Salting mackerel is not difficult at all and is a great way to prepare an appetizing appetizer for brandy and vodka to treat friends and family with. However, the most important thing for success is not the technology, but the quality of the fish you intend to salt.
The mackerel must be completely fresh, without mechanical damage to the skin and muscles, not with a swollen belly and cloudy corneas of the eyes. It should be thoroughly cleaned with tap or sea water, after which the gills should be removed, but without ripping open the abdomen.
Rinse well, leave it to drain and fill the belly of the mackerel with sea salt. Arrange the fish in an enamel dish, belly side up, side by side and cover it with brine with salt and water at a ratio of 0.25 g of salt per 1 L of water.
Press on top with a plate and stone and leave it in a dry and cool room.
On the second day, remove the resulting blood-red brine and replace it with a new one, the dose being about 200 g of salt per 1 L of water. Repeat the procedure on the 4th and 6th day. The process of salting and ripening of the fish lasts about 7-10 days, after which the salted mackerel is stored in 3-liter jars filled with brine.
You can also do the so-called dry salting of mackerel. For this purpose, after cleaning, the fish is filled with sea salt, it is placed on its belly on several layers of paper covered with salt, it is sprinkled with salt on top and left in the refrigerator for several days (7-8), until it absorbs the required amount.
If desired, it can then be cleaned from the skin and bones and flavored with spices.
If you love mackerel, try our recipes for:
- or grilled mackerel;
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