If you would like to feast on salted mackerel, and the copies on the shelves of the nearest supermarket do not inspire confidence, then you should urgently read this article. Learn how to pickle fresh-frozen mackerel and make a wonderful treat for the whole family.

Fish, salted at home

Mackerel is ideal for salting. This delicious fish does not contain many bones, it is quite fat in itself and is famous among gourmets for its tender meat. It can be served with potatoes as a main course or served as an appetizer for strong drinks. Read on how to pickle fresh frozen mackerel and follow our instructions:

• Let sit at room temperature. After that, rinse it in running water, remove the head, tail, fins and entrails.
• Use a sharp knife to cut the carcass into portions.
• Combine a tablespoon of salt and a teaspoon of sugar, then rub the mackerel with the mixture. Remember that this is enough for two large fish.
• Place the processed pieces in a container along with the bay leaf and store in a cool place for a couple of hours. When the mackerel secretes juice, remove it, and leave the fish to pickle overnight (but not less than 12 hours).
• The next day, rinse the fish pieces with water and sprinkle with ground pepper if desired.

How to salt whole fresh frozen mackerel

• For one fish weighing 500 grams, take one tablespoon of salt and the same amount of sugar.
• With the resulting mixture, rub the processed carcass, free of viscera, skin and fins.
• Put the fish in a simple place and send it to a dark place to salt at room temperature for a day.

When the mackerel is ready, cut it into portions, pour over with vegetable oil, sprinkle with onion rings and chopped herbs. Serve with boiled potatoes and rye bread.

This recipe is as easy to follow as the others. Having tried the result of salting, you will most likely give up buying salted fish in the store once and for all. How to salt fresh frozen food like this:

• Defrost a medium carcass in the refrigerator and rinse well under running water.
• Remove the fish's head, tail, entrails and fins, and then cut it into equal pieces.
• Now you can start preparing the brine. To do this, in an enamel bowl, mix one liter of clean water, four tablespoons of salt without a slide (not iodized), two large tablespoons of sugar (also without a slide), three bay leaves, a few peas of black and allspice.
• Put the resulting solution on fire, bring it to a boil and cook for a couple of minutes. When the marinade has cooled, add two tablespoons of 9% vinegar to it.
• Place the pieces of fish in a glass jar and fill with the prepared solution. Mackerel should stand at room temperature for at least a day. If it seems to you that it is not salted enough, let it stand for a while.

Put the finished fish on a platter and serve, decorate with half rings of onion and lemon.

Spicy salted mackerel

If you need to quickly prepare for a holiday or family celebration, then pay attention to this recipe. Even a novice culinary specialist can cope with the preparation of a delicious dish, so do not hesitate and feel free to get down to business. How to pickle fresh frozen mackerel quickly? The recipe is simple:

• Defrost one fish, weighing about 500 grams. Peel it of entrails and films, remove the fins and head, and then cut into equal pieces.
• Peel one small onion and cut into thin rings.
• Mix one and a half teaspoon of salt with half a teaspoon of sugar, ground cloves, a pinch of the mixture, and two chopped bay leaves.
• Place some of the onion in the bottom of the glass jar, sprinkle it with spices, and then add some of the fish. Repeat the process two more times, finishing with a layer of onions and spices.
• Close the jar with a lid and leave for a couple of hours. After that, the jar should be turned over and left alone until the next day.

Salted mackerel in mustard solution

The secret of the special taste of this fish lies in the special composition of the spices that we will use to make the marinade. If you still do not know how to salt fresh-frozen mackerel deliciously, then you can use this recipe:

• Take a few fresh frozen fish carcasses weighing about a kilogram, defrost them in the refrigerator, peel off entrails and skin, remove heads, fins and tails. After processing, cut the mackerel into equal pieces.
• Pour water into a suitable dish and cook the brine, putting five salt, three tablespoons of granulated sugar, a spoonful of dry mustard, three dry clove flowers, a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil and six bay leaves.
• Place the fish in a glass jar, fill it with cooled brine and leave for three days. You will need to turn the mackerel several times so that each piece is well salted.

