One of the representatives of the flounder family is halibut, which is also called the sole. The asymmetry of the skull characteristic of this family is present in halibut, but it is not as noticeable as, for example,. The body in its shape resembles an oval, it is flat and elongated along the ridge. The dorsal fin begins almost above the upper eye and stretches along the entire body. On the opposite side, in the region of the pectoral fins, a characteristic bend is noted on the body of the halibut.

The species includes three known genera:

1. White-barked halibuts are listed in the Red Book, they are giants, as they reach up to 4 meters or more in length. The same applies to the Atlantic halibut.
2. The genus Arrowtooth halibut is represented by the Asian and American species, these fish do not grow more than 80, while their weight varies within 3 kg.
3. The black halibut gave the name to the genus, as the only representative, it will be larger than the Asian one, and its mass is estimated at tens of kilograms.

The Pacific and Atlantic Ocean became the home of the halibut, but the black halibut can be found in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, as well as in the Bering and Barents Seas. Such a habitat is associated with an abundance of animal food, because halibut is a predator. In addition to small plankton, he does not mind eating cod, gerbil, herring or pollock. The shape of the body, similar to the body of a flounder, suggests that halibut is considered a demersal fish. In some reservoirs, its activity is carried out at a depth of up to 700 meters. The average life expectancy of our "hero" is 25-30 years.

Useful properties of fish meat

Whitebark halibut is considered the most expensive fish from the family in question. Its meat has exceptional benefits for the body, and is not only famous for its sour taste. The catch of these representatives is not of a commercial nature, since this fish is already on the verge of extinction. Those individuals that we meet on the counter are arrow-toothed or blue-skinned representatives. Despite somewhat greater availability, halibut is very expensive for the average consumer. But it is good as any dish, and its caviar is sold as a separate snack.

Halibut stands out from other fish with its unusually white meat. At the same time, its taste qualities correspond to outlandish status.

The high fat content makes the fish very delicate in taste. Liver fat will replenish the supply of vitamin A. Compared to the fat content in the liver of other fish, it is 200 times more here. Omega-3 acids are a life-saving miracle for patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases and oncology. Do not forget about other vitamins, these are groups D, B, E, as well as nicotinic and glutamic acid.

With a high fat content, the calorie content of halibut per 100 grams is only 140 thousand calories. With such indicators, it can be considered diet food. It is 80% water. There is quite a lot of protein in halibut meat, they make up 19% of the total mass.

Protein does not affect weight gain in any way, although it is a building material in the body, it is absorbed together with fats in a short time. That meager proportion of carbohydrates that is present in the fish does not even count. But microelements play a real benefit for the body, because they come to us in their pure form.

Perhaps no other product can boast of such a set of rare and valuable elements such as selenium, zinc, potassium, magnesium, molybdenum, iodine.

Any fish in large quantities is contraindicated for humans. Halibut was no exception. Home-smoked fish contains carcinogens, so it should be used with caution by people suffering from disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, and liver. But if you use the product as a snack, you can get a specific flavor, great taste, health benefits and a reason to feast.

Do-it-yourself hot smoking

Smoked halibut at home is available to anyone who has a private house or cottage. You can consider the option with liquid smoke, but this process cannot be called smoking. Any smoking is accompanied by the fact that natural smoke passes through the fibers of the product. It is a good preservative, so it keeps the product free from microbial growth.

The essence of preparing fish for smoking is that it is processed with salt and spices. But it is salt that removes moisture from the fibers, affecting the structure of fish meat.

By and large, properly salted fish is ready to eat, easy to digest, and harmless. But salting is followed by smoke treatment.

It turns out everyone's favorite product that can be stored well in the refrigerator. But this only applies to cold-cooked fish. Hot smoked halibut should be consumed as soon as possible.

On sale, fish is rarely found chilled. Due to the long transportation, the fish has to be frozen so that it does not disappear. Naturally, this does not benefit the preservation of vitamins and somewhat changes the taste. But if you cook a smoked delicacy yourself, you can save a lot of money. In addition, hot-smoked halibut is almost never found in stores.

To prepare carcasses, you must follow the basic instructions step by step. Fish is quite expensive, and hardly anyone will agree to risk such funds. The whole cooking process is divided into several stages: carcass cutting, salting and smoking itself.

