Sturgeon and sterlet - the differences between these fish are insignificant, since they belong to the large sturgeon family, it includes 19 species, which includes the favorite of all gourmets - the sterlet. In Rus', these fish were considered royal, and this delicacy was a rather private treat at any feast. Under Peter the Great, sterlet breeding was established in Peterhof. They have not lost demand in modern world. These majestic, sought-after fish will grace any table. They have certain differences.

How do sturgeon and sterlet differ in appearance? Differences in magnitude are the first main criterion. Sterlet is considered the smallest in this family. In average individuals, the length can be up to sixty centimeters. They weigh from one to two kilograms. Male sterlet matures early. They go to spawn at about five years old, and females a little later: at seven or eight years old. The value of this commercial fish is undeniable. It can be bred in ponds and lakes. The record weight reaches 16 kg. Sturgeons are usually distinguished by the fact that they are larger and can weigh up to 100 kilograms, their length is about 5 meters.

In addition to length and weight, a number of characteristics of these two breeds are given below:

1. The sterlet's head has a narrower shape and a long, thin nose. In addition, she has a mustache in the form of a fringe.
2. A characteristic feature of sturgeon is the presence of scutes instead of scales, which differ in number. On the back of the sterlet there are spines that come out of the bony scutes, there are 70 of them in total. The sturgeon has 58 of them.
3. Before spawning, sturgeon live in the sea, and only during the period when it is necessary to take care of the offspring, the fish go out into fresh waters - these are migratory fish. But sterlet is characterized by sedentism, unlike sturgeon.
4. Sturgeon has a dry taste, and the fat content of sterlet is slightly higher, it is 30% versus fifteen for sturgeon. The delicate and delicate taste of sterlet was appreciated by all gourmets.
5. These two subspecies differ even in their caviar. Due to the small size of the sterlet, the caviar in it is much less than that of the sturgeon. Its size is almost like beads and the color is more saturated.

So, we know the main differences between the two fish: all zoological reference books almost unanimously state that sturgeon is a genus of fish within the sturgeon family. The sterlet is included in this subgroup. Characteristic signs: narrow head and long pointed nose, presence of fringed antennae and a large number of spikes on the back - these are a number of main differences. The weight and dimensions are significantly smaller than those of other sturgeons. In addition, the sturgeon is more mobile than the sterlet. She is a homebody and leads a sedentary lifestyle and does not wander from freshwater to sea. Sterlet has fatty meat and a delicate taste.

Sturgeon fish dishes will decorate any table. The most valuable sterlet dish is rich fish soup and aspic. Sturgeon or sterlet, whichever you prefer, choose for yourself. Both of these options can decorate any table.

Most famous the following types sturgeon fish:

• stellate sturgeon;
• Kaluga;
• beluga;
• Russian sturgeon;
• sterlet.

Among the record holders of this family there were specimens about three meters long and weighing about two centners. The largest among the sisters is the beluga. Unique specimens are known whose length reaches four meters and weighs one ton. Beluga can be considered one of the largest fish on the planet.

Sturgeons feed mainly on animal food. These are worms, mollusks, insects. They do not disdain smaller fish either. Thus, this family can be classified as predators.

Sturgeon, unlike sterlet, are characterized by late puberty. In terms of life expectancy, the beluga can be called an old-timer, it lives about a hundred years, the sturgeon is a little less, about fifty years, for the stellate sturgeon this figure is thirty years.

Once upon a time, sturgeon species lived in large numbers in the waters of the Volga and other rivers of Russia. Now modern ecological situation threatens the existence of many valuable species fish. Sturgeon are no exception. Some species are on the verge of extinction, so the state is strengthening measures to combat poaching.

Beluga and kaluga are considered the largest of their freshwater relatives. These migratory fish live for a very long time, sometimes the age of some centenarians reaches one hundred years.

The following subspecies are hybrid forms:

• beluga and sterlet (bester);
• sturgeon and beluga;
• beluga and thorn;
• sturgeon and beluga.

These hybrids are mainly inhabitants Sea of ​​Azov, and sometimes found in some reservoirs.

Beluga flesh is a little coarser, but very suitable for making balyk. The best black caviar comes from this representative.

The hybrid obtained by crossing beluga and sterlet is called bester. This species is in great consumer demand due to its dietary properties. It is also a delicacy because it attracts those who want to try an extremely amazing-tasting product due to its visual appeal and aesthetics. The taste of caviar is in no way inferior to beluga caviar.

Bester was bred by Professor Nikolyukin more than half a century ago. The subspecies is the most successful specimen. It is unpretentious and can be kept in any conditions, even in not entirely favorable ones.

Sterlet, which belongs to the sturgeon family, is considered one of the most ancient species of fish: its ancestors appeared on Earth at the end of the Silurian period. It is in many ways similar to its related species, such as beluga, stellate sturgeon, sturgeon and sturgeon, but is smaller in size. This fish has long been considered valuable commercial species, but to date, due to the reduction in its numbers, sterlet fishing in natural environment its habitat is prohibited and considered illegal.

