Mackerel is a fat, tender and insanely tasty fish, with a few bones.
It makes her stand out against the background of the popular herring.
If you salt the mackerel yourself, then it will also win in the price.
Here you can find out how this is done at home.
Mackerel Ambassador at Home - General Principles
For the salting of any fish, it is desirable to use coarse salt, it is possible sea. Extra grade is not suitable. Since mackerel comes to us most often in frozen form, the carcasses need to be thawed. It is advisable not to rush things and make it in the fridge.
How mackerel is salted:
• Pieces. Immediately in portions or divide the carcass into 2-3 parts.
• Entirely, without removing the fins, insides and head.
• Entirely but gutted. Cut off the tail, head, remove the fins. Leave the carcass itself.
Mackerel Ambassador can be done dry or wet. In any case, except salt, you can use a variety of spices and herbs. Sometimes some vegetables are added, but mostly it's onions and garlic.
Recipe 1: Mackerel Ambassador at Home with Onions
A simple recipe for salted mackerel with a minimum set of ingredients. This fish can be put on the table after 24 hours.
Ingredients
• 2 mackerel;
• 400 ml of water;
• 2 bulbs;
• 3 tsp. salts;
• 1 tsp. vinegar.
Cooking
1. Boil water with salt and vinegar for a minute, cool. You can add half a spoonful of sugar, with it the fish turns out more delicious.
2. In mackerel, remove the head and tail, clean the insides. Carcass washed and cut into pieces across two centimeters.
3. Cut the bulbs into half rings.
4. We put the mackerel in a glass jar, pour it with chopped onions.
5. Now pour in the cooled brine and put it in the fridge for a day.
Recipe 2: Mackerel Ambassador at Home with Mustard
Far from new and to many well-known method of salting mackerel with dry mustard powder. It gives the fish a density, pleasant taste and prevents the development of mold. The recipe is universal, can be used for herring, herring and other fish.
Ingredients • 5 mackerel;
• 1.5 liters of water;
• 60 grams of mustard powder;
• 1 cup coarse salt.
Cooking
1. Boil salt with water, cool.
2. Add mustard powder, stir.
3. Fill the washed, but the whole and not gutted fish with cold brine.
4. Close the pot with a lid, put it in the fridge and leave the mackerel for 2-3 days, depending on the size of the fish. But do not forget! Periodically shake to lift the mustard powder from the bottom.
Recipe 3: Dry Mackerel Ambassador at Home “It Can't Be Easier”
This option salted mackerel at home will simply help out if you do not have time. And also those who do not like to mess with marinades will like it.
Ingredients
• 1 mackerel;
• pinch of pepper;
• Spoon of salt;
• 0.5 tablespoons of sugar.
For the aroma you can put bay leaf, peppercorns, a pinch of dry mustard, etc.
Cooking
1. Wash the carcass, remove the head, insides and tail. We clean the belly.
2. Mix all the spices and rub the fish inside and out.
3. We put in the package, if there are spices, then just pour it on top.
4. Now we wrap the fish in this package in a dense roll. For strength, you can wrap the top with more cling film.
5. That's it! We clean in the refrigerator for 1,5-2 days. The advantage of this method is also hermetic packaging. The smell of fish in the refrigerator will not, which is not guaranteed by the containers and jars.
Recipe 4: Mackerel Ambassador at home with the addition of liquid smoke
Adding liquid smoke when salting mackerel simulates smoking. And to add more effect, tea brewing is added.
Ingredients
• 2 fish;
• 3 l. salts;
• 2 l. liquid smoke;
• 1 teaspoon tea;
• 1.5 liters. Sahara.
To your taste add pepper, laurel leaves, onion rings.
Cooking
1. Boil the norm of salt and sugar in a liter of water for a minute, add black tea brewing, turn off the stove immediately. We give the brine to brew until it cools, after we filter and put liquid smoke.
2. Put the washed carcasses in a container, pour and leave in the refrigerator for 3 days. If you need to lay the seasoning, then throw now.
3. Or, cut the washed and gutted pieces into transverse slices, also fold, pour in the brine, but keep in the refrigerator for 18-20 hours.