The first step will have to be skipped, as the halibut is sold gutted. It is advisable to cut the carcass into strips of 7 cm, since the large dimensions of the fish will require the appropriate size from the smokehouse. In addition, such a cut will be smoked in a matter of minutes, which will allow you to organize outdoor recreation and quickly sit down at the table.

The recipe for salting fish is based on dry pickling.

• Coarse-grained salt is poured into a suitable container.
• Black pepper, red pepper and chopped bay leaf are added to taste.
• The mixture is rubbed into pieces of halibut, and there should be enough salt so that it covers each piece with a layer.
• Carcasses are wrapped in cling film and placed in the refrigerator for a day.
• Subsequently, excess salt removed from the carcasses with a towel or napkin.
• Salted fish is lightly weathered to remove moisture. The duration of this procedure can be determined by the appearance of the pieces. If they began to turn gray and dry out, then it's time to start smoking the halibut.

The fire in the brazier is made in advance, otherwise it will be difficult to control the temperature of the smoke. Some experts advise not to start smoking until all the wood has turned into coals. Sawdust or wood chips are placed in the smoking box. It is better to use alder chips, as they contain less resin. The temperature of the smoke reaches 120°C degrees.

Under such conditions, fat and juice will certainly stand out from the carcasses. If they get on sawdust, an unpleasant smell of burning will appear. It is recommended to build a pallet under the sieves. The sieves themselves are lubricated with oil to make it easier to remove the fish.

The process of smoking at high temperature is not so long. After 25-30 minutes, you should check the degree of readiness of the halibut. The lid of the smokehouse opens slightly and you can try to tear off the fin, it should easily fall behind if the dish is cooked. After the cooking process has come to an end, it is recommended to cool the fish. It tastes best when cold. It is advisable to eat the resulting delicacy immediately, since it will not work to keep it for a long time.

Cold smoking

The store sells smoked halibut, this is the so-called cold smoked. Recipes self cooking more in demand and popular.

• Firstly, cold-smoked halibut retains its original taste.
• Secondly, meat without heat treatment retains more useful substances, it remains high-calorie and nutritious.
• Thirdly, the shelf life of fish smoked in this way in the refrigerator reaches several weeks.

The carcass of halibut for cold smoking should be as fat as possible. Having selected and thawed the fish, you need to measure its mass. The marinating mixture is made according to the following proportions: 20 g of salt is taken per kilogram of fish, as well as 5 g of sugar. The resulting dry marinade must be carefully rubbed into each carcass. After that, the halibut is moistened with lemon juice and stored in the refrigerator for 2 days. From time to time it is necessary to mix the fish for uniform salting. The color of the future dish can be improved with onion broth. In it, the fish should be soaked for at least half an hour.

Dry the fish before smoking. The less moisture remains in the fibers, the less likely the damage to an expensive product. Please note that halibut attracts not only people, but also insects, so during the drying period you will have to ensure the immunity of the fish.

Cold smoking will last a day. This is a distinctive feature of halibut, as other fish can be smoked for several days. The device of the smokehouse allows you to treat the fish with smoke, the temperature of which does not exceed 25 ° C degrees. The smoking process must not be interrupted so that the halibut does not deteriorate. Especially large pieces can be cut so that the meat is smoked throughout its thickness.

Smoked halibut is served at the table as an appetizer. As a main dish, it will not be possible to use it due to its high fat content. But it goes well with any dish. Due to the special structure of halibut meat fibers, it does not require long-term salting or energy-intensive smoking. The yellowish tint that appeared on the fibers indicates that it is time to take the fish out of the smokehouse and send it for airing. This must be done, otherwise a bitter aftertaste will appear.

Vladislav Paikov

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Cold-smoked halibut is a truly royal product on our table. The taste and aroma of hot smoked products are not inferior to it. Try to cook halibut at least once according to our recipes, and you will repeat this process again and again.

Halibut is considered highly valuable food product. It belongs to those types of fish that, after smoking, become an exquisite delicacy.

Structurally, halibut is similar to flounder - it has a flat, rounded body, bordered by fins. There are 2 types - white-skinned and blue-skinned, depending on the color of the underside of the body.

Halibut has white tender meat, rich in complete proteins. Eating increases the body's defenses, is useful for immune system. Promotes the restoration of vision, strengthens the bone skeleton. It is used as a dietary product for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

The chemical composition of fish is:

Hot smoked halibut

For hot smoking, whole fish, decapitated carcasses, layers or pieces of fish are taken.

