What could be tastier than smoked fish? Despite the fact that most do not have their own smoker, getting a great smoked delicacy at home is not so difficult. It is enough to replace an ordinary smokehouse with a special product called "liquid smoke". Smoking mackerel with liquid smoke is also very popular due to its cost-effectiveness, which cannot but affect the budget.

However, you still shouldn’t be deceived - processing with “liquid smoke” is not real smoking, but only its imitation. But with the proper approach, the result of such “smoking” is very good.

Not the last place, of course, is the choice of fish. When choosing mackerel on store shelves, you should, first of all, pay attention to the smell - it should manifest itself, but not be too strong. In fish, the smell itself is specific, but it differs markedly in fresh fish and in one that has begun or is about to begin to deteriorate. To the touch, the fish should also be elastic and elastic, have a uniform color and a smooth surface.

How to use "liquid smoke"?

"Liquid smoke" is a special flavor that mimics the real thing. It is the smoldering products of certain tree species dissolved in water or oil - those that are usually used for smoking. The industrial technology for making “liquid smoke” is quite complicated, but it can be easily prepared on your own. There is more confidence in the home process - many are convinced that there is “solid chemistry” in the store flavor.

Like it or not, and how to make “liquid smoke” at home is the topic of another article. It is known, however, that its use in cooking has become so widespread that in recent years almost no smoking at home can do without it. Often "liquid smoke" is added even to.

Here are some recipes for you.

Recipe number 1 Mackerel, smoked in liquid smoke

To cook mackerel smoked in “liquid smoke”, you will need the following:

• 4 small mackerels;
• 1.5 tablespoons of sugar;
• 2 tablespoons tea leaves (black tea);
• 3 handfuls onion peel;
• 1.3 liters of water;
• 3 tablespoons of salt;
• 3 tablespoons of liquid smoke.

Cooking method:

Rinse the onion peel thoroughly under water, pour it with water and put it on the stove, wait until the water boils, and then simmer for half an hour.

Strain the brine through a sieve, discard the remaining husks, and add sugar, tea leaves, salt and liquid smoke to the liquid, then mix thoroughly and leave to infuse.

Remove the head, tail and entrails from the fish, rinse and put in the solution. Leave the fish in the onion marinade for 2-2.5 days. After a couple of days, take the fish out of the marinade, dry it and serve, garnishing with onion rings and a slice of lemon. Mackerel smoked at home with liquid smoke and tea is ready! Bon Appetit!

Recipe number 2 Mackerel, smoked in onion skins

If desired, onion peel can be used, so there is no need to rush to throw it away ahead of time. This recipe will discuss how to smoke mackerel at home if there is no smokehouse. In fact, there is nothing difficult in this.

In order to bring this dish to life, you will need the following ingredients:

• mackerel - 3 carcasses;
• 100 grams of sugar;
• 1.5 liters of cold water;
• one glass of dry brewed black tea;
• 4 handfuls of onion peel;
• 1 pinch of coriander;
• black pepper - a few peas;
• 3 bay leaves.

Cooking method:

You need to start the cooking process with the preparation of mackerel. Separate the head and tail from the carcasses, make longitudinal cuts on the abdomen and remove all the insides. You also need to pay special attention to the thin, dark film that covers the abdomen from the inside. After all unnecessary is removed, rinse the mackerel well under cold water.

Now it's up to the brine, or, if I may say so, the marinade. Pour cold water into a saucepan and place on strong fire let the water boil. While the water boils, rinse the onion peel under running water, and then throw it into boiling water, reduce the fire (but so that the water continues to boil). You need to cook the onion peel for about 8-10 minutes, since during this time it will have time to give up its color and aroma.. After 10 minutes, turn off the heat and strain the onion peel through a colander or sieve.

Dilute black tea prepared in advance with another glass of boiling water and add salt, sugar, pepper to the resulting solution, Bay leaf and mix thoroughly. Put this mixture on the stove and let it boil. After the solution has boiled on the stove for 10 minutes, turn off the heat and allow the solution to cool. This will be the so-called "marinade".

