So, sprat can be an excellent product. It is often sold with the head and entrails. However, in this recipe the fish will need to be processed.

For spicy salted fish you need to take:

• kilogram of sprat;
• three tablespoons of salt, with top;
• half a teaspoon of black peppercorns;
• five buds of cloves;
• a quarter teaspoon of coriander, preferably in grains;
• a little ground ginger - to taste;
• three bay leaves.

It is better to take a wide dish for this version of spicy fish, so that the fish can be placed. It's better to stick to a glass bowl. This recipe can be used to prepare any small fish, such as capelin or herring.

Chef's Tips

Daria Sakharovskaya

Founder and owner of the House of Spices and Herbs "World of Spices".

Ask a Question

Question to the expert

How to pickle spiced sprat at home?

Place fresh or frozen fish in a deep glass container in several layers. Sprinkle each with coarse salt and a mixture of spices. Support the top with something heavy and place the container in a cool place. After 72-96 hours the fish will release juice. Drain it, rinse the sprat with cold water, and soak in it for 60 minutes. The dish is ready to eat.

How to marinate mackerel?

Take salted fish, clean and cut into pieces. Prepare a marinade for spicy salting for mackerel (see recipe above). Pour it over the pieces and place in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.

How to make spicy salted herring at home?

Mix chopped bay leaf with coriander, salt and sugar. Rub the resulting mixture onto the fish on all sides. Place peppercorns inside the carcass. Place in a deep container and press the lid tightly. Keep in a cool place for 3 days. After the specified time has passed, wash off the spices and the dish is ready to eat.

How to cook sprat?

To begin with, the fish is washed, its head is cut off, its belly is cut and its entrails are taken out. Wash again. Place the fish in a colander to drain the water.

Place pepper, coriander, bay leaves and cloves in a mortar and grind with a pestle or spoon. However, there is no need to powder the spices; the pieces should remain fairly large. Add ginger and salt, mix seasonings.

The entire sprat is sprinkled with a mixture of spices. Stir from top to bottom until all carcasses are covered. Transfer the future spicy-salted fish into a bowl, cover it with something, and put pressure on it. Salt the sprat in the refrigerator for 12 hours. It is served with boiled potatoes. Or they make a simple salad out of it. The vertebrae of the fish are removed and cut into pieces. Add onion in half rings. Season everything with aromatic oil.

What happens when you salt fish

Salting fish extends its shelf life.
Salting is one of the most ancient ways of storing fish, which allows it not to spoil for a long time. In addition, the product processed in this way acquires a unique taste and aroma.

When salting fish, it is partially dehydrated, because... the spice draws moisture from the pulp. The meat becomes denser and acquires a piquant aroma. At the same time, fish oil and other beneficial substances remain in the tissues, which makes the snack not only tasty, but also healthy.

There are 3 main salting methods:

• dry, in which only dry ingredients are used;
• wet, in which carcasses are immersed in a specially prepared marinade;
• mixed, when the fish is first rubbed with salt and other dry ingredients and then soaked.

The process takes place in 3 stages:

1. The ambassador himself, i.e. contact of salt with the surface of the fish.
2. Salting - the spice penetrates the fish and turns it into a semi-finished product suitable for smoking, drying, drying, and canning.
3. Maturation - fish turns from a raw product into a finished product. With prolonged interaction with salt (a day or more), the fish becomes suitable for consumption.

Home-salted trout turns out very tender and tasty. This is a delicacy that is loved by both adults and children. In addition, with this method of preparation, the fish does not lose vitamins and microelements, since it is not subjected to heat treatment.

Salted trout is a festive table decoration.

Salted trout has the following beneficial properties:

• stimulates brain activity;
• improves memory and attention;
• contains beneficial omega-3 amino acids that prevent aging of the body;
• reduces cholesterol levels;
• improves mood;
• does not contain carbohydrates, so it is suitable for those who are watching their weight.

In addition, by doing pickling at home, you can be sure of the quality, freshness of the finished product and the absence of artificial preservatives and other harmful additives in its composition.

Basic recipes for cooking salted trout at home

There are many ways to salt trout, so different cuisines around the world have their own recipes. This fish can be used to make sushi and sandwiches; it is also good as an independent snack. And caviar, salted at home, will become the main decoration of the festive table.

Before salting, the fish must be washed, dried with a paper towel, cleaned of entrails, and cut off the head and tail (they are suitable for making fish soup). Next, the carcass needs to be cut along the ridge into 2 equal parts and the bones removed. If desired, you can cut off the skin.

