This fish, due to its prevalence, is probably one of the most popular fish delicacies in the post-Soviet space. Previously, during the years of the USSR, it could be freely found on the shelves of fish stores. Even now it is fresh frozen, it is often found in the relevant departments of supermarkets and is relatively inexpensive. So it’s time to prepare such a delicious dish as spicy salted sprat at home. Moreover, to do it, no special wisdom is required. You just need to observe a few nuances, and the dish, familiar from childhood, is ready. So let's try it!
Little tricks and secrets
Spicy salted sprat at home will turn out especially tasty if you use “grandmother’s” secrets, formed on the basis of the experience of more than one generation. Nothing complicated, in principle. What are these subtleties that are recommended to be heeded in order for spicy salted sprat to turn out well at home?
Spicy salted sprat. Recipe No. 1
And now, having prepared the products, you can proceed directly to the salting process. We believe in our abilities and remember that there is nothing complicated in preparing fish this way. And our mothers and grandmothers prepared such a delicacy more than once. So, of course, you should also be able to get spicy salted sprat at home.
Ingredients
- Sprat in the amount of kilograms.
- Freshly ground black pepper.
- A glass of coarse salt.
- A couple of dry clove buds.
- Black peppercorns (several pieces).
- A pinch of coriander.
- Three laurel trees.
- A pinch of ground ginger.
Cooking spicy fish step by step
Recipe for spicy salted sprat at home No. 2
Everyone is accustomed to the fact that sprat is a fairly small fish. However, sometimes in today's supermarkets you can find a fairly large variety of fish, which you can also happily salt (and quite quickly), without being afraid of the unusual size. So, here is a recipe for salting fish, if you are lucky and bought large enough specimens.
Ingredients
- Large sprat - 1 kilogram.
- Freshly ground black pepper - 10 grams.
- Half a glass of salt.
- Carnation buds - 5 pieces.
- A bag of white peppercorns.
- Coriander, rosemary, nutmeg and cinnamon with ginger - all on the tip of a knife.
- A glass of sugar.
- Some people add sodium benzoate just for good measure - literally a couple of grams.
The salting process itself
In brine
Spiced sprat salted in brine is also prepared quickly and quite simply. But first we will need to prepare the marinade itself. This is not difficult to do.
For the audience of fans of spicy fish, we offer options for preparing delicious spiced sprat at home. You can make such an appetizer with either fresh or freshly frozen fish, after allowing it to thaw naturally at room temperature.
Spicy salted sprat - recipe in brine
Ingredients:
- fresh sprat – 950 g;
For the marinade:
- coarse sea salt – 145 g;
- granulated sugar – 45 g;
- allspice peas - 1 tbsp. spoon;
- clove buds - 1/3 tbsp. spoons;
- – 1/3 tbsp. spoons;
- laurel leaves – 5-7 pcs.;
- garlic cloves (optional) – 2 pcs.;
- water – 950 ml.
Preparation
When starting to pickle spiced sprat, the first step is to prepare the brine. To do this, heat purified water to a boil, dissolve salt and granulated sugar in it and add all the spices. Let the brine boil with the spices for a minute, and then remove from the stove and leave until it cools completely.
We wash the fresh sprat and let it drain. Place in an enamel pan, if desired, sprinkle with garlic cut into thin slices, and fill with cooled spicy brine. We press the fish with a plate of a suitable size so that the brine is higher in level than the fish by about one and a half centimeters. If necessary, place a weight on top of the plate for this purpose.
We leave the sprat in the brine first for twenty-four hours at room conditions, and then place it in the refrigerator for another two days.
Recipe for spicy dry salted sprat at home
Ingredients:
- fresh sprat – 950 g;
For the marinade:
- coarse sea salt – 90 g;
- granulated sugar – 25 g;
- allspice peas – 5 pcs.;
- clove buds – 3-4 pcs.;
- coriander – 1/3 teaspoon;
- laurel leaves – 3-4 pcs.;
- black peppercorns – 1 teaspoon;
- ground – 1 pinch.
Preparation
We wash fresh sprat thoroughly, let it drain thoroughly and place it in a wide glass or enamel vessel. Do not use plastic or metal utensils to avoid foreign odors or spoilage from entering the finished product. 
selected container. After all, dishes made from these materials are not always suitable for salting. It is better if it is a wide bowl or tray.
Place coriander, black and allspice peas, as well as clove buds and laurel leaves in a mortar and grind quite finely. Then add salt and granulated sugar and grind everything together again. Pour the resulting spicy mixture over the fish, also add a pinch of ground ginger and mix the fish thoroughly. Now we cover it with a shallow plate and place a weight on top. Salt the spiced sprat in the refrigerator for at least twelve hours. It is better if the fish sits with spices in salt for 24 hours.
Long gone are the times when in our country only sprat and gobies were caught, and only zucchini were spawned - judging by the shelves of our stores at that time. Modern supermarkets have a huge selection of different fish, and the once super-popular small fish is by no means a hit in fish sales today.
