The delicacy called balyk is very easy to prepare at home with a minimum amount of ingredients and active work time. This is a great addition to salads, various cereals, and is convenient to take with you as a snack. The delicacy will become a real decoration for a festive or everyday table. Prepare balyk from your favorite type of meat, based on your taste preferences, please yourself and your loved ones.

What is balyk

In cooking, balyk is dried meat from large fish species: sturgeon (beluga, stellate sturgeon), salmon (chum salmon, pink salmon) and so on. The delicacy has a delicate structure, special taste and aroma. To prepare it, you must use fresh pieces of meat, otherwise it may spoil during the drying process. Before sending it to dry, the pieces are covered with salt for a while.

It draws out moisture well and saturates the pulp with flavor. After this procedure, the pulp is rubbed with spices and herbs, if necessary according to the recipe, and sent to dry. It is advisable to do this outdoors and always in the shade, avoiding exposure to sunlight. Using this technology, you can prepare balyk from the pulp of pork, veal and chicken.

Beneficial features

During the process of drying fish, all useful substances are preserved. It is no secret that fish pulp is rich in vitamins and minerals. Below is a list of useful substances contained in fish balyk, calculated per 100 grams of product:

Vitamins:

• A – 0.058 mg;
• A (Retinol equivalent) – 58 mcg;
• B1 (Thiamin) – 0.04 mg;
• B2 (Riboflavin) – 0.1 mg;
• E (Tocopherol equivalent) – 2.4 mg;
• RR – 1.7 mg;
• PP (Niacin equivalent) – 6.6 mg.

Macronutrients:

• Sodium – 347 mg;
• Potassium – 240 mg;
• Sulfur – 204 mg;
• Phosphorus – 181 mg;
• Chlorine – 165 mg;
• Calcium – 39 mg;
• Magnesium – 21 mg.

Microelements:

• Iron – 0.9 mg;
• Zinc – 0.7 mg;
• Fluoride – 430 mcg;
• Chromium – 55 mcg;
• Nickel – 6 mcg;
• Molybdenum – 4 mcg.

Other useful substances:

• Cholesterol – 92 mg;
• Water – 57.2 g;
• Ash – 9.9 g;
• Saturated fatty acids – 2.8 g.

Balyk is a dietary food product; it does not contain a single gram of carbohydrates, only proteins and healthy fats. It is included in the diet of many diets and other weight loss programs. The delicacy replenishes the lack of nutrients in the body and satisfies the feeling of hunger well. It is worth noting that during heat treatment most vitamins are destroyed, while during drying they are preserved.

Balyk recipes

Today there are many recipes for preparing this delicacy. Making balyk from fish at home is not difficult, just like from other types of meat. The main thing is to strictly adhere to the cooking technology and wait for the moment when the pulp is well dried and can be eaten without harm to health. Choose a recipe that suits your taste perfectly.

From fish

• Time: 8 days.
• Number of servings: 15 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 86 kcal/100 grams.
• Purpose: snack.
• Cuisine: Turkic.
• Difficulty: easy.

Balyk is prepared mainly from large fish (from 3 kg) of valuable species: trout, sturgeon, stellate sturgeon, catfish, carp, and so on. This recipe uses large silver carp, which is in no way inferior in taste. Chum salmon balyk is also often prepared - this is one of the most common types of fish of the salmon family. According to the recipe, half a kilo of salt is used for 5 kg of fish; you can increase or decrease this amount based on taste preferences.

Ingredients:

• silver carp – 5 kg;
• salt – 500 g.

Cooking method:

1. Wash the fish, cut it as follows: cut off the head, tail, carefully remove the dorsal fin so as not to damage the fillet, cut along the back closer to the spine on both sides.
2. Remove the spine, take out the entrails.
3. Rinse the fish thoroughly under cold water.
4. Cut crosswise into pieces 8-10 centimeters in size.
5. Rub all the pieces with salt, place them in layers in a glass or stainless steel bowl, and sprinkle each layer with salt as well.
6. Send the silver carp to marinate on the refrigerator shelf for 5 days.
7. After five days, drain the resulting solution and rinse each piece thoroughly.
8. Place in a clean bowl, fill with fresh cold water, and soak for 5 hours, changing the water regularly.
9. Next, hang each piece in the shade in the air or under a fan.
10. In two or three days the balyk will be ready.
11. Each piece should be wrapped in cling film and stored on refrigerator shelves.