Salted mackerel. A simple recipe

Fish prepared according to this recipe can be eaten within a day after salting. Therefore, you can easily calculate the time and prepare an original appetizer for a festive feast. How to salt freshly frozen mackerel correctly:

• Take three small fish (one kg). When the mackerel is thawed, remove the tails, heads, entrails and fins. Then cut the fish into medium-sized rings and rinse each one under running water. Make sure the belly films are completely removed.
• Boil a brine with 500 ml of water, two tablespoons of salt, eight black peppercorns and two bay leaves.
• Place the pieces of fish on the bottom of a suitable enamel dish, squeeze the lemon juice (one teaspoon) onto them, and then fill with the cooled solution. It is important that all the mackerel is covered in liquid.

Salted mackerel in tea solution

The original recipe for fish made with tea will surely please your loved ones. Pieces of mackerel look smoked in appearance, as they turn dark at the end of the salting. Don't be surprised if your guests confuse your fish with store-bought fish. So how to pickle fresh frozen mackerel?

• Defrost two large carcasses, prepare them for salting and cut into pieces of the required size.
• To prepare the brine, pour boiling water (one liter) into four tablespoons of unflavored black tea. When the tea leaves have cooled, mix it with four tablespoons of salt and four tablespoons of sugar.
• Pour the brine over the fish pieces and leave at room temperature for three days.

Salted fish in brine with onion skins

Try to cook fish at home according to a very interesting recipe. How to salt fresh frozen mackerel deliciously:

• Prepare for salting and process three medium carcasses.
• Pour a liter of water into a saucepan, add three tablespoons of salt, one and a half tablespoons of sugar, two tablespoons of dry tea leaves and two handfuls. Bring the solution to a boil, cool and strain with a sieve.
• Arrange the pieces of fish in a deep tray, cover with marinade, cover and leave in the refrigerator for four days. Remember to turn the mackerel several times a day for even salting.

Having learned how to salt freshly frozen mackerel, you can prepare a delicious treat for any holiday on your own.

We hope you enjoy the homemade frozen mackerel (recipes). This wonderful fish can be salted in different ways. Find the option you like the most and delight your loved ones with your favorite flavors.

Fish is a healthy and tasty food product that contains many valuable microelements.

Therefore, it must be included in the diet. Popular varieties include mackerel.

It is consumed fried, boiled, stewed and smoked.

Salting is also a commonly used preparation method. There are many recipes for salting mackerel, and housewives should know them.

Under the influence of salt, excess moisture is removed from the fish. At the same time, the salt permeates the carcass. The result is a delicious product. In order for the preparation to be successful, the following features must be taken into account:

1. Salting should be carried out at a low temperature so that the fish does not go bad, so keep it in the refrigerator or in the cellar.
2. The utensils used in the process must not oxidize. It is best to use containers made of plastic or glass. Enamel cookware is also suitable.
3. When salting, it is worth using ordinary coarse salt, without iodine, since it can affect the appearance of the product.
4. The more moisture leaves the fish, the better quality it will be and the longer it will last. Therefore, you need to use coarse salt.
5. You can salt whole carcasses, fish fillets or pieces. The result will be the same, but it will take less time to pickle the lumpy mackerel.
6. Store the finished product in the refrigerator in sunflower oil for 5 days.
7. You do not need to place the prepared dish in the freezer.

To add aroma and taste, in addition to salt, you should use various spices (cloves, peppers, laurel, etc.).

Secrets of choosing the right fish

It is better to salt large and medium-sized carcasses. Small ones have too many bones and little fat. It is optimal to use fish weighing about 300 g.

Fresh fish should be preferred, but frozen fish can also be used.

Good frozen mackerel, light gray (no yellowing), firm and slightly moist. She has light eyes and a slight fishy smell.

Also pay attention to the gills that are visible from under the head, they should not be black or misshapen.

The classic way of salting

For him you will need:

• mackerel (2 carcasses of 350 g each);
• water - 1 l;
• sugar - 3 tbsp. l .;
• salt - 5 tbsp. l .;
• mustard powder - 1 tsp;
• bay leaf - 4 pcs.;
• pepper - 10 peas.

Manufacturing features:

1. Boil water and, adding spices, boil for 3 minutes.
2. Cool the marinade.
3. Remove fish entrails, cut off head and tail, rinse and pat dry with paper towels.
4. Cut the product into pieces and place in a prepared glass container, pour over the marinade.

