How to store dried fish at home without compromising the quality of this tasty and healthy product? Avid anglers prepare their own fish for future use and know how to do it in the best way, but not everyone likes to fish.
Many people prefer to buy dried fish in ready-made form in order to immediately begin to absorb the delicacy, washing down the fragrant salty slices with ice-cold beer. In any case, when its quantity does not allow you to finish off the entire stock in one sitting, you have to decide how to save stocks.
The shelf life of dried fish depends on several factors.
Product quality
- Readiness degree. Dried fish is not a matter of one day. The catch is pre-salted for 3-5 days, then it is soaked, and finally dried. Ideal for the final stage is sunny, but not hot weather, light breeze. From direct sunlight, the fish must be hidden in the shade! The result should look like this: clean and even gray scales, dry gills and tail, hard back and dense belly of the finished fish. Such copies can be safely sent for storage.
- When choosing a fish when buying, it is better to properly inspect it, not the subject of flaws. No signs of mold are allowed. Also, nothing should indicate the damage to the product by insects. If the fish is wet or, worse, sticky to the touch, it is better to leave it alone, you should not expect anything good from such a snack. Exhausted fish that have become "wooden" is also not an option. Most likely, they mummified due to too long storage.
- Under the scales of an excellent dried fish, there should be elastic, not overdried, but not wet, flesh of light brown, with a pink tint, color, without yellowness or “rust”, as signs of spoilage are sometimes called. By sniffing, you can easily determine whether a given fish deserves to be eaten: a rather specific aroma should still be pleasant, without repulsive notes.
So, now that you know exactly how to distinguish a good snack from a low-quality product, you can talk about how to properly store dried fish. There are several factors that are important to consider when wishing to stock up on it.
Light mode
Light, especially sunlight, significantly shortens the shelf life of almost every product, because under its influence not only vitamins (for example, B1, aka riboflavin) are destroyed, but also the process of protein decomposition and fat oxidation starts. The darkened place is undoubtedly one of the essential conditions for the safety of any stocks and fish in particular.
Sunlight is not good for long term storage. This fish in the market near Lake Baikal is a delicacy omul, which is quickly sold out by numerous tourists.
Temperature and Humidity
The optimum humidity level is 70-80%. It is important not to let the fish dry out, this will spoil its taste and texture. In addition, the fat in its composition will begin to turn rancid, the meat will become bitter, and eating it can cause not only indigestion, but even serious food poisoning. Increased humidity will create a favorable environment for the appearance of mold, which will also entail immediate disposal of stocks. This product should never be eaten!
Storage
The storage conditions for dried fish are, in general, simple, it remains only to choose the appropriate method. There are several options.
Shed or cellar
Specially equipped rooms, treated with anti-mold and pesticides, are ideal for storing not only dried fish, but also other supplies, such as canned vegetables or fruit and berry preparations. So that the fish do not dry out, they are wrapped in clean paper (not in a newspaper!) One at a time, if they are large, or several small fish at once.
Such bundles can be hung on wire hooks or strung on a rope. At the above temperature and humidity dried fish can be stored in this form for four to six months, but before you eat it, it is still worth a visual inspection.
A wooden box or basket is also suitable for storing fish in an underground or closet. The container should be wrapped and covered with paper or double gauze. You can wrap the fish in paper, as described above, or you can simply alternate paper and fish layers, filling the container.
It is important that the room is ventilated, this will avoid the appearance of mold and musty smell. Under such conditions not a large number of fish stocks will be preserved even in simple pouch from linen fabric.
Storage methods in the apartment
When there is neither a shed nor a closet at your disposal, how to store stockfish at home? For example, is it possible to hang fish garlands on the balcony? For a long time - hardly. The temperature and humidity outside the window are unstable, besides, there is too much light.
Of course, you can use wrapping paper again, but you should leave the dried catch on the balcony only in the cool season, when the temperature does not rise above +10˚C. Otherwise, the shelf life of fish is reduced to a month. Of course, the balcony should be glazed.
