Dried Smelt
Easy to make, fit for a king! Dried smelt made by this recipe turns out extraordinarily tasty. On top of that, any beginner can make it! All you need is fish, salt, and fresh air!
Cooking method
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Step 1:
How do you make dried smelt? Get the fish and salt ready. Use coarse or medium salt. Smelt of any size will do. If the fish is frozen, thaw it first. Take off the packaging and put the fish in the fridge 6 hours before you start. Thawing it improperly can ruin the flavor.
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Step 2:
Rinse the smelt thoroughly under running water and put it in a colander so the excess liquid drains off.
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Step 3:
To salt the fish, take a pot or bowl. Sprinkle a little salt on the bottom. Then layer the smelt, sprinkling salt over each layer. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap so the fish doesn't dry out and salts well. Leave it to salt for 1 hour. During that time, mix the fish with your hands twice so the salt is distributed evenly over all the fish.
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Step 4:
Rinse the fish well under running water to wash off the excess salt. Leave the smelt in a colander for 15-20 minutes to drain the water.
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Step 5:
String the fish onto wire or twine and hang it in a well-ventilated room, or outside but in the shade. Never dry fish in direct sunlight!
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Step 6:
Cover the smelt with cheesecloth if insects can get into the room. Leave the fish to dry for 2-3 days if it's small, or 4-5 if it's larger.
- Smelt is a medium-fat fish, perfect for drying.
- The exact drying time depends on how dry you like the fish, the weather, and the size of the fish. So check how done the dried fish is by feeling it along the back. It should be medium - neither too soft nor completely hard.
- You can store smelt in a cool place wrapped in paper. Don't put the fish away in a bag, since the lack of air will spoil it quickly.
- Since I like fish that's not too salty, a cup of salt per 1 kg of small smelt is a bit much for me. Keep this in mind when you make smelt by this recipe.
- Keep in mind that the quality and taste of the finished dish depend heavily on thawing the ingredients properly. To avoid mistakes and choose the best method, read the article on thawing.
Caloric content of the products possible in the composition of the dish
- Salt - 0 kcal/100g
- Smelt - 91 kcal/100g