Description of sterlet

Sterlet is a member of the subclass of cartilaginous fish, also called cartilaginous ganoids.. Like all sturgeons, the scales of this freshwater predatory fish form something like bony plates, abundantly covering the spindle-shaped body.

Appearance

Sterlet is considered the smallest among all sturgeon species. Body size adult rarely exceeds 120-130 cm, usually these cartilaginous bones are even smaller: 30-40 cm, and they weigh no more than two kilograms.

The sterlet has an elongated body and a relatively large, elongated, triangular head in comparison. Its snout is elongated, conical, with a lower lip divided in two, which is one of the most noticeable distinctive features this fish. On the bottom of the snout there is a row of fringed antennae, also characteristic of other representatives of the sturgeon family.

This is interesting! Sterlet comes in two forms: sharp-snouted, which is considered classic, and blunt-snouted, in which the edge of the muzzle is somewhat rounded.

Its head is covered on top with fused bone scutes. The body has ganoid scales with numerous bugs interspersed with small comb-shaped projections in the form of grains. Unlike many species of fish, the sterlet's dorsal fin is shifted closer to the caudal part of the body. The tail has a typical shape for sturgeon fish, with its upper blade being longer than the lower one.

The body color of the sterlet is usually quite dark, usually grayish-brown, often mixed with a pale yellow tint. The belly is lighter than the main color; in some specimens it can be almost white. It differs from other sturgeon sterlet, first of all, in its interrupted lower lip and a large number of bugs, total which may exceed 50 pieces.

Character and lifestyle

Sterlet is a predatory fish that lives exclusively in rivers, and prefers to settle in fairly clean reservoirs with running water. Only occasionally can it swim into the sea, but there it can only be found near river mouths.

In summer it stays in shallow water, and juvenile sterlet can also be found in narrow channels or bays near the mouths. By autumn, the fish goes to the bottom and lies in depressions called pits, where it overwinters. During the cold season, she leads a sedentary lifestyle: she does not hunt and does not eat anything. After the ice breaks up, the sterlet leaves the holes at the bottom of the reservoir and goes up the river in order to continue its race.

This is interesting! Unlike most sturgeon, which are considered fans of leading a solitary lifestyle, sterlet prefers to stay in large schools. Even in pits for the winter, this fish does not go alone, but in the company of its many relatives.

Several hundred sterlets sometimes overwinter simultaneously in one bottom depression. At the same time, they can be so closely pressed to each other that they can hardly move their gills and fins.

How long does a sterlet live?

Sterlet, like all other sturgeon fish, lives for quite a long time. Her lifespan is natural conditions can reach thirty years. However, in comparison with the same lake sturgeons, whose age reaches 80 years or even more, it would be wrong to call it a long-liver among representatives of its family.

Sexual dimorphism

There is no sexual dimorphism in this fish. Males and females of this species do not differ from each other either in body color or in size. The body of females, like the body of males, is covered with dense ganoid scales resembling bony protrusions, and the number of scales does not vary too much among individuals of different sexes.

Range, habitats

It is also found in northern rivers, for example, in the Ob, Yenisei, Northern Dvina, as well as in the basins of Lakes Ladoga and Onega. In addition, this fish was artificially introduced into rivers such as the Neman, Pechora, Amur and Oka and into some large reservoirs.

Sterlet can live only in reservoirs with clean running water, while it prefers to settle in rivers with sandy or rocky-pebble soil. At the same time, females try to stay closer to the bottom of the reservoir, while males swim in the water column and, in general, lead a more active lifestyle.

Sterlet diet

Sterlet is a predator that feeds most often on small aquatic invertebrates. The diet of this fish is based on bottom organisms, such as insect larvae, as well as amphipods, various mollusks and oligochaete worms that live at the bottom of the reservoir. The sterlet will not refuse the eggs of other fish; it eats it especially willingly. Large individuals of this species can also feed on small fish, but at the same time they try not to grab prey that is too large.

This is interesting! Due to the fact that female sterlet lead a bottom-dwelling lifestyle, and males swim in open water, fish of different sexes eat differently. Females look for food in the bottom sediment, and males hunt invertebrates in the water column. Sterlets prefer to hunt in dark time days.

Fry and young fish feed on animal plankton and microorganisms, gradually expanding their diet by adding first small and then larger invertebrates.

Reproduction and offspring

For the first time, sterlet spawns quite early for sturgeon: males are at the age of 4-5 years, and females - upon reaching 7-8 years. At the same time, it reproduces again 1-2 years after the previous spawning.

This period of time is necessary for the female to fully recover after the previous “birth”, which greatly depletes the body of representatives of this family.

The breeding season for this fish begins in late spring or early summer - approximately from mid-May to its end, when the water temperature in the reservoir reaches from 7 to 20 degrees, despite the fact that the optimal temperature for spawning for this species is 10 -15 degrees. But sometimes spawning can begin earlier or later than this time: in early May or mid-June. This is due to the fact that the water temperature required for spawning cannot be established for one reason or another. Also, exactly when sterlet spawning should begin is influenced by the water level in the river where it lives.