But, salted with your own hands, it can become a real sensation at a picnic with friends - provided that you know exactly how to salt sprat.
Choosing a salting method
There are only 2 ways in which you can salt sprat at home: dry method or in brine. The salting method should be chosen depending on how long you plan to store the salted fish. If the fish is served on the table after a day or two, then salt it using the dry method. If you need to preserve it longer, then it is better to salt the sprat in brine.
When salting, keep in mind that the longer the fish is in the brine, the saltier it becomes.
Therefore, be sure to adjust the amount of salt according to the time the fish is stored: the longer it is stored, the less seasoning you need to put in the brine.
In addition to salt, to give the fish a special, spicy taste, you can use some spices and seasonings:
- mustard (can be either in grains or powder);
- coriander;
- powdered red pepper;
- black pepper;
- white pepper;
- allspice (both grains and powder);
- Bay leaf;
- carnation;
- Dill seeds.
What’s good about salting sprat is the opportunity to experiment, combining the amount of different seasonings and spices to your liking. As a result, the taste of salted fish always turns out different and unique.
If instead of sprat you are offered sprat or sprats for salting, feel free to take it. Tulka and sprats are two subspecies of sprat, so you can salt them according to the same recipe.
Even if you use one recipe, the taste of fish salted fresh and frozen and then thawed according to it will be different - fresh salted kale is much tastier.
Sprat intended for long-term storage should not be washed before salting: washed sprat cannot be stored for a long time. This fish should be washed immediately before eating.
If you are salting large sprat, it is better to salt the fillet by first removing the entrails. When salting small and medium-sized fish, you do not need to remove the entrails - get rid of them immediately before serving.
For salting sprat, medium-fraction rock salt is used. Fine salt will not salt the insides of the fish, but when using coarse salt, it is easy to over-salt the fish.
In order for the sprat to remain tight for a long time and not “fall apart”, you need to add a little sugar to the brine, even if it is not mentioned in the pickling recipe.
To salt sprat (or any fish), it is better not to use a plastic container: the salt can “corrode” it, and then instead of the taste of the fish you will “enjoy” the taste of plastic.
If you have to salt frozen sprat, then you need to defrost it at room temperature, otherwise the salted fish will not be stored for a long time.
But, if you are expecting guests and want to please them with lightly salted fish, then dip the frozen sprat for a minute in just boiling water, after adding a few drops of vinegar to it, and then salt it.
About two hours after salting, such fish can already be served.
Dry method of salting sprat
Measure out 2.5-3 tbsp. spoons of salt, add 1 teaspoon of sugar to them, mix thoroughly and pour into a large plate or other container, the size of which allows you to add 1 kg of sprat to the mixture.
If desired, you can add ground pepper or mustard powder to the mixture - from a quarter to half a teaspoon.
Pour the fish into this container, mix it thoroughly so that the mixture gets onto each fish as evenly as possible, and place it in a cool place.
Cover the top of the freshly salted sprat with a lid or flat plate and press down with pressure. You can do without pressure, but in this case you will have to stir the sprat every hour for the first 3-4 hours so that it is salted evenly. After 12 hours, you will have ready-made lightly salted sprat, which can be served, and a day later it will be completely salted.
Salting sprat in brine
Salting fish in brine can also be done quickly and easily if you know how to do it correctly. First, the same mixture is prepared as with the dry method, but it is not poured into a container, but dissolved in hot water. Bring the resulting brine to a boil and immediately remove from heat.
Cool it, pour it over the fish, pressing it on top with pressure. Let it brew for 2-3 hours, then taste the brine. If you think that it is not salty enough, add salt to it and send the fish to a cool place to infuse and wait for its finest hour.
Popular recipes for spiced sprat
Do-it-yourself spicy salting of this small fish has long been popular among housewives: storage of the fish can vary from 2-3 days to a month, and the choice of ingredients for salting is large. To prepare spiced sprat, take:
- 1 kg sprat;
- 2.5 tbsp. spoons of salt;
- 1 teaspoon sugar;
- 10 g black allspice;
- 5-6 pcs. peppercorns;
- 4-5 bay leaves;
- 1-2 pinches of coriander;
- a pinch of ginger;
- 3-5 pcs. carnations.
Rinse the fish thoroughly, place it in a colander and leave it in it to drain off excess water. While the water is draining, chop and thoroughly mix all the listed spices into a homogeneous dry mixture.
Sprinkle the bottom of the enamel pan with the prepared mixture, place a ball of fish, sprinkle this ball with the mixture, again a ball of fish, sprinkle again, and so on, continue laying until there are enough prepared ingredients.
Cover with a plate on top, press down with pressure and place for permanent storage in a cold place. After 12 hours, the salted fish will be ready to serve.
Another version of this recipe: for 1 kg of fish, in addition to salt and sugar, which you need to take the same amount as in the first option, you need to take a pinch of powdered red pepper and a little dill seeds or white mustard (your choice). As in the first option, everything needs to be mixed thoroughly, but that’s where the similarities end.
