Muksun is the most common fish in Siberia. Her white meat is considered a real treat. This Siberian delicacy will not leave anyone indifferent. Cold smoked muksun has a delicate, slightly salty taste, and light notes of smoke attract gourmets even more.
The fish can be eaten as an independent dish or used to make various sandwiches and canapes. Having tasted cold-smoked fish muksun, you will understand what a real treat is. But in order for the fish to turn out appetizing and nutritious, you need to follow a few recommendations, which you will learn about from this article.
Smoking at home
To make cold-smoked muxun, you only need salt and the fish itself. No need to add any spices. This will only interrupt the taste of Siberian delicacies.
The whole point of the smoking process is to process the product with smoke. As a result of this process, all harmful substances that were on the skin of the fish are destroyed. After the smoking process, the product acquires a rich golden color and a delicious aroma.
If you decide to smoke fish by the cold method in domestic conditions, then immediately tune in to the fact that you will need a lot of time.
For smoking, you will need a special smokehouse that can work from different sources of heat - electricity, gas or firewood. The preparation procedure itself can last from one to two days. The temperature of the smoke should not exceed 40 degrees.
Cooking fish
- Before smoking, fish must be gutted, but if you like a slightly bitter taste, you can skip this point.
- Clean the carcass of the scales.
- Salt the fish for about 2 hours.
- Then it is necessary to rinse the product well and dry it.
- Lubricate the fish with plenty of sunflower oil and hang in the smokehouse, but note that the carcasses of the fish should not be in contact.
Firewood selection
If you smoke fish on wood, then pay attention to the wood you want to burn. The choice of firewood is one of the most important points in the preparation of muksun. The fish will turn out very appetizing if you use the following types of raw materials:
- Apple tree;
- pear;
- alder;
- oak;
- ash.
The smoke of each type of tree will give the fish a different flavor. Firewood must be chopped into small cubes. Then they are slightly moistened and placed evenly on the bottom of the smokehouse.
Set fire to wood chips. Make sure that the temperature of the smoke does not exceed the border of 40 degrees. For the first 12 hours, smoke should flow continuously to the fish, then small breaks are needed - for several hours. The fish will be ready in a day.
Cold smoked muksun can be stored for about a month.
In custody
As you can see, the smoking process is not so complicated, you just need to purchase a special smokehouse.
Cold smoked muxun will satisfy the taste of even the most picky gourmet.