Beef at home

• Time: 10 days.
• Number of servings: 15 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 128 kcal/100 grams.
• Purpose: snack.
• Cuisine: Turkic.
• Difficulty: easy.

Beef balyk is tasty; its structure resembles another delicacy called basturma. Spices give a special taste, in this case it is a mixture of ground black pepper and coriander. It is important to pre-fry the mixture in a dry frying pan, then the pepper will lose its excessive pungency. Even during heat treatment, pepper and coriander will reveal their aroma, and the meat will acquire a more piquant taste.

Ingredients:

• beef tenderloin – 450 g;
• salt – 100 g;
• apple cider vinegar – 40 ml;
• sugar – 20 g;
• ground black pepper – 20 g;
• coriander – 20 g.

Cooking method:

1. Rinse the tenderloin under running water, pat dry with a paper towel, wrap in a natural cloth and send to “ripen” on the refrigerator shelf for two days.
2. After the allotted time, remove the tenderloin and sprinkle it with salt and sugar.
3. Transfer the meat to a flat dish or plate, place pressure on top and place it on the refrigerator shelf for another day.
4. After a day, drain the liquid and remove it using dry gauze soaked in apple cider vinegar.
5. In a dry frying pan, lightly fry ground black pepper and coriander.
6. Sprinkle the resulting mixture onto the tenderloin, secure the loop, cover with gauze and send to dry in a special dryer or in a well-ventilated area.
7. After a week, you can serve the balyk to the table.

Pork balyk

• Time: 8 days.
• Number of servings: 20 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 240 kcal/100 grams.
• Purpose: snack.
• Cuisine: Turkic.
• Difficulty: easy.

Since pork is a fatty meat, the balyk made from it is high in calories. This recipe uses the neck, this part of the carcass is tender and cures well. Before using, it is better to warm the spicy mixture a little in a dry frying pan so that the spices and herbs reveal their aroma. The recipe specifies a minimum amount of spices, you can vary it to your taste.

Ingredients:

• pork (neck) – 1 kg;
• salt – 100 g;
• coriander – 20 g;
• ground black pepper – 20 g;
• paprika – 20 g;
• dried garlic – 20 g.

Cooking method:

1. Rinse the meat and wipe dry.
2. Roll the pork in salt, transfer to a flat dish and place under pressure on the refrigerator shelf for three days.
3. Turn the meat regularly to ensure it is evenly salted.
4. Drain the liquid, pat the pork dry, and rub with spices.
5. Wrap the neck with gauze or other thin natural material, and tie it several times with thread.
6. Hang in a warm, well-ventilated place for 5 days.

Homemade pork with garlic and vodka

• Time: 8 days.
• Number of servings: 20 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 245 kcal/100 grams.
• Purpose: snack.
• Cuisine: Turkic.
• Difficulty: easy.

Adding vodka while marinating meat gives it a special taste and helps the salt penetrate deeper into the flesh. During the ripening process, the alcohol evaporates, so there is no need to worry about its intoxicating effect. Garlic is also intended to impart a piquant taste and aroma to the meat pulp. You can prepare balyk from meat at home in just 8 days. Using this technology, it is recommended to alternate drying places.

Ingredients:

• pork – 1 kg;
• vodka – 100 ml;
• salt – 70 g;
• coriander – 20 g;
• mixture of peppercorns – 20 g;
• paprika – 20 g;
• ground chili – 20 g;
• dried garlic – 20 g;
• bay leaf – 3 pcs.

Cooking method:

1. Carefully clean the balyk part of the pork from any membranes.
2. Rinse the meat under running water and pat dry with a towel to remove excess moisture.
3. Cut the flesh against the grain into portions.
4. Roll each piece in a small amount of salt.
5. Place the meat slices into a glass baking dish of suitable size and fill with vodka.
6. Cover the top with a flat plate, then put it under pressure and place it on the refrigerator shelf for three days.
7. Turn the pieces daily to ensure the meat is evenly salted.
8. Remove the meat, rinse it from excess salt, and pat dry with a towel.
9. Break the bay leaf into a mortar, add peppercorns, coriander and grind, then add the rest of the spices and mix well.
10. Rub the salted pork with the spicy mixture, wrap it in cotton cloth, tie it with twine, make a loop and hang it in a room in a dark place.
11. Periodically hang the meat on the balcony.
12. Rotate the drying area regularly.
13. The balyk will be ready in at least five days.

