Cheese calculator
Winemaking
Among Christmas delicacies, carp holds a special place—it is one of the most traditional Christmas Eve dishes. According to tradition, the dishes on the Christmas Eve table are meant to bring health, prosperity, and abundant harvests in the new year. It is the diversity of dishes that creates the magic of this family gathering. In Poland, the most popular fish prepared for the Christmas Eve table has become carp, served in various versions—mainly fried or served cold in aspic. Its meat contains plenty of easily digestible protein and minerals: calcium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, and sodium. Our recipe will let you discover its unique flavor in a smoked version. It’s an excellent option, and preparing the fish is really simple. The carp will gain not only an attractive appearance but, above all, an excellent aroma and flavor. It will be a truly delicious Christmas Eve supper, and your loved ones will surely enjoy this exquisite carp, smoked the homemade way!
Step-by-step recipe for smoked carp
Preparation:
Wash the carp thoroughly, remove the larger scales, and discard the gills. Place the prepared fish in a bucket or a stoneware vessel of appropriate capacity and cover with a curing brine made from water, salt, and sugar. You can add 5 g of pepper and 2 bay leaves to the brine. Leave the bucket or other vessel used tightly closed for 10 hours at 4-8°C. After this time, remove the fish and pat them dry thoroughly with paper towels. Then let them dry well—this will ensure the carp smoke properly in the next stage rather than cook. When the fish skin feels completely dry and the fish itself is fairly firm, you can start smoking. Hot-smoke the fish for one and a half hours in a balcony or garden smoker at 60-75⁰C.
