Sterlet belongs to the fishing elite. She carefully chooses a body of water to live in. She cannot live in an area where there are environmental problems. That’s why it doesn’t fall on the fisherman’s bait very often. But if this happened, then he was very lucky. You can make delicious fish soup from it. Considering that it is not a bony fish, it is suitable for preparing many healthy and tasty dishes.
Since this fish is an infrequent guest on the table, not everyone knows how to properly clean sterlet at home. We will talk about this in the article.
How is sterlet useful?
In the old days, sterlet was called the royal fish. It was served to the table of the king and his entourage. The meat of the fish is white, and the skeleton consists of a ridge and rib bones, which are more like cartilage. It was not without reason that it was valued, but not everyone could afford it, because it contains a lot of useful substances that give health. Why is sterlet so useful:
- improves metabolism, regulates the gastrointestinal tract;
- improves the condition of the cardiovascular and nervous system;
- strengthens bones and hair;
- increases immunity;
- prevents the appearance of atherosclerosis;
- gives strength.
Sterlet is a fatty fish and has a slight fishy smell. However, its meat is considered dietary and can be consumed by children from the age of one year. Dishes prepared from sturgeon fish are recommended for pregnant women and women in labor, as they help strengthen the immune system, do not cause allergies, and do not cause excess weight gain.
General characteristics and nutritional value of sturgeon
One of the largest representatives of the sturgeon family is a long-liver on earth - it is believed that sturgeons were found in the fresh waters of rivers and lakes long before the appearance of humans. This amazing fish can weigh up to 80 kg. As a raw material in cooking, this product stands out among others in that during the processing process the percentage of waste is only 14%, that is, almost all parts of the body are edible. The mass fraction of caviar is extremely high - up to 20% of the weight of an adult individual. Fish meat is full of useful substances:
- sodium;
- phosphorus;
- potassium;
- magnesium;
- iron;
- iodine;
- B vitamins;
- fatty amino acids.
Note . Systematic inclusion of sturgeon dishes in the diet reduces the risks of heart attacks and strokes, optimizes metabolism and helps normalize blood pressure.
How to choose?
Sterlet is not cheap, so it would be a pity to be dissatisfied with the chosen product. To avoid this, use the recommendations.
It’s worth buying sterlet if:
- the surface is wet, but does not slip and is not full of mucus;
- eyes are light and transparent;
- when you press on the carcass, there are no dents left;
- the gills are bright red;
- meat is difficult to separate from bones;
You should refuse to purchase when:
- sterlet has a pronounced smell;
- mucus appears on the surface;
- eyes are cloudy;
- when pressed, the meat becomes flabby, leaving a fingerprint;
- gills are gray.
Sterlet is listed in the Red Book. It can only be caught in special nurseries that breed sterlet.
Having chosen a suitable specimen, immediately begin cutting and cooking, as the fish quickly spoils.
Sterlet cleaning
Sturgeons have an unusual body structure and skin covering. The scales are replaced by a kind of enamel-like shell made of bone scales. There is a ridge on the back, and the fin is shifted towards the tail. The shell-like coating and the presence of mucus during catch determine some features when cutting it.
What you will need for cleaning and gutting:
- paper to cover the table;
- scraper if you are going to remove scales;
- knife to cut off the “bugs” and gut them.
For gutting, you need a knife with a sharp tip or scissors.
The scales of the sterlet are very small. Therefore, housewives are wondering whether it is necessary to clean it? No, not necessarily, you can leave the skin of the sterlet alone, but get rid of the so-called “bugs”, specific growths characteristic of sturgeon. Removal of scales is usually done if the sturgeon is large in size. For small ones, it is enough to remove the growths. The “bugs” are located on the back, abdomen and in the head area. In order not to spoil the taste of the finished dish, you need to know how to clean sterlet?
- If you still have live fish, then put it in the freezer for a while, making sure that it does not freeze, but only slightly freezes.
- To get rid of mucus, place the sterlet in a bowl of water. To make the work easier, pour boiling water over the carcass. This will soften the skin and the mucus will come off quickly.
- Get rid of the growths with a knife.
- If the fish is large, use a scraper to remove scales. If you do not do this, the taste of the product will not deteriorate.
- Wash the sterlet.
Fresh fish can be cleaned of mucus using coarse salt, rolling it in and then rubbing thoroughly.
