* The calculations use average data for Russia
The fish processing business is one of the most profitable areas of work in food industry. This is especially true now, since even in times of economic crisis this industry suffers least from market fluctuations. It is characterized by relative stability (of course, such a business also depends on market conditions, but to a lesser extent than food production in general), as well as stable demand, which depends little on the season and the economic situation in the country. Let's consider the option of opening a small enterprise for the production of such types of products as dried fish (bream, pike, sabrefish, crucian carp, silver bream, sop, pike perch, roach, smelt, asp, roach, flounder, nelma) and various types sea and freshwater fish, hot and cold smoked.
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If you do not have experience working directly in the field of fish processing, then it is better to start with a mini-smoking and drying workshop different types fish. In general, the process seems quite simple and includes three main stages: purchasing raw materials (fresh or frozen fish), processing it and selling it through various retail outlets. The trade margin for such products is about 45-50%. The profitability of this business is quite high (from 30%), so all costs can be recouped within the first year of operation. To open a mini-workshop you will need from 450 thousand rubles, and for a medium-sized enterprise - from 1 million rubles.
The Russian fish market is actively developing. Its annual growth is about 15%. Its volume in monetary terms is estimated at $16 billion.
Premises for a fish workshop and its equipment
Please note: the fish processing workshop must meet all the requirements for enterprises working with food products. The area of the workshop premises must be at least 100 square meters. meters. Moreover, according to the requirements of the Sanitary Service, it must be located at a distance of at least 300 meters from industrial enterprises and residential buildings. In addition, the room must be heated, cold and hot water, a ventilation system is installed, as well as air conditioning. It is mandatory to have a container washing system, bactericidal lamps and well-established sewage system. Do not forget about the need to arrange locker rooms and separate bathrooms for staff.
When looking for premises for a workshop, give preference to options that once housed food production or a catering establishment (for example, a canteen), since in this case you will not have to invest in major repairs. Since your business is directly related to food products, control over it will be exercised by the SES. Every month, the sanitary service will take product samples from the stream for laboratory analysis. In addition, you will need to obtain permits from firefighters, veterinary services, Rosprirodnadzor and Rostekhnadzor.
Whether to provide for the possibility of selling finished products directly from the workshop is up to you to decide. But often this turns out to be impractical. Equipment for a store requires additional (and considerable) expenses, and the remoteness of your workshop from residential buildings significantly limits purchasing activity.
To process fish, you will need special equipment. First of all, you will need refrigeration chambers to store raw materials. Some use refrigerated shipping containers, which are lined with food grade steel on the inside. This container is quite spacious and can even be installed outdoors to save space. Finding it, however, is quite difficult and it is not cheap. You may have to ship from another region, so add shipping costs to the cost. In addition, you will need a rack or bath for defrosting fish, a bath for washing raw materials, a technological table for cutting fish, knives and cutting boards, baths for salting products, smokehouses (chambers for smoking fish), drying chambers, a slicer for cutting finished products into even slices and its placement in pallets, equipment for vacuum packaging of finished products, electronic thermal printing scales for weighing the finished product and printing labels, equipment for cleaning fish, removing bones, separating skin from meat, obtaining fillets, protective chainmail gloves and aprons that protect against cuts when manipulating a knife.
Fish processing technology
Fish processing is a rather complex process from a technological point of view, which is carried out in several stages. Each of them requires special equipment and experienced specialists. Of course, now you can find a large amount of modern equipment and descriptions of new methods of processing fish. But for a small workshop this comes with unaffordable costs. In addition, the classic option for processing and processing fish is the most popular among both producers and consumers.
In a simplified way, the technological scheme can be represented as follows: first, fresh or frozen fish is transferred to the fish receiving workshop, and then to the storage chambers. They purchase raw materials from wholesale companies with mandatory quality checks of each batch of fish upon acceptance of the goods. This is done by a qualified technologist, who must be able to correctly determine when the fish was caught and how long it has been stored.
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Before any production begins, the raw materials undergo pre-processing: the fish are sorted by weight and size, washed from mucus and cut up. Already at this stage, part of the fish can be packaged and sold as a semi-finished product, and part is sent for further processing.
Let's take a closer look at the technology of drying fish. Drying is the process of slowly dehydrating pre-salted fish in a natural or artificial environment. As a result of this, complex biochemical processes occur. Taste and appearance the product changes and can be eaten without additional cooking. Almost any fish is suitable for drying, but the best raw materials for such processing are semi-fat and fatty fish. They are not only tastier, but also more profitable to produce, since the percentage of weight during their preparation is much lower than when processing less fatty fish. The ratio of protein and fat in fish meat for drying should be at least 0.8. If the raw material contains less fat, then it is better to use such fish for drying.