Recipe 5: Mackerel Ambassador at home in a package
Another way to dry salted fish, which uses a dense cellophane bag and liquid smoke.
Ingredients
• 1 mackerel;
• 1 partial spoon of salt;
• 1 tsp. Sahara;
• black pepper;
• 2 leaves of laurel;
• 1 tsp. liquid smoke.
Cooking
1. Release mackerel from entrails, head and tail. Cut into pieces of 2 centimeters.
2. Combine spices with liquid smoke and ship to fish.
3. We rub the pieces on all sides, we shift them into a tight bag, we tie and put them in the refrigerator.
4. And already in 5-7 hours the salted fish is ready! If you need salty, then we withstand longer.
Recipe 6: Mackerel Ambassador at Home with Onion Peel
Onion peel is not only a great dye. It gives mackerel a pleasant, delicate taste and the fish really looks like smoked meats. But if there is a desire, then you can drip into the brine and some liquid smoke.
Ingredients
• 2-3 fish;
• 1.5 liters of water;
• 3 tablespoons of salt;
• 1 sugar;
• 2 husk husks;
• 1 tsp. tea
Cooking
1. We throw in the pan tea, washed husks and spices.
2. Add water and boil for 2-3 minutes. Cool, then filter. The brine will turn out dark, brown color.
3. Fish giblets, remove the heads and tails.
4. Fill the mackerel with the prepared brine, put it in the fridge for 2 days. Periodically, the fish must be turned.
Recipe 7: Mackerel Ambassador at home in a bottle
A very interesting way to salted mackerel, for which you need a plastic bottle.
Ingredients
• 3 mackerel;
• 5 tablespoons of salt;
• 2 spoons of tea;
• 1 liter of water;
• 1.5 tablespoons of sugar.
Cooking
1. Prepare a regular pickle, boiling water with spices and tea brewing. Cool and filter. Now you can pour a couple of spoons of liquid smoke, but this is optional, as many are against this product.
2. While the brine cools, you need to prepare a bottle. It is necessary to cut off the upper part so that the fish fully fit.
3. We flush the bottle inside and place the mackerel upside down. Fish are not gutted, do not cut off anything.
4. Fill with cooled brine so that it completely covers the contents. We wrap the bottle with cling film so that the smell does not spread through the refrigerator, and remove it for three days. 5. Then we get the mackerel, we dry it with napkins and wipe with vegetable oil to give a beautiful shine, like real smoked mackerel.
Recipe 8: Hot Mackerel Ambassador at Home
Hot-salted mackerel can be eaten within a couple of hours after preparation. It is only necessary to allow the pieces to cool.
Ingredients
• 1 mackerel;
• 400 grams of water;
• 1 spoon of salt;
• 1 clove of garlic;
• 2 spoons of butter;
• 2 peppercorns;
• 0.5 tsp. vinegar.
Cooking
1. Cut the fish into thin slices one centimeter. Immediately throw away the head, tail and entrails.
2. Add a chopped clove of garlic, throw peppercorns, immediately pour in the oil.
3. Boil water with salt, pour in vinegar and pour mackerel pieces with boiling liquid.
4. Cover and wait for complete cooling. Then hold for half an hour in the fridge and can be served on the table!
Mackerel Ambassador at Home - Tips and Tricks
• Need to reduce salting time for fish? Just keep it warm longer and then refrigerate. But do not overdo it, because of too long stay in the heat of the fish may disappear. The first sign of damage is the cloudiness of the brine.
• Salted fish is tasteless. Therefore, you should not harvest mackerel for the future and it is advisable to cook for one, maximum two times. If you expect a series of holidays, it is better to salt the fish at intervals or in different forms. For example, part of the pieces, which will be ready the next day, and part of the mackerel lay entirely. These carcasses will need to lie for 2-3 days.
• The tail of mackerel is dry and tasteless. And the final piece, the size of 3-4 centimeters can be immediately cut off and sent to the bowl of your beloved cat.
• Good and fat mackerel has a thick back. If this part of the carcass is skinny, then the fish will be dry and tasteless.