Mix the cooled tea marinade with onion broth, then pour into a wider container and put mackerel there. You need to choose dishes so that the tea solution completely covers the mackerel. Spread the mackerel on the bottom, and on top it will need to be pressed down with a heavy plate and put in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Approximately once or twice a day, mackerel will need to be turned over. After 3 days, remove the mackerel from the brine, dip it with a paper towel and hang it to ventilate for 3-4 hours. After three hours, the fish can be cut into pieces and served.

Recipe number 3 Mackerel, smoked with tea and rice

Below is a recipe that can easily replace traditional multi-day smoking, and the result, at the same time, will be beyond praise.

So, for cooking mackerel, you will need the following components:

• medium-sized mackerel - 2 pieces;
• 1 liter of boiled water;
• 3 tbsp Sahara;
• 1.5 tbsp coarse salt;
• black pepper - 12-15 peas;
• coriander - 1 tablespoon;
• black leaf tea - 2 tablespoons;
• round grain rice - 200 grams.

Cooking method:

Put the cooled boiled water back on the fire and wait until it boils. Add spices to boiling water: coriander, salt, peppercorns and half of the prepared sugar, reduce heat and boil for 25 minutes. After the specified time, remove the water from the heat and let it cool.

While the brine is cooling, clean the fish from the insides, cut off the tail and head and rinse thoroughly under cold running water. Pour 2 carcasses of fish with the cooled brine and put it in the refrigerator to infuse in this form. Fish should be in brine for at least a day. After that, pull the fish out of the brine, let the liquid drain.

At this time, also rinse the rice under cold water, pour two glasses of water and wait until the rice absorbs the right amount of moisture. Mix the swollen grains of rice with two tablespoons of black tea and place the resulting mixture in foil. On one side of the foil wrapper, make a small hole that will be needed to let the smoke out. Then take a metal pan or other metal container with a thick bottom, put foil with rice-tea mixture on the bottom and put the pan on fire. Wait until the resulting mixture begins to smoke, then put a low grate, and mackerel on top of the grate, reduce the fire to a minimum at this time. Smoke the mackerel for a total of one hour, turning it alternately to the opposite side. If the fish carcasses are large, the smoking time can be slightly increased, but the main thing here is not to overdo it, otherwise the fish will turn out to be overdried and too “smelly”.

Serve chopped mackerel! Bon Appetit!

Meat) always look appetizing. Their scent is insane. Many people buy smoked meats with pleasure, without thinking about how they are made. Usually, liquid smoke is used for these purposes, the benefits and harms of which will be considered by us today. What goes into its composition? Where is the product applied? How to make liquid smoke yourself? The answers to these questions are contained in the article.

Composition of the product

Surely you have heard such a phrase as liquid smoke. The composition of this product is unknown to many. And in general, few people know what it is. Let's figure it all out together.

What is the technology for producing liquid smoke? This happens as a result of burning wood. The resulting smoke is filtered. Special equipment cleans it from tar and resin, and then dissolves it in water. This creates liquid smoke. depends on the materials used. Usually, bird cherry, beech, alder or apple wood is used for these purposes. Liquid smoke is sold in the form of powdered mixtures, sprays and aromatic liquids bottled. Regardless of the form of release, this product belongs to the category of artificial flavors.

Application

Today, many people know that you can fish not only in the traditional way, but also with the help of liquid smoke. Each of the two options has its pros and cons. We will talk about them another time, but for now we are interested in liquid smoke. This product is being used more and more. The main goal is to improve flavor and palatability fish, meat and various dishes.

Liquid smoke (cooking applications):

• as an additive to sauces ("Grill", "Barbecue" and others);
• to give an amazing flavor to second courses, soups and gravies;
• for snacks from fish and meat;
• for cooking delicacies in the microwave, slow cooker or oven;
• for marinating (smoking) meat and fish products.

How to make your own liquid smoke

Many of us have a weakness for smoked meats. But the products presented in stores do not always indicate the method of their manufacture. As part of some smoked products contains resins and carcinogens that have a negative impact on human health and well-being. To avoid unpleasant consequences You can use the natural flavor "Liquid Smoke". It is sold in almost all supermarkets and chain stores. If you have not found this flavoring agent, then do not despair. Now we will talk about how to make liquid smoke yourself. We offer several options.

