Sprats in oil is a favorite delicacy from childhood, without which it is impossible to imagine any holiday. It's time to buy!
What to look for
Marking
First of all, look at the numbers and letters on the lid - these are encrypted information about the product. There must be the date of production (the shelf life of a closed can is 24 months), as well as the letter P, meaning "Fish production". The numbers in the second row indicate the type of fish. Sprats in oil from Baltic sprat - 137 . If you see a C20 combination, do not buy - this is a low quality product. It is better to take sprats produced where the fish was caught.
Structure
There are only three components in high-quality canned food - fish (sprat or herring), vegetable oil and salt. Moreover, fish should be at least 70% of the total weight of the product. It shouldn't "float" in oil.
Appearance
If, after opening the can, you see that the sprats have crumbled, it means that the temperature regime was violated during sterilization, which negatively affected the taste. The sprats should be even and dark or light golden in color. The almost black color and “tan” indicate that cheap pine sawdust was used by the manufacturer to save money when smoking, and the product will taste bitter.
Where is the homeland of sprat?
These delicious canned foods were invented in Latvia, where, as early as the 18th century, they began to smoke small fish and fill it with oil. The winter catch is considered to be of the highest quality. According to the rules, fish is placed in jars by hand, and there are winter and summer types of "packing". In summer, the fish accumulates fat, the backs crack, so they put it in the jars, belly up. Winter sprats usually lie upside down.
With your own hands
If you prefer homemade food, you can make hand-made sprats. Take small fish (sprat or capelin), wash it, gut it, cut it off from the head carcasses. Brew three black tea bags in a glass of water. Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet. Mash the smoked bouillon cube and sprinkle on the fish. Add brewed tea. Simmer until liquid evaporates. Transfer to a container, fill with the remaining oil in the pan and refrigerate.
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