The second option is more labor-intensive, since it requires first cleaning the sprat by removing its insides.
Then rub the prepared mixture onto the cleaned fish, trying to distribute it evenly on each fish. Then everything follows the pattern; cover with a plate, press down with pressure and send to a cold place for 12 hours.
Knowing what ingredients are needed and how much you will need, you can easily prepare delicious salted sprat. And even if she is not destined to become the highlight of a chic holiday table, be sure that your loved ones and friends will appreciate her taste in close friendly company.
Source: https://vdomeeda.ru/konservirovanie-i-solenie/kak-solit-kilku.html
Spicy salted sprat - delicious recipes
Fish is a product that simply must be eaten due to the presence of a whole range of vitamins and minerals, without which normal functioning of the human body is not possible. You can find many varieties of seafood in various retail outlets. As a rule, the main attention is paid to salmon species of fish, but few people pay attention to sprat, but in vain.
Sprat is a small fish, which, in turn, is divided into 2 types. Sprat is characterized by an elongated body and the presence of small silvery scales. It is found in the Mediterranean and Northern seas. At the same time, it can be found in both salt and fresh water.
Useful properties of sprat
Sprat, like most seafood, is distinguished by the presence of proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals that have a beneficial effect on the human body. Due to the presence of useful substances, it can be included in the diet of people with health problems. This is a dietary product, since all components are easily absorbed by the body.
Sprat does not contain a large amount of calories, but the energy value can be increased by reducing its beneficial properties. In this case, it all depends on the method of its preparation. In addition, during the cooking process you need to be careful with the use of spices and sauces so as not to harm the taste characteristics of this small but healthy fish.
Despite its usefulness, it can harm the health of people who suffer from individual intolerance to seafood, as well as those who have impaired gastrointestinal tract functions. This is especially true when consuming spicy salted products, which contribute to irritation of the stomach and intestines due to the presence of seasonings.
How healthy is salted fish?
Salted fish has a unique taste, as anyone who has tried it can tell. Salted fish is suitable for making sandwiches or can be served with any side dish.
Salted fish does not lose its beneficial properties, unlike other methods of preparing it. Its beneficial properties depend on what vitamins and microelements are in its meat.
As a rule, fish is rich in sulfur, zinc, fluorine and a set of vitamins A, B, C, D and PP, which is very beneficial for the body.
How to deliciously salt sprat at home
Seafood can be prepared in a variety of ways. Fish can be fried, stewed, boiled, salted, baked, cooked into cutlets, marinated, etc.
Necessary seasonings
The main ingredient is salt, although you can add mustard, coriander, herbs de Provence, various peppers, bay leaves, pine nuts, rosemary, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, dill and others.
As a rule, the amount of spices is selected to obtain a piquant taste. As for salt, the longer the fish is salted, the saltier it will be. And again, everything is purely arbitrary and depends on the taste preferences of the person who salts the fish.
The task can be made easier if you purchase a ready-made package of spices for salting fish and try this recipe. Otherwise, you will have to rely on your intuition and recommendations.
As a rule, only rock salt is used as it soaks the fish well. Other types of salt, such as “extra” or “iodized” are not used.
Large fish are always filleted so that the salt is absorbed faster, but small fish do not need to be cleaned of their entrails. It is better to do this after the cooking process.
Only fresh fish is suitable for salting. Frozen, it is not recommended to use due to its specific taste. To store it longer, you need to increase the salt concentration. You cannot wash the sprat before salting.
You should never forget to add sugar to the recipe, which makes the fish more elastic. If you don’t have fresh sprat, you can add salt to frozen sprat. Only in this case it is necessary to organize a natural defrosting process.
It is not advisable to use plastic dishes, but give preference to glass or enamel ones.
How to quickly salt frozen fish
If you don’t have fresh fish, you will have to use frozen fish. For pickling you need to prepare salt, peppercorns and bay leaf. For the best effect and speed of salting, all seasonings must be ground in a mortar.
Put the water on the fire, add a few drops of vinegar and bring to a boil. Place the fish in a colander and immerse it in boiling water for one minute, after which it must be quickly salted. After a couple of hours, you can eat the fish.
This salting option is suitable for fresh frozen products. It is not recommended to store such a product for a long time.
In supermarkets you can find quite large sprat, which you can buy and pickle. In addition to fish, you will have to buy other ingredients specified in the recipe.
Salting large sprat at home
To do this you need to have:
- 1 kg fresh sprat (large).
- Allspice 10 pcs.
- 2 tbsp. l. coarse (rock) salt.
- A couple of bay leaves.
- 1 tbsp. spoon of sugar.
- 3 pieces of cloves.
- A pinch of coriander and cinnamon.
The fish is thoroughly washed and dried. All spices are thoroughly mixed. Store-bought ground seasonings do not have as rich a flavor as home-made ones. Finally, the sprat is mixed with seasonings and placed under pressure for 12 hours. After this time, the sprat can be eaten.
Spicy sprat: recipe
First you need to prepare the ingredients:
- 1 kg of fresh sprat.
