www.walter-lystfisker.dk & Lystfiskerens venner

Image No. 1 Image No. 3 Image No. 5 PE-LD Image No. 7 This is a brand of plastic recycling and the number indicates the patch is suitable for food. The plastics I have purchased have the above trademark and are well-suited to food. LDPE stands for low density polyethylene. The smoked eel on the right weighs 1.2 kg and is 95 cm long.

Thus prepared eels before they are ready to eat. The freshly caught silver eels from the sea slaughtered and degummed. Entrails and blood string in the rear part of the tail is removed. Blood in the gills removed as thoroughly as possible. Eels rinsed thoroughly in cold water. Frozen at minus 28 °C for 2 days to remove parasites, if should be any. Then thaw in cold 100% saturated saline at max 5 °C. It also takes 2 days. After the eels are salted, they must be rinsed in cold water, so they are not become white on the skin. Has no subsequent effect on the taste, just the appearance. Eels now hang in the 100 °C heat smoke oven that has not yet started to smoke. Belly begins to open up when the eel "boils" or just said it become tender. Depending on the size and number of eels and the smoke oven used (heat in oven), it may take from 20 minutes to 60 minutes. The heat is tempered by the flames "smothered" with saw-dust. Smoke development is thus strong, and it is now maintained in the next 4 to 5 hours at a temperature of 65 °C to 75 °C. Times and temperatures mentioned here are for live eels between 800 g and 1000 g and in my smoke oven. I have purchased some crystal clear 90 my polyethylene pipe foil for packing smoked eels. With a suitable welding apparatus, it is now possible to weld the bags airtight. The air can also be sucked out of the wrapping, but I've heard from an old cook, it should one not do with eels, as the meat on the outside can assume a black color. It is somewhat cosmetic, which should not affect the taste. Naturally I would try this on my own eels before I get started with this vacuum packing.

Image No. 2 Image No. 4 Image No. 6 Image No. 8 New smoked eel wrapped in pipe foil. Welded with a Princess Vacuum Apparatus. The apparatus is good at welding pipe foil, but unfit to serve a vacuum. I don't vacuum packing eels.

Procedure without liability: Here, I show how to pill smoked eel, so it looks good on a piece of bread. Cut first the head off and remember the knife must be sharp. Measure the eel and cut so many pieces of 6 cm to 8 cm in length. The last tail-bite is given to the cat, because here is the eel fat. Cut along the backbones the upper side of the eel out. Cut along the backbones the under side of the eel out. Cut the skin off of both pieces of eel. Trimmings eel pieces of skin and bones are "sticking". The large eel that was used here was 63 cm and 500 grams after smoking. There was 5 good pieces of eel and the tail to the cat. In this way, you always achieve nice eel pieces, but remember to use a very sharp knife and the eel is best to cut at refrigerator temperature. An eel cuisine decorated with scrambled egg, garnish with chopped chives seasoned with white pepper. Remember to taste the eel before salts. Should it be necessary. For anglers' s friends: Want to read more then go to my website: www.walter-lystfisker.dk If you see a dark stripe on the eel, it is because the condensation water is dripping down on the eel during the smoking process. It happens, if there is low pressure and the weather is humid during smoking period. It has no influence on the taste, and skin got to cut away. Do you want to freeze the eel, and you only have a small freezer, you cut the eel in half - let the head sit on - wrap the eel into "Rul-Let Frostboxpapir" and brown wrapping paper. Put the package in a freezer bag and place in freezer. Do you have a big freezer, simply submit the entire eel into the freezer, then give/receive the eel no flavors to/from the surroundings. But do not let the eels lie too long, they will lose something of the flavor. I've tried eels after 8 weeks, and they were still good. The shelf life of a smoked eel is 1 week in refrigerator (max 5 °C) and 8 to 12 weeks in the freezer (max -18 °C to -24° C). My eels are NOT added any preservative other than salt and what is coming from the smoke. Read here about the preservation of food. Bon appétit Jørgen Walter