Mackerel in onion peel - general principles of preparation
Sometimes one wants to pamper oneself and loved ones with a fragrant smoked fish, but due to the lack of special devices this desire remains unfulfilled. The so-called method of cold smoking, which consists in the use of onion husks.
It is she who gives the fish that very attractive golden hue. Husk is brewed from husks and black tea. Fish will be pickled in it for two or three days. A few tablespoons of salt, 2 tablespoons of sugar, bay leaf and coriander are also added to the brine. So that no one could distinguish home-cooked mackerel from real smoked fish, the cooled marinade can be mixed with “liquid smoke”.
The fish is folded into a wide form, poured with brine and set aside for 2–3 days. The prepared mackerel is pulled out, dried (for this, carcasses can be hung by the tail), and then cut into portions. Such a mackerel in onion peel is perfect for a festive feast. When serving, you can sprinkle the fish with lemon juice and vegetable oil, and sprinkle with fresh herbs.
Mackerel in onion peel - preparation of products and utensils
To prepare mackerel in onion peel you will need: a saucepan for marinade, cutting board, knife, as well as a wide form for pickling. If there is no large shape, the fish will need to cut off the head with the tail.
First marinade is cooked. Washed husk, salt, sugar and black tea are added to boiling water. The brine is boiled, then left to cool. While the marinade is being prepared, you need to cut the fish: cut off the head, tail and fins, take out the insides. Thoroughly rinse the carcass inside and out. We put the fish in prepared wide form.
Mackerel recipes in onion husks:
Recipe 1: Mackerel in Onion Husk
A simple recipe for delicious mackerel in onion peel. We will need onion husks, black tea and sugar with salt.
Ingredients Required:
- Mackerel;
- Water - 1.5 liters;
- Onion husks (a few handfuls);
- Salt - 3.5 tablespoons;
- Sugar - 1.5 tablespoons;
- Black tea - 2 tablespoons.
Cooking method:
Let's make a pickle: put a pot of water on the stove, add salt, sugar and black tea there. Then pour the thoroughly washed onion peel. After boiling, turn off the fire, cover the pan with a lid, leave the contents to cool. Prepare the fish: cut off the head, tail, cut out the insides, rinse. Filter the brine. We place the fish in a glass form, fill it with brine and leave for three days. Every morning you need to turn the fish over. Three days later, we take out the fish and wash it in running water. Grease the mackerel with butter and wrap it in parchment. Such fish can be stored for no more than three days.
Recipe 2: Three-Minute Mackerel in Onion Husk
The recipe tells how to cook salted mackerel in onion husks for only three minutes. The fish is incredibly tender and tasty, with a pleasant golden hue.
Ingredients Required:
- Mackerel;
- Water - 1 liter;
- Salt - 5 tablespoons;
- A few handfuls of husk.
Cooking method:
You need to take so much water that the brine completely covers the carcass. If there is little liquid, dilute an additional portion of brine (a spoonful of salt in a glass of water). If the fish is cooked in an ordinary pan, we cut off the head and tail, and if there is a wider shape, you can leave it like that. Onion peel should be taken enough for strong staining of water.
Prepare the fish: cut off the head, tail, remove the insides, remove the film. Wash the carcass inside and out. We wash the husk, put it in a pan, sprinkle with salt. We pour water there and put on fire. Cook for 5 minutes. Immerse the fish in a pan and boil for another 3 minutes. Then we take out the fish and pluck the husk from it. While the mackerel is boiling, boiling should be gentle! Serve the fish with boiled potatoes.
Recipe 3: Smoked Mackerel in Onion Peel
Fish prepared according to such a recipe, both in color and in flavor, really resembles smoked mackerel.
Ingredients Required:
- Water - 1 liter;
- Mackerel;
- Salt - 3 tbsp. l .;
- Onion peel;
- Sugar - 1.5 tbsp. l .;
- Black tea infusion (strong) - 100 ml;
- Allspice;
- Peppercorns;
- Coriander seeds - 1 tsp;
- Bay leaf.
Cooking method:
For the marinade we take an enameled saucepan. Pour water into it, bring to a boil. Pour washed onion peel. Boil for 10 minutes, leave to infuse for another 15 minutes. Filter the onion broth, add salt, sugar, peppers, two bay leaves and coriander to it. Pour the tea leaves, mix. Leave the marinade to cool.
While the marinade is cooling, we will prepare the fish: cut off the head, tail, remove the insides, and rinse. Do not forget to remove the black film. We spread the fish in a wide form and fill it with marinade. Clean in a cold place for 2-3 days. In order for the fish to color properly, we turn it over periodically on the other side. Ready mackerel should be removed from the mold and put on a paper towel. Ready fish should be left to dry for a couple of hours. Then it can be cut, greased with sunflower oil and served.
Recipe 4: Smoked Mackerel in Onion Peel
Use liquid smoke to cook mackerel onion peel. Then no one will definitely distinguish fish from smoked fish. This method of cooking fish is called cold smoked. The most important thing is that such a mackerel is prepared very simply.
Ingredients Required:
- Mackerel;
- Onion peel;
- "Liquid smoke";
- Salt - 4.5 tbsp. l .;
- Sugar - 2 spoons;
- Water - 1 liter.
Cooking method:
We cut off the head of the fish, remove the entrails. We wash the carcass properly. We wash a few handfuls of onion husks and fill them with water. Pour salt with sugar, bring to a boil. Cook for 20 minutes. Filter the broth, mix with "liquid smoke". We spread the carcass into a wide form and fill it with brine. We place a press on top so that the fish does not float. We stand in brine for two days. After this, the mackerel can be removed, washed, dried and cut into portions.
Recipe 5: Homemade Mackerel in Onion Peel
Another recipe for mackerel onion peel, which uses marinade on black tea. Liquid smoke is not used here, but the roar from this turns out to be no less tasty, but also useful!
Ingredients Required:
- Water - 1 liter;
- Mackerel;
- Black tea - 2 tablespoons;
- Salt - 2 tablespoons;
- Onion peel;
- Sugar - 1 spoon.
Cooking method:
First, we make a marinade for mackerel: pour salt, sugar, tea and washed onion husks into the pan. Turn on the fire and bring the contents of the pan to a boil. Turn off the stove, leave the brine to cool completely. During this time, the liquid will completely absorb the color and aroma.
We cut off the head, fins and tail of the fish. We remove the insides, wash the carcass inside and out. We spread the fish in a wide form and fill it with strained brine. We place the load on top and leave to marinate for two days. Cut the finished fish, dry, sprinkle with oil and lemon juice and serve. Such mackerel can be stored in onion husks for no more than seven days.
Mackerel in onion peel - secrets and useful tips from the best cooks
- in the process of salting, the fish will float, so you need to put a dish with some kind of cargo on it;
- every morning and evening the carcasses need to be turned over. So the mackerel is better dyed and salted;
- if you need to cook the fish quickly, you can boil it for several minutes in a strong dark brine;
- to give the fish a special smoked flavor in the brine, you can add "liquid smoke";
- to cook mackerel in onion peel, you can use both fresh and frozen fish (in the latter case, it will need to be thawed beforehand).