- 50 g black pepper.
- 75 g sea salt.
- 2 pieces of dried cloves.
- 30 g coriander.
- 2 pcs bay leaves
- A pinch of ground ginger.
The cooking technology is the same as in the previous recipe. The fish is washed and dried well. All the spices are mixed well, after which the prepared sprat is added to them and again mixed thoroughly. The fish is placed under weight for one day, after which it can be served.
Another recipe
Another recipe is offered, for which you need to prepare the following ingredients:
- Fresh sprat – 0.5 kg.
- Black peppercorns – 10 pcs.
- Salt – 2 tbsp. spoons.
- Dried cloves – 2 pcs.
- Bay leaf – 2 pcs.
- Cardamom – 1 pinch.
The sprat is prepared as follows. All spices are mixed, and some of them are poured onto the bottom of an enamel bowl. After this, a layer of sprat is laid out on top of the seasonings. And so on, layer by layer, until the fish runs out. At the same time, we must not forget to sprinkle each layer with seasonings. Place the fish under weight and place in the refrigerator for a day.
The simple method does not involve the use of spices. To do this, you need to take 2.5 tablespoons of salt and one teaspoon of sugar per 1 kg of sprat.
First you need to mix salt and sugar, then add this mixture to the fish and mix thoroughly with the fish. For better salting, the fish is placed under pressure. After 2 hours, the sprat will be ready to eat.
To obtain a more interesting taste, you can add a little allspice to the mixture of sugar and salt.
This is a simple and fairly quick way to get a tasty product.
For preparation you will need the following ingredients:
- Sprat – 1 kg.
- Water – 1.5 liters.
- Coarse salt - 2/3 cup.
- Bay leaf – 5 pcs.
- Allspice – 1 teaspoon.
- Cloves – 10 pcs.
- Coriander – 0.5 teaspoon.
- Sugar - a third of the glass.
First you need to prepare the marinade. To do this, you need to put water on fire and add all the spices. After the water with spices boils, turn off the heat and allow the marinade to cool.
The sprat is washed well and placed in a container, after which it is completely filled with marinade. After this, it is marinated at room temperature for 12 hours.
Finally, the fish is transferred to the refrigerator for another 12 hours.
Preparing sprat at home using these recipes is not at all difficult. The main thing is that only fresh product is salted, without any external damage. To begin with, you should not experiment, but stick to the specified proportions, otherwise the dish can be ruined. Subsequently, you can experiment with seasonings to obtain a more refined taste, based on your experience.
Igor23.04.2017
Source: http://FishingDay.org/kilka-pryanogo-posola/
Spicy salted sprat at home - recipe with photos and useful tips
Salted sprat still remains one of the most popular products from the abundance of all salted fish.
And not even because it is quite cheap, but because for many it has remained a nostalgic delicacy of bygone days.
You can buy it in almost any store, but the most delicious fish is the one you cook yourself. Spicy salted sprat at home is a simple and healthy fish appetizer.
How to select and prepare fish for salting
In order not to experience annoyance and disappointment from the taste of the prepared dish, you should know how to choose the right fish for salting.
- First of all it is necessary pay attention to the appearance of the fish. It should be fresh, medium-sized, without an unpleasant odor. Try to choose small or medium-sized specimens. If the fish is large, then before starting cooking, you need to remove its entrails.
- The choice of spices can be anything, but there is one unspoken rule here: you should not take spices and herbs that are usually used for frying or stewing.
- Give preference to fresh fish. But if you live far from the sea, then this is almost impossible. Therefore, see the next point.
- If you purchased frozen fish, then you also need to defrost it correctly. Place the sprat in plastic bags, tie them and place them in cold water. Or can you just place the bag of fish in the bottom of the refrigerator overnight, and in the morning start salting.
Recipe for dry-salted spicy sprat
The sprat recipe is no different from what you buy in the store, but you will be sure that it does not contain any harmful preservatives. Spices should be coarsely crushed, not ground.
This greatly affects the taste. The salt should also be coarsely ground. In just 12 hours, delicious spicy fish will be on your table. It is especially good with boiled potatoes and black bread.
Bon appetit!
Ingredients:
- fresh frozen or fresh sprat – 0.5 kg
- coarse rock salt – 1.5 tbsp. spoons
- bay leaf – 4 pcs.
- coriander peas – 10 pcs.
- black peppercorns – 0.5 teaspoon
- cloves (buds) – 2 pcs.
- allspice peas – 3 pcs.
Preparation
First defrost freshly frozen sprat, then wash and dry with a paper towel. The fish must be salted whole, without gutting or removing the head. For salting, you need to take a fairly wide dish (bowl) so that the fish in it is not pressed too tightly and is salted evenly.
It is unacceptable to put salt in jars.
Grind coriander, pepper (black and allspice) and cloves in a mortar, but not too finely. Do not use ground spices! Break bay leaves into pieces.
Sprinkle the fish with spices and salt.
Stir gently to evenly distribute the salt and spices.
Press the fish with a plate.