Method number 1 - obtaining liquid smoke from natural smoke

We'll need a cigarette and a frozen glass. What are the next steps? We light a cigarette, releasing smoke into a glass. What will it give? Harmful resins will settle on the walls of the glass. The smoke will be very thick, which means that it can be easily poured into another container or onto food.

Method number 2 - the use of spices

We take soy sauce, curry seasoning, garlic and mayonnaise. We mix them in a deep cup (bowl). We will get a marinade in which you need to soak meat for second courses or barbecue. In this case, you can do without food additive. Great option for those who choose healthy lifestyle life and proper nutrition.

Method number 3 - the original solution

A little sugar, a mixture of green and black tea, rice - all these ingredients must be wrapped in two layers of foil. We put it under the meat during stewing or frying. The resulting thick smoke will smoke the dish well, improve its aroma and taste.

Now you know how to make liquid smoke in three ways. Choose any of them and proceed to the practical part.

Liquid smoke: benefits and harms

Doctors do not recommend to get involved in smoked meats. And people suffering from diseases of the liver and stomach, it is necessary to reduce the use of such products to a minimum. These are general recommendations. But we are interested in liquid smoke. Benefit and harm - what outweighs? Let's figure it out.

Let's start by listing the positive qualities of liquid smoke. Firstly, it improves the aroma and taste of second courses, soups, cheeses, fish and meat products. Secondly, carcinogens, tar and tar are present in negligible amounts in liquid smoke. Because of this, it is considered safer than natural smoke. Thirdly, smoking products with liquid smoke does not take much time.

Now let's highlight the negative points. It all depends on the dose of the carcinogen. Some manufacturers deliberately overestimate the concentration of liquid smoke. This is done in order to kill the unpleasant smell of stale meat or fish. But a large dose of carcinogens is dangerous to human health. In some countries, the use of liquid smoke is prohibited. After all, it is considered the strongest carcinogen. In Russia, the allowable doses of this substance are not defined or regulated.

Liquid smoke: recipes

So, you bought a bottle of flavoring in the store. What to do next? We offer several recipes for cooking real delicacies.

smoked chicken

We take a deep saucepan. Put the chicken in it breast side down. In a separate bowl, combine chopped garlic with black pepper. Sprinkle the meat with this mixture. Food consumption per 1 kg of chickens: 20 g of garlic and 4 g of ground pepper. We press the pan with meat with a load, fill it with brine and leave it for 14-16 hours. No need to put in the refrigerator. For brine you will need (based on 1 liter): 10 tbsp. l liquid smoke, 5 g sugar and 50 g salt. When the chickens are ready, put the sauce on them. It is made from 2 tbsp. l tomato paste and 1 tbsp. l liquid smoke. We stand 2 hours. Then send and bake until fully prepared. Meat is served to the table both cold and hot.

Bouzhenina

1 kg of pork should be stuffed with garlic and carrots. Salt and pepper. Fill with liquid smoke (4 tbsp. L). In order for the meat to be evenly soaked, you need to massage it for 3 minutes. Wrap the pork in foil, send it to the oven and bake until tender.

Smoked ribs

We prepare a mixture of black pepper, chopped garlic and liquid smoke (4-5 tablespoons). We rub it with ribs (1 kg). We remove the meat in the refrigerator for a day. Then we take it out and bake it in the oven. The ribs can be served hot. They will be a great addition to the second course. Cold smoked and baked ribs are the perfect snack for beer.

Sausages

We take sausages (wieners), remove the shell from them. We apply liquid smoke to the surface. We send processed products or to the oven. Bakes until fully cooked. The dish is served with a side dish (rice, mashed potatoes, pasta).

Smoke mackerel at home

We are offering to you simple recipe. You can also do it at home. Liquid smoke is one of the main ingredients. With strict adherence to the recipe, you will get a tasty and fragrant fish.

Grocery list:

Cooking:

1. Frozen mackerel should lie down in a plate for a couple of hours at room temperature. After that, you need to start cleaning it. Cut off the head and remove all the insides. Rinse the fish with cold water.

