Pieces of fish marinated in a barrel are tastier if you do it yourself. After all, you are based on your tastes and preferences. And who, no matter how you, know about your favorite delicacies. The most delicious home is marinated mackerel. Its recipe should be voiced for all lovers of classrooms.
Mackerel, like any fish, must be able to choose. It is unlikely that you live in the coastal region and will be able to purchase fresh fish, more often we have the "pleasure" to buy a frozen carcass. So, in order for the mackerel, pickled at home, to get what you call, you lick your fingers, you need to properly evaluate it. Indeed, the taste and aroma of the final dish will depend on the freshness of the fish and its storage conditions.
Upon visual inspection, the fish should be without deformation (kinks and bends), without violating the integrity of the fibers and skin, without spots and an unpleasant odor. The gills of a frozen fish are light in color and the eyes are transparent. It is important to pay attention to the terms and conditions of storage indicated on the packaging of the fish, it should be noted that under vacuum the fish is stored longer. Any product must not be re-frozen. Otherwise, the muscle fibers of the fish will lose their elasticity and become tasteless, and the appearance will be very unpresentable.
Frozen mackerel must be removed from the chamber and thawed for 10-14 hours, depending on the size of the mackerel and the cooling mode. The thawing process should be extended in time and without sharp fluctuations in temperature conditions, that is, it is optimal to defrost in the refrigerator on the lower shelf, where the temperature ranges from 2 to 6 ° C.
Mackerel is quite affordable fish in the price factor, combining optimal proportions of price - quality. Its meat is rich in protein, which is absorbed by the body several times better than animal meat. Fillet, in addition to a large set of vitamins (A, D, group B), contains many substances important for maintaining homeostasis (magnesium, fluorine, phosphorus, iodine). Unsaturated fatty acids are present in fish, which normalize the cardiovascular system and indirectly affect blood sugar, which gives it even more nutritional value. This fish could even be called dietary if it did not contain such an amount of fish oil, which, however, in reasonable quantities, is also necessary for the body.
Pickled mackerel, the recipe of which we translate into reality, implies the presence of the following ingredients: fresh frozen mackerel - 3 pieces, onion - 100 grams, carrots 150 grams, sugar and table salt - 2 tablespoons each, allspice - 5 pieces, hot black pepper - 10 pieces, bay leaf - 3 pieces, table vinegar 9% - 4 tablespoons, 1 liter of filtered water.
To clean the carcass of the insides, remove the inner film so that the fish will not be bitter, cut off the head and rinse under running water. Give time to the glass water, if there is a desire and need, you can make out the fish on the fillet. Using a thin blade of a knife, make a deep incision along the back to the chord and in a flattened state press on the chord. The fish will fall into two parts. Remove the costal bones with tweezers. Fillet marinated faster than slices. If you are used to slices from a barrel, that is, traditionally and in the old fashioned way, then we cut the carcass into portioned slices 2.5-3 cm thick.
So, how then is pickled mackerel prepared? The recipe involves the following actions. Peel the onion, rinse and cut into rings, carrots in thin circles. Pour a liter of water into the pan (better enameled so that it oxidizes less) and add all the dry ingredients. Bring the marinade to a boil and remove from heat. Cool to 40-45 ° C and pour in table vinegar.
Pickled mackerel, the recipe of which we describe, is laid out in a glass dish, the next layer is carrots, then onion rings. Fill with chilled marinade. We place in the refrigerator for a day, periodically shaking dishes for uniform salting. Mackerel marinated with onions is ready. Serve a delicious fish with a side dish of boiled potatoes, garnish with finely chopped dill.