Place the container with fish in the refrigerator for 12 hours.
Before consumption, the fish's heads and entrails are removed.
As you can see, preparing a delicious fish appetizer is quite simple, if you only have the desire and a little time.
And if you design it in an original way, it will “fit” perfectly into the holiday table menu.
The shelf life of salted sprat in the refrigerator is no more than two weeks. It can be stored for a month if it has been prepared with plenty of salt and placed in a barrel with brine.
How to pickle sprat in brine
You can also pickle sprat at home in spicy brine. We will dissolve salt in water and infuse spices in it. We get a salty and aromatic spicy brine. And we will salt the fish in it.
Ingredients:
- fresh sprat – 500 g
- sea salt (coarse) – 2-2.5 tbsp. spoons
- sugar – 20 g
- dried coriander – 1/3 tbsp. spoons
- bay leaf – 3-4 pcs.
- allspice – 0.5 tbsp. spoon
- garlic (optional) - clove
- cloves - several buds
- water – 500 ml.
Preparation
- You should start by preparing the brine. Bring water to a boil, dissolve salt in it, add sugar and prepared spices. The brine should boil for 1-2 minutes, after which the container should be set aside until the brine cools completely.
- Before cooking, fish must be thoroughly rinsed with running water.
- It is better to take enameled, wide dishes for pickling. In such a container, the fish will not lose their “shape”.
- Then place the fish in a container and fill it with cooled brine so that it covers the last layer by a centimeter.
It is not necessary to pour out all the brine. Try to distribute the spices from the brine evenly among the fish.
- Place a plate of suitable size on top and place the weight on it.
- The sprat in brine will be ready in 24 hours, provided that it is stored at room temperature, then it must be put in the refrigerator.
How to eat salted sprat correctly
Perhaps someone prefers to eat this fish whole, but it is more correct to do it this way: separate the head of the fish from the carcass along with the entrails, then also carefully separate the tail. Removing bones from small fish is quite problematic, but if you wish, you can do this, especially if you give the fish to children.
Salted sprat can be served with boiled potatoes or mashed potatoes. A sandwich with spiced sprat, on toasted rye or Borodino bread and with fresh herbs can be a buffet appetizer. There are also recipes for salads and various snacks with this fish.
In this short story, a variant of the first recipe is proposed - using the dry method. Look how simple it is.
Source: http://na-mangale.ru/kilka-pryanogo-posola.html
How to pickle sprat at home
Today I’ll tell you how to salt sprat correctly, dry, in brine and spicy pickling, without spoiling it with unnecessary additives, and at the end you will understand what the real taste of salted sprat is like.
The other day I received a large portion of the freshest sprat, freshly caught in our Baltic Sea.
It became clear: I will add salt! I have a lot of recipes, but I decided to look at what was offered on the Internet and was a little surprised - there were a lot of strange recipes that had nothing in common with real, salted delicacy fish.
I came across a suggestion on the Internet to add cinnamon when salting – I almost shed a tear, to be honest. Guys, cinnamon in buns is good, put it there, don’t spoil the fish. There are many seasonings that are appropriate in sprat; I will list them below. In the meantime, a little about the fish.
The wonderful fish gained national recognition and love due to its availability and low cost. But this did not happen today: the inhabitants of the Baltic coast were the first to learn how to preserve fish for future use back in the 17th century.
In the era of great geographical discoveries, the question arose of creating supplies for sailors during long journeys.
But I think that people learned to pickle food earlier than it was first mentioned in historical chronicles.
There are two ways of salting fish: dry and in brine - what many call brine. I have given several recipes for salting fish, if you are interested, come read it. But before you start pickling, read some tips:
- When salting sprat, use regular salt, stone salt - iodized and too fine salt are not suitable, it only salts the top layer of the fish.
- It is absolutely not necessary to clean the insides of the fish; it is better to remove the insides after cooking. But if the sprat is too large, then first cut it into fillets.
- Try to use fresh sprat for salting; frozen sprat has a completely different taste.
- We decided to salt a large amount of sprat for long-term storage, do not wash it before salting, it is better before using it, otherwise it will not last long. And in this case, add a little more salt than according to the recipe.
- Add a little sugar, even if it is not provided for in the recipe, the fish will become elastic and will not fall apart.
- If you have frozen sprat, first put it in freshly boiled water, adding a few drops of vinegar. Hold for a minute and immediately salt it. After one and a half to two hours it will be ready to eat - this is called quick salting. But the method is suitable if you don’t have to store the fish for a long time.
- For long-term storage, frozen sprat must first be thawed; it is better to do the process naturally, at room temperature.
- Do not use plastic containers for salting sprat at home: it is then difficult to wash and you will have to throw it away; in addition, such dishes are not always of good quality, and the fish can absorb the smell of plastic. When salting fish on an industrial scale, plastic containers are justified; they are cheaper and convenient for transportation, but it is better not to use them at home.