The sterlet living in the Volga does not all go to spawn at the same time. Individuals living upstream of the river spawn somewhat earlier than those who prefer to settle in the lower reaches. This is due to the fact that the spawning time of these fish falls on the greatest flood, and it begins in the upper reaches of the river earlier than in the lower reaches. Sterlet spawns in rapids, in places where the water is especially clean and the bottom is covered with pebbles. She is a fairly prolific fish: the number of eggs laid by a female at one time can reach 16,000 or even more.

Sticky eggs laid at the bottom develop for several days, after which fry hatch from them. On the tenth day of life, when their yolk sac disappears, the size of small sterlets does not exceed 1.5 cm. Appearance Juveniles of this species are somewhat different from the appearance of adult individuals. The mouth of the larvae is small, cross-sectioned, and the fringed antennae are approximately equal in size. Their lower lip is already divided in two, just like in adult sterlets. Top part The heads of young fish of this species are covered with small spines. Juveniles are darker in color than their adult relatives; the darkening is especially noticeable in the tail part of the body of the underyearling.

For a long time, young sterlets remain in the place where they once hatched. And only by autumn, having reached a size of 11-25 cm, do they go to the river delta. At the same time, sterlets of different sexes grow at the same speed: both males and females from the very beginning do not differ from each other in size, just as they are the same in color.

This is interesting! Sterlet can interbreed with other fish of the sturgeon family, such as different kinds sturgeons, for example, Siberian and Russian sturgeon or stellate sturgeon. And in the 1950s of the twentieth century, a new hybrid was artificially bred from beluga and sterlet - bester, which is currently a valuable commercial species.

The value of this hybrid species is due to the fact that, like the beluga, it grows well and quickly and gains weight. But at the same time, unlike late-maturing belugas, besters, like sterlets, are distinguished by early sexual maturation, which makes it possible to accelerate the reproduction of these fish in captivity.

The most common wish expressed in restaurants when ordering celebrations is “that it be rich!” And if sturgeon, stellate sturgeon or sterlet are served on the table in this case, all expectations will be fully justified. However, there are a number of nuances in the preparation of this delicious fish.

How to choose fish and not make a mistake

Sturgeon (beluga, sturgeon, stellate sturgeon, sterlet, etc.) are expensive fish, so sometimes they can get stuck on the counter. So it is best to buy live sterlet or small sturgeon. Or go for more the simple way- buy frozen fish. But please note that at temperatures from 0° to -2°C, frozen fish must be sold within 24 hours.

Sevruga of all sturgeons has the most tender, least fatty (up to 11% fat content) and fibrous meat. Sturgeon, whose meat can be compared in taste to veal, is the second most “fat” (11-15% fat content). This is followed by sterlet with tender and aromatic meat (up to 31% fat). And the beluga, the largest of the sturgeons, closes this honorable list - it contains up to 33% fat.

How to cook stellate sturgeon

From others sturgeon stellate sturgeon It is distinguished by an unusually long nose, which has the shape of a dagger and gives it a very unusual appearance. The fish is sold frozen, hot and cold smoked, and in the form of balyk. It is good to steam it. And as a side dish for steamed stellate sturgeon, we suggest serving mushroom fricassee or vegetables stewed in wine, broth or cream. Stellate sturgeon accepts fruit sauces. As an option - kiwi sauce prepared in a steam bath. Rub the kiwi through a sieve, freeing the pulp from the seeds, add a few drops of Tabasco and a little butter. Evaporate and mix thoroughly.

Sturgeon dishes

Sturgeon, or, as it is also called, “river pig,” according to many chefs, is good in almost any form. It can be stewed in large pieces or even whole with vegetables, used boiled in salads and cold soups, baked in the oven in foil, or simmered in fish broth with dry white wine. The traditional Russian version - sturgeon is poached in a concentrated broth with wine vinegar and a large amount of herbs and spices, then kept for two days and served cold.

Stewed sturgeon is especially tasty with spicy vegetables, capers and pickles. Pieces of fish can be marinated a little in lemon juice. Cut carrots, celery tubers, small champignons, pickles and pitted olives into small cubes. Boil muscat wine, such as Madeira, cucumber pickle and some water with bay leaf and chopped parsley. Rinse the fish and simmer in wine broth for 20-25 minutes. Then remove the sturgeon and keep warm. Stew carrots and celery in butter, add olives, cucumbers, mushrooms, mix everything and simmer a little more. Strain the fish broth through a sieve, add capers and cook for 5 minutes. Mash a piece of butter in flour, combine with the broth and, stirring, cook until thickened. Pour the resulting sauce over the fish and serve with spicy vegetables.

