Storing dried fish at home - how to do it correctly

Tested in practice - it is almost impossible to purchase fresh, elastic dried or dried fish. On the shelves are either stone-hardened specimens or yellowed, expired specimens. But it also happens that a new shipment arrives and a product of decent quality. They buy this stuff for future use.

And if among your relatives and friends there are avid fishermen, then delicious roach and ram are never left on the table. A lot of work and effort has been put into such a product. And it is necessary to store dried fish so that the snack lasts as long as possible without losing its properties. There are several ways, let's look at each of them in detail.

Is the storage of dried and dried fish different?

Initially, it is worth understanding how these two types of fish differ. For greater clarity, let’s compare them using the table:

Fridge

The roach should be stored in the refrigerator in its packaged form. The fish is individually wrapped in paper and placed in the vegetable compartment. There it can be preserved for up to 2 months, unless friends come to visit with beer first.

A refrigerator with an additional compartment (0°C) is best suited for this product. At zero temperature, the excellent taste and aroma of fish will last up to 6 months.

Rules for storing dried fish

Before buying fish, be sure to check its quality. An unpleasant odor and suspicious spots on the surface of the fish indicate that the product is not fresh.

The most suitable place for storing dried fish is a place with a temperature no higher than +10 degrees, without access to direct sunlight and a humidity of at least 70-80%, in order to avoid drying out of the product.

In a glass jar

Three-liter jars need to be thoroughly washed and sterilized. When they dry, fish are placed in them. Airless storage involves removing oxygen from the can.

• When the carcasses are tightly packed into the jar, a candle is placed there and set on fire.
• Then the jar is sealed with a lid.
• After there is no oxygen left in the jar (it will burn out), the fire will go out and a vacuum will form inside the jar, which will allow the fish to be stored for about 1 year.
• This happens because the harmful bacteria that cause rotting are unable to exist without oxygen.

How to keep dried fish from flies

When drying fish outdoors, the most pressing problem is flies. In a matter of minutes, they are able to deposit larvae in carcasses and the product will immediately become unfit for consumption. Fans of dried and salted fish have come up with several effective ways to combat insects.

The main rule is that carcasses should be covered. Most often, gauze is used for these purposes.

But it is worth remembering that the material should not touch the fish, otherwise insects can cause harm through it. To avoid this outcome, spacers should be used. If desired, they can be replaced with a deep wooden box or even an umbrella.

Another effective way to protect against flies is to treat the fish every day with a solution of vinegar and vegetable oil mixed in a ratio of 6:4.

Freezing

Whether roach can be stored in the freezer is of concern to those who have significant reserves of the delicacy product on hand.

Freezing is a good way to preserve this fish for a long time.

Carcasses should be sorted by size and hermetically packaged. To do this, you can use film, paper or plastic bags.

In the freezer, vobla retains quality for up to 1 year, if you do not allow re-freezing. To use only the required amount of the product, it is divided into portions in advance.

How to store different varieties of dried fish

A wide variety of fish are used for drying - flounder, bream, roach, ram. For short-term storage (up to one month), it is enough to wrap the fish in paper and leave it in a cool, dark place with a humidity level of 65-80%. If the room is too dry, this will lead to drying out of the carcasses, and excessive humidity can cause mold.

For long-term storage of these types of fish, you can use vacuum packaging, a glass or tin jar, which should be kept in the refrigerator.

In the freezer

Freezing allows dried fish to retain its taste for about 1 year.

The supplies are divided into parts, each carcass is wrapped in paper as tightly as possible, and then placed in bags. As much air as possible is expelled from the bags, after which they are sealed or sealed. Storing dried fish in the freezer in a bag without paper will damage the packaging due to sharp fins. After this, the fish will begin to lose moisture, freeze and acquire a bitter taste.

Defrosting should occur at room temperature, without the use of a microwave or hot air. When the carcasses are thawed, they are hung in places with good ventilation and dried for several hours.

How long can dried fish be stored?

The period during which dried fish is suitable for consumption is determined by its storage conditions. Carcasses can be stored for the longest time in the freezer and in a jar, in a dark, cool place - at least one year.

You can store dried and dried fish in the refrigerator for quite a long time - about six months. In the cellar, in a box, wrapped in natural fabric, the fish will remain fresh for about eight months.

But it is worth remembering that if at least one of the storage standards is violated, the shelf life of the fish is significantly reduced.

Where is the best place to store supplies?

Fridge

When there is not much product, the best place to store it is in the refrigerator. In this case, you need to think about how to store dried fish so that it does not dry out, because a long stay on the shelf of the unit can lead to exactly this effect.

Suitable packaging will help protect carcasses from loss of moisture. Wrap the product in several layers of wrapping paper, but leave holes for air circulation. If you don’t have a wrapper at hand, you can hide the supply in a newspaper, but on the condition that there are white sheets between the printed material and the carcass.