2. We make a pickle. We take a saucepan, pour warm water, add sugar, husks, salt and your favorite spices. The brine should boil for 15 minutes. Next, remove from the stove and cool.

3. Add the above amount of liquid smoke to the brine. We also drop the mackerel there. We cover the top with a lid and set a small oppression. We put the pan with fish in the refrigerator for 4 days.

4. We take out the mackerel and dry it using paper napkins. Now we hang at 12 o'clock. Be sure to put a baking sheet under the fish so that the fat flows there.

5. At the end of the process, wrap the smoked fish in cling film. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

How to identify foods cooked with liquid smoke

Today, the stores offer a huge selection of smoked meats. The method of their preparation is extremely rarely indicated. But everything can be distinguished from a natural smoked product soaked in liquid smoke. We carry out a visual inspection. The orange or golden color of the product, as well as its uneven coloring, indicate the use of liquid smoke. Naturally smoked meat should have a dry surface, not oily.

Afterword

Now you can easily prepare liquid smoke. The benefits and harms of this flavoring have been examined in detail by us. Use it or not - it's up to you.

Liquid smoke is an aqueous extract obtained from the incomplete combustion of wood. With it, you can get a taste of the product, similar to smoking. Liquid smoke can be used concentrated or diluted for all kinds of dishes. Producers of meat delicacies, sausages, smoked meats have long since switched to this method. You can get fragrant meat no worse than barbecue, you can season the soup at home.

A few drops of liquid smoke can be added to the hodgepodge, pea soup, uh. At the same time, the first dishes acquire a barely noticeable taste of smoked meat. Fish is fried with the addition of this extract. 10-15 grams of smoke is taken per kilogram of fish. You can also smoke herring by rubbing with salt, 40 grams of liquid smoke, pepper. Place tightly in an enamel bowl and keep for 2 days. Shish kebab at home will turn out no worse than on wood, if the concentrate is diluted in water and used as a marinade. The meat is then roasted in the oven or in a frying pan.

Fried chicken it will turn out with an exquisite taste of smoked meat when sprinkled with brine, consisting of half a glass of water, 40 grams of liquid smoke, salt.

Smoke extract can be added to any main dishes to taste. Even vegetable stew will be spicier with the addition of a few drops of liquid smoke.

With the help of liquid smoke, you can diversify your table and give regular meals new taste, aroma. It will also simplify the process of smoking fat, meat, fish.

"Liquid smoke" is a flavoring agent that is used to add smell and taste to meat products, first and second courses, and cheeses. With it, you can get the smell of smoked meats.

How to use "Liquid Smoke"

It is believed that "Liquid smoke" is harmless than natural, which is obtained as a result of smoldering wood, since tar, resins and carcinogens are completely absent or present in very small quantities in this flavoring. But too much of it is harmful to health. Therefore, when using this flavor, follow the instructions. Liquid smoke is used before or after the preparation of the product. If it is used at the beginning of the cooking process, meat, fish or cheese will be better saturated with the aroma of smoked meats.

"Liquid smoke" well muffles the taste of stale meat or fish, so some companies use it in the production of smoked products

To cook meat or poultry with the aroma and taste of smoked meats, you need to prepare the following ingredients: - 1 kg of meat or poultry; - 1/3 cup of liquid smoke; - 1/3 cup of dry white wine. - salt and pepper to taste. Cut the meat or chicken into small pieces, put it in a small saucepan, salt and pepper it. Pour white wine and liquid smoke into a saucepan. Place the meat in the refrigerator overnight. The next day you can cook the dish. Preheat the oven to + 250 ° C, put the meat on a baking sheet and put it in the oven for half an hour.

Recipe for cold smoked fish

To prepare "cold smoked" fish, you will need the following ingredients: - 1 kg of fish (mackerel, herring, capelin, etc.) - 1/3 cup of liquid smoke; - salt and pepper to taste.

Lay down small fish layers in a three-liter jar. Large fish (mackerel, herring) can be placed in a suitable size container. Sprinkle it with salt and pepper, add liquid smoke, tightly close the lid and refrigerate for two to three days. After this time, hang the fish on the balcony or in the kitchen to dry. It should be ready in a day.

