Hot smoked catfish: recipe and cooking features

Many are used to buying hot smoked fish in stores, but why not cook this delicacy yourself? In this article it will be possible to learn how to smoke hot-smoked catfish and surprise it with the unique taste of all relatives, and maybe guests. This recipe is quite simple and does not require any additional knowledge or skills in the field of cooking.

What catfish is she?

Not all consumers like catfish, so it can be found infrequently in stores. Some may not like it because of the high fat content in meat, while others prefer other types of fish due to the fact that catfish meat is gelatinous and does not allow you to cook some dishes. But on the other hand, its soft, white meat contains few bones and many vitamins. If cooked correctly, it turns out to be very tender and has a sweet taste.

In stores, you can also find catfish in small numbers, which means that the fish is always fresh. The price for it pleases buyers, since it is available to almost everyone. If there is a desire to feast on catfish, then it is best to smoke it. And about the methods of smoking can be found further.

Hot smoked. Process features

The recipe for hot-smoked catfish is quite simple, and if you try to cook fish in this way once, you don’t want to study any other options.

1. The fish is cut into pieces and washed well. After that, it is advisable to recline them in a colander so that all excess glass liquid. The washed fish should be salted and pepper to taste, you can add some other favorite spices, and then let the pieces brew for several hours.
2. To prevent the carcass from falling apart, it must be bandaged. To do this, you need to find a flat surface and lay a thread on it, on top of which the fish will be placed. Then a knot is tied so that one of the ends of the thread is longer and the other is shorter. The end that turned out to be long is pushed under the fish and pulled out from the opposite side, and then pulled again, but already under the thread that comes from the knot, and pulled. Then all these actions are repeated until the whole piece of fish is tightly bandaged. The bandaged fish is turned over and the thread, which is located in the middle, must be skipped so that it passes under the transverse threads that remain on the back side. Around each of them they wrap it once. Only such a fish is completely ready for smoking.
   
3. The third stage is the preparation of the smokehouse. Alder wood chips should be evenly distributed along the bottom of the smokehouse. It is advisable to lay a pan on them, on which the fat will drain. But in its absence, you can use ordinary foil. Next, pre-prepared pieces of fish are laid out on the grate, covered with a lid, and the water seal is filled with water.
4. The smokehouse is installed on the grill at low fire. It is worth paying attention to water, which should not boil, but only gradually evaporate. For complete cooking, the fish will need approximately 40 minutes. After this time, you can remove the smokehouse, but the fish can be reached from there only after an hour.

Cold smoked catfish

High tastes are distinguished not only by hot-smoked catfish, but also by cold. You can try these two methods and choose the best for yourself. Although cold-smoked catfish is a little more difficult to prepare.

1. As in the first recipe, the fish need to be cleaned, washed well, salt and pepper. Then it is laid out in a container and sprinkled with salt again on top. In this state, the catfish remains for at least a day.
2. After this time, the fish will need to be soaked for at least an hour, so that excess salt is gone.
3. Further, according to the technology already described, pieces of fish need to be bandaged.
4. Bandaged pieces are placed in such a place that they are blown by a draft. In this position, the catfish will remain for another day.
5. The dried fish can be safely smoked. It is important to note that the smoking process will take another 24 hours.
6. Smoked catfish will be in the smoke. Its temperature should not be higher or lower than twenty-five degrees.
7. Upon completion of the smoking process, the fish will need another day to reach full readiness.
8. When the catfish is removed from the smokehouse, for two days it can be placed in the wind so that it dries out a bit and the smell of smoke is gone.

Such catfish will be an excellent ingredient for various dishes, and can be a good addition to a sandwich. It all depends on the imagination of the consumer.

Conclusion

As you can see, it’s much easier to cook catfish hot smoked than cold catfish. It takes much less time. But if you wish, you can use the second recipe. Each of these technologies has its own taste. Such recipes are especially good during hiking trips, fishing. After all, in nature I want to eat not only fish soup, but also try some new recipes.