After defrosting and mechanical processing, the halibut is salted according to the hot-smoked recipe with dry salting, rolling it with salt and sprinkling semi-finished products with salt. For oily and large fish, you can use a combined salting. The fish is rolled and sprinkled with salt, after which it is poured with chilled brine.

In both cases, the products are salted for 1-2 days, you can increase the period up to 8 days.

Salted products are dried naturally in a well-ventilated place from 4-8 hours to 3-4 days. The duration depends on the mass of semi-finished products and weather conditions.

Drying is completed when the fish is dry on the surface, the fins are stiff, the flesh is denser.

Prepare the smokehouse in advance for work. Sprinkle chips or shavings on the bottom. Close with a pallet that will protect wood materials from spilled fat.

To prepare hot smoked halibut at home, semi-finished products are placed on the grills of the smokehouse. If pieces are used in the form of layers of fish, then they are placed skin down. Can be smoked hanging on hooks. Close the chamber with a lid and put it on a heating source - a stove, burner or fire.

First, they smoke at a low temperature - 60-80 ° C for 20-30 minutes. Then the heating is increased to 100-120 ° C and brought to readiness from 40 minutes to 2-3 hours, depending on the mass.

After cooling, it is kept for weathering the smoke and soaking the pulp with smoked products for several hours. You can increase the duration up to 2-3 days.

Important! To get high-quality smoked halibut, follow the advice of experts:

• leave gaps of at least 1 cm between the products, otherwise, after smoking, a “white-barrel” defect will remain - an unbaked side surface of a pale color;
• use only one size of semi-finished products for smoking at a time, otherwise some products will burn when others are left unbaked;
• arrange chips, chips so that it is evenly distributed under each of the pieces of fish.

Cold smoked halibut

Cold-smoked halibut at home is prepared from whole carcasses, headless, pieces or layers of fish.

Salted in a dry way, rolling semi-finished products with salt and sprinkling each row. Large and especially fatty fish are salted with mixed salting, treating the carcasses with salt, as in dry salting, and then pouring cold brine.

Salted semi-finished products are kept for maturation in the same way as for hot smoking.

The smokehouse is being prepared. They use both stationary do-it-yourself units for cold smoking, with a firebox for a fire, and smokehouses using a smoke generator. In the first case, a fire is made, the smoke from which is sent through a chimney into the smoking chamber. In the second case, wood chips or shavings are placed in the body of the smoke generator, kindled and the smoke is sent to the smokehouse.

To smoke cold-smoked halibut, semi-finished products are placed on grates in a chamber or hung on hooks. Close the lid and let it simmer.

The optimal smoking mode is selected depending on the method of cutting, size, fat content of the product.

Smoking is carried out at an air and smoke temperature in the chamber of 20-25 °C at the beginning, then the temperature is gradually raised and brought to 30-35 °C by the end of smoking.

The process of cold smoking lasts from 18-20 hours to 4-5 days.

The end of the smoking process is determined by color, texture, taste and smell. The fish should be golden in color, with a smoking aroma, soft texture.

liquid smoke recipe

According to this recipe, halibut is smoked in an apartment using liquid smoke.

• halibut - 1 kg;
• salt - 25 g (tablespoon);
• sugar - 5 g (1/2 tsp)
• lemon juice - to taste;
• liquid smoke;
• water - 1 l;
• onion peel - at least 150 g.

The processed halibut is rolled in a mixture of salt and sugar on all sides, sprinkled lemon juice and leave to marinate for 72 hours in the refrigerator, wrapped in cling film. Salted fish is washed and dipped in a chilled broth from onion peel(onion husks are boiled in water and left to cool until completely cooled). Soak in the broth for 30-40 minutes, take out on napkins, blot the liquid.

To imitate the taste and smell of smoked fish, the surface is moistened with liquid smoke using a brush. It is allowed to dilute liquid smoke with water in a ratio of 1:10 and lower the fish into it for 3-5 seconds. Leave to dry for a day. The result is a fish similar in quality to cold-smoked fish.

Thus, it is possible not to smoke halibut in a smokehouse. And to get hot-smoked fish after salting, wash the semi-finished products, dry them, process them with liquid smoke and bake at a temperature of 110-120 ° C, increasing to 140-170 ° C at the final stage. Ready time - from 30 minutes to 1.5 hours.

