Cold smoked halibut fish: calorie content and nutritional supplements, benefits and harms, recipes

Halibut is a white-fleshed fish that lives in the cold waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It is valued for its high fat content, taste and large carcasses that are easy to cut and cook. If you follow all the details, halibut will turn out to be a very tasty smoked delicacy. Conventionally, the species is divided into several subspecies: bluebark (black), whitebark and arrowtooth, which are found in Asian and American waters. The latter are among the smallest representatives, weighing 2–4 kg.

Product value and composition

Cold smoked halibut is not only a delicacy, but also a highly valuable food product. It belongs to the category of “white” northern sea fish. The meat is very tender, soft and fatty, there are practically no bones in it.

Important! According to nutritionists and culinary specialists, blue-skinned halibut is healthier than white-skinned halibut. But it is less common, which naturally affects the price.

Halibut, in moderation, can be consumed even by those who have chronic diseases of the digestive system or are on a diet

Meat contains many vitamins, macro- and microelements necessary for humans. Particularly noteworthy is the presence of vitamins:

• group B;
• A;
• E;
• D;
• N;
• RR.

The most valuable macroelements that sea fish is traditionally rich in:

• potassium;
• phosphorus;
• magnesium;
• calcium.

The human body does not synthesize many microelements on its own; the only way to obtain them is “from the outside”:

• iron;
• iodine;
• copper;
• zinc;
• selenium;
• manganese.

Important! This composition, with regular inclusion of the product in the diet, allows you to quickly restore immunity after serious illnesses and surgical interventions. The product is extremely useful for strengthening bones and maintaining good vision.

BJU and calorie content of cold smoked halibut

These indicators depend on its variety and habitat. The fish can be whitebark or bluebark - this can be easily determined by the shade of its belly. As for the second factor, the further north the halibut is caught, the more fat there is in the meat and, accordingly, the higher the indicator. The calorie content of cold smoked halibut per 100 grams varies between 190-250 kcal.

The product does not contain carbohydrates, but is rich in proteins and fats. The content of the former is 11.3-18.9 g, the latter - 15-20.5 g per 100 g. As a percentage of the daily diet at a norm of 2000 kcal, this is 24 and 27%, respectively.

Calories in fried halibut

There are two ways to fry halibut fillets: in a pan or on the grill. The second cooking option is more healthy, but not everyone has the opportunity to grill halibut at home. Therefore, one of the most common dishes is fried halibut, the calorie content of which exceeds 200 units/100 g. The calorie content of grilled halibut is approximately the same - a little more than 200 kcal per 100 grams, but the dish prepared in this way will be much healthier than the carcass fried in oil. In both cases, you need to salt the dish at the end of cooking. You can serve fried halibut with fresh vegetables, and it is better to eat it for second breakfast or lunch.

What are the benefits of cold smoked halibut?

It is rich in proteins and fats with a relatively low calorie content. When cold smoked, fish retains about 90% of vitamins, macro- and microelements. Meat also contains high concentrations of polyunsaturated Omega-3 fatty acids.

The body does not synthesize these substances on its own. And they are extremely useful and provide:

• prevention of cancer, cardiovascular diseases and inflammatory processes;
• strengthening cell membranes;
• normalization of cholesterol levels in the blood;
• slowing down the aging process.

The microelements and vitamins contained in cold smoked halibut are necessary to protect the body from free radicals and remove waste and toxins. They also provide prevention of diseases of the musculoskeletal system and the central nervous system, including those caused by age-related degradation of neurons.

Important! Despite all the potential benefits, the product is contraindicated in chronic liver and kidney diseases.

Cosmetological use of halibut

For the first time in cosmetology, halibut fat was used in 1958 to create hand cream. While on a trip to the north with her archaeologist husband, pharmacist Ella Basche noticed that, despite the cold and constant contact with metal and water, the hands of northern fishermen look smooth and well-groomed. The reason for this turned out to be the fat of the halibut, which they lubricated their hands with. Thanks to the unique combination of fatty acids, vitamins A and D with calcium salts, fat accelerated wound healing and skin regeneration.