Portioned pieces and fillets of sturgeon can be fried in a frying pan, grilled or in batter. The fillet can also be marinated and served cold - in this way we will pay tribute to Mediterranean traditions. To do this, the fish must be kept for a day in a mixture of white wine, 7% apple cider vinegar, coriander and white pepper, then washed and cut into thin slices.

Sturgeon also makes excellent minced meat, which can be used for making cutlets and filling ravioli. Add minced chicken, cream, chopped parsley root and a little torn Chinese lettuce to the sturgeon chopped in a blender.

Fennel, ginger, capers, garlic, marjoram, orange zest, parsley, lemon and pepper are suitable seasonings for sturgeon.

What to cook from sterlet

According to chefs, sterlet is best suited for aspic, fish soup, as a filling for kulebyak and pies, it can be baked and spit-roasted. At the same time, if you need sterlet in the form of fillets, then after cutting it should be frozen - this makes it easier to work with. And the skin is easier to remove, and the bones are more convenient to remove.

For a variation on the fish soup theme, you need to remove the skin from the fish. Boil the sterlet over low heat, fry the carrots and onions until dark golden brown, remove the seeds from the blanched tomato and add to the fish along with other vegetables. Roots are also appropriate in this soup - celery, for example. At the very end, you can add 50 g of vodka and red hot pepper to 3 liters of fish soup.

Keep in mind that sterlet meat is very tender, so a good dish can only be prepared from live or chilled fish; frozen fish is incomparably worse in its characteristics. taste qualities. By the way, there is a hybrid of sterlet and beluga - bester. This fish is bred in ponds and is sold only fresh.

Balyk and beluga cutlets

Beluga meat makes the best balyki and excellent cutlets; in addition, it can be stewed and served with a sauce of mushrooms, olives, lemon and capers. Beluga meat is somewhat rough in taste compared to the meat of other sturgeons, but beluga caviar is the highest quality and most expensive.

You can make the following sauce from it: 4 tbsp. l. concentrated fish broth, 1 tsp. blanched and seeded tomato, cut into small cubes, mix 10 g of grated butter in a heat-resistant bowl and heat without bringing to a boil. The mass should become homogeneous. At the very end add 1 tsp. caviar, stir and remove from heat.

Break up and have no regrets

So, despite the fact that all of the above fish belong to the same family, each species requires its own approach and a decent environment. But still there is general rules working with sturgeon. These are the cutting rules. And further. The added beauty of all sturgeon is that the fish is 100% usable. The bone skeleton, cartilage and head are used for making broth and jellies, the vizigu is used as a component of pickles and hodgepodges, for filling pies, kulebyak and pies, and the liver and milk are used for pates.

Keep in mind that milk is a perishable product, so it should only be used on very fresh fish.

After thawing - if necessary - you should first separate the head with pectoral fins. Then the dorsal bugs (cartilage), vizig (dorsal notochord) and tail are separated. To remove "bugs" there is one very simple but effective technique. It is recommended to sear the fish on the cooking surface of the stove. The "bug" should hiss - after this, removing it will not be difficult. This is followed by stratification: the fish is placed back up and cut from head to tail.

The resulting halves have their own culinary name - “links”. Then the entrails are removed, and the links, depending on the size of the fish and the cooking needs, are cut into pieces. So, the beluga link, the most large fish, usually cut into two or three parts lengthwise and then crosswise into pieces 40-50 cm long. Many cooks recommend scalding the links. This process, firstly, facilitates the removal of bone plates, and secondly, the pieces prepared in this way will not be deformed during the main heat treatment.

In Rus', not a single royal feast was complete without fish dishes. Aspic and sterlet fish soup and large sturgeon baked with vegetables were considered special treats. These days these delicious dishes They are also a real table decoration. And although sturgeon and sterlet belong to the same sturgeon family, they have a number of differences, both external and taste. What are sterlet and sturgeon? Sterlet is a species of fish of the Sturgeon family. Sturgeon is a genus of fish of the Sturgeon family. Includes 19 species of fish (including sterlet). Difference between sterlet and sturgeon. Sturgeon are often quite large fish, characterized by large weight (more than 100 kg) and size (up to 6 m). Sterlet is the most small fish from this family. Its length rarely exceeds 125 cm, on average it is 60 cm. The weight of the sterlet is up to 16 kg. But this does not mean that all adult fish weigh that much; the average is 5-6 kg; adult fish weighing up to 3 kg are often found. The sterlet, unlike the sturgeon, has a narrower head, as well as a long and sharp nose.