Quick pork balyk with cognac

• Time: 21 hours.
• Number of servings: 20 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 144 kcal/100 grams.
• Purpose: snack.
• Cuisine: Turkic.
• Difficulty: easy.

On average, it takes at least a week to prepare meat balyk. Using an oven, this process can be reduced to 21 hours. It is important to cut the meat into thin slices, let it marinate well and dry the pork properly in the oven. The recipe uses tenderloin; it is best suited for this dish. You can experiment with a set of spices to suit your taste.

Ingredients:

• pork tenderloin – 1 kg;
• salt – 120 g;
• cognac – 70 ml;
• sugar – 50 g;
• ground red pepper – 5 g;
• paprika – 5 g.

Cooking method:

1. Rinse the tenderloin, cut into pieces against the grain, 2 centimeters wide.
2. Mix salt and sugar in a separate container.
3. Sprinkle the slices liberally with cognac, rub, then sprinkle with salt.
4. Cover with a towel or cling film and let sit for at least 15 hours.
5. Rinse the tenderloin pieces under running water and wipe dry.
6. Preheat the oven to 80 degrees.
7. Place the meat slices on a wire rack and let dry for 10 minutes.
8. Then turn off the heat in the oven and leave it for another hour.
9. Repeat this procedure 2 more times.
10. Brush cooled tenderloin pieces with cognac or butter.
11. Mix paprika with ground red pepper, rub the pork with this mixture and place on the refrigerator shelf for 2 hours so that the pork is soaked in spices.

• Time: 22 days.
• Number of servings: 30 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 93 kcal/100 grams.
• Purpose: snack.
• Cuisine: Turkic.
• Difficulty: easy.

Meat balyk made from veal is very tender. This type of meat is very tender, it has little fat, so the product is low in calories. It can be used in a dietary diet. This recipe uses sweet paprika, ground ginger and fresh garlic as spices. If desired, you can add a little thyme, a mixture of Provençal herbs, and hot red pepper to this set.

Ingredients:

• veal – 1.5 kg;
• salt – 1 kg;
• paprika – 7 g;
• ground ginger – 7 g;
• garlic – 2 cloves.

Cooking method:

1. Divide the piece of veal into 4 parts.
2. Place the slices in a deep bowl, cover with salt and put on the refrigerator shelf for five days.
3. On the sixth day, remove the veal from the refrigerator and rinse thoroughly to remove salt.
4. Dry the slices with a paper towel and wrap in several layers of gauze.
5. Place the wrapped meat on a flat plate, place the press and place it on the refrigerator shelf for another five days.
6. After the specified time, remove the gauze, make a hole in each slice, stretch the twine and form loops.
7. Hang the veal in a room with good air ventilation, cover with a cotton napkin on top.
8. On the sixth day, remove the veal, sprinkle with water, grate with chopped garlic and sprinkle with the spicy mixture.
9. Transfer the slices to a food container and put them on the refrigerator shelf for another week.

• Time: 22 days.
• Number of servings: 10 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 116 kcal/100 grams.
• Purpose: snack.
• Cuisine: Turkic.
• Difficulty: easy.

You can also prepare delicious balyk at home from chicken fillet. The drying process for this recipe takes a lot of time, but the result is worth the wait. The balyk turns out to be very tender, literally melting on the tongue. Fans of spicy snacks can add ground red pepper to the spicy mixture and rub the fillet with it. These products go well together.

Ingredients:

• chicken fillet – 500 g;
• salt – 500 g;
• vodka – 50 ml;
• Provençal herbs – 10 g;
• ground black pepper – 2 g.

Cooking method:

1. Separately combine ground black pepper, Provençal herbs and salt, then add vodka and mix well.
2. Rinse the chicken fillet under running water and wipe dry.
3. Place half of the spicy mixture on the bottom of a plastic food container, place the fillet on top, and spread the remaining mixture on it.
4. Wrap the container with cling film and place the meat on the refrigerator shelf for two days.
5. After a while, remove the fillet, rinse well, and wipe dry with a towel.
6. Serve the finished dish in thinly sliced ​​slices.

