Herring was first salted in the Netherlands in the 14th century, and in Russia this novelty appeared a century later and not only came to liking, but also became a traditional national dish. It was in Russian cities that the mass herring ambassador began, and hundreds of recipes were created for different types of fish. Today, salted herring can be bought at the store, as well as cooked at home.
Undoubtedly, a self-made herring is much tastier than the one that is on the shelves of outlets. At the same time, the herring ambassador at home is economically more profitable.
Before you start salting fish, you must adhere to the following tips.
For cooking, it is advisable to take fresh herring, which in no case is damaged, in exceptional cases, frozen, since the taste properties significantly suffer from poor quality.
Along with salmon and mackerel fish species, herring is best suited for salting because of their ability to ripen quickly.
It is ideal for cooking large, well-fed fish, winter or spring catches, since before spawning it has the highest fat content and the best taste.
It is better to carry out the herring ambassador at home with the use of coarse salt, which will better draw excess moisture and not burn meat.
When you buy salted herring in the store or in case of poor salting, there is a risk of infection with harmful microorganisms and parasites that have increased resistance to salt and vinegar. To protect yourself, the concentration of the solution should be 12-15 percent.
The best utensils for herring are glass jars, wooden barrels and enameled containers.
When making herring ambassadors at home, you can not gut the small one, but use it whole, clean the middle one from the insides or pour the saline into the belly with a syringe, large specimens must be gutted and cut into pieces.
Salted herring is poorly stored, and rust (yellow coating) appears on the surface of the fish, which is formed as a result of fat oxidation. To prevent such negative phenomena, it is necessary to use closed dishes for storage, while the brine should be prepared in a ratio of salt to water of one to five, respectively. A container of salted fish needs to be placed in a cool, dark room or in the refrigerator. The storage time for salted herring in the cellar is 10 days; in the refrigerator, the fish will not go bad for a month.
A simple recipe with which you can perform a quick herring ambassador. At the preparatory stage, the belly is cut in the fish and all entrails are removed. With a pointed knife, blood vessels located deep in the chest cavity are removed. The chopped herring is washed several times with cold water so that not a drop of blood remains. After this, the fish must be dried and sprinkled with salt on all sides, it is filled with gill cavities and belly. The amount of ingredients should be calculated on the basis of a proportion of 1 gram of fish 200 grams of salt. Then the fish is placed in a wooden or enameled bowl, sprinkled with salt and stored in a dark and cold place. After a couple of days, the product is ready. Before eating, salted fish must be soaked in water.
Having executed the herring ambassador at home, you can do different things. Some chop fish and immediately serve hot boiled potatoes. And it is possible to dry the herring before use, hanging its carcass in a well-ventilated room for a day. You can only do this with fat thick individuals. Thanks to this procedure, the fish will slightly wind up from above and get a dried flavor. True, it is not recommended to keep fish in this state for longer than a day. The resulting fish delicacy will appeal to households and will be a pleasant surprise for guests.