Valuable fishermen say that, compared to sterlet, sturgeon has a “more seasoned” appearance. This small fish of the sturgeon family also has long, fringed antennae. Sterlet can be recognized by a large number of lateral scutes (bone scutes). She has up to 70 of them (while sturgeon rarely has 58). Sharp spines emerge from the scutes located on the back of the sterlet. Before spawning, sturgeon “fats up” in the sea, sterlet is a sedentary fish. Sturgeon meat is not as fatty (up to 15% fat) and drier than that of sterlet, whose fat content is up to 30%. Sterlet has a more delicate and delicate taste. The sturgeon miraculously “fits” into almost all existing fish dishes. The best dish made from sterlet is fish soup and aspic, although it can also be used to prepare many other dishes. The Difference determined that the difference between sterlet and sturgeon is as follows: Sturgeons are a genus of fish that belong to the sturgeon family. Sterlet is a species of fish in this family. Sterlet differs from other sturgeons in its smallest size. The sterlet has a small, narrow head. The sterlet's nose is longer and narrower than that of other sturgeons. Her antennae are fringed and quite long. The sterlet has more side bugs (up to 70 pieces) and has sharp spines on its back. Sterlet is a sedentary fish. Sterlet meat is fattier and more tender than that of other sturgeons.

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How to choose fish and not make a mistake

Sturgeon (beluga, sturgeon, stellate sturgeon, sterlet, etc.) are expensive fish, so sometimes they can “stale” on the counter. So it is best to buy live sterlet or small sturgeon. Or take the simpler route - buy frozen fish. But please note that at temperatures from 0° to -2°C, frozen fish must be sold within 24 hours.

Sevruga of all sturgeons has the most tender, least fatty (up to 11% fat content) and fibrous meat. Sturgeon, whose meat can be compared in taste to veal, is the second most “fat” (11-15% fat content). This is followed by sterlet with tender and aromatic meat (up to 31% fat). And the beluga, the largest of the sturgeons, closes this honorable list - it contains up to 33% fat.

How to cook stellate sturgeon

The stellate sturgeon is distinguished from other sturgeon by its unusually long nose, which has the shape of a dagger and gives it a very unusual appearance. The fish is sold frozen, hot and cold smoked, and in the form of balyk. It is good to steam it. And as a side dish for steamed stellate sturgeon, we suggest serving mushroom fricassee or vegetables stewed in wine, broth or cream. Stellate sturgeon accepts fruit sauces. As an option - kiwi sauce prepared in a steam bath. Rub the kiwi through a sieve, freeing the pulp from the seeds, add a few drops of Tabasco and a little butter. Evaporate and mix thoroughly.

Sturgeon dishes

Sturgeon, or, as it is also called, “river pig,” according to many chefs, is good in almost any form. It can be stewed in large pieces or even whole with vegetables, used boiled in salads and cold soups, baked in the oven in foil, or simmered in fish broth with dry white wine. The traditional Russian version - sturgeon is poached in a concentrated broth with wine vinegar and a large amount of herbs and spices, then kept for two days and served cold.

Stewed sturgeon is especially tasty with spicy vegetables, capers and pickles. Pieces of fish can be marinated a little in lemon juice. Cut carrots, celery tubers, small champignons, pickles and pitted olives into small cubes. Boil muscat wine, such as Madeira, cucumber pickle and some water with bay leaf and chopped parsley. Rinse the fish and simmer in wine broth for 20-25 minutes. Then remove the sturgeon and keep warm. Stew carrots and celery in butter, add olives, cucumbers, mushrooms, mix everything and simmer a little more. Strain the fish broth through a sieve, add capers and cook for 5 minutes. Mash a piece of butter in flour, combine with the broth and, stirring, cook until thickened. Pour the resulting sauce over the fish and serve with spicy vegetables.

Portioned pieces and fillets of sturgeon can be fried in a frying pan, grilled or in batter. The fillet can also be marinated and served cold - in this way we will pay tribute to Mediterranean traditions. To do this, the fish must be kept for a day in a mixture of white wine, 7% apple cider vinegar, coriander and white pepper, then washed and cut into thin slices.

Sturgeon also makes excellent minced meat, which can be used for making cutlets and filling ravioli. Add minced chicken, cream, chopped parsley root and a little torn Chinese lettuce to the sturgeon chopped in a blender.

Fennel, ginger, capers, garlic, marjoram, orange zest, parsley, lemon and pepper are suitable seasonings for sturgeon.

What to cook from sterlet

According to chefs, sterlet is best suited for aspic, fish soup, as a filling for kulebyak and pies, it can be baked and spit-roasted. At the same time, if you need sterlet in the form of fillets, then after cutting it should be frozen - this makes it easier to work with. And the skin is easier to remove, and the bones are more convenient to remove.

For a variation on the fish soup theme, you need to remove the skin from the fish. Boil the sterlet over low heat, fry the carrots and onions until dark golden brown, remove the seeds from the blanched tomato and add to the fish along with other vegetables. Roots are also appropriate in this soup - celery, for example. At the very end, you can add 50 g of vodka and red hot pepper to 3 liters of fish soup.

Keep in mind that sterlet meat is very tender, so a good dish can only be prepared from live or chilled fish; frozen fish is incomparably worse in taste. By the way, there is a hybrid of sterlet and beluga - bester. This fish is bred in ponds and is sold only fresh.

Balyk and beluga cutlets

Beluga meat makes the best balyki and excellent cutlets; in addition, it can be stewed and served with a sauce of mushrooms, olives, lemon and capers. Beluga meat is somewhat rough in taste compared to the meat of other sturgeons, but beluga caviar is the highest quality and most expensive.