Cleaned fish must be gutted.
Possible dangers
At the same time, frequent consumption of sterlet is not suitable for people with pancreatic diseases or disorders of the adrenal glands
It is also important to remember that fish is one of those foods that, if cooked incorrectly, can cause serious problems. Raw fillet (or poorly cooked) is a breeding ground for many dangerous bacteria
In addition, it is advisable to avoid carcasses smoked using so-called liquid smoke. Because the use of this product already indicates that the fish was specially prepared after it had spoiled. This product contains excessive amounts of sodium, which can cause swelling. But that's not all.
How to gut a sterlet?
Gutting fish is not that difficult. You just need to pay attention to the gallbladder, which you try not to damage. Otherwise, the sterlet will acquire a bitter taste and a yellowish tint. If you still failed to maintain its integrity, then sprinkle the area where the bile spilled with salt, hold for 10-20 minutes and rinse with running water. How to properly gut sturgeon?
To remove the entrails, you will need a knife, cutting board or thick paper, depending on the size of the fish.
- Using a sharp knife, make an incision on the belly, placing the knife into the anus.
- Once the belly is opened, remove the entrails. If you are lucky and get a sterlet with caviar, remove it separately. Remove the film located near the ridge.
- Wash the fish.
This is not the only method of evisceration. You can make a cut moving from head to tail.
Removing the vizigi
One of the structural features of sturgeon fish is the presence of a vizier. This is a long cord of vesicular cell tissue, located along the entire length of the fish’s body. Some believe that the chord is harmful if it is not removed when cutting the fish. It is a myth. Viziga is healthy and has a unique taste. Our ancestors baked pies with it, dried it and used it as a spice.
Why did the opinion arise that if you do not remove it, you can get poisoned by a fish dish. The fact is that viziga very quickly begins to deteriorate and collect toxins. Therefore, it must be immediately removed from the fish and used separately, or thrown away.
The second problem that a housewife may encounter in the process of preparing sturgeon: the fish will bend during heat treatment, losing its visual appeal.
To make the filling for chord pies, you need to boil it for 4 hours, grind it through a meat grinder, add boiled eggs and fried onions, salt and ground pepper.
How to remove a vizig?
- Cut off the tail of the sterlet so that the ridge becomes visible. The white cartilage will be immediately visible.
- Hook the squealer with the tip of a sharp knife and pull. You can use tongs or pliers for this.
Try to pull carefully, avoiding breakage. If such a problem occurs, then find the break point, make the cut again and repeat the steps.
You can make two deep cuts inside the fish carcass: one near the head, the other near the tail. This will make it easier to remove the chord. For inexperienced housewives, we can advise you to cool the fish a little, after cleaning and washing it. Select any of the above removal process.
Where to look?
As mentioned earlier, viziga is found in those fish that belong to the sturgeon family. These are, first of all, sterlet, stellate sturgeon, beluga, kaluga, and thorn. The fish of this family are quite large. For example, the beluga reaches 4 meters in length.
Sturgeons belong to the subclass of cartilaginous ganoids. They are freshwater or anadromous. They are distinguished by high fertility. Due to their special value, representatives of sturgeon are called “red fish”. Their meat, black caviar, bladder, and, in fact, viziga are of great commercial importance. We have already looked at what this is.
How to fillet sterlet?
If you are going to cook fish soup, then cut the sterlet into portions; in this form it can be fried or steamed. Or fillet the fish to prepare a royal dish.
- Place the sterlet on a cutting board or thick paper if it is large.
- Remove the skin by pouring boiling water over it.
- On one side of the carcass, make an incision at the head and pick up the meat with a knife or your hands so that as little of it remains on the cartilage as possible. Separate the fillet along the entire length to the tail. Remove the backbone from another part of the carcass.
There is another way to prepare fillet. After removing the head and caudal fin, an incision is made along the back line, the fish is divided into two longitudinal parts. All that remains is to remove the ridge. Do not throw it away, but add it to the ear along with the fin and head.
Dishes for the festive table
For a special celebration, housewives usually choose dishes that they cannot prepare every day. For example, you can serve sturgeon or sterlet at the New Year's table. How to clean and cut such fish? Well, remove the “bugs”, vizig, entrails and gills. What's next? Here everything depends on the imagination of the cook.