Seasonings for salting sprat:
Mustard - powder (in grains), Provençal herbs, coriander, various types of peppers, cloves, bay leaves (it gives the taste a certain bitterness, so see for yourself - it’s not for everyone. I don’t add it.). Dill seeds and ground red pepper work well.
The suggested recipes, friends, are somewhat arbitrary. With the same amount of salt, the sprat turns out different every time - sometimes lightly salted, sometimes more salted. But the longer the fish sits, the saltier it becomes.
How to dry-salt sprat
This method is good if the sprat will not be stored for a long time and will immediately end up on the table.
- For a kilogram of fish, take 2 - 2.5 tablespoons of salt and a teaspoon of sugar. Stir until it is distributed throughout the sprat, and put it somewhere cool for a couple of hours.
- Cover with a plate and place pressure on top, then the fish will be salted evenly. Decide to do without oppression; during salting, stir the fish well several times.
As for the spices, if desired, you can add any type of pepper - this will add zest. Just chop it first.
How to salt sprat in brine
You can prepare spicy pickled sprat and simply salt it at home in brine, i.e. in brine.
- Use the same amount of salt and other seasonings as for dry salting. The difference in the method is that you first dissolve the salt and sugar in hot water, add the rest of the seasonings, and bring the brine to a boil. There is no need to boil the brine, but it is necessary to cool it.
- Pour the chilled brine over the fish, press down on top and leave on the table for several hours.
- After a couple of hours, taste and add salt if you see fit. Store the finished sprat in a cool place.
Recipes for spiced sprat at home
Recipe No. 1.
Take:
- Sprat, fresh – 1 kg.
- Black and allspice – 10-12 pcs.
- Salt – 2 tbsp. spoons with a small slide.
- Bay leaf – 2 pcs.
- Cloves - 2–4 pcs.
- Sugar - a teaspoon.
- Coriander, ginger - a pinch each.
How to prepare spicy salted sprat according to this recipe:
- Rinse the fish and drain off excess water.
- Grind the cloves and black pepper, add sugar and salt, and add the remaining spices. Stir well. I advise you to grind the spices yourself rather than buy ready-made ones, they have a completely different aroma.
- Add the mixture to the fish and mix thoroughly. Cover the sprat with a plate and place pressure on top. After 12 hours the fish is ready. Do it in the evening, you can try it in the morning.
Recipe No. 2. It is made by dry salting.
- For 1 kg. take 2 - 2.5 tbsp sprat. spoons of salt, a teaspoon of sugar, a pinch of ground red pepper and dill seeds; they can be replaced with white mustard seeds.
How to pickle sprat according to this recipe.
- Mix seasonings.
- Clean the fish by removing the insides.
- Rub the seasoning mixture onto the sprat, trying to distribute it evenly.
- Cover with a lid, place pressure on top and place in the refrigerator overnight.
I usually do this: if there is a lot of sprat, then I salt it all in brine, i.e. in brine and the simplest salting, without adding spices. Well, maybe I add black pepper sometimes.
Then, when the fish is ready, I divide it into 2 parts. I transfer the one that goes into storage into a glass container and fill it with brine. So it can be stored in the refrigerator for a long time.
I immediately cut up the part intended for food, pour it with oil and put a lot of onions. It keeps well for several days.
Another option: I fill the cut sprat with water and a small amount of vinegar. Recently I started adding apple juice, it is softer and does not have a pronounced vinegar smell. I pour in a little vinegar at first, you should get a slightly acidic solution. Then I try it, and if it’s not enough, I add more.
I put a lot of onions, if desired I add black and allspice, sometimes I add dill. In general, put in whatever your darling wants. The sprat should stand for half an hour or an hour, then it will be ready. If you haven’t finished eating it, it will be stored in the refrigerator for several days without losing quality or taste.
You can marinate sprat immediately, without pre-salting. Keep the recipe:
Pickled sprat - recipe
I wrote about pickled herring, go read it, I’m sure my experience in salting fish will be useful to you.
For 1 kg. peeled sprat:
- Water – 1 liter.
- Vinegar 6% - 1.5 tablespoons.
- Allspice or black peas – 6–8 pcs.
- Bay leaf – 3–4 pcs.
- Salt – 3 tbsp. spoons (if you want less salt, take 2.5)
- Sugar - a teaspoon.
- Coriander, ground - half a teaspoon.
- Vegetable oil – 2 tablespoons.
- Prepare the marinade: dissolve sugar and salt in hot water, pour in vinegar and sunflower oil, add spices.
- Let the marinade boil and remove immediately; it should not boil for a long time.
- Cool the marinade and pour it over the sprat prepared for salting.
Usually the sprat is completely ready after a few hours. If you don’t want to take risks, wait a day.
Sprat is one of the favorite delicacies in the post-Soviet space. And while in the USSR it can easily be found on the shelves of any store, today lovers of this fish have to try hard to buy it. However, why buy? We can pickle sprat at home, and the product will be much tastier and, most importantly, more natural.
Before telling you several recipes for salting sprat, we should reveal a couple of secrets, without which the cooking result may be unsatisfactory.