Duration of salting - 12 hours in the refrigerator. To fully develop the taste, you need to keep the mackerel in solution for 2 days.

Spicy method of salting mackerel

To prepare it you need:

• mackerel - 2 pcs.;
• onion - 2 heads;
• allspice - 5 peas;
• bay leaf - 2 pcs.;
• wine vinegar - 50 ml;
• salt - 3 tbsp. l .;
• sunflower oil - 1 tsp;
• dried cloves - 2 pcs.;
• ground black pepper - a whisper.

Cooking technology:

1. Remove the skin from the carcasses and cut it along the ridge, remove the bones, cut into pieces.
2. Sprinkle them with salt and leave for 10 minutes.
3. Peel the onion, cut it into rings.
4. Mix vinegar with oil and spices.
5. Sprinkle fish fillets with black pepper and add onions to it.
6. Place in a glass container, pour over the marinade.
7. Keep the fish in the room for about 10 hours, then refrigerate for 2 hours.

According to this recipe, it is permissible to salt not only mackerel. It is used for red fish or herring.

Canning fish in a jar

It can be used as a semi-finished product for preparing other dishes. For manufacturing you will need:

• fish - 2 pcs.;
• bay leaf - 1 pc .;
• sugar - 1 tbsp. l .;
• sea ​​salt - 3 tbsp. l .;
• allspice - 3 peas;
• water - 1 l.

They prepare it like this:

1. Remove the head, tail and entrails.
2. Pour spices into water and boil until a homogeneous brine is obtained, cool it.
3. Cut the carcasses into pieces, place in a glass jar, pour in the marinade.

For pickling in 1 liter. it will take 4 hours at room temperature and another 2 in the cold.

Dry Salt

You can salt the fish without brine. For this you need:

• mackerel - 2 pcs.;
• mustard powder - 2 tsp;
• sugar - 2 tsp;
• seasoning for vegetables - 1 tsp;
• salt - 4 tsp;
• black pepper - 7 peas;
• bay leaf - 1 pc.

Cooking process:

1. Remove entrails, head and fins. Wash and dry. Cut into small portions (1.5 cm).
2. Mix the spices.
3. Grate the fish pieces with the resulting mixture and put them in a prepared container.

The product must be covered and refrigerated. Salting should take 2 days.

Whole mackerel in brine

It is easier to salt lumpy fish, since it does not take much time to cook it. But whole carcasses are also suitable for salting. The principle in this case is simple - they are placed entirely in the prepared brine. The process turns out to be more time-consuming, but the finished product justifies the expectation.

Brine types

Most often, 2 types of marinade are used for salting whole fish: tea and brine with onion peels.

To prepare a marinade with husk, you will need:

• salt - 3 tbsp. l .;
• water - 6 glasses;
• sugar - 1.5 tbsp. l .;
• loose black tea - 2 tbsp. l .;
• onion peels - 3 handfuls.

Cooking features:

1. Rinse the onion peel, cover with water, add tea leaves, salt and sugar, put on fire.
2. Bring the marinade to a boil, remove it from the stove.
3. Peel the fish (3 pcs.), Rinse it and fill it with strained brine.

Salting will take 3 days, during which the product must be in the refrigerator. The carcasses must be turned over once a day so that they are soaked evenly.

To prepare a tea solution, use:

• salt - 4 tbsp. l .;
• loose black tea - 4 tbsp. l .;
• sugar - 4 tbsp. l .;
• water - 1 l.

Salting process:

1. Pour tea with hot water, cool, add salt and sugar to it.
2. Dip peeled and washed mackerel into it.
3. Marinate in the refrigerator for 4 days, then remove them with brine and hang them for 12 hours by their tails over a sink or basin.

The prepared solution is enough for salting 2 medium carcasses.

Fast salting method

It is possible to cook lightly salted fish, spending only 2 hours on it. This requires:

• mackerel - 1 pc .;
• salt - 1.5 tbsp. l .;
• black pepper - 7 peas;
• onion - 1 head;
• bay leaf - 2 pcs.;
• water - 350 ml.

Salting features:

1. Boil water, add spices and onion, divided into 4 parts. Boil this brine for 10 minutes over low heat.
2. Cool the marinade and prepare the fish - peel, wash and dry.
3. Cut the carcass into small pieces, cover with brine and put in the cold for 2 hours.