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There are several types of semi-finished fish products for drying: uncut, ungutted, headless, gutted with head, shaved (with gills removed), headless layer, layer with head, half-layer, back-beam, side. The type of treatment depends on the size of the fish. For example, uncut or with gills removed can be dried small fish- roach, roach, ide, mackerel, horse mackerel, rudd, herring, perch, etc. But large fish are always stripped.
On next stage fish is salted by dry or mixed salting until the salt content is at least 6% in the thickness of the meat. This may take about a week. Then the fish is soaked, which avoids the appearance of so-called brine - salt deposits - on the surface of the finished product. Depending on the size of the pieces to be soaked, the fish can be kept in clean water or a weak brine solution for several hours.
The fish prepared in this way is strung on metal rods with a distance between the carcasses of 5-6 cm. In this case, the backs of the fish should be directed in one direction. For industrial production, fish is dried using special drying chambers. In contrast to drying, during drying, under the influence of its own enzymes and oxygen, fish meat undergoes hydrolytic decomposition of complex substances, as a result of which it becomes ready for consumption and acquires a recognizable taste and aroma. The finished product should have firm but soft meat and taste without any signs of rawness. The moisture content in dried fish should not exceed 45-50%, and salt - up to 14%. Dried fish contains about 10% moisture.
Waste from fish processing is also processed into minced fish feed and fishmeal. Their implementation allows you to increase the profitability of the workshop.
Expenses and income of a workshop for the production of smoked and dried fish
The biggest expense item is the purchase of the necessary equipment (especially a refrigerated container). Regular expenses include renting premises for a workshop, as well as wages to employees of the enterprise and deductions from it to various funds. In addition to the people who will work in production and a technologist, you will also need a laboratory assistant who will monitor the quality of the product at all stages of its production. A license for the production of fish products is not required, but you will need to obtain certificates for each item, which also involves additional costs.
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Finished products sold through wholesale companies, various retail outlets and retail chains, markets, company stores (stalls), etc. The net profit of a small fish processing workshop is from 50 thousand rubles per month.
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Drying them helps to significantly increase the shelf life of perishable food products. The technology for drying fish involves removing moisture from it, the content of which, depending on the breed, should not exceed 35-45%. Some types of fish products, for example, sturgeon balyk, can have a moisture content of up to 50%.
Two types of fish dryingIn theory, drying can be natural or artificial. In the first case, the treatment is carried out outdoors or in a well-ventilated area. However, to produce dried fish in significant volumes, they often resort to artificial drying. For this purpose, special equipment is used, with the help of which a special temperature regime is maintained, and the drying agent is not atmospheric air, but inert gases, for example, carbon dioxide or nitrogen.
Artificial drying has several advantages over natural drying. Firstly, processing time is significantly reduced – several times. Secondly, the dependence on various atmospheric phenomena is removed, because with high air humidity, the production of dried fish becomes impossible. Thirdly, the quality of the final product improves, since inert gas environments do not allow fats to oxidize, which occurs when exposed to atmospheric air. Oxidation affects the taste of dried fish, significantly worsening them.
Thus, the artificial technology of drying fish looks more attractive from all points of view - on the one hand, its use makes it possible to increase the volume of products produced by an order of magnitude, on the other hand, the quality and taste of dried fish improves.
Process stagesArtificial drying of fish occurs in several stages:
- washing;
- sorting;
- salting;
- drying;
- package.
Washing is carried out to remove contaminants, as well as foreign particles, the presence of which on fish is inevitable no matter what conditions it is stored or transported. Sorting involves the distribution of fish into groups based on carcass size. This is necessary in order to achieve uniform salting, because the concentration of the brine used, as well as the time the workpieces are in it, depends on the size of the fish.
The salting container is filled one third with brine, into which the fish are placed in rows, sprinkling each new layer with salt. Recommended grinding is No. 3, the required amount is determined based on the volume of fish being processed - 18% by weight.
To achieve high-quality salting, it is necessary to maintain the appropriate temperature conditions. Sudden changes in temperature during artificial fish drying technology are unacceptable. It is also necessary to periodically mix the fish mass, which ensures a more uniform distribution of brine and its optimal concentration throughout the volume of the salting bath.