Creams and ointments made from halibut help reduce the activity of the immune system and prevent the development of skin allergies. They help preserve collagen, maintaining skin firmness and preventing the appearance of wrinkles. They are excellent preventive agents in the treatment of chronic inflammation (pimples and acne), and also help accelerate skin healing in chronic dermatitis.

Selection and preparation of fish

The choice of quality carcasses is a determining factor for those who want to get truly tasty fish. The low price is immediately alarming. Also be sure to pay attention to:

• Shelf life. Fresh fish can stay in the refrigerator for no more than 7 days.
• Color and firmness of meat. It should not be yellowish, greenish or brownish, only white. When pressed with a finger, the dent quickly disappears without a trace. Loose, “crumbly” meat is a clear sign of repeated defrosting and re-cooling.
• Aroma. Truly fresh halibut has a distinct “sea” smell. It is impossible to determine its presence after defrosting, but the meat should not smell rotten. Under no circumstances should it be used for smoking.
• Scales. With high quality “raw materials”, it is smooth and shiny, as if wet.
• Weight. There is no need to take a carcass weighing more than 3-5 kg. Even after slicing, a thick layer of meat will not be completely smoked.

Important! You should not buy fish that are practically invisible under a layer of snow and ice. Most likely, this is an attempt to hide the poor quality of the product.

It is impossible to obtain a delicacy from low-quality raw materials

In order for the finished product to be tasty and aromatic, the fish must be properly prepared for processing. Defrost it gradually, on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. You need to wait until the ice is completely gone and the meat becomes soft. You can speed up the process slightly if you put the carcass in ice water for 2-3 hours.

Large fish are first cut into pieces 6-10 cm thick. If the carcass weighs less than 2.5-3 kg, it is simply gutted and the head and tail are cut off.

How to pickle halibut for cold smoking

The recipe for preparing cold smoked halibut at home involves pre-salting the fish. The following ingredients will be required (per 1 kg):

• water (1 l);
• coarse salt (6 tbsp);
• granulated sugar (2 tbsp.);
• bay leaf (3-4 pcs.);
• black and allspice pepper (15 peas each).

Important! Additional ingredients to taste - fennel seeds, juniper berries, dry herbs (parsley, dill, rosemary). You can also add the juice of 1-2 lemons to the brine.

The water with the addition of all the spices is brought to a boil and cooled under a closed lid to room temperature. Then the pieces are poured over them so that they are completely covered with brine, and left in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, turning them over several times a day.

After salting is completed, the fish is poured with clean water for 2-3 hours, getting rid of excess salt. The fluid needs to be changed every hour.

The final stage of preparation is drying. Immediately before the process, the halibut is wiped dry with paper towels, napkins or a clean cloth and ventilated in fresh air for 3-4 hours. Insects flock en masse to the smell of fish, so you need to think about a defense mechanism against them in advance.

If you don’t have time to wait, you can resort to “dry” salting the halibut for cold smoking. No water needed here. All other ingredients are mixed, rubbed evenly over the pieces and left in the refrigerator for 12 hours. After this, the fish is rinsed, but not washed in water, and also dried.

Important! Drying time is determined by the type of halibut skin. When it begins to turn gray and dry out, you can begin the cold smoking procedure.

Preparing for smoking

In order to prepare halibut carcasses for smoking, you need to carefully make an incision along the fins on the belly. Next, all the insides are removed, the kidney is carefully opened and the abdominal cavity is cleaned of black film and remains of offal.

The caudal fin is completely removed. It is also advisable to cut off the pectoral fins and humerus bones.

Each carcass is thoroughly washed under cold running water to remove any remaining blood, entrails and film. Next, the fish is blotted with napkins or a towel to remove excess moisture.