The disadvantage of such a product is only its short shelf life.

Salted fish, cut into pieces

There are a lot of options for salting lumpy mackerel. One of them is worth considering. For him you need:

• fish - 350 g;
• granulated sugar - 0.5 tbsp. l .;
• salt - 1 tbsp. l .;
• ground pepper - a pinch;
• sunflower oil;
• vinegar.

Preparation:

1. Peel the fish, wash and cut into 3 cm pieces.
2. Stir in pepper, salt and sugar.
3. Roll the pieces separately in the resulting mixture, put everything in the prepared dish and close the lid.
4. Place in a cool place for 12 hours. Then you need to remove excess salt from the product (you can wash it off).

The washed pieces should be held in a mixture of vinegar and oil for another 2 hours.

Processing frozen mackerel

Many people don't see the difference between salting fresh and frozen fish. In general, they are not there, since freshly frozen carcasses can be salted according to the same recipes as fresh ones.

The only difference is that after freezing, the appearance of the product deteriorates, and salting worsens it even more. Therefore, certain features must be taken into account.

To pickle mackerel in the following way, you need:

• onions - 3 pcs.;
• vinegar - 3 tbsp. l .;
• garlic - 1 head;
• salt - 1 tbsp. l .;
• sugar - 1 tsp;
• bay leaf - 2 pcs.;
• sunflower oil - 2 tbsp. l .;
• allspice - 1 tsp

Salting process:

1. Fish carcasses (2 pcs.) Need to be slightly thawed, peeled and divided into small pieces. Do not defrost completely - this will affect the appearance of the product.
2. Peel and chop the onion (rings) and garlic (slices).
3. Mix oil, vinegar, spices.
4. Place the prepared pieces in a bowl, add garlic and onions, pour in the marinade.

For better salting, mackerel should be placed in glass jars and kept in the cold for 24 hours.

With lemon or cinnamon

The methods for preparing salted mackerel are varied. You can make this fish with lemon. You will need:

• lemon juice - 1 tbsp l .;
• black pepper - 10 peas;
• salt - 2 tbsp. l .;
• bay leaf - 3 pcs.;
• water - 0.5 l.

Cooking features:

1. Mix water with spices, bring to a boil and boil for 10 minutes.
2. Peel the carcasses, cut, wash, pour with lemon juice.
3. Cool the marinade and pour over the fish.

There is enough brine to salt 3 carcasses. This will take a day. If you use it for a whole mackerel, you have to wait 3 days.

Another option is cinnamon pickling. Among the ingredients:

• salt - 250 g;
• peppercorns;
• Bay leaf;
• cinnamon (a small pinch);
• water.

Cooking is usual. It is necessary to boil water with spices, cool, pour peeled mackerel over it and salt for 3 days.

For the next dish you will need:

• basil - 5 g;
• coriander - 5 g;
• salt - 25 g;
• sugar - a pinch;
• water - 1 tbsp.;
• cloves 2 branches;
• bay leaf - 2 pcs.

You also need to mix water and spices, boil and cool. After that, pour the marinade over the pieces of fish and wait a day.

In addition to the above, there are other ways to cook salted mackerel. Choosing the right one is quite difficult, since everyone has different preferences. It is worth familiarizing yourself with the different options. You can also come up with your own recipes.

Perhaps mackerel is one of the most common fish on our table! And the point is not only in its prevalence and affordability, but in the fact that it is tasty, delicate, aromatic, nutritious and especially valuable in its components (fish oil, vitamins A, B, C, PP, K, E, useful microelements P , Mg, K, Zn, Mo). You can make a lot of various dishes from it, but the indisputable leadership is held by salted fish, especially since it can also be cooked both whole and in pieces, with various spices, onions and more. It remains only to find a recipe that suits your tastes, and, interestingly, many of them are similar, but the taste turns out to be completely different just because it is slightly different brine for salting mackerel.

Several recommendations for the selection and preparation of mackerel for pickling

Basically, this type of fish gets to the market and store shelves freshly frozen. Blast freezing is a great way to preserve all nutritional values ​​and useful properties, at the same time, the product will not deteriorate during transportation and will be suitable for consumption.