You can make the following sauce from it: 4 tbsp. l. concentrated fish broth, 1 tsp. blanched and seeded tomato, cut into small cubes, mix 10 g of grated butter in a heat-resistant bowl and heat without bringing to a boil. The mass should become homogeneous. At the very end add 1 tsp. caviar, stir and remove from heat.

Break up and have no regrets

So, despite the fact that all of the above fish belong to the same family, each species requires its own approach and a decent environment. But there are still general rules for working with sturgeon. These are the cutting rules. And further. The added beauty of all sturgeon is that the fish is 100% usable. The bone skeleton, cartilage and head are used for making broth and jellies, vizigu is used as a component of pickles and hodgepodges, for filling pies, kulebyak and pies, and liver and milk are used for pates.

Keep in mind that milk is a perishable product, so it should only be used on very fresh fish.

After thawing - if necessary - you should first separate the head with pectoral fins. Then the dorsal bugs (cartilage), vizig (dorsal notochord) and tail are separated. To remove “bugs” there is one very simple but effective technique. It is recommended to sear the fish on the cooking surface of the stove. The “bug” should hiss—after that, removing it will not be difficult. This is followed by stratification: the fish is placed back up and cut from head to tail.

The resulting halves have their own culinary name - “links”. Then the entrails are removed, and the links, depending on the size of the fish and the cooking needs, are cut into pieces. Thus, a link of beluga, the largest fish, is usually cut into two or three parts lengthwise, and then crosswise into pieces 40-50 cm long. Many cooks recommend scalding the links. This process, firstly, facilitates the removal of bone plates, and secondly, the pieces prepared in this way will not be deformed during the main heat treatment.

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Description of sterlet

Sterlet is a member of the subclass of cartilaginous fish, also called cartilaginous ganoids.. Like all sturgeons, the scales of this freshwater predatory fish form something like bony plates, abundantly covering the spindle-shaped body.

Appearance

Sterlet is considered the smallest among all sturgeon species. The body size of an adult rarely exceeds 120-130 cm, but usually these cartilaginous animals are even smaller: 30-40 cm, and they weigh no more than two kilograms.

The sterlet has an elongated body and a relatively large, elongated, triangular head in comparison. Its snout is elongated, conical, with a lower lip divided in two, which is one of the most noticeable distinctive features of this fish. On the bottom of the snout there is a row of fringed antennae, also characteristic of other representatives of the sturgeon family.

This is interesting! Sterlet comes in two forms: sharp-snouted, which is considered classic, and blunt-snouted, in which the edge of the muzzle is somewhat rounded.

Its head is covered on top with fused bone scutes. The body has ganoid scales with numerous bugs interspersed with small comb-shaped projections in the form of grains. Unlike many species of fish, the sterlet's dorsal fin is shifted closer to the caudal part of the body. The tail has a typical shape for sturgeon fish, with its upper blade being longer than the lower one.

The body color of the sterlet is usually quite dark, usually grayish-brown, often mixed with a pale yellow tint. The belly is lighter than the main color; in some specimens it can be almost white. It differs from other sturgeon sterlet, first of all, in its interrupted lower lip and a large number of bugs, the total number of which can exceed 50 pieces.

Character and lifestyle

Sterlet is a predatory fish that lives exclusively in rivers, and prefers to settle in fairly clean reservoirs with running water. Only occasionally can it swim into the sea, but there it can only be found near river mouths.

In summer it stays in shallow water, and juvenile sterlet can also be found in narrow channels or bays near the mouths. By autumn, the fish goes to the bottom and lies in depressions called pits, where it overwinters. During the cold season, she leads a sedentary lifestyle: she does not hunt and does not eat anything. After the ice breaks up, the sterlet leaves the holes at the bottom of the reservoir and goes up the river in order to continue its race.

This is interesting! Unlike most sturgeon, which are considered fans of leading a solitary lifestyle, sterlet prefers to stay in large schools. Even in pits for the winter, this fish does not go alone, but in the company of its many relatives.

Several hundred sterlets sometimes overwinter simultaneously in one bottom depression. At the same time, they can be so closely pressed to each other that they can hardly move their gills and fins.

How long does a sterlet live?

Sterlet, like all other sturgeon fish, lives for quite a long time. Its lifespan in natural conditions can reach thirty years. However, in comparison with the same lake sturgeons, whose age reaches 80 years or even more, it would be wrong to call it a long-liver among representatives of its family.

Sexual dimorphism

There is no sexual dimorphism in this fish. Males and females of this species do not differ from each other either in body color or in size. The body of females, like the body of males, is covered with dense ganoid scales resembling bony protrusions, and the number of scales does not vary too much among individuals of different sexes.

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Range, habitats

It is also found in northern rivers, for example, in the Ob, Yenisei, Northern Dvina, as well as in the basins of Lakes Ladoga and Onega. In addition, this fish was artificially introduced into rivers such as the Neman, Pechora, Amur and Oka and into some large reservoirs.