Features of serving smoked halibut

Smoked halibut can be served as independent dish, garnished with olives, olives, cherry tomatoes, lemon slices, parsley, dill, lettuce. Recipe with cold smoked halibut can be supplemented spicy sauces based on mayonnaise with gherkins, tarragon, garlic, lemon sauce, shrimp. Halibut is included in the assortment of fish, sandwiches and buffet snacks. It is suitable for decoration holiday table as well as for a family dinner.

Halibut - tasty, tender, fatty white fish. This snack will take place of honor on any table, because smoked halibut is an elite delicacy. It appeared on free sale about ten years ago, and today it can be purchased in almost every fish store, but it is by no means cheap. Much more profitable. This can be done in an electric smokehouse both at home and in the country. When smoked at home, you are sure of the quality and freshness of the selected fish, and for an excellent taste, you can also add your favorite spices.

Halibut is worth including in the diet from time to time, because it is rich in vitamins, omega-3 acids, and thanks to the method of smoke processing useful material are preserved almost in their entirety.

Cooking cold-smoked halibut is quite difficult, but the most delicate taste fully pays for all the efforts spent. Ready meal will become a full-fledged cold snack or a salad ingredient, but more on that later, first you need to smoke it.

Cooking cold smoked halibut according to a traditional recipe

We choose a fat carcass weighing about three kilograms. Cut into pieces, salt, pepper. Choose . In order for the fillet pieces to be well salted, it is necessary to wait 12 hours. We thoroughly wash the fish for half an hour, dry it and proceed to smoking.

We put the pieces on a sieve so that they do not touch each other - this is necessary for good air circulation. In the "Dachnik" smokehouse, halibut is smoked for 22 hours. Important point: after 4 hours, the fish should be taken out and blotted with a clean cloth dipped in white wine or vodka. Put the halibut back in the smoker, sprinkle with a mixture of peppers (black and white is great) and smoke for another 18 hours.

Compared to other types of fish, halibut smokes quickly. It is important to monitor the temperature of the smoke, it should be within + 25-30 degrees. The lower the temperature, the longer it takes to smoke. So, at +20 degrees white fish is smoked for at least 25 hours. It is convenient to monitor the temperature in the smokehouse using a special thermometer.

Each smoker has his own secrets of cooking delicacies, it all depends on the existing smokehouse, the choice of wood chips, the chosen recipe, because there are many of them. We bring to your attention several options for smoking the most delicate fish.

Recipe with sugar, lemon juice and liquid smoke

The following recipe will appeal to gourmets, because spices, lemon juice and sugar are used. Cooking is as easy as shelling pears - instead of a smoker, you will need liquid smoke. That is why this recipe can be used by readers who do not yet have a smoker. So, let's start cooking:

• We buy fresh or frozen carcasses. If you bought frozen, it must be thawed without hot water And microwave oven. We do not cut the carcass, but smoke it whole.
• Before starting cooking, we weigh the fish and prepare a mixture of the following ingredients: for each kilogram of fish we take 20 grams of salt and 5 grams of sugar.
• We wipe the halibut with the resulting mixture, sprinkle with lemon juice, place in a bowl, cover cling film and put in the refrigerator for three days.
• During marinating, the fish must sometimes be turned over.
• After marinating the fish, cook a decoction of onion peel in the following proportion: on the floor liter jar water, add a handful of husks, cook for 5 minutes after boiling, then let cool. The carcass must be washed well under running water. cold water, dry, place for 40 minutes in a cool broth, and also turn over from time to time.
• We take the fish out of the marinade, dry it and coat it with liquid smoke on all sides. It is most convenient to do this with a culinary brush. We hang in a cool room by the tail for a day. Place a bowl at the bottom into which the fat will drip. It turns out delicious "cold" halibut. It keeps in the refrigerator for five days.

Liquid smoke comes in handy if you don't have a smoker

We draw your attention to the fact that hot smoking of halibut cannot be done without a special oven or smokehouse using liquid smoke alone, but for the cold method this recipe is good for its simplicity.

How to cook halibut hot method?

At home, halibut can turn out no worse than store-bought. To do this, you need your own smokehouse and, of course, fish. We bring to your attention delicious smoked steaks.