Balyk in a slow cooker

• Time: 3 hours.
• Number of servings: 6 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 306 kcal/100 grams.
• Purpose: snack.
• Cuisine: Turkic.
• Difficulty: easy.

With the advent of modern kitchen appliances, preparing many dishes has become much easier. Balyk is no exception, which can be prepared using a slow cooker in just 3 hours. The meat is rich in taste and very aromatic, thanks to a large number of different spices. This dish will be a wonderful appetizer on the holiday table.

Ingredients:

• pork balyk – 1 kg;
• vegetable oil – 60 ml;
• dried basil – 40 g;
• soy sauce – 40 ml;
• walnuts – 40 g;
• prunes – 20 g;
• lemon juice – 10 ml;
• sugar – 5 g;
• dried ginger – 5 g;
• garlic – 1 head;
• salt - to taste.

Cooking method:

1. Rinse the pork, dry it, sprinkle with finely chopped garlic.
2. Separately, mix basil, sugar, salt, ginger, then add oil, soy sauce and lemon juice, stir until smooth.
3. Place the meat in the marinade and leave for 2 hours.
4. Soak prunes in hot water.
5. After some time, spread food foil on the work surface (in several layers), lay out the meat, place prunes on top and sprinkle everything with ground walnuts.
6. Wrap the meat tightly in foil, transfer it to the multicooker bowl and cook in the “Baking” mode for an hour and a half.
7. After the beep, check the meat is done. If it is still a little hard, then leave it to cook for literally 15 minutes.

To make your balyk the most delicious, you should strictly adhere to the cooking technology and take the advice of professional chefs:

1. It is not advisable to dry meat in the hot season, in which case the likelihood that it will go rotten increases. If you still decide to make balyk in the summer, then there should be good air circulation in the room for drying the meat (you can install a fan); the slices themselves must be covered with a cloth so that insects do not land on it.
2. To ensure that the spices on dry-cured meat stick better, it must be wiped with water or a small amount of vegetable oil.
3. It is necessary to store dried meat on the shelves of the refrigerator, after wrapping it in cloth or paper. If you use a plastic bag, there is a high chance that the meat will become moldy.
4. For salting and storage, it is better to use coarse sea salt; it draws out moisture better and prevents meat from rotting.
5. You can add smoked notes to balyk using liquid smoke; it can be found in many supermarkets.

Video

Fish balyk is a rather unusual product, and very tasty. Not everyone knows about it, because most people are accustomed to the fact that smoked products are made mainly from pork. Let's take a closer look at the technology of preparing balyk from fish meat at home, its calorie content and beneficial properties.

What it is?

Balyk is a fish fillet cut from the upper back. Fish balyk is fish meat that has been salted and dried using a special technology.

Baling can be done from any type of river or sea fish, but certain requirements must be met. The taste of the prepared dish will depend on the type of fish in the future. Balyk is prepared only from high-calorie fish, these include sturgeon and salmon. But it can be prepared from any other type of fish that meets certain parameters.

Benefits and harms

Eating balyk has a lot of positive qualities for the human body:

• The product is recommended to be included in the diet of people suffering from diabetes, since constant consumption of the smoked delicacy reduces blood sugar;
• the immune system is restored;
• vessels are cleaned of toxins and toxic substances;
• doctors advise using this product if the nervous system is damaged, since the microelements contained in fish can restore nerve cells;
• hair and nails are quickly regenerated, and tooth enamel is strengthened.

Fish balyk has practically no contraindications, because it is prepared without the addition of various additives and preservatives. This condition is feasible if the ingredient is prepared correctly, and the terms and rules for preserving the product have been observed. Otherwise, there is a risk of poisoning the body.

Those who are susceptible to allergic reactions should pay special attention to this dish. If after eating balyk you experience redness and itching on your skin, then you should give up this food. This also applies to individual intolerance - choose for cooking only those types of fish that are well accepted by the body.

Calorie content

The calorie content of 100 grams of balyk is 194 kcal. The product contains 20.4 g of protein, 12.5 g of fat and 0 g of carbohydrates. At the same time, the ratio of BJU and calorie content may vary depending on the breed of fish used, as well as on the cooking method.

This ingredient is rich in vitamins and minerals. 100 grams of fish balyk contain a huge amount of nutrients. During heat treatment, vitamins in the product are destroyed, but when salted and dried, they are preserved.