Dried fish is not the same as dried fish, although they are often confused and are considered a semi-finished product.
Fridge
In a refrigerator with a constant temperature from 0 to +10˚C, a fish, carefully wrapped in paper, will lie quietly for up to six months. In this case, paper packaging is needed not only to preserve this product, but also so that the other contents of the refrigerator are not saturated with fish spirit. The fate of dairy products or desserts will be especially sad if their proximity to fish turns out to be too close.
Freezer
The shelf life of dried fish in frozen form increases to a year. Paper comes into play again. It is better to pack in such portions that their size corresponds to one snack and re-freezing is not required.
in a vacuum
Some are extremely picky about smells, especially when it comes to food, and therefore do not risk putting dried fish in the refrigerator.
They can proceed as follows: a suitable number of fish and a burning candle should be placed in a clean and dry glass jar, and the jar should be corked with a tight lid. When the oxygen in the jar burns out, a vacuum will form there, the light will go out, and the original “canned food” will need to be removed to a dark, cool place. Two to three months of storage are provided.
Important: You should never put dried fish in plastic bag so it will spoil very quickly!
What the right dried fish should taste like is known to every lover of this snack. It's natural and really useful product.
Dried fish
Dried fish should not be confused with dried fish. The first is used as a finished product, and the second is used as a semi-finished product, which is subsequently subjected to heat treatment.
To dry the catch, sometimes they do not even use salt, or they salt it for a very short time and then do not resort to soaking. In addition, the drying and drying processes differ in duration. Drying takes only a few days, while traditional cold drying can take weeks.
Drying fish is inherently one of the conservation methods and is used for very long-term storage of the catch. There is also a difference in the method used depending on the type of fish: fatty varieties are dried, and lean ones are dried.
Dried fish is great for making broths, sauces. Dry fish can be ground into flour and added to the composition fish cakes or gravy. The storage conditions for dried fish are not much different from those necessary for the safety of dried fish. Suitable and underground, and refrigerator, and freezer. As a container - a wooden box or a basket. Wrapping paper is also needed.
- temperature not higher than +10°С,
- darkness,
- ventilation.
A number with a candle in a jar to create a vacuum will work fine, but there is another way: pour a little alcohol on the bottom, put dried fish in a jar and roll up the container with a metal lid.
If you love not only fish, but also crayfish with beer, read the detailed article about this, this business also has its own subtleties.
As a fish lover, you will also be interested to know, for example, as well as other details about how to store this favorite product in our latitudes.
How to choose dried fish. Video
It's not only great snack to beer, but also a very useful product. It won't be difficult to prepare it. We will certainly tell you about this. After reading the article, you will also learn how to store at home. Take a notebook and write down the most important moments.
general information
Where to begin? We go to the fish store. And it is better to visit the city market. Many people ask themselves the question: "How to store dried fish at home?" However, it is secondary. The most important thing is to choose the right product, because not all varieties are suitable for salting and drying. Experts recommend buying perch, bream, sabrefish, carp, or ram.
So, we brought a rich “catch” from the store. What's next? It is necessary to gut the carcasses. This will further get rid of the unpleasant odor.
We wash the fish and put it in a cool place for a couple of hours. Then we take a deep container and put the carcasses in it. Sprinkle liberally with salt. It should be as much as possible. Again put a layer of fish and salt. After some time, the fish carcasses will begin to secrete a juice called brine. Place a press on top. And we remove the container with the contents in a cold place. She must stay there for 5 days.
When the fish is salted, you can start drying it. But before that, the carcasses must be laid out on paper and dried a little. What are the next steps? We string the fish on twine. To do this, we thread a strong thread into the needle and pierce the carcasses through the eyes. We make sure that the backs look in one direction. They must not touch each other. On one thread there can be 5 large individuals or 15 small ones. Dried fish is best in the fresh air. Under natural conditions, this process lasts 2-3 weeks. Do not forget to protect the product from flies (in the summer) - for this, the structure is covered with gauze or a mosquito net.