Firstly, you can simply wrap the prepared carcass in foil along with lemon and onion, and then place it on a baking sheet and put it in the oven for 50 minutes. It is better to set the temperature to 200-210 degrees. Then unfold the foil and return the fish to the oven for another 10 minutes. Now the finished product can be placed on a dish and decorated.
The skin of such fish is removed with one movement of the hand, and anyone can easily take the meat with a regular fork. Secondly, a good option for the holiday would be a sterlet steak. To do this, you first need to remove the skin from the cleaned carcass. Then marinate the meat with onions, spices and lemon, and then place it on the grill and cook until done in 5-7 minutes. An excellent option, considering that time, which is always in short supply, will require very little, and the result will certainly please all guests.
Source
How to cut for stuffing?
The decoration of the festive table will be stuffed sterlet. She will indicate the professionalism of the hostess and the wealth in the house. To prepare it, you need to cut the fish in a special way so that the skin is preserved intact.
- Before gutting, place the carcass in a bowl of boiling water and hold for a couple of minutes.
- First of all, you need to remove the bugs. Do this with your hands, carefully turning each growth and unscrewing it.
- Make an incision around the head and remove the skin with a stocking.
Make minced meat from the sirloin. You can add mushrooms, lard, onions, and spices to it.
Stroganina
For such a traditional culinary masterpiece of the northern peoples, the carcass must be prepared in this way: remove the skin, remove the giblets, pull out the viz, remove the gills. Next, you need to cut off part of the head at the widest point and immediately freeze the sturgeon.
To make stroganina, the product is placed on a board with its head and a thin layer of pulp is cut from top to bottom along its entire length using a fairly sharp knife, which is wrapped into a ring. After cutting off the required amount of sliced fish, you need to immediately put it in the freezer. The tastier pulp is in the belly area.
How to clean and cut frozen sterlet?
The sterlet is not completely defrosted before cleaning and cutting. The fish is oily, so it’s easy to clean it, even after taking it out of the freezer. How to do it?
- Place the sterlet on a cutting board, separate the head from the body.
- Cut the skin at the back near the tail fins.
- Grab the carcass by the tail with your left hand.
- Using the fingers of your right hand, pick up the skin where the cuts are and pull down, holding the fish in an upright position.
- Remove the entrails by making a cut on the belly.
- Remove the vizig.
Cut the fish into pieces; frozen it is easier to process.
How and for how long should you store cut sterlet?
Keep in mind that sterlet cannot be stored for a long time; it must be done correctly:
- The maximum shelf life of fresh sturgeon fish is no more than 2 days. If you want to increase the time, then store it in salt water, increasing the storage time by a day.
- The head should not be kept in the refrigerator; cook it immediately after cutting.
- Do not store fish in a plastic bag, replacing it with a container with a lid.
- Sterlet should not be defrosted several times.
- Do not freeze sterlet without gutting it; it will keep in this form for up to six months.
- Olive oil, which should be used to lubricate the carcass during storage, will help maintain juiciness and freshness.
Sterlet is a tasty and healthy fish; it was not without reason that it was served at the royal table. Now you know how to clean and cut it at home. Do not deny yourself the opportunity to experience its unique taste and feed your family and friends.
Features of the effect on the human body, benefits, harm
Sterlet is very useful for adults because it contains a lot of calcium. It stimulates mental activity, improves the condition of hair, skin, and nails. If you have frequent mood swings, nervous disorders, or pathologies of the digestive system, you should try to include this product in your weekly menu more often.
Pregnant women and nursing mothers are allowed to eat fish, but with caution, as it can cause allergic reactions. The product, rich in protein and fatty acids, strengthens the bone and nervous systems, improves mood, and relieves depression.
This fish can be given to children from the age of one, preferably baked. Soufflés are often made from it, but you can offer the dish to kids in pieces so that they can chew them on their own.
The product is rich in calcium, necessary for normal skeletal development.
Elderly people should eat sterlet more often, because it:
- Strengthens the nervous system.
- Allows you to maintain visual acuity by improving blood supply to the eyes.
- Increases brain activity.
- Helps maintain normal body weight.
- Reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
- Prevents the occurrence of cancer.
The absence of carbohydrates and zero glycemic index allow diabetics to include it in their diet. A large amount of proteins normalizes insulin production.