Compound:

• vitamins: A, B1, B2, E, PP;
• macroelements: sodium, calcium, potassium, selenium, magnesium;
• trace elements: iron, zinc, fluorine, molybdenum, nickel;
• cholesterol – 92 mg;
• water – 57.2 g;
• ash – 9.9 g;
• fatty acids – 2.8 g.

Balyk is a dietary food product, because it does not contain carbohydrates, but only proteins and fats. Therefore, experts recommend adding it to the menu for those who adhere to diets.

Which fish to choose?

Fish that can be used for poaching must meet certain requirements, the main one being the fat content ratio. That is, balyk should be prepared from fish meat with a high or medium fat content. Some experts advise choosing a carcass that has fewer fork bones, while others argue that balyk can be prepared from any variety of fish that is large in size. Both opinions are correct, so it all depends on your tastes and preferences.

Such types of fish as silver carp, asp, catfish, and carp are extremely popular. Dishes prepared from sturgeon or red salmon fish are distinguished by their exquisite taste. The fish that is caught in the fall or early winter is especially fatty. For those who adhere to a healthy diet, there are recipes for preparing balyk from lean fish species: pike and pike perch.

Cooking steps

There are different variations of cooking balyk from fish fillet. Moreover, each of them has certain rules that must be observed.

Let's look at the step-by-step preparation of balyk at home.

1. We clean the fish carcass from scales, and then rinse it under running water.
2. Next, we get rid of unnecessary elements: head, fins, tail and entrails. Gutting should be done with extreme care so as not to damage the gallbladder.
3. We cut the carcass along the ridge, which we stretch out with gentle movements. Any existing bones should be removed. Keep in mind that the fillets should not contain skin, so this must also be cut off. Only in some cooking recipes it is left in.
4. We cut the prepared fish meat into portioned pieces, the thickness of which can vary from 1.5 to 3 cm.
5. Sprinkle the chopped pieces with a mixture of salt and sugar.
6. We put the meat in a container and put it under pressure for 4-6 days, while the room should be cold.
7. At the end of salting, the pieces should be washed thoroughly, then wrapped in gauze and hung in a cold place for 3-5 days. To remove excess salt from meat, it can be soaked in cold liquid; the soaking time should be at least 2-3 hours.

The finished product has a pinkish-yellow tint. The dish can be used for sandwiches, salads, and also separately as a snack.

Recipes

Fish balyk is divided into several types depending on the breed of fish, its size and salting method.

Mackerel balyk

Ingredients:

• fish carcasses – 3 pieces;
• salt – 1 tablespoon;
• granulated sugar – 1 tablespoon;
• mustard powder – 1 tablespoon.

We cut the pre-cleaned carcass into fillets. Mix granulated sugar with salt, and also add mustard powder, then rub the fish meat with the mixture. Place the fillets in a container and refrigerate for 24 hours. After this time, the fish must be rinsed with cold liquid and dried with a paper towel. We hang out the products to dry. After a day, the product can be consumed.

Carp delicacy

Components:

• carp (weight 7-9 kg) – 1 piece;
• salt;
• sugar.

We clean, gut and fillet the fresh carcass. Cut the finished carp fillet into pieces, the thickness of which should be 5-7 centimeters. When using this type of fish, the skin must be left on. Rub the meat with salt and sugar, then place it in a pan so that the skin is on the bottom. Place a weight on top of the fish and put the container in the refrigerator or cold room for a week.

After the salting time has passed, the carp should be soaked (2-3 hours) or rinsed thoroughly in water. Let the soaked meat drain and dry with a paper towel. We hang the fish to dry for 4 days, then put it under pressure again for 9-10 hours, then dry it again. The product will be ready for use in 1-2 weeks.

Balyk from asp

Products:

• 1 asp weighing 1-3 kg;
• salt;
• sugar;
• seasoning for fish.

Using careful movements, cut the back of the fish in the direction from head to tail. Movements must be careful not to damage the belly, otherwise all the fat will leak out. Divide the fish into two halves, remove entrails and small bones. The ridge can be left. Sprinkle the finished fish pieces with salt and place in a cool place for 8-12 hours.

Asp can also be cooked in saline solution. In this case, you need to add fish spices that contain all the necessary elements. To determine the salt concentration in the solution, you should dip raw potatoes into it; ideally, they should not drown.

