How to store dried and dried fish

Many people love dried fish. But often they have a poor idea of ​​how to keep dried and dried fish for a long time. If stored improperly, the product's taste deteriorates. In addition, eating such a “delicacy” can lead to poisoning. You can buy stockfish in small batches. But to cook it yourself in a few pieces does not make sense, the process will be too time-consuming and costly; and a large number must be able to save.

What is the use of stockfish

To cook dried fish, it must first be salted for several days (from 3 to 5), soaked, and then dried, hanging in the air. Moreover, it is important to correctly guess the moment when she will be ready so as not to overdry. It is a ready-to-use product that does not require heat treatment.

Prolonged salting kills all microorganisms. At the same time, due to the fact that the fish is not exposed to high temperatures, all useful vitamins and minerals are stored in it. Therefore, its regular use in food improves thyroid function, lowers blood cholesterol, normalizes blood coagulation and has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the cardiovascular system.

However, in order for this delicacy to retain its useful properties for a long time, it is necessary not only to prepare it correctly, but also to properly organize the storage of this product at home.

Storage rules for stockfish

Only high-quality and freshly prepared fish is used for storage. If the product has an unpleasant odor or there are traces of mold on it, then it is better to get rid of it so as not to expose yourself and loved ones to the risk of poisoning.

There are several ways to store dried fish for a long time at home.

• You can keep it long enough in a cool room. For this, a pantry, a barn, an attic or a balcony, if it is located on the shady side of the house, are quite suitable. Sun-dried carcasses must be wrapped in paper (tracing paper, packaging or for baking), large - individually, small - several pieces at once. So the product does not dry out. The bundles should be hung in a cool room so that they are not exposed to sunlight. The humidity level should be 70-80%. With excessive moisture, the product will mold. Too dry air will dry out the delicacy. It will be edible, but will lose its taste, as fish oil will go rancid.
• The longest storage at home can be achieved by placing dried fish in the freezer, previously wrapped in paper. It will be right if you pre-pack it in small portions. This will allow you to get the right amount of product as needed, without defrosting the rest. In this way, you can save the workpiece without loss of quality for 6-12 months.
• If it is not possible to use a refrigerator, you can store dried fish for several months in the old proven way - in a glass or metal can, tightly closed with a lid. Put fish in the prepared container, place a lighted candle there and close it tightly with a lid. When oxygen burns out, the candle itself will die out. The product does not dry out under such conditions, and the absence of air protects it from the development of microorganisms. Banks should be placed in a place inaccessible to sunlight.

It is impossible to store dried fish in plastic bags, as it will sweat and mold quickly enough.The product will become unfit for food and will have to be discarded.

It is not necessary to lay large quantities of dried fish for long-term storage. Even under conditions close to ideal, over time, the taste of this product deteriorates, so it is better to eat it freshly prepared.

Storage rules for dried fish

Dried fish is often confused with dried, although in fact they are different products. It is obtained in one of two ways - fresh-dried (without preliminary salting) or salted-dried (with preliminary salting). Salted fish for drying only a few hours (for drying - a few days). Although in the process of dehydration the development of almost all bacteria stops (which ensures the possibility of its storage), it does not completely destroy them, especially when using the fresh-dried method. Therefore, this product is a semi-finished product requiring further heat treatment. It can be used for cooking broths, minced meat, as well as fishmeal.

Cooking dried fish is easier than dried fish, especially in “field conditions”. It does not need to be salted for a long time, and then soaked before drying. Therefore, many anglers use this method of preserving the catch. Low-fat varieties of fish are best suited for this purpose.

So that the product does not lose its useful and tasteful qualities for a long time, you need to know how to store dried fish at home. There are several methods for long-term storage of this semi-finished product.

• The best way is to wrap the finished fish in cling film and put it in the freezer. After defrosting, the product should be dried for several hours.
• This semi-finished product (wrapped in paper) is well stored on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. In this form, it will not lose nutritional value within six months.
• You can store dried fish in glass jars for a long time. Pour a little alcohol into the container, then lay the prepared carcasses, after which the cans should be rolled up with metal lids.
• If there are a large number of fish, then it should be packed in cardboard or wooden boxes. The container must be covered with cloth on top to prevent dust and insects from getting inside. In this form, dried fish is stored in dry rooms with good ventilation for 3 to 6 months without loss of quality.
• If you need to save this semi-finished product for a short period of time (up to a month), then you can just hang it in a dark, cool room, wrapping it in cloth or paper.

Dried and dried fish is a tasty and healthy addition to the table. Sun-dried is a finished product that can be used as an independent dish, as well as in hodgepodge and for dressing salads. From dried fish you can cook a delicious fish soup, hodgepodge or soup. Grinded into flour, it is used for adding to meatballs, cooking gravy and pasta. It is important that these products retain their qualities for a long time and can be procured for future use.