First of all, For salting fish, you should use only coarse rock salt, small, and especially iodized ones will spoil or completely negate all efforts.
As for fish, you can gut it before salting, or, if desired, salt it with its entrails.
Now it’s time to bring to your attention several options for how to pickle sprat at home.
Spicy salted sprat
You will need:
- sprat – 1 kg,
- freshly ground black pepper – 50 g,
- salt – 200 g,
- dried cloves – 2-4 pcs.,
- black peppercorns – 3-5 pcs.,
- coriander – 50 g,
- bay leaf – 2-3 pcs.,
- ground ginger - a pinch.
Cooking method
- Rinse the fish thoroughly and allow all excess water to drain.
- Grind cloves, black pepper, coriander and bay leaf not too finely in a mortar.
- Add salt and ginger to the spices. Mix well.
- Pour all the spices into the fish and mix thoroughly.
- Now you need to put the sprat under a press and put it in the refrigerator for 12 hours. After which the fish is ready to eat, bon appetit!
Recipe No. 2
You will need:
- sprat – 1 kg,
- salt – 200 g,
- black peppercorns – 100 g,
- dried cloves – 4 pcs.,
- bay leaf – 5-6 pcs.,
- cardamom - to taste.
Cooking method
- The sprat should be washed thoroughly and the water should be allowed to drain.
- Take a wooden or enamel bowl and place some of the seasonings on its bottom.
- You need to put a layer of sprat on the spices and cover them with seasoning again. Alternate the seasoning mixture and fish until the container is full.
- Now the sprat with seasonings needs to be put under a press and put in the refrigerator for about 12 hours. After this time, the fish is ready for consumption, the press can be removed.
Salting large sprat
We are accustomed to understand sprat as small-sized fish, but specimens in this family are often larger than average. What to do with them? It’s natural to pickle, especially since we have a suitable recipe for this.
You will need:
- fish – 1 kg,
- freshly ground black pepper – 10 g,
- black peppercorns – 4-5 pcs.,
- salt – 100 g,
- white pepper – 50 g,
- dried cloves – 5 pcs.,
- coriander – 1 g,
- cinnamon – 0.1 g,
- ginger – 0.3 g,
- nutmeg - to taste,
- rosemary - to taste,
- sodium benzoate – 2 g,
- sugar – 200 g.
Cooking method
Salting fish according to this recipe is somewhat similar to what we presented above.
- Mix all the spices. Peppercorns, bay leaves, cloves, coriander and nutmeg should first be ground in a mortar.
- Take an enamel pan or wooden barrel and pour some spices into its bottom.
- Place a layer of fish on top of the spices. Sprinkle more spices on top and place the fish again. It is necessary to alternate until the dishes are full.
- You need to place a weight on top and put the dishes in a cold place (cellar or refrigerator).
- A few hours of patience and you can enjoy delicious fish on the table. Bon appetit!
As you can see, salting sprat at home is quite easy and quick, the main thing is the desire!
Thanks to its low cost and amazing taste, the small fish has long gained popular love. If you salt the sprat correctly, you will be reluctant to look at other fish. I always look forward to making poutine at home, since store-bought is not the same at all. I’m lucky, I live on the Baltic Sea, so I know the taste of real fish, not frozen several times. I am familiar with the recipes firsthand, all have been tested and approved.
Did you know that sprat received recognition several centuries ago? Residents of the Baltic countries were the first to learn how to use salt to preserve fish for a long time. Back in the 17th century, when man created large ships, the era of active navigation and geographical discoveries began. Then the question arose about the provisions that the sailors stocked for long journeys. Observant residents of the Baltic coast noticed the ability of salted fish to remain edible for a long time.
Many recipes have been invented over the centuries. I have selected the fastest, simplest and most delicious ones. But first, I suggest you get acquainted with some secrets of pickling.
How to salt sprat at home - the secrets of proper salting
Salting a small fish is easy and simple, the whole process happens quickly, the main thing is to act correctly, knowing some secrets.
- There are two known methods of salting sprat: in brine and dry salting. In both cases, you can add spices or do without them.
- Give preference to fresh fish, it is much tastier. Defrost freshly frozen first, but in natural conditions, on the kitchen table.
- It’s up to you to clean the fish from the insides, or do without this manipulation. But if you come across entirely large specimens, it is better not to neglect the process by cutting the sprat into fillets.
- Salt. It is strictly forbidden to be iodized. Take the largest, stone one. Fine salt can salt the top layer of fish.
- If salted sprat is made for long-term storage, I do not recommend washing it before the process, otherwise it will not last long. Rinse fish immediately before eating. Experienced salters recommend in this case to deviate somewhat from the recipe by adding more salt.
- If you add a little sugar, the fish will be strong and elastic.
- Utensils for preparing sprat. In small quantities it is better to cook in glass containers.
What spices to take:
Traditionally they add pepper, regular and allspice. Bay leaves and mustard seeds are often found, adding a special piquancy to the taste. In addition, you can experiment with coriander, cloves, herbes de Provence, dill seeds, and various types of peppers, including hot red ones.
