Suitsukala (Smoked Fish)

Suitsukala is smoked fish, prepared from any one of the more than 30 species found in Estonia’s second largest lake, Võrtsjärv. Smoked fish is a traditional food in Estonia and smoking fish is a long-standing method of preserving and flavoring seafood in Estonian cuisine, often associated with rural and coastal communities.

Recipe Servings: 4

Prep Time
10 minutes
+ 24 hours resting
add
Cook Time
1 hour
equal
Total Time
25 hours 10 minutes
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal

Ingredients

  • 2 large whitefish, gutted
  • 2 tsp (10 g) salt
  • ½ tsp (2.5 g) pepper
  • 2 cups (480 g) straw, packed and slightly dampened

Directions

  1. Remove bones, clean, and flatten out fish.
  2. Salt and cover.
  3. Allow fish to marinate in refrigerator for 24 hours.
  4. Prepare a medium fire to smoke fish.
  5. Spread lightly damp straw over a baking or dripping pan.
  6. Place fish over straw, making sure fish doesn’t touch pan directly.
  7. Smoke fish to a light gold over the fire, about 25 minutes on each side.

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