• We cut the washed halibut carcass into steaks.
• Rub with a mixture of salt and peppers (black, white, pink, red);
• Marinate for several hours.
• We lay out the foil on the grate - this is necessary so that the fish can be well removed from the grate. Don't forget to poke holes in the foil for the fat.
• We send it to the smokehouse for 25-30 minutes.
• Note: If you choose bad sawdust for smoking, halibut may taste bitter. Choose alder wood chips or mix three tablespoons of alder wood chips with other wood chips. Pour a little water into the pan so that the released fat does not burn and thereby spoil the taste of the finished product.

As you can see, halibut is easy to smoke, and the result is amazing - delicious, oily fish Anyone who is lucky enough to try it will love it. Do not forget to share your recipes on the blog, perhaps yours will be the most delicious.

Halibut is a white oily fish. For those who love fish, this is a real delicacy. It is beautiful in any form: fried, boiled, salted. But smoked halibut is considered especially tasty. It can be eaten as a wonderful appetizer, added to salads or used for canapés and sandwiches. You can cook halibut yourself in several ways - in a hot smokehouse, cold smokehouse, using liquid smoke. This process is not quite simple, but the result will appeal to gourmets.

Composition, calorie content of smoked halibut

In addition to its excellent taste, halibut is considered a very valuable fish. It is useful for the presence of a large amount of omega-3 acids, which are indispensable for health and strengthening the body. Also, halibut has a rich composition of vitamins and minerals.

Most of the fish fillet is easily digestible protein. The product is well digested, absorbed, does not cause heaviness in the stomach. But it is recommended to use it in small portions, since the calorie content is quite high.

For 100 g of smoked product there are:

• Belkov - 15.74 g.
• Fat - 15.30 g.
• There are no carbohydrates.
• Calorie content is 213 kcal.

The use of fish with individual intolerance and small children is contraindicated.

Hot smoked halibut

For hot cooking, you will need a small home smokehouse, some spices, alder wood chips.

Cooking process:

• Rinse the fish, dry with a kitchen towel.
• Cut into portions of 7-8 cm.
• Mix salt, a little black pepper. Generously rub the pieces with the resulting mixture, send for 3-4 in a cold place.
• Place a handful of wood chips in the smokehouse, put a fat tray on top of it. Pour a little water into the pan so that the dripping fat does not burn.
• Put foil on the grill so that the fish can be easily removed later. Be sure to make holes in the foil to drain the liquid.
• Lay the steaks on the grate, close the smokehouse.
• Cook 30 minutes. Then let cool a little and serve to the table, garnished with greens and lemon.

Hot-smoked halibut is stored in the refrigerator for no more than 3 days. You can extend the period by using the freezer. Then it will be edible for a month.

Cold smoked halibut

For cold smoking, a special smokehouse is required. She can be like own production, and bought in the store. Now you can buy a device of domestic production at an affordable price, which is not inferior to foreign analogues. Cooking products in such a smokehouse greatly simplifies the process, does not require constant monitoring and special skills. In addition to the smokehouse, you will need sawdust and some spices.

Cooking:

• Choose a good fatty fish, weighing about 3 kg.
• Wash it, dry it, cut into steaks.
• Grate thoroughly on all sides with coarse salt, you can add a little of your favorite spices.
• Place the steaks in a container and keep in the cold for 12 hours.
• Rinse off the remaining salt, let the fish dry.
• Load the steaks into the smoker. After 4 hours, take out, blot with a napkin previously moistened with vodka or dry white wine.
• Then put back, cook another 18 hours. Smoke temperature should be kept at 25-30 degrees. If the temperature is lower (20-22 degrees), smoke 3 hours longer.
• Ready steaks hang in a draft. There they should dry for about 12 hours. During this time, the pungent smell will disappear, and the taste will become saturated.

You can keep this dish for a long time. The timing depends on how the fish is stored. If you first wrap it with food parchment and place it in the refrigerator, it will be usable for 30-40 days. Freezing can keep fish for up to 9 months.

liquid smoke recipe

The taste of such a dish will resemble cold smoked halibut. However, preparing fish is much easier and faster. The use of liquid smoke is considered harmful, but at low doses, this ingredient will not cause any harm.

It will take:

• Halibut carcass.
• A handful of onion skins.
• Sugar, salt.
• Liquid smoke.
• Water.
• Lemon juice.

