Crucian carp is a tasty and healthy fish. It is boiled, fried, smoked, stewed. Sun-dried crucian is especially tasty. To prepare it, you must first pickle it. The recipe has its own nuances that should be considered during operation. You also need to know the storage rules for this product.
Benefit
Sun-dried crucian carp is rich in useful substances: vitamins A, B, C, E, PP. It also contains iron, molybdenum, nickel, fluorine, chromium. Such a composition favorably affects the human body. Thanks to the polyunsaturated acids, Omega-3 people are protected from oncology. The product is necessary for the treatment of nervous disorders and depression during pregnancy and after childbirth.
It is useful to use fish as a prophylactic in the fight against cardiovascular ailments, strokes, heart attacks. Small crucians can be eaten with bones to make up for a lack of calcium. Is the dried crucian tasty? The product has a pleasant taste, because of which almost everyone loves it. It is only necessary to use it in moderation so as not to harm health.
The disadvantage of crucian carp is many bones, including small ones. Because of this, difficulties arise with its use. Caution must be exercised, especially when delivering the product to children. There is such a fish, in addition, it is contraindicated in case of individual intolerance.
Cooking rules
To speed up the process you need to use small crucians. Fish are not gutted, fins and heads are not cut. Then the product will be natural and tasty. But at the same time it will have a bitterness that not everyone likes. If the fish is large, then before salting it is gutted and a longitudinal incision is made on the back. Scales should not be removed, as it serves as protection against over-drying and drying.
The following components are required:
- fresh crucian carp - 3 kg;
- coarse salt - 300 g;
- sugar, dill, garlic - to taste.
To get dried crucian carp, it is necessary to prepare a bulk container that will not be oxidized. Suitable dishes made of wood, plastic, glass, enamel. Also need wire, fishing line, thread.
Pickling
The fish is cleaned from the insides. Then it must be washed, carefully treating all areas. For salting, 2 methods are used:
For both, a delicious dried crucian is obtained. Each option has its own subtleties of cooking.
Dry method
If the dry method is chosen, then salt should be poured onto the bottom of the dishes. Each fish is rubbed with salt, which must be filled in the belly, gills, mouth, cut on the back. Karasey must be put in a container: first large, and then small. All layers are filled with salt. Small crucians are covered with a lid and refrigerated for 1-3 days. Large fish should be put under oppression in a cool place. To prevent bacteria, the liquid that appears under oppression is drained daily.
After 1-3 days, the fish are washed. After washing, it is soaked in water with vinegar for 30 minutes. Then it must be put on a colander for draining and drying. If you use smoke smoke (100-150 g), then the fish will have a smoked taste and aroma. You do not need to use gauze. A photo of a dried carp shows an appetizing look of the product.
Wet ambassador
You must select the fish of the same size. It must be filled with brine. 3 kg of crucian carp need 2 liters of water, 300 g of salt, 1 tbsp. l Sahara. Add 3 tsp. dill and 2 tsp chopped garlic.
Then the above activities are carried out - refrigerator, washing, drying. Quality fish have a dense back and dark gray meat. After drying, a white coating will appear on the surface.
Ram drying
To dry the fish on a ram, you will need a thread or fishing line, which are used for stringing. You can hang it on hooks. The bellies of the fish must be moved apart with toothpicks so that everything inside dries out properly. A special solution will protect you from flies: 9% vinegar (1 tbsp.) Is mixed with sunflower oil (2 tbsp.). The liquid is used to rub the fish, after which it can be dried.
For several days, crucian carp is best dried on the street at night. In the afternoon, he had better be indoors. After 3 days, it can be hung on the street, covered with gauze.
Use of a dryer
To protect the fish from flies and other insects, you can buy a dryer. Duration of drying is determined by temperature and humidity. This may take from 3 days to a week.
Sun-dried carp is usually ready in 5-7 days, and dried - in a week. With the use of the dryer, the fish is dried for several hours. The product tastes great.
Calorie content
Watching your weight you don’t have to worry. The calorie content of dried crucian carp is 87 kcal. The protein in 100 g of the product is 17.7 g. In meat it is almost the same, but its digestibility is worse. Fat in carp is about 1.8 g per the same hundred grams.
Storage
How to store dried crucian carp? It should be placed in a wooden box, wicker basket or cloth bag. Then the fish will last up to 2 weeks. If you need long-term storage, then it must be wrapped in parchment and put in a cool room. In such conditions, the product will lie for up to 2 months. It is also stored in the refrigerator.
Hard, carefully dried and gutted fish is stored for 1 year. It must be regularly lubricated with sunflower oil so that there is no drying out. But you can store it in a glass jar.
Usually fish is used as a snack for beer. It serves as an excellent complement to the drink. And if all of a sudden, which happens quite rarely, over-dried fish are left, they are added to different dishes. For example, you can chop them into flour, which is suitable for fish cakes, sauce, soup.
It is important to follow all the rules for preparing delicious fish, because only then it will be of high quality and aromatic. Use for this must be fresh crucian, without damage. If the product is prepared correctly, you will always have this delicious treat in your home.