Buying ready-made lightly salted salmon in stores, buyers definitely overpay for a delicate delicacy. But there is nothing easier than adding salt to delicious red fish at home. And it will take a little time. The options for salmon salting recipes are very different, but it is better to choose the simplest one, without "frills", so as not to spoil the already delicious fish.
First you need to choose a fish. Give preference to a piece that is larger and fatter, or even a whole carcass weighing at least 4 kg. The fillet of such salmon is much softer and juicier than that of small specimens, and the separated tail, head and ridge are ideal for the most delicate fish soup.
Usually salmon pieces are salted, separating all excess, but leaving the fillet on the skin. The skin must first be cleaned of scales. So the red fish will be salted enough to be eaten, but not too deeply and harshly, like a skinless fillet.
Salting ingredients
- fillet of salmon on skin without bones - 500 g
- coarse salt (if possible sea salt) - 1 tbsp.
- granulated sugar - 1 tsp
- black pepper (optional)
A simple salmon recipe
- Mix salt with granulated sugar (and pepper).
- Spread parchment paper on the table and sprinkle evenly with salt and sugar. Place a piece on the mixture, skin side down.
- Grate the exposed part of the meat with the mixture, pressing in the salt and sugar.
- Turn the salmon 3-4 times, as if panning it.
- Place the piece skin side up, roll the parchment tightly.
- Place the packaged fish in a container (bowl, saucepan) and press down with a load on top. Leave on the table for 30-40 minutes.
- Transfer the fish to a vacuum container with a lid and refrigerate for 12 hours.
- Remove slightly salted salmon from parchment paper, brush off the remnants of the sprinkling with a brush or knife. Cut into large pieces. The delicacy is ready to eat.
When serving, ready-made red fish can be garnished with a lemon wedge, dill or olives.
Useful Tips
Fillet color can be bright red or pale pink. Neither the first nor the second means the presence of dyes or preservatives in the fish or feed that was given to it under artificial breeding conditions. The reasons may be the peculiarities of the habitat. But black dots on the sides, small scales and a mild nose may indicate that instead of salmon, the buyer is offered trout.
Store the finished fish in the refrigerator in a container or wrapped in plastic wrap for no longer than 7 days. In order for it to remain lightly salted, the fish oil and liquid formed during storage at the bottom of the container must be poured out.
If desired, the fillet can be salted not in a piece, but by cutting it into thin slices 0.5 cm wide. However, with this method, the product does not need to be placed under a press and will be cooked in just 2-3 hours. Then, be sure to scrape off the remaining salt from the surface of the pieces.
If after cooking it is not possible to consume the whole delicacy, it can be frozen for long-term storage. However, you will then need to defrost it slowly, in the refrigerator. This way the fish will retain all its taste.