Cooking:

Rinse the whole carcass, dry with a towel. Prepare a curing mixture: 30 g of salt + 5 g of sugar per 1 kg of halibut. Grate the carcass on all sides with a dry marinade, sprinkle with lemon juice (1 tablespoon is enough). Put in a suitable container, cover, send in the refrigerator for 3 days. During pickling, the carcass must be turned over several times for even salting.

Halibut is a delicious, tender, oily white fish. Such an appetizer will take pride of place on any table, because smoked halibut is an elite delicacy. It appeared on free sale about ten years ago, and today it can be purchased in almost every fish store, but it is by no means cheap. Much more profitable. This can be done in an electric smokehouse both at home and in the country. When smoked at home, you are sure of the quality and freshness of the selected fish, and for an excellent taste, you can also add your favorite spices.

Halibut should be included in the diet from time to time, because it is rich in vitamins, omega-3 acids, and thanks to the method of smoke treatment, useful substances are preserved almost in full.

Cooking cold-smoked halibut is quite difficult, but the most delicate taste fully pays off all the effort. The finished dish will become a full-fledged cold appetizer or salad ingredient, but more on that later, first you need to smoke it.

Cooking cold smoked halibut according to a traditional recipe

We choose a fat carcass weighing about three kilograms. Cut into pieces, salt, pepper. Choose. In order for the fillet pieces to be well salted, it is necessary to wait 12 hours. We thoroughly wash the fish for half an hour, dry it and proceed to smoking.

We put the pieces on a sieve so that they do not touch each other - this is necessary for good air circulation. In the "Dachnik" smokehouse, halibut is smoked for 22 hours. An important point: after 4 hours, the fish must be taken out and blotted with a clean cloth dipped in white wine or vodka. Put the halibut back in the smoker, sprinkle with a mixture of peppers (black and white is great) and smoke for another 18 hours.

Compared to other types of fish, halibut smokes quickly. It is important to monitor the temperature of the smoke, it should be within + 25-30 degrees. The lower the temperature, the longer it takes to smoke. So, at +20 degrees white fish is smoked for at least 25 hours. It is convenient to monitor the temperature in the smokehouse using a special thermometer.

Each smoker has his own secrets of cooking delicacies, it all depends on the existing smokehouse, the choice of wood chips, the chosen recipe, because there are many of them. We bring to your attention several options for smoking the most delicate fish.

Recipe with sugar, lemon juice and liquid smoke

The following recipe will appeal to gourmets, because spices, lemon juice and sugar are used. Cooking is as easy as shelling pears - instead of a smoker, you will need liquid smoke. That is why this recipe can be used by readers who do not yet have a smoker. So, let's start cooking:

• We buy fresh or frozen carcasses. If you bought frozen, you need to defrost it without hot water and a microwave. We do not cut the carcass, but smoke it whole.
• Before starting cooking, we weigh the fish and prepare a mixture of the following ingredients: for each kilogram of fish we take 20 grams of salt and 5 grams of sugar.
• We wipe the halibut with the resulting mixture, sprinkle with lemon juice, place in a bowl, cover with cling film and put in the refrigerator for three days.
• During marinating, the fish must sometimes be turned over.
• After pickling the fish, cook a decoction of onion peels in the following proportion: add a handful of peels to a half-liter jar of water, cook for 5 minutes after boiling, then let cool. The carcass should be washed well under running cold water, dried, placed for 40 minutes in a cool broth, and also turned over from time to time.
• We take the fish out of the marinade, dry it and coat it with liquid smoke on all sides. It is most convenient to do this with a culinary brush. We hang in a cool room by the tail for a day. Place a bowl at the bottom into which the fat will drip. It turns out delicious "cold" halibut. It keeps in the refrigerator for five days.

Liquid smoke comes in handy if you don't have a smoker

We draw your attention to the fact that hot smoking of halibut cannot be done without a special oven or smokehouse using liquid smoke alone, but for the cold method this recipe is good for its simplicity.

How to cook halibut hot method?

At home, halibut can turn out no worse than store-bought. To do this, you need your own smokehouse and, of course, fish. We bring to your attention delicious smoked steaks.

• We cut the washed halibut carcass into steaks.
• Rub with a mixture of salt and peppers (black, white, pink, red);
• Marinate for several hours.
• We lay out the foil on the grate - this is necessary so that the fish can be well removed from the grate. Don't forget to poke holes in the foil for the fat.
• We send it to the smokehouse for 25-30 minutes.
• Note: If you choose bad sawdust for smoking, halibut may taste bitter. Choose alder wood chips or mix three tablespoons of alder wood chips with other wood chips. Pour a little water into the pan so that the released fat does not burn and thereby spoil the taste of the finished product.