Sterlet can live only in reservoirs with clean running water, while it prefers to settle in rivers with sandy or rocky-pebble soil. At the same time, females try to stay closer to the bottom of the reservoir, while males swim in the water column and, in general, lead a more active lifestyle.

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Sterlet diet

Sterlet is a predator that feeds most often on small aquatic invertebrates. The diet of this fish is based on bottom organisms, such as insect larvae, as well as amphipods, various mollusks and oligochaete worms that live at the bottom of the reservoir. The sterlet will not refuse the eggs of other fish; it eats it especially willingly. Large individuals of this species can also feed on small fish, but at the same time they try not to grab prey that is too large.

This is interesting! Due to the fact that female sterlet lead a bottom-dwelling lifestyle, and males swim in open water, fish of different sexes feed differently. Females look for food in the bottom sediment, and males hunt invertebrates in the water column. Sterlets prefer to hunt in the dark.

Fry and young fish feed on animal plankton and microorganisms, gradually expanding their diet by adding first small and then larger invertebrates.

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Reproduction and offspring

For the first time, sterlet spawns quite early for sturgeon: males are at the age of 4-5 years, and females - upon reaching 7-8 years. At the same time, it reproduces again 1-2 years after the previous spawning.

This period of time is necessary for the female to fully recover after the previous “birth”, which greatly depletes the body of representatives of this family.

The breeding season for this fish begins in late spring or early summer - approximately from mid-May to its end, when the water temperature in the reservoir reaches from 7 to 20 degrees, despite the fact that the optimal temperature for spawning for this species is 10 -15 degrees. But sometimes spawning can begin earlier or later than this time: in early May or mid-June. This is due to the fact that the water temperature required for spawning cannot be established for one reason or another. Also, exactly when sterlet spawning should begin is influenced by the water level in the river where it lives.

The sterlet living in the Volga does not all go to spawn at the same time. Individuals living upstream of the river spawn somewhat earlier than those who prefer to settle in the lower reaches. This is due to the fact that the spawning time of these fish falls on the greatest flood, and it begins in the upper reaches of the river earlier than in the lower reaches. Sterlet spawns in rapids, in places where the water is especially clean and the bottom is covered with pebbles. She is a fairly prolific fish: the number of eggs laid by a female at one time can reach 16,000 or even more.

Sticky eggs laid at the bottom develop for several days, after which fry hatch from them. On the tenth day of life, when their yolk sac disappears, the size of small sterlets does not exceed 1.5 cm. The appearance of juveniles in this species is somewhat different from the appearance of adult individuals. The mouth of the larvae is small, cross-sectioned, and the fringed antennae are approximately equal in size. Their lower lip is already divided in two, just like in adult sterlets. The upper part of the head of young fish of this species is covered with small spines. Juveniles are darker in color than their adult relatives; the darkening is especially noticeable in the tail part of the body of the underyearling.

For a long time, young sterlets remain in the place where they once hatched. And only by autumn, having reached a size of 11-25 cm, do they go to the river delta. At the same time, sterlets of different sexes grow at the same speed: both males and females from the very beginning do not differ from each other in size, just as they are the same in color.

This is interesting! Sterlet can interbreed with other fish of the sturgeon family, such as various species of sturgeon, such as Siberian and Russian sturgeon or stellate sturgeon. And from beluga and sterlet in the 1950s of the twentieth century, a new hybrid was artificially bred - bester, which is currently a valuable commercial species.

The value of this hybrid species is due to the fact that, like the beluga, it grows well and quickly and gains weight. But at the same time, unlike late-maturing belugas, besters, like sterlets, are distinguished by early sexual maturation, which makes it possible to accelerate the reproduction of these fish in captivity.

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Natural enemies

Due to the fact that sterlet lives in the water column or even near the bottom of reservoirs, natural enemies these fish have little.

Moreover, the main danger threatens not the adults, but the eggs and fry of sterlet, which are eaten by fish of other species, including those belonging to the sturgeon family that live in sterlet spawning areas. At the same time, the greatest danger to juveniles is catfish and beluga.

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Population and species status

Previously, seventy years ago, sterlet was one of the fairly numerous and prosperous species, but by now pollution of water bodies with sewage, as well as excessive poaching, have taken their toll. So for some time now this fish has been listed in the Red Book as endangered, and according to the international classification of protected species it would be assigned the status of “Vulnerable Species”.

Sterlet is commercial fish and belongs to the sturgeon family. As you know, this species is known for its taste and nutritional value.

This fish is freshwater and is found in almost all rivers of Russia. She, unlike other sturgeons, constantly lives in the reservoir, and not only during spawning.

In the material you will learn more about the properties of sterlet, see photos and characteristics, and also find out how to eat and prepare it correctly.