When storing in the refrigerator, you should not keep fish in plastic, otherwise it will soon become moldy and become unfit for consumption.

Freezer

If for some reason you doubt the effectiveness of saving on the refrigerator shelf, place the product in the freezer. This is one of the most reliable methods for storing dried fish, because if frozen, it will last a year or even longer, although it may lose most of its taste and aroma.

To prevent this from happening, experienced housewives recommend saving snacks for no more than 6 months . It is important to consider that fresh dried carcasses have a strong specific odor, which can spread to nearby products, so before storing, do not forget to pack the product securely.

Vacuum-packed fish at −18 ℃ has a shelf life of 18 months

Cellar/closet

A great way to keep fish fresh and tasty in a private home is to hang it in a cool cellar or closet , placing it in bags made of loose natural fabric. The air humidity in the room should not be more than 70-80%, otherwise the supplies will quickly be spoiled by mold or rot.

The table shows how long dried fish can be stored depending on external conditions:

Balcony

When hung, dried fish is stored in the apartment on the balcony, taking care in advance to protect it from insects. To do this, cover your supplies with a piece of gauze and do not forget to monitor weather changes.

For example, if it is rainy outside, then excessive dampness can lead to the spread of fungus, and on hot days the fish will quickly dry out, turn yellow and become unfit for consumption. If the microclimate changes dramatically, it is better to move the product to another place.

In this form, fish can be stored in any cool, ventilated room.

How to tell if fish has gone bad

The first thing you should pay attention to when buying any type of fish is the smell. If it is unpleasant, you should refuse the purchase immediately. But there are other signs by which you can identify a product of inadequate quality:

1. Sticky, unattractive scales;
2. When pressed, a dent remains on the carcass;
3. The fish is not whole, you can see how the meat falls between the bones.

A product with at least one of these symptoms should absolutely not be consumed. Therefore, if you do buy spoiled fish, throw it away without regret.

Read: How to keep tomatoes fresh all winter? and Storing grain at home.

Quality control

Drying fish involves keeping it in brine and then drying it. In fish factories, the process takes place on special equipment in compliance with technological stages. When all stages of fish drying are completed, about 80% of the moisture is removed from it. The type of fish also changes. The meat acquires a golden hue, oiliness and transparency due to the fat that has soaked into the carcass.

There are basic signs of good quality dried fish that allow you to avoid making mistakes when purchasing a delicacy. It is necessary to take into account the fact that each type of fish has its own degree of drying. Therefore, it is advisable to test it for flexibility and remaining moisture:

• For roach, a high degree of dryness is the norm. It bends easily while maintaining elasticity. Another feature is the dense spine and light weight. Signs that the fish is ready are dried out muscles and protruding ribs. She should also have dry scales and head. You can easily check the quality by trying the delicacy. The skin should come off easily and there should be no moisture inside;
• when choosing dried perch, crucian carp or ram, it is important to remember that, unlike roach, they bend more easily and remain soft;
• dried bream is also soft and flexible, and its meat is juicy and has a delicate texture. Fat and moisture may remain in the belly of the bream. But overdried or too wet bream is unsuitable for eating.

Another important sign of excellent quality dried fish is smooth scales without damage. In perch it is dark and hard to the touch. Rudd, roach and bream have smooth-fitting gray scales with a silvery tint. A sign of spoiled fish of the listed breeds is yellow and protruding scales.

Rusty spots on dried fish also indicate poor quality. This means that the oxidation of fish oil has begun, and the carcass acquires a sour smell.

When purchasing, you need to pay attention to whether there are white deposits of crystallized salt on the surface. If they are, then most likely the fish has been in the warehouse for a long time. In rudd, roach or ram, this is an acceptable phenomenon. When withered, they are salted more strongly. Hence their increased shelf life. A white coating of salt on bream and crucian carp is a sign of a dried carcass.

High-quality fish have an amber-colored back. This happens because the meat has not yet darkened, but the scales have remained transparent. But checking the quality of fish for “transparency” is not suitable for all types of fish. Bream and perch have dense scales, so they are not translucent.

This also applies to large specimens of bream. If they are transparent and flexible in the light, this indicates that the fish are not “ripe”: when cut, the flesh will appear half-raw and with red streaks at the ridge.

Dried smelt: calorie content per 100 grams

Most people involved in active weight loss do not know that dried fish is an ideal product for weight loss. Many nutritionists say that dried fish cannot harm the human body. The calorie content of 100 grams of product is only 146 kilocalories. Even most of the marine species, steamed or oven-cooked, can have a high calorie content.

Dried fish is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. Dried smelt has an average price of about 1,000 rubles per 1 kg. It is mainly sold in 250 gram packages. The price per unit of such a product is 210 rubles. Fresh fish can be purchased at a budget price of 300 rubles per 1 kg.

Which fish is best for drying and drying?

Drying and drying are different processes. Therefore, the type of fish will differ depending on the cooking method.

