Homemade Carp Balyk
Description
Suitable for both holidays and everyday meals. There are many recipes for making balyk from various types of meat, and I want to tell you how you can make carp balyk at home. In general, you can use absolutely any fish: pike perch, trout, sturgeon, catfish, and so on. The main thing is to clean the fish very thoroughly of its entrails so it does not start to spoil. When making balyk, you can use any other seasonings to your taste; I really liked paprika combined with carp. When you put the fish in the refrigerator to cure, you can also place it in an ordinary cellophane bag, but specialists advise curing the fish in cotton or linen fabric. If you do not eat it right away, store it in cotton fabric on the lower shelf as well. The balyk turns out very aromatic and tender; slice it into thin pieces, arrange on a platter, and delicately garnish with sprigs of dill.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
1. Wash and gut the fish, remove all the innards, and thoroughly clean off the scales. Cut lengthwise (from head to tail, as in the photo).
- 2
Step 2
2. Sprinkle the carp with paprika and salt, and rub the seasonings into the fish very thoroughly so it is well infused with them.
- 3
Step 3
3. Next, wrap the fish tightly in a cotton cloth. The main thing is that it must be clean. Place it in a large container. Put the fish in the refrigerator to cure for 3–4 days. Place it in the coldest spot in the refrigerator; as a rule, that is the bottom shelf.
- 4
Step 4
4. Remove the balyk from the refrigerator, rinse it thoroughly under running water, pat dry with a paper towel, slice the carp balyk into thin portion-sized pieces, and serve. Homemade carp balyk is ready!