If you choose the option of dry freezing, then pay attention to the smell, the integrity of the carcass. You should not buy one that shows suspicious traces of "encroachments" of pests. If you buy frozen fish in ice glaze, be sure to pay attention to the transparency of the ice, uniformity of color, the absence of dark spots or yellowness, cracks, sagging, breaks.

Defrosting should not be carried out at elevated temperatures, it is wrong to put the frozen product in hot / warm water. The thing is that under the influence of temperature protein is curtailed, due to which the nutritional and useful value decreases. It is very important that a natural gradual defrosting occurs.

Carefully! You should not eat fish, which, after defrosting, developed an unpleasant odor, all bones began to separate from the meat, which, in turn, lost its elasticity, became soft, breaking apart.

The easiest classic recipe for pickling mackerel

In the classical way, you can pickle both whole carcasses and cut into pieces. Start by preparing the fish: defrost, rinse, separate the head, tip of the tail and fins, clean the abdomen from the intestines. Blot with a paper towel. If you chose the option in pieces, then cut the carcass so that the width of each is about 3 cm.

Now let's figure it out how to make mackerel pickle... Dissolve the salt in boiled water at room temperature. In the classic version, salt is added to taste, so the brine will need to be tasted (it should not be scalding salty, make it moderately saturated). It is not superfluous to add a little sugar. Stir everything and put on no fire, bring to a boil, put a few bay leaves, cool. Pour the chilled brine over the fish and leave to salt:

• cut into pieces - a day;
• whole carcasses - 3-4 days.

Then remove the fish from the brine so that it does not oversalt.

Salting mackerel in chunks in a spicy brine

Cutting and preparation are carried out in the same way as in the classical method, but the marinade is significantly different. So to cook brine for spicy salting mackerel, for half a kilogram of fish you will need:

• water - 750 ml;
• bay leaf (3-4 pcs.);
• a few peas of black pepper and 3 allspice;
• coriander (5-6 grains are enough);
• a couple of dried clove buds;
• 1-1.5 table. tablespoons of sugar;
• 2.5 table. tablespoons of ordinary table salt.

Important! Salt for all recipes for pickling mackerel is taken large, common. Regular food grade, not iodized and not marine.

In this recipe, cook brine for salting fish mackerel you need about 30-40 minutes before using it. Boil water in a saucepan, add salt and sugar, stir until dissolved, add spices. Leave it to cool down at room temperature.

During cooling, prepare the fish (separate the tail, fins, head, clean and wash the abdomen). Then they are placed in a container for salting (it can be enameled, glass, or even food grade plastic). The carcasses are poured with the cooled marinade and placed in the refrigerator for two to three days.

"Goldfish", or Pickled mackerel in marinated pieces on onion skins

This is a very interesting and simple recipe, with it the fish becomes a beautiful golden color, has a delicate and very pleasant taste, delicate aroma. It will become a real decoration of any table, perfect for a festive occasion, and for a usual dinner with your family.

For five fish you will need:

• water - two liters;
• bay leaf (6 pcs.);
• a few peas of allspice and black pepper;
• 3 teaspoons of black tea (no additives);
• 3 good handfuls of onion husks;
• salt and sugar.

To that brine for mackerel calculation per liter of water salt and sugar we do this: two tablespoons of salt and one sugar for half a liter, respectively, if you decide to cook a couple of carcasses for a sample, rely on this consumption. We take a saucepan, pour water into it, put salt and sugar, well washed onion peel, send it to the fire. When boiling, add lavrushka, pepper, boil for 5 minutes and turn off, let cool. We filter. We place the fish in a prepared container (enameled, glass), fill it with the resulting marinade and send it to the refrigerator for three to four days for salting.

This is a simple and unusual way of homemade salting. Its originality lies in brine for fish mackerel, although it can be used for any variety of marine fish, but not small ones, from which you can separate the fillets and cut into small pieces.

So, the main highlight is the use of a mixture of lemon and orange juice as a marinade. Prepare the mackerel, rinse, separate the meat and cut into 1-inch cubes. Mix the juice, add salt and chili. Pour the marinade over the mackerel, keep at room temperature for about 20 minutes, and then transfer to the refrigerator. You can serve it the next day, the combination with boiled potatoes will turn out to be especially tasty.

