Smoking fish is a preservation technique that involves exposing it to wood smoke, giving it a particular flavour and extending its shelf life thanks to its antiseptic and dehydrating effect. There are two types of smoking: cold (20-30°C), which keeps the fish raw but firm, like smoked salmon, and hot (60-80°C), which cooks the fish, like smoked mackerel. The process involves several stages: preparation, salting (to season and begin dehydration), drying (to fix the smoke), smoking (exposure to controlled smoke) and cooling before packaging. The smoke contains aromatic and antiseptic compounds, making the fish tastier and more stable.
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