The easiest way to quickly and efficiently mix large volumes of fish is to simply transfer them from one container to another. However, at the final stages of salting it is better to use turning technology, while simultaneously adding salt to the container - approximately 5% of total mass fish.
The final stage of preparing the fish is stringing it on twine or rods. In this form, the workpieces are thoroughly rinsed in fresh running water to remove any remaining brine or particles of undissolved salt from the surface of the carcasses. If this is not done, the salt will crystallize during the drying process. This not only spoils the appearance of the finished product, but also contributes to its moisture during storage and infection by pests, for example, cheese flies or carpet beetles. Additional processing of fish in a 3% solution of acetic acid, which is carried out immediately before placing the workpieces in chambers of special equipment, will help to avoid such consequences.
Drying processTraditional fish drying technology involves the use of special tunnel-type installations. A drying agent is supplied under pressure into the chamber through which carts with workpieces move. After passing through the tunnel, it is removed from the chamber along with the moisture extracted from the fish.
The dryers are divided into 4 zones, each of which maintains the appropriate temperature and humidity conditions. At the first stage, the workpieces are processed at a temperature of 22 degrees, then it rises to 25, in the third zone – 28, and at the fourth stage, unheated air from the air conditioner is supplied into the chamber. Accordingly, when moving from one zone to another, the relative humidity of the air decreases.
An important nuance is that every 6 hours you must take a break of approximately 1.5-2 hours. This is necessary so that the moisture remaining in the product is evenly distributed throughout the entire thickness of the fish.
Final stageUpon completion of the drying process, the finished fish is sorted not only by size, but also by quality, after which the product is placed in a special container. Most often, these are cardboard boxes, less often tin cans or plastic bags, the use of which allows you to create optimal conditions storage
The shelf life of dried fish in plastic bags or metal cans is practically unlimited, while cardboard boxes ensure the normal condition of the product only during the first 3 months. However, cardboard containers are much cheaper, which affects the cost and competitiveness of products.
It should be noted that the profitability of small enterprises producing dried fish cannot be high. This is explained by the fact that the fish drying technology requires significant costs associated with both the purchase of special substances (air conditioners, inert gases, etc.) and high electricity costs.
Drying and drying seafood has become so popular that end consumers can choose from a variety of fish delicacies that have high gastronomic qualities and an attractive appearance. And you need to offer them something that is truly tasty, safe and aesthetically pleasing in appearance. And we will help you with this!
Choose our reliable and professional equipment for curing and drying fish to make your production economically profitable and successful. The site's catalog contains more than 30 models of infrared fish dryers. After familiarizing yourself with their characteristics and studying the information in the “Frequently Asked Questions” section, you can buy the best one.
Which dryer should you choose?
We offer you three options of installations for drying and drying fish products: chamber, cabinet, tunnel. Each of them works periodically or continuously. And here the main thing is not to make a mistake in choosing. Because for small businesses it is better to order equipment with lower power consumption and smaller chamber volume.
We recommend that large enterprises choose tunnel-type installations. Their main advantage is high performance. High-power equipment models allow you to dry up to 1 ton of products per day. For example, in it you can dry fish of any size on special carts or by hanging products vertically.
However, to use it, the room must be spacious and have high ceilings (over 3 m). The external temperature should be within 10-30°C, and the air humidity should be low. Otherwise, there are no special requirements for the premises in which the operation of tunnel fish dryers is planned.
What to look for when purchasing?
When choosing a fish drying chamber, consider the following parameters:
Type of fuel. We produce equipment that can easily operate on any type of fuel. Therefore, you can choose the one that will allow you to organize cost-effective production. For example, petroleum products or wood waste (pellets), natural gas or electricity.
Installation size. If the room allows, you can choose a large dryer. This will increase business productivity to 200-1000 kg per day, which means increasing turnover and profitability of the business.
Internal chamber volume. The external parameters of a fish dryer are important, but it is also worth considering the internal volume of the working chamber. The larger it is, the more fish it will fit. Moreover, it will be possible to dry it whole or in the form of steaks.
Equipment power. The more powerful the drying for drying seafood, the faster the entire production process will occur. Especially if the fish is large. This is beneficial for you if the company has a high turnover or plans to increase production volumes.
It is better, of course, to entrust the selection of a fish drying chamber to our specialists. Taking into account the specifics of your production and the scale of work, they will recommend best model dryers or we will develop an installation with new equipment individually for you. Contact us!
Basic information.