Mackerel, cooked at home using any of the proposed methods, has a slightly salted taste, the absence of harmful components and a harmonious combination of spices that make up the marinade.
Salted mackerel (method 1) will be ready in 6 hours, and pickled mackerel (method 2) in a day.

Recipe number 1. Quick dry salting of mackerel in pieces

This is a very simple method that can be used to salt any fish, not just mackerel. At the same time, the beneficial properties of the fish are preserved as much as possible, and the fish itself turns out to be very good salting: moderately salted and without additional preservatives.
So, lightly salted mackerel, occupying the volume of a 750-gram jar, will be obtained from 2 medium (350 g) fish.

Ingredients

• Salt - 2 tbsp. spoons;
• Sugar - 1 tbsp. a spoon.

Preparation

Separate the tail, head and entrails from the fish carcass. Trim the fins. Rinse it thoroughly, gut it and clean it from internal films.


Cut the mackerel into 3-4 cm pieces.


Stir the fish pieces with salt and sugar.


Tighten the bowl of fish with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
After 6 hours, remove the mackerel from the refrigerator. Rinse each piece under running water to remove salt.
Place the mackerel pieces tightly in a 750g jar.
Pour the filled jar with vegetable oil (it will go a little, no more than 50 ml).


Put a jar of lightly salted mackerel in the refrigerator for storage. The fish is ready. Mackerel, prepared by the dry salting method, can not be folded into a jar, but consumed immediately after rinsing from salt.

Recipe number 2. Pickled mackerel in brine pieces

The second way to get delicious fish is to prepare a marinade, which includes various spices, a little apple cider vinegar, salt, and sugar.
The result is a pickled mackerel that has absorbed all the aromas of a moderately sweetened and acidified brine. In addition, onions pickled with fish are a good addition to it.

So, pickled mackerel, occupying the volume of a liter jar, will be obtained from 2 medium-sized fish and the following ingredients:

Ingredients:

• Vegetable oil - 2 tbsp. spoons;
• Apple cider vinegar - 2 tbsp spoons;
• Bow - 1 head;
• Salt - 2 tsp;
• Sugar - 0.5 tsp;
• Ground black pepper and cilantro - a third of a teaspoon each;
• Black pepper - 5 peas;
• Carnation - 6 pcs.

Cooking sequence:

Cut the fish, as in the first salting method. Cut the onion into half rings.
Put mackerel cut into pieces in a jar, alternating it with half rings of onions.
Boil 250 ml of water. Dissolve all of the listed ingredients in water, except for vinegar. When the solution boils for 1 minute, turn off the stove and add vinegar to the total mass.
Pour the mackerel with the cooled marinade.


Close the jar with a plastic lid and refrigerate for 24 hours.
After the indicated time, the pickled mackerel is ready.


Salted, like pickled mackerel, cooked at home, served with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs.

8 delicious ways to pickle mackerel at home

How to salt mackerel in 2 hours
A variety of salted fish is sold in stores, but it is sometimes problematic to buy a lightly salted product. In order for the fish to retain its presentation longer and to be stored longer, manufacturers do not spare salt. However, you can cook lightly salted mackerel at home in 2 hours. The recipe below will suit the impatient lover of homemade pickles.
It is enough to be patient and after 2 hours start tasting the lightly salted product.
INGREDIENTS:
Mackerel - 1 pc. Onion - 1 head. Water - 350 ml. Salt - 1.5 tablespoons. Black pepper - 7 peas. Laurel - 2 leaves.
COOKING:
The first thing I do is pickle. I pour water into a small ladle, bring it to a boil, add the onion cut into four parts, the spices and salt indicated in the recipe. I cook the brine over low heat under the lid for no more than 10 minutes, after which I turn off the gas, remove the lid and let it cool. While the marinade cools down, I fish. I cut off the tail and head, make a small incision on the abdomen, remove the insides through it, rinse the carcass with water and dry it with paper towels. I cut the carcass into pieces 2 centimeters thick so that it is quickly and evenly salted. I put the fish pieces in a jar or food container, fill with brine, close the lid and send them to the refrigerator for 120 minutes. After the specified time has elapsed, the salted fish will be cooked. If necessary, you can keep it in brine for another half hour. Before serving, I recommend garnishing the mackerel with onion rings and herbs.

