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Smoked kutum
Hot-smoked white fish
Hisə verilmiş kütüm: Caspian white fish, salted and hot-smoked
Kutum, the Caspian white fish, is the favourite catch of the Azerbaijani coast from Lankaran to Baku, and in spring fishermen's families salt it and hang it in smoke so it keeps for weeks. The traditional cold-smoked fish is not cooked by the smoke; this home version is hot-smoked instead, so the fish is cooked right through, which is safer. Use kutum, mullet, sea bass or trout. A common mistake is putting wet fish into the smoker; the smoke cannot stick and it tastes steamed. Chef's tip: let the salted fish dry, uncovered, in the fridge for a few hours until the surface feels tacky, which gives a glossy golden skin. Eat it with greens, fresh herbs and bread.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For curing
- 2 whole kutum, mullet or sea bassabout 700 g each, gutted and scaled
- 2 ⅞ oz coarse salt
- ⅔ oz sugar
- 1 tsp black pepper
For smoking
- 2 handfuls fruit-wood smoking chipssoaked for 30 minutes
To serve
- 1 lemonin wedges
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Mix 2 ⅞ oz coarse salt, ⅔ oz sugar and 1 tsp black pepper. Rub inside and out of 2 whole kutum, mullet or sea bass, put in a dish, cover and refrigerate for 6 hours.
Step 2: Rinse off the cure, pat dry and leave uncovered on a rack in the fridge for 3 hours, until the skin feels tacky. Common mistake: smoking wet fish; it won't take the smoke.
Step 3: Set up a kettle barbecue or smoker for indirect heat at 90–225°F with 2 handfuls fruit-wood smoking chips on the coals.
Step 4: Smoke the fish for 1–1½ hours, until golden brown, the flesh is opaque and it flakes easily at the backbone, reaching 145°F at the thickest part.
90 minStep 5: Cool, then chill. Serve cold with 1 bunch fresh herbs: coriander, dill, spring onion, tarragon and 1 lemon. Keeps 4 days in the fridge.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 240 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 1 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does smoked kutum take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 90 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of fresh herbs: coriander, dill, spring onion, tarragon?
- Flat-leaf parsley with a little mint.
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