As you can see, halibut is easy to smoke, and the result is amazing - delicious, oily fish will appeal to everyone who is lucky enough to try it. Do not forget to share your recipes on the blog, perhaps yours will be the most delicious.

What is a fish like halibut? The harm and benefits of this product will be described below. We will also tell you about the features of this fish and its use in cooking.

general information

Halibut fish, the benefits and harms of which are known to few, is very popular with consumers. It is often referred to as the "sea tongue".

The fish in question belongs to the flounder family and the flounder order, which live in the northern seas. Halibuts are very important commercial value for many countries.

Description

The color of this fish can be different, ranging from light olive to black. The halibut's eyes are on the right side of its head. This fish is a predator and prefers to live at great depths or at the very bottom.

Spawning of the marine life occurs in the winter season. With the onset summer season halibut can be found near the coast at medium depth.

Specialists distinguish several varieties of this fish. Some of them have long been listed in the Red Book. Small representatives of the flounder family reach only 2 kg, and the weight of large ones often exceeds 300 kg.

In what form is halibut sold in stores? The harm and benefits of this product are determined not only by the properties of its meat, but also by the method of its preparation. Mostly frozen or fresh halibut is on sale. In addition, such fish can be purchased smoked or canned.

Properties

What properties does halibut have? The harm and benefits of the fish in question depend on its chemical composition. In turn, the latter is directly related to the type of halibut and its habitat. The same applies to the taste of fish and its energy value.

Peculiarities

Experts say that the further north the fish in question lives, the fatter it is. At the same time, it cannot be noted that the fats contained in this product are not harmful, but unsaturated.

Halibut meat contains omega-3 acids, vitamins A, B12, D and E, as well as seven different types of amino acids. In addition, this fish is enriched with minerals such as sodium, potassium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, selenium and others.

Components

Halibut caviar, the benefits and harms of which are the subject of controversy by many experts, is very often used in cooking. It is a partial product. In other words, during the production process, the natural shell in which the eggs are placed is not removed.

A ready-to-eat product is obtained by salting, as well as long-term aging (at least 10 days) in special wooden boxes. After that, the caviar is thoroughly washed and laid out in barrels, where it is kept for another 2 weeks.

Partial caviar of the fish in question is considered a rather valuable species. It has earned its popularity among consumers due to its unusual taste.

Halibut eggs are quite large in size, as well as a natural beige color. But in order to give the product a more interesting appearance, some manufacturers very often repaint the caviar black.

This product is often used to make canapes, sandwiches and tartlets. In Japan, it is as popular as it is used to create various

Halibut liver is also actively used in cooking. She is several times more useful than the famous

calories

Is halibut high in calories, the harm and benefits of which should be known to all consumers? Each type of this fish has its own calorie content. In a lean product, it is approximately 105 energy units. As for the calorie content of fatty types of halibut, it is equal to 142 units.

A feature of the product in question is its unique ability to absorb oil and other dressings during frying. This fact should be remembered by all cooks, especially those who prepare diet meals. Indeed, after frying, halibut becomes even more high-calorie than at the very beginning of cooking.

Halibut: benefits and harms

A photo of this fish is presented in this article.

Experts believe that with the help of halibut meat, you can quickly improve your eyesight, as well as normalize metabolism. Also, this fish has a beneficial effect on cardiovascular system human, allowing you to stop inflammation and prevent the appearance of blood clots.

Regular intake of the product in question significantly reduces the amount of homocysteine ​​in the blood, which, in turn, reduces the risk of atherosclerotic plaques.

By including halibut in your diet, you can easily maintain normal liver function. Also, the use of this product in combination with appropriate therapy can save patients from oncological diseases in the early stages of development.

In addition to the benefits, the use of halibut in cooking can also bring significant harm to health. Therefore, it is contraindicated in people who suffer from hepatitis.

Also, this fish should not be included in your diet in the presence of allergies and individual intolerance. For problems with the gastrointestinal tract, the product in question can be consumed only in limited quantities and only after consulting a doctor.

Cold-smoked halibut, the benefits and harms of which we are also considering, as well as salty, is highly undesirable to include in your diet for young children and the elderly. Such fish will not bring any benefit in kidney and liver diseases.