Pork pastrami recipe

To prepare pork pastrami, you will need: - 1 kg of pork (neck), - 100 ml of water, - 20 g of salt, - 30-40 g of Liquid Smoke flavor, - 5 g of sugar, - 0.5 g of sodium nitrite, - black ground pepper, garlic - to taste.

Cut the meat along the muscle stratification line into rectangular layers 2-3 cm thick. For better salting, make diagonal cuts on the pieces. Mix water, spices and flavoring until a homogeneous mixture is obtained, rub the pieces of pork with it. Place them in a saucepan or bowl and refrigerate overnight. Then put the meat on a baking sheet (you can pre-wrap it in foil) and bake in the oven at 150 ° C until cooked. Cool the pastrami and wrap it in parchment or cellophane.

About sublimated products, you will read in the next article.

Pork (loin) in brine with onion peel
At the bottom of the pan we put 2-3 handfuls of onion peel, then a piece of pork (you can just lard), fill with water to hide, put salt (for 1 liter of water - 8 tablespoons), spices to taste, 4-5 tbsp. spoons of "Liquid Smoke" and cook for 40-50 minutes. Take out, dry. You can rub with garlic, red pepper. The pig acquires a beautiful golden hue and a fragrant smell of smoked meat. Very tasty and keeps well.

Roast pork (you can meat beef, lamb, poultry) in pots
Cut the meat into pieces and marinate, adding salt, spices, vinegar (or wine), 2-3 tbsp. spoons of liquid smoke. Let soak for 30-40 minutes. Next, we put meat, potatoes in layers in each pot (you can cabbage, beans, frozen vegetables, onions, add 3-4 liters of broth or water. Cook for 40-50 minutes at a temperature of 2500.

Bouzhenina
Pork (1 kg) stuffed with carrots and garlic, salt, pepper, pour 4 tbsp. l. "Liquid Smoke" For uniform impregnation, the meat is massaged for 3 minutes, then wrapped in foil and baked in the oven until tender.

Bouzhenina-2
Pork (1 kg) is stuffed with garlic, rubbed with curing mixture. Curing mixture per 1 kg of pork: salt-20g, red pepper-1g, chopped garlic-3g. Pour in brine (per 1 liter of brine: 1 liter of water, 2 tablespoons of table salt and 6 tablespoons of "Liquid Smoke"). The meat is kept for 12 hours in a cold place, allowed to drain, wrapped in foil, while the prepared ham is placed with the fat part up. Next, the boiled pork is baked in an oven at 150 ° C until cooked (about 3 hours). Preferably served chilled.

Smoked pork
Pork (loin) 1kg, breading flour 45 grams, fat 60 grams, ground black pepper 0.3 grams, Dutch cheese 150 grams, "Liquid smoke" 3 tbsp. l. Pork loin beaten off, salted, peppered, watered with "Liquid smoke", insisted for 2 hours, breaded in onions and fried in fat from 2 sides, sprinkled with grated cheese and brought to readiness in the oven.

Pork roll
Grate the pork belly (fat with meat veins) with salt, pepper, garlic, twist into a roll, tie tightly with twine and cook for 30 minutes (the liquid should cover the roll) in water with the addition of "Liquid smoke" (4 tablespoons per 1 kg) . Then roast in the oven until golden brown.

Pork pastrami
Pastrami pork is prepared from the meat of the neck. Cut the prepared meat into rectangular layers 2-3 cm thick along the line of muscle stratification and make cuts diagonally for better salting and retention of spices; grate with a curing mixture (for 1 kg of pork - 100 ml of water, 18-20 grams of salt, 30-40 grams of "Liquid Smoke", 5-8 grams of sugar, 0.5 grams of sodium nitrite, ground black pepper, fresh garlic) and leave for 24 hours to ripen. Next, lay the salted semi-finished products on a baking sheet and bake in an oven at a temperature of 150 ° (possibly in foil) until cooked. Cool pastrami and pack in cellophane or parchment.