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Sterlet: description of composition

Sterlet is a unique product because, unlike many others, it contains no carbohydrates. That is why it can be eaten even when diabetes mellitus. This product belongs to the category protein, since on average it contains about 17.5 percent protein. This is a complete protein containing amino acids that are found only in food and cannot be produced by the body on its own.

It is curious that the amount of protein in sterlet can vary depending on the season and place of catch. For example:

• Volga sterlet depending on the time of year, it may contain from 18 to 18.6% protein;
• fish from northeastern rivers has from 10.5 to 15% protein.

As for fat, sterlet is a product medium fat. The amount can fluctuate even more than the amount of protein for similar reasons. The minimum fat content is observed after spawning and is about 5.9 percent, by autumn frosts fat accumulates and reaches its maximum level - up to 6.5 percent.

Fat is distributed unevenly in the carcass. There is more of it in the abdomen and a minimum in the back. When cutting sterlet, waste is produced, in which maximum amount fat is found in the head and liver.

Royal fish sterlet

Sterlet: calorie content

In many sources calorie content of sterlet indicated within 88 kcal per 100 grams. Such information is applicable to fish caught in the Volga, but is completely inapplicable to the Yenisei sterlet, which has a fat content of 30 percent or more, which will be more nutritious. If the fish has 15 percent fat, then its calorie content will be from 230 kcal per 100 grams. Therefore, if we talk about the calorie content of fish caught in the fall in the Yenisei, it will be from 400 kcal.

This fish is not only very tasty, but also incredibly healthy for the body. Naturally, you need to eat it correctly and within reasonable limits so that it can benefit the body.

Know the following:

Sterlet and other sturgeon are considered the most delicious and useful varieties fish They belong to the red delicacy varieties, and the fish meat does not necessarily have to be red.

It is also worth noting that a number of religions that prohibit the consumption of meat and milk allow the consumption of fish. Fish is also a dish that can be eaten during fasting.

Diseases of the cardiovascular system are the most common cause of death in people over 50 years of age. They are often a consequence of systemic atherosclerosis, which occurs due to a disorder in cholesterol metabolism.

Sterlet contains polyunsaturated fatty acids, including omega-3 and omega-6. They not only improve the body metabolic processes, but also act as cholesterol protection.

If you eat polyunsaturated fatty acids along with fish, the formation of atherosclerotic plaques slows down and the level of cholesterol in the blood decreases. It is safe to say that eating sterlet is a good prevention of many cardiovascular diseases.

And also the substance Omega-3 increases serotonin levels in the blood(natural antidepressant). It is recommended to eat this fish during depression.

Fish meat contains large amounts of iodine, deficiency of which can cause disruption of the thyroid gland.

How to eat sterlet correctly for weight loss

Many people who lead a sedentary lifestyle suffer from excess weight. And inactivity is not the only reason; the fact is that few people eat properly.

Now there are a large number of different diets, and the fish diet is very popular. It lies in the fact that fish is the main component of most dishes.

Since sterlet (especially spring-caught Volga) contains a lot of protein and some fat, it can be included in the diet when following a fish diet. Its calorie content will be even lower if you eat boiled fish.

The fish diet has these rules::

• recipes for dishes containing meat must be prepared so that it can be replaced with fish;
• increase your water intake;
• eat small meals 5-6 times a day.

Since sterlet does not contain carbon, it can be eaten even if you follow the well-known Kremlin diet.

The taste of this fish is so incredible that it is almost impossible to spoil dishes based on it.

There are a large number of recipes for sterlet dishes; you need to choose depending on your diet, and also try to prepare dishes that highlight the taste of the fish itself. For example, it will be incredibly tasty and aromatic if it is stewed in wine and served with onions and tomatoes. And as a side dish you can serve boiled potatoes or vegetables.

As for fish soup based on sterlet, it is a traditional dish of Russian “royal” cuisine and part of the national flavor. To prepare it you will need the following ingredients:

• fish – 0.5 kg;
• any freshwater small fish – 1 kg;
• onion - one medium head;
• cut the potatoes and put them in a saucepan;
• add rice, salt, boil and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes;
• cut the sterlet into portions and place in a saucepan. Cook for about 15 more minutes.

For many, the question of how to properly clean this fish remains very important. It is recommended to choose it fresh.

This fish does not need classical cleaning, unlike other freshwater ones. And if you don’t peel it at all, then nothing bad will happen; after cooking, the skin will come off the carcass.

The carcass has a hard skin that resembles sandpaper. You just need to cut off the growths on it on the back and sides, which are called bugs. The bugs on the back are cut off with a knife, and the sides are cleaned in the same way as cleaning the scales of river specimens.

Like other sturgeons, the sterlet has a vizier - this is a vein that runs along the spine. You definitely need to get it so that you don’t get poisoned by fish meat. Viziga has White color and very noteworthy. Make a cut near the head and tail of the fish and carefully pull it out. Then the carcass should be washed thoroughly.

Sterlet is the famous “royal” fish, which in Rus' has always been considered a symbol of prosperity. It has an unusual taste and also has great benefits for the human body.