What to do with the finished product
- the place where you are going to put it should be cool, dry and well ventilated;
- suitable conditions: humidity 75%, maximum temperature - 10 °C;
- in special refrigerated rooms, the fish can be stored for up to a year;
- at room temperature dried product cannot be kept for more than 2 months - take this into account.
How to store dried fish: home tricks
We are used to putting food in the refrigerator. Dried fish can also be placed there. But before that, it must be hermetically sealed. This measure will prevent premature drying of the fish. Do you want to put dried carcasses in the freezer? This option also has the right to life. But don't forget to wrap the fish in paper. And remember: re-freezing it is unacceptable.
Storage outside the refrigerator
The main thing is to save the dried fish from excessive moisture and sunlight. All this will negatively affect its taste and appearance. Wrap carcasses in parchment paper, then put in a dark place. It can be a pantry or a wooden box with a lid.
Another way
Previous options for storing dried fish do not suit you? There is another way. It has to do with creating a vacuum. To do this, take a fish, put it in a glass jar and close the lid. Air does not enter the container, thereby preserving its contents.
Pour 50 ml of vodka into the bottom of the jar. It will prevent the reproduction of microorganisms and even in heat will keep the humidity of the fish normal. Some homeowners do things differently. They put a candle at the bottom of the jar, light it, and then close the container with a lid. What does it give? All oxygen goes to the combustion process. So, the fish will be stored in But here you need to be careful. Candle should be small. Otherwise, it will burn through the lid.
Finally
Now you know how to store dried fish at home. The recipe for its preparation was also announced. We hope that the information presented in the article will be useful to you.
Many people love dried fish. But often they have a poor idea of how to preserve dried and dried fish for a long time. If stored improperly, this product will deteriorate in taste. In addition, eating such a "delicacy" can lead to poisoning. You can buy dried fish in small batches. But it makes no sense to cook it yourself in several pieces, the process will turn out to be too laborious and costly; and a large number must be able to save.
What are the benefits of dried fish
To cook dried fish, it must first be salted for several days (from 3 to 5), soaked, and then dried, hung in the air. Moreover, it is important to correctly guess the moment when it will be ready, so as not to overdry. This is a ready-to-use product that does not require heat treatment.
Prolonged salting kills all microorganisms. At the same time, due to the fact that the fish is not exposed to high temperatures, it retains all the useful vitamins and minerals. Therefore, its regular consumption improves thyroid function, lowers blood cholesterol, normalizes blood clotting and has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system.
However, in order for this delicacy to retain its beneficial features for a long time, it is necessary not only to cook it correctly, but also to correctly organize the storage of this product at home.
Dried fish storage rules
Only high-quality and freshly prepared fish is used for storage. If the product has an unpleasant odor or has traces of mold on it, then it is better to get rid of it so as not to expose yourself and loved ones to the risk of poisoning.
There are several ways to store dried fish for a long time at home.
- You can keep it for a long time in a cool room. A pantry, a barn, an attic or a balcony are quite suitable for this, if it is located on the shady side of the house. Dried carcasses it is necessary to wrap in paper (tracing paper, packaging or for baking), large ones - individually, small ones - several pieces at once. This way the product will not dry out. Bundles should be hung in a cool room so that they are not exposed to sunlight. The humidity level should be 70-80%. Excessive dampness will cause the product to become moldy. Too dry air will dry out the delicacy. It will be edible, but will lose its flavor as the fish oil goes rancid.
- The longest storage at home can be ensured by placing dried fish in the freezer, after wrapping it in paper. It will be right if it is packaged in advance in small portions. This will allow you to get the right amount of product as needed without defrosting the rest. In this way, you can save blanks without loss of quality for 6-12 months.
