Salting fish, as a way of preparing it for a long time

The fish in the human food balance occupies a special place, because the protein from which the tissues of its body form, has the most acceptable structure for digestion. But this is the most significant shortcoming of fish meat for its long-term storage, because because of its instability, fish products deteriorate much faster. For a long time our ancestors knew how to master the most diverse technologies of its harvesting, among which the most simple and accessible is the salting of fish, since it does not require any significant expenses for either technological equipment or products promoting this process, the main one of which in this case is the usual salt.

Nevertheless, the sterility of the very process of pickling requires special attention from the performers. Requirements for the dishes used for salting are both simple and very tough, since the brines used in this case are very aggressive on the most resistant materials, causing them to corrode and disabling the harvested fish. Therefore, the list of containers in which it is possible to conduct salting is limited to wooden barrels and enameled dishes, the layer of enamel which does not even have the slightest damage. In this case, only selective salting of fish is possible only those species of which the meat during this process is capable of "ripening". These include the families of salmon, herring and mackerel. Depending on the salt content in the final product, fish salting may result in slightly salted (6-10% salt), medium salted (10-14%) and salted (over 14%). This division is of practical importance, since in the last two cases salted fish have to be soaked before consumption.

Recipes for salting fish are usually offered in a variety of ways, especially with regard to spices and other ingredients that make up the flavor of the future product. Common to them all is the ratio of salt and the timing of the operation of salting. Slightly salted fish will require up to 150 gr. Salt per one kilogram of the weight of the fish, with a more intense salting, this ratio increases to 300 g. For one kg. But the timing of salting is directly related to the weight of each individual fish that undergoes such treatment. Small fish can be salted and without preliminary cutting, using after its placement in the brine natural oppression in the form of cargo. In this case salting fish can last at least 3 days. For fish, individual carcasses which have a weight of 300 g. And higher, you can not do without evisceration. The salt in this case must be rubbed directly on the carcass, paying special attention to the fact that the greatest amount of salt is ingested directly into the newly- cut fish. For large fish and the timing of salting increases significantly. Minimally this process of pickling takes from 8 days, but in some cases can make up to two weeks in a row. The process of salting and subsequent storage should be carried out in a cool room at a temperature of no higher than 10-12 ° C. Salting fish in the brine will be more sterile, if there is added in addition to salt a small amount of ammonium nitrate, but not more than one tenth of the volume of dissolved salt. And here is an example of a recipe for salting solution, including spices, which is known to the general public as "spicy". At 100 gr. Solution: 87.4 g. Salt, 2.4 g. Pepper black, 6.8 gr. Sweet pepper, 0,5 gr. Coriander, 0.3 gr. Cloves, 0,1 gr. Cinnamon, to 0.2 gr. Nutmeg, 0.3 gr. Ginger, 0.1 g. Cardamom, 0.1 g. Rosemary, 2.1 gr. Saltpeter, 1,1 gr. Sahara. There are many different recipes, and everyone, if desired, can invent for himself. The main thing in this matter is to make the preparation of fresh fish safe for your health.