Spicy salted mackerel

The spicy salted mackerel recipe is suitable even for herring and red fish. 12 hours after the end of cooking, the dish will delight you with incredible taste. INGREDIENTS:
Fresh mackerel - 2 pcs. Onions - 2 heads. Allspice - 5 peas. Laurel - 2 leaves. Wine vinegar - 50 ml. Salt - 3 tablespoons. Vegetable oil - 1 spoon. Dried cloves - 2 sticks. Ground black pepper. STEP BY STEP COOKING:
I remove the skin from the fish and cut the carcasses along the ridge. Then carefully remove the pits and cut the mackerel fillets into moderate sized pieces. Sprinkle with salt and set aside for 10 minutes. Cut the peeled onions into rings. To prepare the marinade in a bowl, combine the vinegar with vegetable oil, add the spices indicated in the recipe and mix thoroughly. Season the mackerel with pepper, add the onion rings, stir, put it in a glass container and fill it with marinade. I leave it at room temperature for at least 10 hours, after which I keep it for another couple of hours in the refrigerator. The mackerel salted according to this recipe is incredibly tender. I usually serve spicy fish with boiled potatoes, although I often use it for making croutons and sandwiches. Guests empty the plate with this delicacy first.

Salted mackerel pieces

Practice shows that salted mackerel in pieces is at the same time an excellent independent dish, a wonderful addition to various side dishes, and an excellent ingredient for snacks. The recipe is for people who cannot imagine their life without salted fish. Thanks to the spicy brine, the fish is ready to eat overnight.
INGREDIENTS:
Mackerel - 350 g. Salt - 1 spoon. Sugar - 0.5 tablespoons. Ground pepper Vegetable oil Vinegar - to taste.
COOKING:
I pour fresh mackerel with water, cut off the head and tail, gut, rinse again and cut into pieces, three centimeters thick. Dip each piece in a mixture of pepper, sugar and salt. I put the mackerel tightly in a glass container, cover it with a lid and send it to the refrigerator until morning. Then I wash off the excess salt from the mackerel, dry it, put it in a clean jar and fill it with a solution of vinegar and vegetable oil. After a couple of hours, you can enjoy the taste of salted fish.

DRY AMBASSADOR
INGREDIENTS:
2 carcasses of mackerel, 2-3 tablespoons of salt, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 3 bay leaves, a small amount of allspice peas, 1 small bunch of dill.
COOKING:
Take care of mackerel. The fish must be gutted by removing the black film from the abdomen. Then cut off the heads and rinse the carcasses under running water.
Take a plastic or glass container. Put some salt on the bottom, put a few peas of allspice and a couple of sprigs of dill, crush one bay leaf.
Mix salt with sugar and rub the fish inside and out. Place the fish in a container and add a couple more dill sprigs, bay leaves, allspice on top and in the belly and sprinkle with the remaining salt.
Close the fish container tightly with the lid and refrigerate for 2-3 days. Clean the cooked fish from excess salt with a paper towel or a little water.

SPICY FISH IN THE BANK
Mackerel in a jar is tasty, spicy, appetizing and exquisite at the same time.
INGREDIENTS:
1-2 fish carcasses, 1 onion, 0.5 liters of water, 2-3 tablespoons of salt, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 4-5 pieces of allspice peas, 2-3 bay leaves, 1 tablespoon of mustard seeds.
COOKING:
Prepare the fish: gut, cut off the heads and rinse well under running water. Cut the carcass into large pieces.
Proceed with the brine. Add salt, sugar, bay leaf and allspice to the water and bring to a boil. The salt and sugar should be completely dissolved. Remove the brine from heat and cool to room temperature.
Chop the onions into small rings. Place them in a jar, alternating with layers of fish. Add mustard there. Pour the brine into the jar so that it completely covers the mackerel.
Close the jar with a lid and refrigerate for 10-12 hours. Ready-made mackerel can be stored at cold temperatures for no more than 5 days. The same goes for fish brine.