There are many arguments in favor of the fact that opening a fish drying shop is a good investment. Below we present the main ones:
1) Demand for these products remains high even in the most difficult times;
2) The production of dried fish does not require either ultra-modern equipment or any special knowledge and skills;
3) The profitability of such companies is quite high. On average it ranges from 20 to 40%.
And others. In a word, this business is profitable. The question remains - what needs to be done to build it, and “how much will it cost” for a novice entrepreneur?
Room.
The laws of the Russian Federation state that production buildings of all enterprises engaged in food processing must:
1) Located at a distance of 300 meters or more from residential buildings and industrial facilities;
2) Have a room area of 100 square meters or more;
3) Be equipped with heating, sewage and ventilation systems, air conditioning, bactericidal lamps and a machine for washing containers.
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Also, the premises of the fish drying shop must have a bathroom, changing rooms for staff and a water supply system that provides access to hot water and water. cold water. As you can see, the requirements are strict. We recommend that, if possible, you rent premises that previously housed a food processing plant. If there is none, you need to hire a repair team and equip the room you like with your own hands.
On average, the cost of renting a small (with an area of 100-120 square meters) industrial premises ranges from 20,000 to 50,000 thousand rubles per month. In this case, the price varies depending on:
1) The region in which the structure is located;
2) Condition of the premises;
3) The greed of the landlord.
Important - if you find a premises that suits you, enter into a long-term contract with its owner. Otherwise, the owner of the building may increase the rental price immediately after your business begins to generate good profits.
Equipment.
To open a fish drying shop you need to purchase:
1) Refrigeration chambers. You can also use some models of refrigerators;
2) Several large tanks for defrosting, salting and cleaning fish;
3) A table (preferably several) for cutting raw materials;
4) Knives, boards and other small tools;
5) Smoking and drying chambers;
6) Slicer for even slicing of finished products;
7) Libra;
8) Packaging equipment;
9) Devices for cleaning fish from bones, skin, etc.;
10) Gloves, aprons and other personal safety equipment for personnel.
Important - not all of the above needs to be purchased at once. For example, at first, fish can be cleaned manually.
Raw materials.
The following types of fish are used for drying:
1) Taran;
2) Sinets;
3) Shemaya;
4) Rybets;
5) Bream;
6) Pike perch;
7) Chekhon.
And other fat and semi-fat inhabitants of the waters. Fresh or frozen fish should only be purchased from reliable suppliers. At the same time, each batch of raw materials must be checked by a technologist who is on the staff of the workshop or hired externally.
Staff.
First of all, you need to hire at least two specialists with experience in this area of the food industry. You also need to hire a good cleaner who can keep the building perfectly clean (otherwise your company may be closed as a result of a SES raid). As your business expands, you will need to consider hiring additional employees, an accountant, a lawyer, and a technologist.
Legal aspect.
In order to open a fish drying shop, you must obtain permission from the following authorities:
1) Fire service;
2) Rostechnadzor;
3) Rosprirodnadzor;
4) Veterinary service.
Technical aspect.
Fish processing is an extremely complex and multifaceted process. Detailed information you can find about it on the Internet, specialized books, etc. We will only clarify that it takes from 2 days to 3 weeks to create a batch of finished products (depending on the drying technology, the equipment used and the type of fish).
Entrepreneurs who own fish drying shops have the opportunity to earn additional funds producing fishmeal and minced feed. All that is needed for their production is a crushing device and waste (bones, heads, skin, etc.).
The business we are describing requires virtually no marketing. The main proceeds go to its owner from the wholesale sale of goods to just a few persons.
Development prospects.
There are two ways to modernize this business:
1) Intensive - purchase of new equipment to reduce costs. Improving the quality of products (leading to their rise in price), increasing the range of goods;
2) Extensive - increasing production volumes, opening new workshops and expanding old ones.
Expenses.
1) Equipment - from 400 thousand rubles;
2) Rent - from 20 to 50 thousand rubles;
3) Purchase of raw materials - from 50 to 200 thousand rubles;
4) Staff salaries - from 30 thousand rubles;
5) Taxes and unexpected expenses - depending on the specific situation.
Income.
Typically, the price for products manufactured by a workshop is formed according to the following principle: the cost of the goods + 30-50% markup. The profit of a small enterprise specializing in drying fish is at least 60 thousand rubles. But only if:
1) It was possible to sell at least 90% of the manufactured products;
2) The entrepreneur did not have any problems with the state. services;
3) The process of producing dried fish and storing it complies with all industry standards.
On average, a good fish drying workshop pays for itself within 4-8 months.