After salting the asp, you need to soak it for 1 hour, then let the water drain. The larger the mass of the fish, the longer the soaking needs to be done. To prevent harmful organisms from attacking the carcass, it must be covered with gauze soaked in vinegar essence. When the meat products dry out a little, it is recommended to add several dill sprigs and a clove of garlic. Afterwards, the fish is placed in a cool place for 24 hours, while it should be placed in cloth or paper. Then the asp is hung out for 12 hours to dry.

How to store?

In order for the prepared dish to remain fresh and safe for humans, it must be stored correctly. The storage conditions and period depend entirely on the type of fish used and the cooking method.

Fresh balyk should be stored in the refrigerator, and it should be sealed. Specialized containers or bags are perfect for this purpose. The main thing is that no foreign odors get into the container. You can store the dish in the refrigerator for 30 days; after this time, the product will begin to dry out and lose its taste.

There is a method that will allow you to store balyk for a long time. This includes freezing the product, which must be carried out strictly according to the rules.

1. The first step is to prepare the container for freezing.
2. The finished dish must be wiped with a paper towel or napkin.
3. The meat is placed in a container and closed tightly. If you use a bag, make sure that there is no air left in it; it should be released.
4. The container with the balyk is placed in the freezer.

In the process of preparing this dish, you should follow certain recommendations from experts who will help you prepare a delicious delicacy.

• The duration of salting depends entirely on the weight of the product. It is also worth paying attention to the time of year, because in summer the salting procedure lasts about 14 days, and in winter – only 5-7 days.
• Large fish must be cut into small pieces, the thickness of which should not exceed 2-2.5 centimeters. Pieces that are too thick will not dry out, but thin pieces, on the contrary, will dry out.
• To protect meat from insect attacks, gauze soaked in vinegar essence is used. The fish is covered with this material.
• After three days of drying, the fish fillet should be placed under pressure so that the meat becomes smooth and shiny, after which it must be returned to drying.
• The readiness of the dish is checked by lightly pressing your finger on the fillet. After such actions, no trace remains in the finished product, and no juice leaks out.
• Before salting, the container must be subjected to a sterilization process. In this case, you should only use plastic or enamel dishes.
• Before treating the fillet with salt, you can rub it with a small amount of granulated sugar. But when the products are placed in a container for salting, only salt is allowed to be added.
• Cooking fish can be done in the oven. In this case, the cabinet door should not be completely closed, and the hood should also be turned on in parallel. The entire cooking procedure will take 6-8 hours.
• If an ingredient has absorbed foreign aromas during the drying process, the product should be processed using cold smoking.
• It is recommended to add spices to the saline solution; you can add allspice, cloves, and bay leaves.

You can see how to prepare balyk from fish in the video below.

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Fish balyk

Balyk is the name of a dish and the name of a specific method of preparing dried fish. Balyk differs from the usual drying process in that the fish is cut in a special way. Balyks are prepared from large and fatty fish of different breeds - salmon, sturgeon and less valuable ones (a list of such fish and the preparation of balyks from them is presented below).

It is best to fish fish caught in the fall, as it has gained fat over the summer and becomes especially tasty. In summer it is unsafe to dry fish - in hot weather the fish may turn out to be melted or have an unpleasant odor.

If you master one good recipe for fish balyk, you can process fish of different varieties in the same way. Almost all fish are cooked in the same way - there are few differences in preparation, except perhaps the plating and the use of special spices that are more suitable for a particular type of fish.

How to prepare fish balyk at home

The store-bought delicacy is not cheap. It’s easy to make balyk from fish at home; it’s better to make it from fresh or salted fish, but you can use well-thawed fish. Usually the dish is prepared without heat treatment.

The process of preparing balyk from fish at home consists of certain stages:

1. Cleaning and cutting of fish differs depending on the type of fish and the size of the carcasses. In small fish, the belly is not cut open; the fish is spread out like a book, cutting along the ridge along the back. The lower part of the belly of large carcasses is cut off - it is prepared separately under the name “tesha”: it is salted, pickled, and put in pies. The carcasses can be left whole, having removed the backbone, or filleted, cut into large layers or thin two-centimeter pieces.
2. Salting fish at the rate of at least 300 g of coarse salt for every kilogram of balyk. Cut up carcasses or prepared pieces of fish are sprinkled with salt. Sometimes black pepper, crushed laurel leaves, dry herbs, spicy herbs and other spices are added - cumin, coriander and sesame seeds, clove buds. On thick pieces and carcasses, frequent cuts are made so that the fish is salted better, faster and more evenly.