Both sea and river fish products are dried. This process involves pre-soaking the carcasses in a saline solution or rubbing them with salt, leaving them for 3-5 days, and then washing and drying them.

You can dry frozen fish in the same way as freshly caught fish; the taste of the product will not deteriorate.

The following are considered traditional for drying:

• roach;
• bream and white bream;
• perch;
• saberfish;
• ram.

Types of fish such as mackerel, pike, and pike perch are suitable for drying. The process of drying fish does not involve the use of salt. In this case, fish carcasses are gutted, washed and dried in a well-ventilated area.

Fish dried in this way is suitable for seasoning soups and salads; it is a semi-finished product and requires further preparation.



Selecting the right products

Only properly selected specimens can be stored for a long time at home and not spoil. So, if you are determined to preserve the dried product for as long as possible, choose it carefully at the time of purchase.

1. Pay attention to the color of the product - if the fish has been sitting for a long time, it will be dark gray, while a freshly prepared product will be light gray with a brown tint. High-quality meat can also be identified by color - it has a faint amber tint, and no traces of blood! But the yellowness openly hints that the shelf life is ending.
2. The surface of the carcass should be without the slightest hint of mold, without traces of insect activity, especially flies.
3. To purchase a fresh product, assess the condition of the delicacy not only visually - touch it. If the carcass is too hard, most likely it has been waiting too long for its buyer - you shouldn’t buy it either, although a certain degree of hardness is allowed for dried meat. Be sure to check the belly - it should not be sticky or wet.
4. Smell - the fish should smell pleasant. You can ask whether it has been gutted, because the unpleasant smell of rot and rotten meat first spreads from the uncleaned belly, even when the shelf life has not yet expired.

What should a good fish look like?

Spoiled fish, unlike other products, is very easy to identify if you look closely. Several criteria need to be taken into account: the smell of the product, the density of the meat, the color of the gills and scales, the condition of the fish’s eyes and the product packaging (if present).

Due to the salt used to prepare dried fish, it itself is preserved well. Salt is a good preservative.

Dried

You can enjoy your favorite taste of dried fish without harm to your health if you consider a few basic rules when purchasing:

• There should be no damage to the carcass.
• The fins are dried, but elastic. If you look at the light, they will be translucent, just like the meat.
• The fish should be brown or gray-brown in color.
• There should be no salt stains on the carcass. Small salt residues are allowed only on the head.
• The gills and rear fin begin to rot first, so it is advisable to smell them before purchasing.
• The absence of fragments of scales is not allowed - this usually indicates low-quality raw materials, which were frozen and thawed several times.

For longer storage, conditions are necessary so that the fish does not soften, dry out or spoil.
This practice only applies to unpackaged fish. If a vacuum-sealed product is purchased, it can only be assessed by external features and the date of packaging.

To ensure that fish retains its taste and quality for a long time, organize proper storage for it.

Important! If possible, you should always choose an unpackaged product - you can check it for freshness before purchasing.

Dried

Fresh product should not be too hard - this indicates staleness. It is better to check the elasticity of meat on the belly: the surface of high-quality fish is slightly hard, there is no sticky layer and moisture on it. An important factor is color. It should be amber-yellow, with a brown or gray tint, without any blood spots.

A product that is not fresh will be indicated by a clear bright yellow tint, under which traces of insect damage and mold may appear. Don’t forget about the smell: a spoiled product smells like rotten meat.

It is better to choose gutted fish that can be opened and inspected for spoilage before purchasing.

Dried smelt: benefits and harm to the body

Like all food products, dried fish has its positive and negative properties. The beneficial qualities of fish meat include:

1. The significant content of potassium, calcium and magnesium in fish leads to the strengthening of the cardiovascular system, as well as to the normalization of blood pressure.
2. Phosphorus, which occupies a significant part among the elements of fish, leads to improved brain activity and memory. Doctors recommend eating fish for those people who face serious mental stress on a daily basis.
3. Unsaturated fats, as well as vitamin D, help strengthen bone tissue. This product should be consumed by children, the elderly and pregnant women.
4. The presence of iron in smelt helps eliminate diseases such as anemia; meat helps improve digestive processes in the human body; constant consumption of the product will strengthen the immune system.
5. Fish has a beneficial effect on teeth, enamel and prevents bleeding gums; the vitamin A it contains helps improve the functioning of the visual organ and improves the functioning of the central nervous system.
6. The minerals contained in smelt have a positive effect on the skin and hair.

Possible harm that can be caused to a person as a result of consuming dried smelt:

1. It is not recommended to use a homemade or store-bought product if you have peptic ulcers.
2. It is prohibited to eat a dried product if a person has an allergy or individual intolerance to it.
3. You should not eat fish that is not fresh, as it actively collects toxic substances.
4. Fish increases blood cholesterol levels, so it must be treated with extreme caution.