Home-Style Salted Pink Salmon

Ingredients

1500 g pink salmon

Salt to taste

Sugar to taste

Ground black pepper

Bay leaf to taste

Red fish meat is prized for its incredible flavor and is considered a healthy delicacy for good reason. It's used in numerous dishes, and salting is also a very simple process, and the result is usually superior to store-bought versions.

There are many varieties of "red" fish, the most recognizable being salmon, trout, pink salmon, and chum salmon.

If you prefer a fattier fish, choose trout or salmon. Pink salmon and chum salmon tend to be drier, so they're often drizzled with olive oil when serving.

Here are a few distinguishing features of fresh fish:

- the fish should be free of blemishes and foreign odors;

 - The eyes should be clear, not cloudy, and the gills should be bright red;

- The thawed fish should remain firm and firm to the touch;

- The cut should be a soft pink color;

Both chilled and frozen fish are suitable for pickling. If your fish is frozen, thaw it naturally—even if it's slow, it's still the best way to do it. I don't recommend forcing the thaw with a microwave or hot water, as this will ultimately affect the taste and nutritional value of the dish.

You can use any container for pickling—enameled, glass, or plastic. Avoid metal containers, as they can develop a specific, unpleasant flavor.

For pickling, it's best to use the fillet. If you have a whole fish, you'll need to separate the fillet.

 First, cut off the head, fins, and tail. Don't throw them away under any circumstances; simply store them in a separate bag. Next, rip open the belly and remove all the entrails, unless you bought the fish ungutted at the store. Now let's get to the filleting itself.

To do this, use a large, sharp knife to cut the fish along the back, slightly away from the dorsal fin line, along the radius bones. Our goal is to retain as much "meat" as possible while removing as many bones as possible.

In this manner, gradually work our way down to the spine. Folding back the meat on the skin, carefully trim along the ribs, and continue until you reach the abdominal cut.

Repeat the same process with the other half of the fish, this time folding the spine and ribs to the side.

 Then, the trimmed "skeleton" can be placed in a bag with the other trimmings (head, fins) and frozen for the time being – after all, it's an excellent base for fish soup or fish soup.

Whether you like it or not, no matter how hard you try, small bones will still remain after filleting. These can be easily removed with tweezers.

If the filleted fish is small, it can be left whole for pickling. Larger fish should be cut into several pieces.

If you've noticed, we won't be trimming the skin. Firstly, it will be easier to cut the finished fish into thin slices. Secondly, the skin prevents moisture from evaporating, keeping the fish juicy.

Now, let's talk about the spices you'll need for pickling. Nothing special – salt, sugar, black pepper (optional), and bay leaf. The only important thing here is to use coarse or medium-ground salt and without any additives, such as iodine or fluoride. This type of salt improves the flavor and absorbs moisture from the fish well, thus providing a preservative effect.

Now about the salt and sugar ratio. The sugar to salt ratio is 1:3. Of course, you can omit it altogether or use a smaller amount, but... I would advise against neglecting this—sugar imparts a delicate flavor to the fish.

Now for the most difficult part—the salting process. Place the fish pieces in the chosen container and sprinkle with the required amount of salt and sugar. Then add a lightly crushed bay leaf and, if desired, black pepper.

The salted fish should now be placed under pressure. Let it sit at room temperature for a couple of hours, and then you can put it in the refrigerator (without the pressure). In about a day (depending on the thickness of the fillet), the fish will be ready. You can, of course, do without the weight—the brining process will just take a little longer.

The salt and sugar will create quite a bit of liquid (brine) in the container—don't drain it.

Before slicing, simply lightly blot the excess liquid from the fish and lightly brush off the spices (bay leaf and pepper).

This fish can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week.

Thin slices are easy to cut with a sharp knife, directly from the skin. When serving, drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil, and garnish with fresh herbs.

Fish brined this way goes well with avocado, apples, rice, tomatoes... and even a simple sandwich on fresh bread—an excellent appetizer, even for a holiday meal.

Bon appétit!