Plastic, glass or ceramic dishes are suitable for pickling, but not metal. When salted, trout can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a month. In addition, it can be frozen. Shelf life in the freezer is 6 months.

Home classics

To prepare salted trout according to the classic recipe, you need the following ingredients:

• 1 kg of fish;
• 2 tbsp. l. salt;
• pepper and bay leaf (optional);
• 1 tbsp. l. Sahara.

The prepared carcass is cut into small pieces and placed in a container. Sprinkle a mixture of dry ingredients on top. You can also add pepper, dried or fresh dill, and bay leaf. Next, cover the container with a lid or film and put it in the refrigerator. After 24 hours, the snack is ready.

Lightly salted fish

To prepare lightly salted trout, the following components are required:

• 400 g fillet;
• 1 tbsp. l. salt;
• juice of half a lemon;
• 1 tsp. Sahara.

The fillet must be placed in a container, sprinkled with salt and sugar, and sprinkled with lemon juice. Close the container and put it in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. After this period, lightly salted fish is ready to eat.

One way to salt fish is in a marinade.

Trout in marinade

To prepare marinated trout you will need:

• 1 kg of fish;
• 1 liter of boiling water;
• 100 g salt;
• 1 onion;
• 50 g sugar;
• 2 caps of dill for pickles;
• 2 cloves of garlic;
• 6-8 black peppercorns;
• 4 bay leaves;
• 1 bud of clove.

Pour salt into the pan, add onion, cut into half rings, sugar, dill, bay leaf, pepper and pour boiling water. Mix the ingredients well and let the marinade cool. After this, add coarsely chopped garlic and cloves to the pan and stir again. Place pieces of fish (preferably with skin) into the resulting marinade and place under pressure in the refrigerator. Lightly salted trout will be ready in 24 hours. For a greater degree of salting, it is necessary to keep the fish in the marinade for 2-3 days.

Whole salting

This trout salting recipe is suitable for those who do not want to waste time cutting up the carcass.

Required ingredients:

• 1 kg of fish;
• 50 g salt;
• 1 tbsp. l. olive oil;
• 30 g sugar;
• 7 pcs. black peppercorns;
• juice of 1 lemon.

Mix salt, pepper, sugar, olive oil and lemon juice in a separate bowl. Clean the carcass from the insides, place in a prepared container and rub with the resulting marinade. Place in the refrigerator under load for 1 to 3 days, depending on the desired degree of salting.

Salting in fabric is suitable for both pieces of fish and whole fish.

Salting in fabric

According to this recipe, the carcass is wrapped in clean cotton cloth. The result is something between dry and wet salting. The method is suitable for salting both pieces and the whole carcass.

You will need:

• 500 g trout;
• 3 tbsp. l. salt;
• 40 g sugar;
• pepper (optional).

A mixture of dry ingredients is poured onto a clean cloth. The fish, cleaned of entrails, is placed on top and again covered with salt and sugar. After this, the carcass is tightly wrapped in cloth and put in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Caviar Ambassador

Red fish caviar has long been considered a delicacy. You can also pickle trout caviar at home.

To prepare you will need:

• 500 g caviar;
• 350 g salt;
• 2 liters of water;
• 50 g sugar.

Pour water into a saucepan, add dry ingredients and boil for 5 minutes, and then simmer to +50°C. Rinse the caviar in cold water. Then remove the films. To do this, pour half the brine over the caviar and leave for 5 minutes. When interacting with warm water, the films peel off well. Next, the caviar must be carefully rubbed through a large sieve or removed with your hands, being careful not to damage the eggs. This process requires time and attention.

After this, pour the remaining brine over the caviar and leave for 10 minutes. After the time has passed, the eggs must be placed on gauze to dry. Place the finished caviar in glass jars and consume within 3 days or freeze.

Pickling with dill

Greens add a pleasant spicy aroma to the dish.

To implement this recipe you will need:

• 500 g fillet;
• 50 g salt;
• 1 bunch of dill;
• 25 g sugar.

Cut the fillet into pieces, rub with a mixture of dry ingredients and chopped dill. Next, transfer the fish to the prepared container, cover with a lid or film and place in the refrigerator. After 48 hours, the fish salted in this way is ready.

In honey with lemon juice

For this recipe you need the following ingredients:

• 500 g trout fillet;
• 2 tsp. salt;
• 1 tsp. liquid honey;
• juice of 0.5 lemon.

Mix all the ingredients in a separate bowl and thoroughly coat the fillet with the resulting marinade, press down with pressure, cover with a lid and refrigerate for 2 days.

