{"title":"White fish","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"koryushka-smelt-fish","title":"Smelt (Dried Salted Koryushka)","description":"\u003ch2\u003eSmelt (Koryushka): The Fish That Smells Like Cucumber\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFresh smelt famously smells of cucumber — that is not a metaphor, it is the first thing anyone notices, and it is how you know you have the real thing. Dried, it turns into something tender and faintly fatty, eaten whole with your hands: head, bones and all. This is the fish we grew up catching through the ice on Sakhalin, and the one that most reminds us of home.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach fish runs 4 to 7 inches depending on the catch and the season. A pack holds roughly 8 pieces, 5.5 oz (150 g).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0760\/4597\/5830\/files\/candy_bites_26.gif?v=1713393831\" alt=\"Dried smelt, whole fish\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eHow We Make It\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDried whole.\u003c\/strong\u003e Nothing is cut away. Smelt is small enough to eat entire, and drying it whole is what keeps it tender rather than papery.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLightly salted.\u003c\/strong\u003e A measured cure, traditional method. Heavy salting is what turns dried smelt into something you can only nibble.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAir-dried for six days.\u003c\/strong\u003e Controlled temperature and humidity across nearly a week. Fast drying gives you a stiff, hollow fish; six days keeps the fat in.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNothing added.\u003c\/strong\u003e No preservatives, no dyes, no gluten.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eTwo Kinds, and How They Differ\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe work with both, and they are genuinely different eating.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFar Eastern smelt.\u003c\/strong\u003e Leaner and firmer, with a cleaner finish. The traditional one.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCanadian smelt.\u003c\/strong\u003e Noticeably fattier and softer, with a richer mouthfeel.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhich one we have depends on the season. The type in stock is shown at checkout — and if you have a preference, leave a note with your order and we will match it when we can.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eHow to Eat It\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWhole, with your hands.\u003c\/strong\u003e Head, bones and all — the bones are soft enough after drying that they are part of the texture rather than an obstacle.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWith cold beer.\u003c\/strong\u003e The pairing this fish is known for, and the reason it exists on every table back home.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWarmed briefly.\u003c\/strong\u003e A few seconds over a low flame or in a dry pan lifts the aroma considerably. Worth doing once to see the difference.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eJust the fillets, if you prefer.\u003c\/strong\u003e Pull the fish open along the spine and eat the sides. Less traditional, but nobody is watching.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"Dried smelt on a board\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0760\/4597\/5830\/files\/candy_bites_28.gif?v=1713394156\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eKeeping It\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSealed and refrigerated at 32–39°F it keeps one to three months. Once opened, press the air out and reseal — dried smelt will not spoil quickly, but it stiffens as it dries further and the fat is what you paid for.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFuller guidance is in our \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/news\/how-to-store-smoked-fish\"\u003estorage guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDo I eat the bones?\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes. Six days of drying softens them completely — this is a fish that goes in whole. If that is not for you, open it along the spine and take the fillets.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes it really smell like cucumber?\u003c\/strong\u003e Fresh smelt does, strongly. Dried, it is fainter but still there, and it is the mark of a properly handled fish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs it very salty?\u003c\/strong\u003e Moderate. Salty enough to want a drink beside it, light enough that the fish comes through.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs it cooked?\u003c\/strong\u003e Not with heat — salted and air-dried, which preserves it on its own. Ready to eat from the pack.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhich type should I pick?\u003c\/strong\u003e If you have never had it, take whichever is in stock. Once you know it, most people land on the Canadian for the fat or the Far Eastern for the cleaner taste.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Smoke it fish","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46853191991574,"sku":"","price":30.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0760\/4597\/5830\/files\/smelt-dried-salted-koryushka-143382.webp?v=1739458808"},{"product_id":"dried-flounder","title":"Flounder (Dried Kambala)","description":"\u003ch2\u003eAir-Dried Flounder (Kambala): Pull It Apart and Share It\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDried flounder is a snack you take apart with your hands. The flesh separates into flat, translucent strips along the grain — salty, faintly sweet, with the clean taste of a lean white fish rather than an oily one. Milder than dried squid, less salty than most dried fish, and the one that disappears fastest when there is beer on the table.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eHow We Make It\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWild-caught flounder.\u003c\/strong\u003e From the cold Atlantic waters off Massachusetts, where the fish is leaner and firmer.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLightly salted.\u003c\/strong\u003e Salt alone, measured. On a fish this delicate, a heavy cure buries what makes it worth eating.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAir-dried slowly.\u003c\/strong\u003e Time and moving air, the way it has always been done. Fast drying gives you a stiff board; slow drying gives you strips that pull cleanly.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNothing else.\u003c\/strong\u003e No additives, no preservatives. Flounder and salt.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eHow to Eat It\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTear along the grain.\u003c\/strong\u003e Pull strips off with your fingers rather than biting into the whole piece. It is easier to eat and it is how the fish is meant to come apart.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWith cold beer.