- If it is not possible to use the refrigerator, then you can store dried fish for several months in the old proven way - in a glass or metal jar with a tightly closed lid. Put the fish in the prepared container, place a lit candle there and close the lid tightly. When the oxygen burns out, the candle will go out on its own. The product does not dry out under such conditions, and the absence of air protects it from the development of microorganisms. Banks should be placed in a place inaccessible to sunlight.
You can not store dried fish in plastic bags, as it will sweat and mold quite quickly. The product will become unfit for food and will have to be thrown away.
Do not unnecessarily lay a large amount of dried fish for long-term storage. Even under conditions close to ideal, the taste of this product deteriorates over time, so it is best to eat it freshly prepared.
Dried fish storage rules
Dried fish is often confused with dried fish, although in fact it is different products. It is obtained in one of two ways - fresh-dried (without pre-salting) or salt-dried (with pre-salting). Salt fish for drying for only a few hours (for drying - several days). Although the dehydration process stops the development of almost all bacteria (which makes it possible to store it), it does not completely destroy them, especially when using the fresh-dried method. That's why this product is a semi-finished product that requires further heat treatment. It can be used to prepare broths, minced meat, as well as fishmeal.
Cooking dried fish is easier than dried fish, especially in the "field conditions". It does not need to be salted for a long time, and then soaked before drying. Therefore, many anglers use this method of preserving their catch. Low-fat varieties of fish are best suited for this purpose.
So that the product does not lose its useful and taste qualities for a long time, you need to know how to store dried fish at home. There are several ways to store this semi-finished product for a long time.
- The best way is to wrap the finished fish in cling film and place in the freezer. After defrosting, the product should be dried for several hours.
- This semi-finished product (wrapped in paper) is well stored on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. In this form, he will not lose nutritional value within half a year.
- You can store dried fish in glass jars for a long time. Pour a little alcohol into the container, then lay the prepared carcasses, after which the cans should be rolled up with metal lids.
- If there are a large number of fish, then it should be packed in cardboard or wooden boxes. From above, the container must be covered with a cloth to prevent dust and insects from getting inside. In this form, dried fish is stored in dry rooms with good ventilation from 3 to 6 months without loss of quality.
- If you need to save this semi-finished product for a short time (up to a month), then you can simply hang it in a dark, cool room, wrapped in cloth or paper.
Dried and dried fish is a tasty and healthy addition to the table. Sun-dried is a ready-made product that can be consumed as an independent dish, as well as in hodgepodges and for salad dressing. Dried fish can be prepared delicious fish soup, fish hodgepodge or soup. Grinded into flour, it is used to add to meatballs, make gravy and pasta. It is important that these products retain their qualities for a long time and can be prepared for future use.
Few people can refuse a tasty and fragrant slice of fish, combined with boiled potatoes or a glass good beer. Fans of such a fish know that, in addition to piquancy, it is nutritious and healthy. Dried fish contains essential amino acids and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, which affect health in the most beneficial way. In addition, it has a low calorie content and is well absorbed by the body.
Source: depositphotos.com
If you could not resist the fragrant delicious fish and stocked it up for future use, it's time to learn how to properly store dried fish so that it does not dry out and “disappear” ahead of time.
How to choose dried fish
You need to choose dried fish carefully and carefully: only carefully selected carcasses can maintain freshness for a long time. With the wrong approach to this issue, the risk of serious poisoning is high. Consider the main signs of quality fish that you need to focus on when buying:
- pay attention to the color of the scales - it should have a brownish or gray tint. The yellow or red color of the abdomen is not allowed - this is a sign that the fish has been salted for a long time and will be bitter;
- the first-class fish will feel elastic and only slightly harsh to the touch. Excessively hard and tough product is no longer quite fresh;
- inspect the scales - it should be dry, whole and even, without obvious traces of salt. Deformed, shabby scales and traces of moisture, especially in the abdomen, are a reason to refuse a purchase;
- The smell of fish speaks volumes. It is worth sniffing closer to the tail - the aroma of the sea and salt speaks of the freshness of the product, but the subtle smell of rot is an alarm signal. For example, pike smells sweet, and if you smell mud or swamps, it is better to refrain from purchasing such fish.