How to Smoke Cold Smoked Halibut

Cold-smoked halibut requires a “precision” smoker that can create and maintain a constant, relatively low temperature. Therefore, it requires additional structural elements - a generator and a pipe that supplies warm air to the “compartment” where the fish is smoked.

In the smokehouse

Classic recipe for cold smoked halibut:

1. The washed and well-dried fish is placed in the smokehouse, placing the pieces on the grill in one layer so that they do not touch each other.
2. At a constant temperature of 20-25°C, it is treated with smoke for 4 hours.
3. After this, the pieces are removed, quickly sprayed with water from a spray bottle, moderately peppered if desired, and sent back to the smokehouse. The delicacy will be ready in another 18 hours.

To control the temperature in the smokehouse, it is recommended to use a special thermometer; its constant value is very important

Important! Compared to other fish, halibut is smoked faster – in just a day. But the process cannot be interrupted for long so that the product does not deteriorate.

Without smokehouse

Using “liquid smoke” allows you to quickly prepare cold-smoked halibut at home. But it is not recommended to abuse this substance; it contains carcinogens. The taste of fish prepared using this method is practically no different from the “classic” one.

Necessary ingredients for cold smoking 1 kg of halibut with “liquid smoke”:

• water (approximately 400 ml);
• juice of 1-2 lemons;
• “liquid smoke” (maximum 50 ml);
• salt (3 tbsp);
• granulated sugar (1 tsp);
• onion peel (1-2 handfuls).

It is prepared like this:

1. Washed and dried portions of halibut are rubbed with a mixture of salt and sugar and sprinkled with lemon juice.
2. Place them in any bowl and put them in the refrigerator for three days, turning the contents of the container several times a day.
3. Boil onion peels in water. Allow to simmer for about 10 minutes, then cool to room temperature.
4. The pieces are washed and poured with this decoction for an hour so that the liquid covers them completely.
5. After removing the halibut from the container, dry it with napkins or a towel. Using a silicone pastry brush, apply “liquid smoke” to it as evenly as possible.
6. During the day, the fish are kept in a draft, providing constant ventilation. Place any container underneath to drain the fat.

Important! Cold-smoked halibut is prepared using this method at an “accelerated pace,” but it also spoils faster. You can store it for a maximum of 4-5 days.

Calorie content of halibut in the oven

Halibut fish baked in the oven boasts both excellent taste and benefits for the body. The calorie content of baked halibut is closer to 150 units/100 g. This energy value of baked halibut is relevant for a mono-dish, in the preparation of which no other ingredients were used, with the exception of salt and spices. Halibut baked with vegetables will contain fewer calories - about 80 per 100 grams. Baked fish with potatoes contains 120 kcal per 100 g.

Halibut in the oven with potatoes:

• Peel 500 grams of potatoes and cut into small slices
• Mix together a little olive oil, salt, pepper and chopped garlic, brush the resulting mixture onto the potatoes.
• Microwave at maximum temperature for 5 minutes. Then mix and microwave again for 5 minutes.
• Wash halibut fillet and cut into portions
• Rub the fish with pepper and salt
• Line a baking dish with parchment and place potato pieces and fish on top.
• You can put a slice of butter and herbs on top
• If desired, garnish halibut with thin lemon slices
• Bake in the oven at 200 degrees for 20 minutes

What does cold smoked halibut smell like?

The smell of cold-smoked halibut largely depends on what exactly was used as “wood” in the smokehouse. Most often, chips or branches of alder, hazel, bird cherry, and fruit trees (apple, cherry) are placed in it. To enhance the aroma, add some dried or fresh juniper berries and cumin seeds. Also used for this purpose are chips of oak barrels in which cognac and whiskey were aged.

You can distinguish halibut prepared in the “classical” way from the one smoked in “liquid smoke” precisely by its aroma. In the first case, the smell is subtle and delicate, in the second it is noticeably sharper.