\u003c\/strong\u003e The pairing this exists for. Lean, salty fish and a cold lager need very little help.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWarmed briefly.\u003c\/strong\u003e A few seconds in a dry pan or over a low flame makes the aroma bloom and softens the strips.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIn soup.\u003c\/strong\u003e Rehydrate in warm water and add to a fish soup or broth for depth — a use most people never think of.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOn a board.\u003c\/strong\u003e Alongside dried squid and something plain to reset between bites.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eKeeping It\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDried fish is forgiving. Sealed and refrigerated at 32–39°F it keeps one to three months. Once opened, press the air out and reseal — it will not spoil quickly, but it keeps drying and gets stiffer over time. Cool and dark is what matters most.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFuller guidance is in our \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/news\/how-to-store-smoked-fish\"\u003estorage guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs it very salty?\u003c\/strong\u003e Less than most dried fish. The cure is light on purpose, which is why the flavour of the fish comes through rather than just salt.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAre there bones?\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes — this is dried whole fish, not a fillet. The bones and skin come away easily when you tear the strips off, which is part of how it is eaten.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow strong does it smell?\u003c\/strong\u003e Noticeable when the pack is open, mild for dried fish. Keep it sealed and it will not affect the rest of the fridge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs it cooked?\u003c\/strong\u003e Not with heat — it is cured and dried, which is a preservation method in its own right. Ready to eat straight from the pack.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNever had dried fish before?\u003c\/strong\u003e Start here rather than with squid. Flounder is milder, softer, and easier to pull apart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"SmokeItFish","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47514675282198,"sku":"","price":30.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0760\/4597\/5830\/files\/flounder-944210.jpg?v=1730932890"},{"product_id":"smoked-mackerel-premium-gourmet-seafood","title":"Mackerel Melt (Skumbriya)","description":"\u003ch2\u003eSmoked Mackerel: The Bold One, and Worth It\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMackerel is the most assertive fish we smoke. Dense, oily, and unapologetically savoury — where salmon is delicate, this arrives with its shoulders out. The flesh flakes into thick, meaty pieces rather than silky slices, and the smoke has enough fat to sink into that it carries all the way through. If you like sardines, anchovies, or good tinned fish, this is your aisle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eHow We Make It\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFillets, not whole fish.\u003c\/strong\u003e Trimmed and pin-boned before curing, so nothing needs picking apart on the plate.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLightly cured.\u003c\/strong\u003e Measured salt, no more. Mackerel is naturally rich enough that heavy curing turns it sharp.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSlow-smoked over real wood.\u003c\/strong\u003e Low and slow, never liquid smoke — \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/news\/what-is-liquid-smoke\"\u003ehere is why that matters\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNothing added.\u003c\/strong\u003e No preservatives, no dyes, no gluten. Mackerel, salt, smoke.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eHow to Eat It\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwenty minutes out of the fridge, like everything oily we make. Then flake it with a fork rather than slicing — mackerel comes apart in chunks, and fighting that gives you a mess.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOn rye with mustard.\u003c\/strong\u003e The classic pairing, and still the best. Sharp mustard against oily fish is the whole idea.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMashed into a pâté.\u003c\/strong\u003e Flake it, mix with cream cheese, lemon and black pepper. Five minutes, and it disappears at any gathering.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWith potatoes and onion.\u003c\/strong\u003e Hot boiled potatoes, raw onion, black pepper. Peasant food, and better than most restaurant plates.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOver a salad.\u003c\/strong\u003e Beetroot, apple, or anything with acidity. The sharpness cuts straight through the oil.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTo drink.\u003c\/strong\u003e Cold beer or vodka. Delicate wine loses this fight.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eKeeping It\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSealed and refrigerated at 32–39°F, it holds up to three weeks. Once opened, eat within three to five days and keep it wrapped — mackerel is strongly aromatic, and an open pack will make itself known to everything else in the fridge. It freezes at 0°F for up to two months; thaw overnight in the fridge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFuller guidance is in our \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/news\/how-to-store-smoked-fish\"\u003estorage guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eI tried mackerel once and did not like it. Should I try again?\u003c\/strong\u003e Probably, yes. Mackerel spoils faster than most fish and is often sold past its best — what people remember as \"too fishy\" is usually fish that was not fresh when it was smoked. Properly handled, it tastes rich and clean, not rank.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow strong is it, really?\u003c\/strong\u003e Stronger than salmon, milder than anchovy. Somewhere near smoked trout but with more oil behind it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAre there bones?\u003c\/strong\u003e Pin bones are removed. As with any oily fish fillet, a fine bone can occasionally survive — worth a glance before serving to children.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs it cooked?\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes, ready to eat straight from the pack. Nothing needs heating.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Smoke It Fish","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49658915127574,"sku":"","price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0760\/4597\/5830\/files\/mackerel-melt-skumbriya-242930.jpg?v=1737313726"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0760\/4597\/5830\/collections\/k_d1106bf7-7b46-402f-b725-2b95a8c10562.jpg?v=1785669480","url":"https:\/\/smokeitfish.com\/collections\/white-fish.oembed","provider":"Smoke It Fish","version":"1.0","type":"link"}