When buying, you can conduct a simple test for the quality of the product: make a small puncture in the area of \u200b\u200bthe rear fin. If dark mucus with a sharp musty odor is released, the fish is unfit for food.
How to dry fish, read this article.
Storage of dried fish
So fresh and quality product selected. It remains to learn how to properly store dried fish at home.
The easiest way is to wrap it in paper or parchment and place it in a dark, cool and well-ventilated place. At room temperature no higher than 20 ° C and humidity no more than 75%, fish can be stored for about 2 months.
If you have a pantry, attic or dry basement at your disposal, where the temperature does not exceed 10 ° C, you can keep the freshness of the fish for 4 months. To do this, the product is wrapped in several layers of thick paper or placed in linen bags and hung on hooks.
Source: depositphotos.com
In addition, cardboard or wooden boxes and wicker baskets are used for storage. In this case, the carcasses are not wrapped in paper, but laid between the layers and covered from above. However, under such conditions, the fish gradually dries out and slightly decreases in size and weight. If this method is not to your liking, then it is better to store dried fish so that it does not dry out in the refrigerator or in a tin.
Before preparing dried fish for long-term storage, make sure that it is not damaged by microorganisms, has no traces of mold or oxidative processes.
In the refrigerator, dried fish will lie for about 2-3 months, just do not forget to wrap it with paper beforehand (not very tight).
In a tin with a tightly closed lid, the fish will “hold out” for several months. This method protects against shrinkage, prevents the penetration of air and light into the jar. Keep the container in a dark, cool place.
If not found tin can, you can put the fish in a glass container and create a vacuum: for this, a small lit candle is placed in a jar with tightly packed fish and rolled up with a lid. All oxygen will burn out, a vacuum will form, salt will absorb the remaining moisture, and the fish will be “preserved”. In this way, you can save the product for up to 6-12 months (depending on the fat content of the fish).
But how and where to store dried fish for a longer time, for example, if you have a large stock or want to save the product for some holiday? Then choose a freezer for storage. Frozen dried fish will retain its original qualities for 6-12 months; it is not recommended to store it longer. With this method, the carcasses are wrapped in several layers of paper and placed in the freezer.
The surest way to spoil dried fish is to store it in a plastic bag or foil.
All considered storage options are suitable for both purchased and self-cooked fish. Following the recommendations, you can keep the product for a relatively long time. However, in whatever conditions dried fish is stored, it will be tastiest in the first month after cooking.
Text: Anastasia Doroshenko4.75 4.75 / 4 votes
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Dried fish fans buy it in large quantities. You need to know how to properly store it. This product is perishable, so it must be stored properly.
There are several options for storing dried roach:
- Suspended in a special way.
- In the freezer.
- In a wooden box.
- In a canvas bag.
- In a tin can.
Before putting the smoked roach into storage, you need to make sure that it is fresh and of high quality.
You should not find on it:
- Mold.
- White flying.
- traces of bacterial damage.
- Bad smell.
If there are defects on the skin of the fish, it should be disposed of.
- How to store dried roach or ram in a suspended form.
Dried fish should not be placed in plastic bags. It will quickly become damp, mold will appear on it.
This method of preserving the roach is more convenient for the owners of country houses. In such houses there is a basement or a cellar. If there is no country house with a basement, you can store roach on the balcony.
Wrap the fish in three layers of paper. This is done so that it does not dry out. From above, wrap the resulting bundle with a harsh thread and hang it on a hook.
The temperature in the room where the vobla is stored should be no higher than +10 C. It is desirable that the basement be dark and not too humid. This is a convenient way to stock up on roach for the winter.
