Recently, more and more housewives prefer to cook homemade meals, avoiding store-bought convenience foods. Moreover, these preferences apply not only to cutlets and dumplings. Even salted fish, which can be bought at any grocery store, is cooked by many housewives on their own. The reason is the reluctance to purchase products filled with preservatives and flavor enhancers. Salted mackerel is no exception, especially since there are a great many recipes for its preparation.
Mackerel in spicy brine
For salting, you can take both fresh and frozen mackerel. If you chose the second option, then before starting the salting, leave the fish for several hours at a temperature of +3 - 5 ° C to thaw it. After that, the mackerel must be gutted. To do this, cut the abdomen from the head towards the caudal fin and carefully remove the insides. Remember to remove the film so the fish doesn't taste bitter. Rinse the carcass under running water.
Before proceeding with the ambassador, decide exactly how you want to pickle the mackerel - whole carcass, pieces or in the form of fillets. Note that the whole carcass must sit in the brine longer than the chunks.
Mackerel is a popular commercial fish. It is not suitable for frying, as its fillets become dry with this method of cooking and acquire an unpleasant odor. It is for this reason that mackerel is most often salted.
When the issue of cutting the fish is resolved, you can start preparing the brine. To prepare it, you will need: 1 liter of cold boiled or filtered water, 5 tbsp. salt, 2 tsp. tea leaves, 10 allspice peas, 3 tbsp. sugar, 3 bay leaves, 5-7 cloves and 1 onion.
Pour 100 ml of boiling water over the tea leaves and leave to infuse for 20 minutes. While the brine tea is brewing, prepare the fish dishes. It is advisable to use an enamel or glass container for salting.
Pour water into a saucepan and add all ingredients except tea and onion. Place a saucepan on a fire and bring it to a boil. Peel the onion and put it in a boiling brine, reduce the heat and cook the onion until the scales begin to separate from each other.
Strain the brewed tea and add it to the pot, boil the brine for another 1-2 minutes and remove the pot from heat. Cover the saucepan with a lid and leave to cool.
For salting, take fish with a wide back and skin of a beautiful bright shade. It is desirable that the carcass is free of white bloom and damage.
Place the mackerel in the prepared container and cover with chilled brine. Try to position the fish so that it is completely covered with liquid. Close the container with a lid and place in a cool place for about 12 hours. Shake the liquid every 3-4 hours so that the salting process goes evenly. After 12 hours, the fish can be served.
Mackerel with oil and vinegar
Those who prefer a more pungent and pungent fish flavor will surely love mackerel in oil and vinegar. In order to salt the fish in this way, the carcass must first be prepared by separating the tail and head, gutting and cutting into pieces no more than 3 cm thick.
Place the fish in an enamel pot and add salt to the mackerel, taking 1 tbsp. for 1 kg of fish. Add 5 cloves, 7 black peppercorns, 1 tablespoon to the fish. vegetable oil and 1 tsp. vinegar. Place the lid on the pot and shake it well several times. It is necessary to salt the fish in this way for 12-15 hours, periodically shaking the pan.