Attention! Depending on the quality of the salt and the size of the fish, the sprat turns out different every time, regardless of whether the recipe is followed. Keep in mind that the longer she waits for you, the saltier it becomes. Try to salt in small portions to have lightly salted fish.
Lightly salted sprat, quickly salted in a dry way
This salting is not suitable for long-term storage; it is better to eat the sprat soon. But it always turns out lightly salted and amazingly tasty.
Take:
- Fresh sprat – kilogram.
- Coarse salt – 2-2.5 large spoons.
- Granulated sugar - a small spoon.
How to salt:
- Rinse the carcasses and place them in a bowl. There is no need to remove the insides yet.
- Add salt and sugar if you decide to use. Stir with your hand to distribute the spices throughout the fish.
- Place in a cool (not cold) place for 2-3 hours. Sometimes I leave the bowl right on the table.
- Cover with a plate and place pressure on top. I recommend stirring the contents a couple of times during cooking.
- If you decide to add spices, add them sparingly, especially if you are still an inexperienced pickler. It's best to sprinkle with pepper. Take peppercorns, chop them and add.
- Clean the finished fish from the insides and rinse again. Pour some vegetable oil and add lots and lots of onion, cut into half rings.
How to deliciously salt sprat in brine at home
The recipe also applies to quick salting methods. It is made in brine, as fishermen call brine.
- The proportions of salt, sugar and fish are the same as in the previous recipe.
Preparation:
- Boil water, adding salt and sugar. If you decide to flavor the brine with other spices, add them together right away. After the spices have completely dissolved, let the brine boil again and immediately turn off the burner.
- Remove from heat and cool completely.
- Pour cold brine over the sprat. Press down on top with pressure.
- After 2 hours, take the sample. The sprat is almost ready to eat. Add salt if necessary. Stir the brine thoroughly and leave to add salt for another 1-2 hours.
- It is better to store cooked fish on the refrigerator shelf. If you have salted a small portion, I advise you to immediately clean the carcasses, wash them, add oil and store them. In brine, the fish continues to be salted further, and during long-term storage it becomes too salty.
Pickled sprat - a delicious homemade recipe
Lightly salted pickled sprat is so tasty that it’s impossible to stop until it’s gone.
Required:
- Fish - a kilogram of peeled sprat.
- Water - liter.
- Salt – 2.5-3 tablespoons.
- Sugar - a teaspoon.
- Vinegar 6% - 1.5 large spoons.
- Peppercorns – 6-7 pcs.
- Ground coriander – ½ teaspoon.
- Bay leaf – 3 pcs.
- Sunflower oil – 2 tablespoons.
How to marinate:
- Place the cleaned fish in a bowl.
- To prepare the marinade, pour water into a saucepan and turn on gas. Add all the spices from the recipe list and stir until dissolved. Pour vinegar and oil into the hot brine. Let it boil and remove from the stove.
- Cool the marinade and pour over the fish. Be patient for 3-4 hours. After a specified time, take a sample.
Spiced sprat in brine
Spicy pickling is done with the addition of different types of spices. In brine or dry method, decide for yourself, I will show you all the recipes.
You will need:
- Fresh sprat – kilogram.
- Allspice and regular black pepper – 10 pcs.
- Cloves – 2-4 buds.
- Bay leaves - a couple.
- Coarse salt – 2 large spoons with a small heap.
- Ginger, coriander - a tiny whisper.
- Sugar - a teaspoon.
Salting in brine:
- There is no need to clean the sprat, just rinse it and put it in a bowl.
- Crush the cloves and both types of pepper in a mortar. You can take ready-made seasoning powder, but it tastes better if you grind it yourself. Add ginger, coriander, salt and sugar to them. Stir in seasoning mixture.
- Add spices to hot water, bring to a boil, and immediately turn off the burner.
- When the brine has cooled, pour over the fish. Press down with a plate and place pressure on top. The sprat is ready in 10-12 hours.
Spicy dry salting of sprat
Take per kilogram of sprat:
- Salt – 2-2.5 tablespoons.
- Sugar - a teaspoon.
- Ground red pepper - a pinch.
- Dill seeds (white mustard seeds) – a little bit.
How to pickle spicy sprat:
- Remove the entrails from the fish, rinse, and dry the carcasses a little.
- Mix all the seasonings listed in the recipe.
- Place the spices in a bowl. Use your hand to mix the fish, distributing them evenly.
- Press down with pressure and place in a cool place overnight.
- After 10-12 hours, the sprat is ready to eat.
How to quickly pickle sprat at home in 2 hours
Few people know this method, and it is suitable for frozen sprat, when you really want to significantly speed up the salting process. But there is a drawback - such fish will not be stored for long.
- Boil water by pouring a little vinegar into the pan.
- Place the fish in it and hold it for a minute. Separate the frozen carcasses.
- Salt using any of the methods suggested above. after 1.5-2 hours, start trying.
Video recipe with a recipe for properly salting fresh frozen sprat