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In this article:
Basics of drying and dryingDrying and drying are the processes of dehydrating fish to a moisture content in its tissues of 40% or less, which prevents the development of microorganisms (bacteria and yeast cannot develop at a humidity of less than 25%, mold - 15%). In addition, the fish is salted before processing.
Dried fish is high in calories and has a spicy taste. The classic raw materials for its production are roach and ram. Appetizing and dried freshwater fish- bream, pike perch, perch, roach, sabrefish, silver bream, vimba and others - with sufficient, but not very high fat content, as well as oceanic - vomer, dentex, butterfish, stroma.
You can dry any fish, but you should remember the following:
- with the removal of moisture, the taste specific to a given fish is enhanced;
- It is prohibited to dry fish with signs of disease;
- bottom fish (perch, cod, etc.) should be gutted, as they are easily affected by the botulinus microbe;
- Fatty and fleshy fish (bream, vimba, etc.) require a lot of patience due to the length of the process of removing moisture from it
Dried fish has a specific taste and smell. They use semi-fat and fatty fish (roach, ram, sabrefish, bream, asp, roach, ide, mackerel, horse mackerel). Dried fish is salted and slowly dehydrated under natural conditions.
Fish are sorted into large, medium and small. They use uncut, gutted with head, without head, layer with and without head, chilled, half-layer, back, balyk, flank. The fish is dried at a temperature of 20–22°C for 15 to 30 days.
When drying fish, as a result of loss of moisture, reduction in the volume of muscle cells and delamination of fibers, the resulting voids are filled subcutaneous fat and fat-like substances of the viscera (such as lecin, containing phosphorus), as well as products of protein breakdown and fat oxidation. Evenly distributed in the tissues, fat-protein formations give them an amber color, a specific taste and a unique aroma. The complex biochemical reactions that take place contribute to the ripening of products.
Since the fish is dried at a low temperature (about 30°C), the proteins and vitamins contained in it retain their physiological properties quite fully.
Tissue dehydration goes through two stages: first, moisture evaporates from the surface layers (external diffusion of moisture), then, due to the difference in moisture content between the internal and surface zones, internal tissue moisture moves to the surface layers (internal diffusion). Subsequently, the cycle repeats. To receive products high quality it is important to achieve equality in the rate of moisture evaporation in the first stage and its movement to the surface of the object in the second. With an increase in the external air temperature, as well as the speed of its movement, the evaporation of moisture outstrips its entry to the surface of the fish: a crust is formed, slowing down moisture transfer and drying. Therefore, the air temperature during drying should not exceed 30°C, and its speed should approach 2 m/s.
A type of dried product is hanging fish, which requires special cutting (Fig. 20), short-term salting and drying to a moisture content of at least 60–62%.
This type of product is characterized by a delicate taste, aroma and attractive appearance. The raw materials are oceanic fish - mackerel, sea bass, captain fish, as well as freshwater - catfish and silver carp.
And, finally, a special type of dried product - balyk products made from large and plump fish (“balyk” translated from the Turkic language means “fish”). Distinctive feature preparation of balyk products - cutting method: cutting off the abdominal part of a headless carcass. After salting, the balyki are soaked and dried in dry weather for about a month.
Under artificial conditions, fish are dried in special chambers with continuous air circulation at a temperature of 25–30°C for about two weeks. Finished products contain 45–55% moisture and 6–14% salt.
For drying, you should take only fresh fish with dense muscle tissue, shiny bulging eyes, and red or light burgundy gills.
Live fish is kept in a cool place until mucus is completely released on its surface, which can be easily washed off with water. Then the fish is sorted by size and salted, for which coarse salt is poured into the gills and oral cavity and pushed with a wooden stick. Fish is salted in cardboard boxes or wooden boxes. 20 holes are made in the bottom of the box, four in a row. An 8–10 mm layer of salt is poured onto the bottom and the fish are placed in rows, sprinkling with salt first the large ones, then the medium ones and finally the small ones. Salt consumption is 13–15% of fish weight. The box is covered with plywood, leaving a gap between the walls and the plywood of at least 20–25 mm for ventilation. Place a weight on top (heavy enough, but not so heavy that it crushes the fish). To drain the resulting brine, it is better to place the box on two bars.
Silver bream, white bream, roach, rudd and similar fish weighing 300–500 g are salted for two to three days, a kilogram bream - four to five, sabrefish weighing 400–600 g - six to seven days large quantity fat in the abdominal cavity.