Boiled pork (you can meat beef, poultry) in foil
The meat is stuffed with garlic, carrots. Salt, pepper. Making sauce - 2 tbsp. spoons of mayonnaise, 2 tbsp. spoons sunflower oil, 2 tbsp. spoons of "Liquid smoke" - beat. Pour the meat with sauce, massage and wrap in foil. Bake for 1 hour in the oven at t0 250-3000. 15-20 minutes before readiness, carefully open the foil, pour over the meat with the resulting juice (remove the excess), sprinkle with grated cheese. In the same way, you can bake any fish in foil. Cooking time 25-30 minutes.

Beef rolls
Cut the pulp of young beef across the fibers, lightly beat off, grease with a mixture of liquid smoke "Birch fog" and vegetable oil(for 1 kg of beef - 40-5 grams of smoke and 3-4 tablespoons of vegetable oil) and leave for 20 minutes. Then salt, sprinkle each slice from the inside with pepper, finely chopped onion and garlic, roll up, tie with a thread. Roast in the oven on the grill.

Smoked chicken
The chickens are placed breast-side down in the pan and sprinkled with a curing mixture consisting of black pepper and chopped garlic. For 1 kg of chickens they consume: black pepper - 4g, garlic -20g. Chicks are pressed down with a load, poured with brine and left for 14-16 hours at 4°C. The composition of the brine: for 1 liter of water take 50 g of salt, 5 g of sugar and 10 tbsp. spoons\"Liquid smoke \". Apply the sauce to the surface of the chickens. Sauce Ingredients: 2 tbsp. spoons of mayonnaise or tomato paste 1 st. spoon\"Liquid smoke\". Stand for two hours at room temperature and bake in a preheated oven until cooked. Served to the table both hot and cold.

Smoked ribs
Pork ribs are rubbed with a curing mixture: salt (to taste), finely chopped garlic, black pepper with the addition of "Liquid smoke" (4-5 tablespoons per 1 kg of ribs). Next, the ribs are kept in the refrigerator for 16-24 hours. Bake the ribs in the oven until tender. When harvesting the ribs for the future, they are baked until an even golden crust is formed over the entire surface. You can serve hot, but if you let it stand for 1 day, the ribs turn into a great beer snack.

Scar
The pre-washed and cleaned tripe (300 g) is spread and strips of thinly sliced ​​ham (50 g) and mixed with egg white greens, add 1st.l. "Liquid Smoke" The scar is folded, tied with twine and boiled in salted broth until tender.

Sausages, smoked sausages
Peel sausages (wieners) from the shell. Apply the drug "Liquid Smoke" to the surface. Place the prepared product in the oven or microwave and cook until fully cooked.

cutlets
The taste of meatballs and chopped steaks it will be more piquant if you add "Liquid smoke" to the minced meat (1 tablespoon per 1 kg of minced meat).

Smoked sausages or sausages
Prepare sauce: 3 tbsp. spoons of mayonnaise or ketchup, 2 tbsp. spoons \"Liquid smoke \" - beat everything thoroughly. Peel sausages (wieners) from the shell. Drizzle sausages with sauce and cook in the oven or microwave oven until fully prepared.

Royal liver
Pass the liver through a meat grinder, add eggs, semolina, salt, pepper, add vegetable oil. Put in a pan, bake for 10 minutes. Saute carrots and onion heads. Take out the liver, cut into pieces. Put a layer of vegetables in a cast-iron, pour milk mixed with mayonnaise to cover the vegetables and put in the oven for 10 minutes. It turns out very tasty, especially if liquid smoke is added to the dish. Ingredients: liver 1 kilogram, eggs 1 piece, semolina 10 tablespoons, salt, pepper, vegetable oil 2 tablespoons, carrots 3 pieces, onions 3 pieces, mayonnaise 2 tablespoons, liquid smoke 2 tablespoons.

Aromatization of first courses
If you add a few drops of flavoring to pea soup, hodgepodge, fish soup, etc. during the cooking process, they will acquire refined taste smoked meats.

Aromatization of vegetable oil
Pour 150 grams of Birch Mist liquid smoke into 0.5 liters of vegetable oil. Steep throughout the day, stirring occasionally. Let the oil settle. Carefully pour the flavored oil into a clean bowl. If you like dishes with its use, add 60 grams of Birch Mist liquid smoke to the resulting sludge from oil aromatization and aromatize 0.5 liters of oil again with this composition.