Halibut smoked in a smokehouse not only looks, but also smells more natural.

What do you eat cold smoked halibut with?

Cold smoked halibut is quite “self-sufficient”; when served, it can act as an independent second course. But most often a side dish of vegetables is added to it. The classic option in this case is mashed potatoes.

Men value this fish as a beer snack. In this capacity, it is used as slices or on toast and sandwiches.

Cold smoked halibut is also in demand as an ingredient in salads. Good “companions” for him:

• lettuce leaves;
• fresh cucumbers;
• sun-dried tomatoes;
• boiled eggs;
• cheeses such as feta cheese, feta;
• green pea.

Important! For salad dressing, a mixture of olive oil and lemon juice is best.

There are a lot of recipes for salads with cold smoked halibut, but it’s quite possible to invent your own

Energy value of halibut caviar

Halibut caviar is somewhat inferior in taste and nutritional value to sturgeon caviar. But it costs much less. The eggs are large and beige in color, but sometimes they are painted dark to improve their appearance. Halibut caviar is crumbly, with a rich chemical composition. It is rich in amino acids, minerals and vitamins, and polyunsaturated fats. Halibut caviar has a calorie content of only 100 units/100 g. Serve on tartlets, slices of bread or biscuits. Often used in making sushi.

Difference between cold and hot smoked halibut

Halibut prepared using the hot smoking method, compared to fish prepared using the cold method, has a richer aroma and retains maximum fat content. Exposure to high temperatures (80-120ºС) guarantees the destruction of all parasites. Halibut cooks faster (about 2 hours) and does not require preliminary preparation, a specific smokehouse design or special skills.

However, a significant part of the nutrients is lost in the process. And the shelf life of hot smoked halibut is shorter - only 2-4 days.

There are also noticeable differences in the “consistency” of the meat. When cold smoked, it is denser, more elastic, and effort must be made to separate it from the bones. Hot-cooked fish is soft and crumbly.

Hot smoked halibut even needs to be tied up, otherwise the fish will crumble in the process

How to store cold smoked halibut

It is recommended to cook cold smoked halibut in small portions. Just in the refrigerator, fish smoked in the “classical” way will last for 8-10 days. Halibut cooked using “liquid smoke” is half the size. After the specified period, it is strongly not recommended to eat it. The minimum duration of the “shelf life” is due to the high fat content of the fish.

If for some reason storing cold smoked halibut in the refrigerator is not possible, there are alternative storage options:

• In a cool, dark place with good ventilation. Each piece of fish is wrapped in clean natural cloth, soaked in a strong salt solution (about 20% concentration).
• In a basement or cellar at a temperature close to 0ºC. Pieces of halibut are placed in a wooden box or cardboard box, the bottom of which is lined with gauze soaked in a saline solution. They cover it on top. Instead of gauze, you can use fresh nettle leaves.

Important! Using these methods, cold-smoked halibut will last at least 4-5 days longer than refrigerated halibut.

Can halibut be harmful to the body?

You should avoid eating halibut only if your body has an individual intolerance or an allergic reaction to fish. Limiting portions and their quantity is recommended if you have hepatitis. In other cases, eating fresh, properly prepared fish is exclusively beneficial for the body.

Halibut belongs to the flounder family. This fish lives in the northern seas and is valued not only for its taste, but also for its benefits.

The main distinguishing feature of the halibut is the location of its eyes - they are located on the right side of the head, like a flounder. Below the lower eye is the large mouth of the fish. The tail is crescent shaped. The color can be either light olive or black-brown. An adult halibut can grow up to 70-130 cm in length, reaching a weight of 4.5 to 30 kg.

Halibut comes to stores fresh, frozen or canned. It is suitable for preparing hot and cold appetizers, boiling, pickles, grilled and deep-fried, baked, smoked and stewed with vegetables. Canned halibut is used for salads and sandwiches. Salted halibut roe is used for sandwiches.