The readiness of the fish for drying is indicated by the hardened back, pale red color of the eyes and a characteristic crunch when slightly bent. Then the fish is thoroughly washed in water and soaked in a bucket of water or basin, changing the water periodically; small fish - within 1 hour, large fish - 3–4 hours, and saber fish - up to 2 days. On a wooden board, the fish is pierced near the tail with a knife and, using a straightened large paper clip or special hooks made of stainless wire, is hung on a string in the shade in the wind, first head down to allow liquid to flow out of the mouth. When the liquid stops dripping, the fish is hung with its tail down, threading the hooks through the eyes.
In mini-workshops, you can dry a small amount of fish, which is due to the limited area of the premises. But its taste and appearance are worse than those dried in the open air.
The fish should be thoroughly washed in cold water, salted in clean dishes, but not in galvanized buckets or aluminum pans. Before hanging it indoors, place a tray on the floor for drainage. You can turn on a fan, and in the cold season, an electric fireplace to heat the air, but not for long, no more than 20–30 minutes, in order to avoid the formation of a dried crust on the fish, which prevents the release of moisture from the tissues.
Sea and ocean fish lend themselves well to drying, especially small and medium-sized ones: smelt, navaga, capelin, catfish, sea crucian, vomer and a number of others (for large fish the risk of spoilage is greater). The fish is defrosted, and since it is salted before drying, defrosting is combined with salting. You need to select fish of approximately the same size. It is better to take two containers: in one to defrost and salt large fish, in the other - small ones. Salted sea fish should contain 5–7% table salt in its tissues.
For previously defrosted fish, it is advisable to use mixed salting. Pour a little brine into the prepared dish and place the fish in rows after rolling them in salt, sprinkle each row with preservative. The total salt consumption is 15–20% of the fish weight. Salted fish is soaked in cold water for 2–4 hours to even out the salinity. muscle tissue and reducing its concentration.
There is a method of salting by injecting a saline solution using a syringe into the fish meat, with 20–30 injections made in different parts of the body. A veterinary syringe can also be used to administer a solution of table salt. Fish salted in this way does not require further soaking, but is immediately hung up to dry. Hang it upside down, attaching it to the twine with clothespins. After the liquid stops coming out of the mouth, the fish is hung with its tail down.
Drying at a temperature of 16–20°C lasts 10–14 days. In enclosed spaces, it is necessary to open a window or window, but close it at night.
Balyk productionSturgeon balyks are prepared from fresh and frozen raw materials, white fish - almost exclusively from ice cream, since white fish is caught mainly in winter after freeze-up, and it is frozen by natural cold.
The sequence of the main processes in the production flow chart is as follows: thawing; cutting; washing; ambassador; soak; washing; drying; sorting and packaging.
Cooking white fish balykBelorybitsa is mined in the Northern Caspian Sea and the Volga Delta from mid-November to mid-April. Almost the entire catch of white fish is processed into balyk, some of it is dried on site, and some is sent for drying to large centers in ice cream or in the form of a salted semi-finished product (separately balyki and teshi).
The best raw material is well-fed (20% fat) white fish, the worst is rolled white fish with a fat content of only 2–3%. Average dimensions 80–110 cm, weight 6–8.5 kg. Females are usually larger and fatter than males.
Thawing is carried out both in cold water (8–10°C) during the day, and in air - 15–18 hours at a temperature of 6–10°C. The latter method is preferable, since it eliminates the swelling of tissues and the placement of fish in baths.
Cutting is done on a wooden table 4–5 m long, about 1 m wide, or on a special board installed on the table with a bar for resting the fish.
For cutting, two sharp knives with a rounded blade are used, one of which is intended specifically for making a cut separating the meat, the other for cutting off the meat near the head and for other operations. One must think that band saws can be successfully used for cutting.
The incision should be made in a straight line about 2 cm from the lateral line. If there is a significant deviation from the lateral line, the edge of the peritoneum dries out during drying and spoils the appearance of the balyk.
After separating the carcass, immediate cleaning is carried out, removing buds, films and remaining blood.
On average, when cutting a white fish, the resulting back portion is 67%, the side is 25%, and the waste is about 8%.
The innards of whitefish contain up to 50% fat, which is used for food purposes.
AmbassadorAfter cutting, the fish is washed and salted.
The Ambassador consists of the following operations:
When rubbed with salt, the integrity of the epidermis and films lining the internal cavity of the fish, which greatly delay the penetration of salt, is disrupted; in addition, the fish is freed from mucus.