Fish under pressure

The essence of this recipe is that the fish is left for several hours under the yoke of some kind of load. A liter jar filled with water or a sealed bag of cereals of the same volume is perfect for this purpose.
INGREDIENTS:
2 mackerels, 2 tablespoons of salt, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon each of freshly ground and allspice.
COOKING:
First, prepare the salting mixture. To do this, combine salt, sugar and pepper.
The mackerel needs to be prepared. Gut the carcasses, cut off the heads and rinse the fish under running water. Then dry the mackerel thoroughly and transfer to a cutting board.
Slice each bird lengthwise through the belly into two pieces. Remove the fishbone and all bones. Slice the meat off the skin. Better to do this with a very sharp knife.
Cut the fillets across into small pieces. They must be transferred to a glass container and sprinkled with a salting mixture. Press down on the fish and refrigerate for 7-8 hours.

AMBASSADOR OF WHOLE CARCASS OF MACKER
You can also try salting a whole mackerel carcass. It will also turn out very tasty. You don't need to gut the fish for this recipe.
INGREDIENTS:
2 carcasses of mackerel, 6 tablespoons of salt, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper, 1 tablespoon of dried dill, 1-2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.
COOKING:
Rinse the mackerel and pat dry with paper towels. Take a large bag and add salt, sugar, pepper and dill to it. Shake the bag to mix all the seasonings.
Then rub each carcass thoroughly with the curing mixture. Place the fish in the bag containing the seasonings. Wrap the mackerel tightly. To do this, you can use a few more bags or thick paper.
Refrigerate the fish for 3 days. The finished fish should be washed under running water, dried well and rubbed with a small amount of vegetable oil.

LIGHT-SALTED FISH
The easiest way to salt mackerel at home is to make a lightly salted fish. In this recipe, the amount of salt is determined by eye. Nevertheless, misfires are excluded, because it is almost impossible to oversalt the fish.
INGREDIENTS:
2 carcasses of mackerel, salt to taste, 5-6 pieces of allspice with peas, 1 lemon, 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil.
COOKING:
Mackerel for this recipe needs to be prepared. Gut the carcasses, removing the black films from the abdomen, cut off the heads and rinse the fish under running water. Pat the mackerel dry with a paper towel and cut into portions.
Salt each piece of fish and transfer to a glass or plastic container. Put allspice, bay leaf on top. Sprinkle the mackerel with lemon juice and olive oil.
Place the lid on the container and refrigerate the mackerel. Such a fish is salted during the day. During this time, it is necessary to stir the container several times.

In addition to the fact that mackerel has amazing taste, it is also very useful. It is a valuable source of vitamins such as B12 and PP, as well as important minerals such as sodium, phosphorus, chromium, iodine.
However, the most important quality of this fish is that it is rich in healthy omega-3 fatty acids. They strengthen the immune system, normalize metabolism and hormonal levels, and have a beneficial effect on the work of the cardiovascular system.

Salting rules and tips

Large or medium-sized mackerel is suitable for salting. Small fish are bony and not fat. The ideal option is a fish weighing 300 grams.
- It is better to salt fresh or frozen fish. If not, frozen will do.
- When choosing, be sure to pay attention to the color. Fresh fish has a light gray tint with no signs of yellowness, the eyes are light and not cloudy.
-Good mackerel is characterized by a light fishy aroma, elastic to the touch and slightly moist.
- When salting, salt draws excess moisture from the fish and soaks the carcass well.
-The process is carried out at a low temperature, because in hot conditions the product will rot.
- At the end of the salting, the mackerel is removed to the cellar or refrigerator.
- For the preparation of salted mackerel, use dishes that do not oxidize. I use enameled or glass containers.
- I recommend salt mackerel at home with ordinary salt, iodized salt is not suitable. Iodine will not affect the taste of the finished dish, but it will spoil the appearance. It is better to use coarse salt. It requires a lot of liquid to dissolve, so more moisture will be released from the fish, which will increase the shelf life.
- Whole carcasses, fillets or pieces are suitable for salting. This does not affect the cooking technology, but it reduces the time for complete salting.
- Whole mackerel is cooked for three days, the pieces are salted for one day.
-The refrigerator is the best storage place. Pour mackerel with vegetable oil and store for no more than 5 days.
-Do not keep salted fish in the freezer as the meat will become watery and tender after thawing.
- In order for the mackerel to fully reveal its taste and acquire a breathtaking aroma, add laurel and peppercorns during the salting process. Coriander, cloves and allspice add a savory flavor.
These tips will help you cook delicious, beautiful and aromatic salted mackerel.