Scandinavian salting

To prepare trout in the Scandinavian and Finnish ways, vodka or cognac (brandy, whiskey) is used. Alcohol removes the fishy smell, partially destroys parasites, speeds up the salting process, makes the meat soft and gives it a piquant flavor. There will be no alcohol in the finished dish, but such fish should be consumed with caution by children and pregnant women.

So, the following ingredients are needed for Scandinavian pickling:

• 500 g fillet;
• 50 g salt;
• 50 g sugar;
• 0.5 tsp. ground pepper;
• 1 tsp. lemon zest;
• 1 tsp. orange zest;
• 100 g vodka;
• a handful of chopped dill.

In a separate bowl, mix all the ingredients, rub the resulting mixture onto the fillets, place in a container, cover with cling film or a lid and put in the refrigerator. After a day, you need to take out the container, turn the pieces over to the other side and leave to salt for another day. You can cook salmon in a similar way.

In Finnish

To prepare Finnish trout you will need:

• 500 g fillet;
• 50 g salt;
• 50 g cognac;
• 50 g sugar;
• chopped dill (to taste).

The fillet is cut into pieces, rubbed with a mixture of dry ingredients and dill, placed in a container, poured with cognac and put in the refrigerator. After 48 hours, the snack is ready.

In honey-mustard marinade

This recipe is suitable for lovers of sweet and sour dishes.

To prepare the marinade you need the following components (for 1 kg of trout):

• 3 tbsp. l. salt;
• 2 tbsp. l. liquid honey;
• 2 tsp. mustard.

Mix all ingredients in a separate container. Rub the mixture onto the fillets and store in the refrigerator in a container with a tight-fitting lid. After 1 day, the dish is ready to eat.

In a spicy marinade

This salting method is suitable for lovers of spicy dishes.

You will need:

• 500 g trout;
• 50 g salt;
• 25 g sugar;
• 2 tbsp. l. olive oil;
• 1 tbsp. l. tomato paste;
• 1 onion;
• 2 cloves of garlic (crush in a press);
• 1 tbsp. l. vinegar;
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper;
• ginger on the tip of a knife;
• dill.

Cut the fish as desired. To prepare the brine, mix all ingredients in a separate container. Coat the trout slices with the resulting marinade and refrigerate for 2 days.

Red fish with lemon.

In wine with lemon juice

For this recipe, you will need:

• 500 g fillet;
• 150 ml dry white wine;
• 3 tbsp. l. salt;
• juice of 1 lemon:
• greens to taste.

Mix all the ingredients and rub the fillet with this mixture. Place in a container, cover with a lid and refrigerate for 1-2 days.

In soy sauce with basil

The soy sauce-based marinade will appeal to lovers of Asian cuisine, and basil will give the product a pleasant aroma.

For this dish you will need:

• 500 g fillet;
• 150 ml water;
• 50 g salt;
• 4 tbsp. l. soy sauce;
• 1 tsp. dried basil.

In a separate bowl, mix all ingredients (except fish). Pour the resulting mixture over the fillet pieces and leave in a cool place for 2 days.

Dry pickling

Salting is carried out without marinade, using only dry ingredients.

The ingredients are taken in the following ratio:

• 1 kg of fish;
• 6 tbsp. l. salt;
• 1 tbsp. l. Sahara;
• spices to taste.

The carcass is rubbed with dry spices, wrapped in gauze or a clean cotton rag, which absorbs excess moisture. After 3 days, the snack is ready.

Salting steaks

For salting, along with fillets and whole carcasses, you can use steaks. To do this, they need to be washed and cleared of scales. Bones can be removed if desired.

To salt 1 kg of trout you will need:

• 50 g salt;
• 25 g sugar;
• 2-3 pcs. bay leaf.

Rub the steaks with a mixture of dry ingredients and crumble the bay leaf. Cover the container with a lid or film and put it in the refrigerator. After 24 hours, the steaks can be turned over to ensure even salting and left in the refrigerator for another 1 day.

Make it yourself or buy it?

Stores sell all kinds of ready-made mixtures, seasonings, sauces, pastes, and additives for red fish. However, they may contain dyes, unnatural preservatives, flavors and other suspicious components.

It will be much tastier and healthier to prepare the delicacy yourself, varying the degree of salinity and composition of spices to taste. You can prepare a universal seasoning for home use. It is suitable for pickling, frying, boiling or stewing fish. It contains all the same:

• salt (3–3.5 teaspoons), sugar and coriander (2 teaspoons each);
• mixture of peppers, (3 teaspoons), freeze-dried garlic, onions (5 teaspoons).

Crush all ingredients into powder or finely chop and mix. This seasoning for pickling red fish will be appropriate in any fish dish.