Salt is poured into the bottom of the bath in a layer 2–3 cm thick, and the balyks are tightly placed in it with their backs down. Teshi should be salted separately. Each layer of fish is sprinkled with salt in a layer of 1.5–2 cm.
The total salt consumption is about 40%. Of this amount, 10–12% of salt is actually spent on salting, and the rest is necessary for proper distribution of salt over the surface of the balyk.
The temperature of the curing room should be no higher than 6–8°C.
The degree of salting is determined by the duration of salting: for backs from 17 to 30 days, for sides from 10 to 13 days, depending on the temperature and size of the fish. Excess salt ensures even salting.
Table 1 - Qualitative indicators of balyk products
Due to the uneven distribution of adipose tissue and the large thickness of the fish, salt and moisture are distributed unevenly in the fish, as can be seen from Table 2.
Table 2 - Salting of various parts of balyk, %These tables indicate the need to age balyks and teshis after salting (for 2–3 days) without salt to equalize the salt and moisture content.
The end of salting is determined by the drying of the adipose and caudal fins. The meat at the edges of the cut and along the lateral line becomes elastic and even tough; above the lateral line, especially on the back, it is softer. Tesha becomes tough. When cut, the meat is juicy, with droplets of fat protruding from it.
After salting, the fish is washed in the resulting brine and sorted by quality and weight: large balyk - over 1.8 kg, small - up to 1.8 kg, large balyk - from 5.5 kg and above, medium - from 4 to 5, 5 kg.
To soak, the fish is placed in a bath in three rows and filled with fresh water at a temperature of 5–6°C; The duration of soaking varies between 1–2 days.
Twine is attached to the soaked and washed fish to hang the backs and body, after which the fish is left for 2–3 hours to allow the water to drain from it.
To ensure that the meat does not curl up during drying and remains spread out, in top part teshki, across it, a splinter 15–25 cm long is stuck. The balyk is tied behind the head behind the gill covers. Drying of balyks is carried out on special towers 6–10 m high with a roof and walls in the form of blinds.
The beams are hung on beams located at a distance of 0.5–0.75 m from each other, with hooks or nails on both sides.
Depending on temperature conditions and air humidity, the duration of drying of balyks ranges from 9–16 days. In winter, the drying process slows down greatly, and to speed it up, they resort to combined drying under natural and artificial conditions. First, the balyks are kept on a tower for up to 20 days, and then transferred for 10–15 days to a chamber with a temperature of 6 to 8°C.
Thus, the total duration of drying balyk in winter reaches up to a month. The drying period for meat usually does not exceed 10 days.
Readiness is determined by the condition of the meat and its consistency: when cut, the meat should be light yellow in color, elastic in consistency, saturated with fat and have a pleasant smell. Tesha is covered with a thin shiny film; In places where the film is torn, fat appears.
The change in weight during the production of balyks and teshes can be seen from the data in Table 3.
Table 3 - Weight loss of semi-finished fish products during the production of balyk products
During the drying process, tesha loses about 20% of the weight of the fish, and balyk - 15%.
Significant fluctuations are observed in the chemical composition of balyks (Table 4), depending on the source raw material and processing.
Table 4 - Chemical composition of white fish balyk (in%)The deli are placed in boxes lined with parchment paper, cut side up. Net weight about 60 kg.
Teshi are placed in rows in boxes of 60 pieces each, covering each row with parchment. Net weight about 60 kg.
Dried balyk products are called “slung”. Based on quality, they are divided into the highest grade, 1st grade, 2nd grade, and for other fish - 1st grade and 2nd grade.
The highest grade of sturgeon includes the backs, sides, and sides of only well-fed fish. The surface is clean, dried - gray, for smoked ones - dark with yellowness. The consistency is tender and juicy. Salt content - 7%.
1st grade - products with small layers of fat. The rest is like the highest grade. Salt content - 9%.
2nd grade - backs, sides, sides of different fatness. The consistency may be dry. The product is flaking. Faint smell of oxidized fat, taste of sludge. Salt content - 10%.
Drying caviarThe eggs of large freshwater and sea fish are dried: mullet, mullet, hake, and notothenia. After removing the fish from the cavity, they are washed in cold water and salted in a saturated solution of table salt, preferably at a low temperature, for which the dishes with brine and eggs are placed in the refrigerator. The duration of salting, depending on the size of the eggs, is 4–6 hours. It is recommended to stir the brine periodically. Then the yastyki are rinsed with water and left for 30 minutes to drain, after which they are strung on a strong thread or fishing line and hung for drying. Duration of drying is 15–20 days.
