When is fish 'fully cured' using salt?
I was looking at a 'cold smoked salmon' recipe and it says the fish must be 'fully cured' before smoking.
I want to cure using salt so I believe this mean once salt has penetrated throughout the entire flesh rather than a quarter way through or just the surface, it is considered fully cured. After that you then cold smoke it. In the context of my recipe, Is this correct?
I'm not sure if it's correct because wikipedia says 'Cured fish refers to fish which has been cured by subjecting it to fermentation, pickling, smoking, or some combination of these before it is eaten' however in recipe it says fully cured should happen BEFORE smoking.
Please clarify whats is meant by fully cured. Also if one chooses to cure with salt, how do they know the fish is fully cured using salt?
Best Answer
To me fully cured would be when the moisture is removed from the meat to the extent that harmful bacteria cannot survive. You can generally speaking see when this happens, it is when your salt turns dark. When I cure my biltong it generally takes two hours for the salt to turn dark from the moisture it extracts. I have not done this with fish, so the time it takes should be different but still the cocept applies.
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Quick Answer about "When is fish 'fully cured' using salt?"
The process of salting cod (or the fish of your choice) could not be simpler. It does take some time, so plan on at least a week, if not two, to ensure the fish are fully cured and dried. In the end, you will have perfectly preserved fish to use in the future.How long does fish need to cure?
Turn the fish over about once every eight hours. The curing time depends on the size of fish and the finished texture you desire. The fish will visibly shrink as it releases liquid, resulting in a firmer texture and glossy flesh. For larger portions, somewhere between 24 and 48 hours is ideal.Can you over cure fish?
The fish is then wrapped and refrigerated until it is firm to the touch, generally two to three days. Follow the recipe exactly; if the measurements or timing are off, the fish might over-cure, rendering it too salty and tough, or it may under-cure, leaving the fish raw in places.What are the 2 methods of curing fish?
There are two main types of salt-curing used in the fish industry: dry salting and pickle-curing.What is the best salt for curing fish?
Kosher salt is ideal for curing because it isn't heavily refined. Each grain has many faces, which helps draw out moisture. This is how it earned the name Kosher salt.Scooter - How Much Is The Fish? (Official Video)
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