The best and safest way to prepare this product is to bake and boil. Halibut that was caught in a polluted reservoir may also be harmful.

In order not to harm your body, experts recommend choosing fish in the store carefully. Also, it should be properly prepared and not abused during the meal. Subject to these simple rules, eaten halibut will only benefit.

Application

How is the arrow-toothed halibut prepared, the benefits and harms of which have been described above? Such fish can be processed by all known methods. If this product is used to prepare festive dishes, then it is best to combine it with various vegetables.

From caviar and canned halibut sandwiches, snacks and salads are very tasty and nutritious. The lean types of this fish are ideal for weight loss. They should be consumed 3-4 times a week, and then you will be provided with a beautiful figure.

In medical practice, halibut is used to treat Alzheimer's disease, as well as to relieve pain in dry keratoconjunctivitis.

It should also be noted that halibut meat can slow down macular degeneration. Some medicines are produced from the liver of this fish.

Cosmetic companies have also noticed the beneficial properties of the fish in question. Experts have found that halibut oil promotes the healing of minor cuts and wounds, and also makes the skin smooth. Creams based on this product are also valuable because they prevent the occurrence of skin irritations and allergies, eliminate wrinkles, give skin elasticity, treat chronic dermatitis and fight acne.

Almost everyone loves fish, and such a variety of white fish as halibut - in general, one cannot help but like it. It is rich in vitamins and microelements, has a very delicate, but at the same time rich taste. Due to the high content of Omega-3 acids, this fish is recommended to be included in the menu for the prevention of many diseases.

There are many options for preparing halibut, but it is especially tasty when smoked. In addition, smoked halibut becomes a great cold appetizer that will decorate any table, or an ingredient in a wonderful salad.

Of course, you can buy ready-made smoked halibut in the store, but it is better to cook it yourself, because in this case you will be sure of the freshness and quality of the fish. Smoking halibut at home does not take much time, and the process itself is not particularly laborious, but the result is excellent. So if you want to try, then we will tell you how to smoke halibut at home.

To begin with, we select the carcass of the fish, it should be fatter and thicker. In principle, it does not matter whether the fish is fresh or frozen. Then we weigh it and for each kilogram of fish we prepare a mixture of 20 g of coarse salt and 5 g of sugar. We rub the fish with this mixture, put it in a bowl or on a plate, sprinkle with lemon juice and, covered with a plastic bag, send it to the refrigerator for 2-3 days. During this time, periodically turn the fish from side to side. When the time is up, we make a decoction of onion peels: put the peel of the peel on 0.5 liters of water, warm it up and let it cool. Wash the fish, dry, put in a decoction for 30-60 minutes, periodically turning over.

Then we take out the fish, dry it again, and with the help of a culinary brush we coat it on all sides with liquid smoke (it is sold in stores). We hang the halibut by the tail (in a cool room) for one day, do not forget to put a plate under it, where the fat will drip. After a day, you will get a cold-smoked halibut, which can be stored in the refrigerator for no longer than 5 days.

We would like to draw your attention to the fact that hot smoked halibut, which can be seen on store shelves, is almost impossible to make at home, since this requires a special oven.

You already have smoked halibut, and now we want to offer a delicious salad recipe with this amazing ingredient.

Ingredients:

Cooking

Wash lettuce leaves and place on a plate. Feta and fresh tomato cut into cubes, halibut into large pieces, and sun-dried tomato into thin strips. Mix all the ingredients, season them with olive oil and lemon juice and put the salad on the leaves.

Country smokehouse. From building a smokehouse to proper cooking and food storage Kozlov Anton Valerievich

Cold smoked halibut

Cold smoked halibut

Halibut fillets are salted and sprinkled with black pepper. Salting time - 12 hours. Then the pieces of fish are washed, cleaned of pepper and spread on a sieve. Smoked in 2 stages. The first stage is 4 hours. Before the next stage, the fillet is moistened with a cloth soaked in vodka, sprinkled with a mixture of white and black pepper. The second stage is 18 hours of smoking.

The tastiest smoked fish- it's fresh, just from the oil lamp! But if there is a need to store fish, it should be remembered that smoked fish store in a clean, dry place at a constant temperature of 3 °C. It is permissible to store in the refrigerator without special packaging for no more than one week. The fish has a pronounced taste for the first 3 days after smoking, while the quality of the fish is lost as it is stored.