Making dried (dried) fish. They use large fatty ocean fish - mackerel, horse mackerel, sardine, herring. All preparatory operations (defrosting, salting, soaking) are carried out similarly to those described for drying fish, but the duration of drying is reduced to 5–7 days. Ready hung fish should have a dry surface, slightly compacted juicy meat and a pleasant salty taste without a “damp” feeling. If dried fish can be stored for up to two months, then the shelf life of hung products should not exceed 7 days at a temperature not exceeding 5°C.
In terms of quality, dried fish is classified into 1st grade and 2nd grade.
1st grade - fish of all sizes, varying fatness, without a touch of salt, the abdomen is dense, minor scales are allowed, the presence of salt (brine) on the head, a slightly weakened abdomen. Salt content 12%.
2nd grade - broken scales, brine on the surface, weakened, yellowed belly, faint smell of oxidized fat in the belly, slight smell of silt are allowed. Salt content 14%.
Humidity in 1st and 2nd grades is 38–45%.
Store at a temperature of –5…–8°С for 3–4 months.
Drying fishMostly lean fish with a fat content of no more than 2% is dried in installations at a temperature of 200°C and under natural conditions at a temperature of 30–35°C. The most popular for drying are smelt and cod. Aborigines Far North They prepare the so-called yukola - salted and dried fish for subsequent boiling and preparation of first courses.
For hot drying, small, lean fish are used: bleak, ruffe, gudgeon, loach, as well as lean capelin, smelt and small fish of groups II and III. Fish is salted in a saline solution with a concentration close to saturation, with a ratio of solution to fish in the container of 2:1. The duration of salting at room temperature is 7–15 minutes. Then the fish is kept for 30–40 minutes to drain the liquid on a net, laid out on clean wooden boards and left to dry, periodically turning it over and wiping the surface of the board with clean gauze. It is better to dry near an open vent or window.
After sufficient drying, which takes 4–6 hours, the fish is placed on the same boards in the oven and continues to dry, gradually raising the temperature to 120–130°C, sprinkling with coarse salt so as not to burn, while the oven door must be open. Drying time is about 3 hours. After this, the fish tissues should be tough, but not brittle. The meat separates easily from the bones. Hot-dried fish is divided into 1st grade and 2nd grade. Store at 10°C for 3–4 months. In addition, dried fish can be stored under normal temperature conditions for up to several months.
In Bulgaria, dried fish is prepared in a cold way. To do this, it is salted for 20 minutes in a wet way until the salt content is 3–4%, washed with water and dried on nets. In the first 5–6 hours, the temperature is maintained no higher than 25°C, then it is raised to 30°C. Drying time is 2–3 days.
Hot-dried fish can also be cooked while fishing. The fallen fish is cut into layers with the head and washed well after thoroughly cleaning the insides, kept for 15–20 minutes in a bucket in a solution of table salt, then rinsed with water. Pegs are cut out of raw wood, about 2 cm thick and about 1 m long, and both ends are sharpened.
The head part of the fish is placed on pegs, the opposite ends of which are stuck into the ground with a slight slope so that it sag, and dried for several hours in the shade. Dry the fish at some distance from the fire (so that it does not cook) on the same pegs, adjusting the size of the flame. You can prepare first courses from dried fish.
Fighting flies. To reduce the contamination of the product with fly larvae, fishermen recommend treating fish with a mixture of vinegar and vegetable oil in a ratio of 6: 4. Pour vinegar into a glass jar, then oil. After a while, stir everything. For 3 kg small fish take 0.5 liters of the mixture, for the same amount of large fish - 0.7–1 liters. After salting and soaking, the fish must be dried, since water and brine, once in the mixture, will weaken its effect.
Processing of small fish. Place five or six fish in a 1 liter jar half filled with the mixture, cover it with a plastic lid and shake vigorously several times. Then, after allowing the excess mixture to drain, remove the fish and dry.
Processing large fish. Dipping a soft brush into the constantly stirring mixture, apply three to four longitudinal strokes from head to tail and back again on each side of the fish. The mixture is used to cover the scales, head, tail and fins, especially the anal ones.
In addition, it is recommended to dip small cotton swabs into the mixture and insert them under the gills. If the fish is gutted, then cotton balls soaked in the mixture are suspended from spacers inserted into the belly on threads or wires. For small fish, two treatments every 2–3 hours are sufficient; for large fish, every 3–4 hours. Within 1–2 hours, hung fish should be inspected frequently (especially large ones), paying attention to the gills, and in gutted fish, to the abdominal cavity.