Mixed salting is often used. First, cover the fish with dry salt for a day, then fill it with brine and leave for several weeks. You can keep fish in a strong brine for a long time, take it out and use it as needed.

1. Washing and soaking - these operations, as well as salting, include any fish balyk recipe. After being removed from the saline solution, the fish is washed and soaked in clean water, changing it every hour. Usually, how many days the fish has lain in the brine, the number of hours it is soaked.
2. Drying is the most critical stage. The taste of balyk (melting in the mouth) and appearance (transparent golden amber) depend on it. Dry the fish hanging in the fresh air, in a well-ventilated place, protected from insects. The drying period is about two weeks, depending on the thickness of the pieces. After just a week, you can take a sample and evaluate the fish for taste and appearance.
3. Ripening. After removing the suspended fish from the hooks, you need to give it the opportunity to lie down and ripen. Each fish or each piece is wrapped in cling paper and placed in the bottom drawer of the refrigerator. A little bit of leftover balyk becomes even tastier.
4. Storage, use. Properly prepared fish balyk at home
   can be stored for several months - 3-4. You can grease the pieces with butter and wrap them in parchment. Balyk is eaten simply with bread, served as an appetizing appetizer, and added to various dishes - salads, fish soups.
5. Additional processing. If the balyk was dried in not very good conditions or in violation of the temperature regime (under direct rays of the sun), absorbed foreign odors or acquired an ugly appearance, it can be slightly smoked with hot or cold smoke. Then ventilate and store. Smoked balyk is quite tasty.

Look through different options for preparing balyk from certain types of fish and try their preparation at home.

Fish balyk recipes

Below is a list of recipes for balyk from different fish species. After clicking on the appropriate link, you can go to a page with a detailed description of the process that relates directly to fish of a certain type. See balyk recipes from:

A complete list of recipes for dishes from all types of fish can be easily found in the “” section.

Balyk is made from fatty and large fish (preferably caught in the autumn), such as catfish, carp, carp, as well as sturgeon and salmon. The process begins with cutting the fish. The fish is cut into balyk (backbone) and teshu (belly). If the fish is not very large, then it is sliced ​​along the ridge (we do not rip open the belly) into two undivided parts, leaving the head and tail, removing only the gills.

But now we are talking about big fish. We clean the fish from scales, cut off the head and fins. The dorsal fin must be removed carefully so as not to damage the skin in that area. We divide the fish into two parts, separating the abdominal part from the ridge. The resulting balyk (ridge) is thoroughly cleaned and washed under running water and cut into medium-sized pieces.

We take an enamel bowl and place the resulting fillet in layers, after salting it well with coarse salt. In thicker pieces of fillet, additional cuts must be made so that they are better salted. Tesha (belly part) can be used for other dishes or salted in a separate bowl.

On average, salting takes 300 grams of salt per 1 kg of balyk weight. Only rock salt should be used, coarsely ground. Next, place the pieces of balyk very tightly in an enamel bowl, back down. During the process, everything is sprinkled with salt, the bottom of the dishes, the layers of fish. Find out how to salt fish at home -

Then we place the dish with the fish in the refrigerator for a day and after a day we fill it all with brine, so that the fish is completely covered with it. The balyk is salted in this way for 2-4 weeks. Then it is removed from the brine and soaked in water for 24 hours (you can increase or decrease the soaking time, it all depends on your preferences).

After soaking, the pieces of fish are put on hooks and hung in a dry, well-ventilated, cool place. If there are flies, then we cover the fish with either a net or gauze. The readiness of the fish is determined by its characteristic smell and color, I think you can’t go wrong here. The fish should be stored in a cool place, first wrapped in parchment paper.

If during drying the balyk has absorbed a foreign odor, then smoke it using a cold method. In general, there are a great many recipes for balyk and each of them is good in its own way, and which one you like, you will decide for yourself. Below I am attaching a video on how to make balyk from salmon, but it’s still better to see it once than to read it. This is where I end. See you again!