- Storing dried fish in the freezer.
A more convenient way to store dried fish is the freezer. It is necessary to wrap the fish in paper. And put it in the freezer. It can be stored there for up to 10 months.
- Storage in a wooden box and in a canvas bag.
A convenient way to store dried fish is a wooden box. The product should be carefully placed there. The box must be well ventilated.
But you need to cover it with a large rag. Otherwise, insects can crawl there. And you can also put the roach or ram in a canvas bag.
- Storage in a can.
Experts advise putting the roach in a jar, light a candle there and tightly cover the lid. Oxygen will evaporate, the candle will go out. This contributes to the preservation of all the taste qualities of the fish.
We tried to consider all possible ways to store dried fish at home.
Storage of smoked fish
There are several types of fish smoking:
- Cold smoked (mackerel, horse mackerel, pike perch, silver carp).
- Hot smoked (sturgeon; sterlet, stellate sturgeon).
Cold and hot smoked products are prepared using various special smoking devices in compliance with the correct recipe. When smoked in a cold way, a large amount of salt is added to mackerel and other species.
Therefore, it can be stored longer. It must be wrapped in paper and stored in the refrigerator for no more than 10 days.
A hot smoked product is always tastier and juicier. Sturgeon, sterlet and stellate sturgeon are delicacies. But it only has a 3 day shelf life.
There it can be stored for 3 months. The second option for storing sterlet is in the refrigerator. In this case, you should wrap it with rags soaked in salt water. In this case, it can be stored in the refrigerator for 30 days.
Before eating smoked sturgeon and stellate sturgeon, you should make sure that it has not deteriorated. A whitish coating will be noticeable on a spoiled fish, it will become slippery to the touch, and an unpleasant odor will appear.
Salted fish
Often to festive table housewives cook salted red salmon, trout or chum salmon. There are many cooking recipes. And each is good in its own way. And also housewives often just buy ready-made salted salmon.
There are several ways proper storage trout and other species after salting:
- In a glass jar.
Salted trout should be cut into small portioned pieces, carefully put them in a glass jar. You can add pepper if you like.
- In fabric.
Wrap the whole carcass in a cloth treated with vinegar. Put the bundle in a plastic bag and put it in the refrigerator. So the fish can lie for 7-10 days. Lightly salted salmon stored no more than 5 days.
How to store freshly caught fish
Nothing beats the taste of fresh fish. You can buy it in the store, or you can catch it in a pond. In both cases, it is recommended to cook it quickly, as it does not keep for a long time.
If it is not possible to prepare a fish dish on the day of purchase or catch, you should properly store the product. At what temperature should fresh fish be stored?
The catch should be cleaned, gutted and washed. After that, put it in the refrigerator, where the temperature is not more than + 3C. The shelf life of a fresh catch is no more than 2 days.
It makes sense to freeze fresh catch if you do not plan to cook it on the same day. But you need to know how long you can store fish in the freezer. Frozen fish will keep in the freezer for several months.
To thaw the carcasses of fish, you should not resort to help microwave oven or other kitchen appliances.
Do not store unpeeled fish in the refrigerator. Microorganisms multiply rapidly on it, and it becomes unsuitable for food.
How to store fish dishes
Any hostess often cooks fish meals. It's soup, and hodgepodge, and just baked tilapia. It is tasty and healthy. But we should not forget that it quickly deteriorates. Therefore, it is recommended to put the uneaten amount in the refrigerator. The shelf life of ready-made fish dishes is no more than two days.
Became popular in recent years Japanese kitchen, which includes sushi and rolls. It is recommended to eat them without a trace. But if, nevertheless, the rolls remain, they must be stored in special containers without air in the refrigerator for no more than two days.
Note! Fish is a nutritious and healthy product. It is important to learn how to properly store fish so that fish dishes prepared from it will delight you with their taste!
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