Do-it-yourself dryer for fish. Dryer for fish, assembly from improvised materials The best dryer for fish

How to properly dry fish in a dryer and how, if necessary, to make it yourself? What are the best ways to dry fish to give it best taste? How to avoid the most common mistakes using these technologies? We will talk about all this in more detail in this issue and immediately please leave a comment at the bottom of the page to understand how successful the material turned out.

What are dryers and what are they for?

There are many varieties of dryers in terms of models, sizes, capacities, materials for manufacturing. There are frame and folding, stationary and hanging, designed exclusively for drying fish and universal, that is, they are also suitable for drying berries, mushrooms, nuts, vegetables, herbs, fruits, bee pollen.

All of them are united presence of walls from a mesh or gauze, excluding the contact of flies and their larvae with fish, and allowing air to do its job. As well as the presence of a door for loading and unloading the catch, shelves, hooks or wires to place the fish in the correct position.

It is in this opportunity to save your catch from infection with larvae and subsequent spoilage of products that the advantage of using various types of dryers lies in traditional way drying fish (by hanging on a rope or wire somewhere under a canopy, in an attic or balcony).

We make a dryer with our own hands

Modern online stores, as well as departments of fishing equipment in sports stores and in the markets they present to the buyer a wide variety of models of fish dryers in various options for the ratio of price and quality.

But with all the variety of products offered, it is far from always possible to choose a dryer model that suits the needs of a particular angler. After all, the catches of different fishermen can differ dramatically in the number and size of fish caught. The home conditions in which the fish will be dried also differ. Therefore, many economic fishermen, adjusting the parameters of the device being created to fit their needs.

First of all, you need to decide Where will the drying take place?. If under a canopy or in the attic of a private house, there are no problems with dimensions. If in one of the rooms, on the balcony or loggia of the apartment, then the dimensions of the future dryer must be calculated based on the possibility of placing it in these rooms for drying and subsequent storage. You also need to keep in mind the size and number of fish caught on the previous fishing. Or calculate these parameters for future catches.

After determining the required dimensions, you need to decide on the materials for manufacturing. They can also be very diverse. For the frame and the door, they usually use the bars, slats or boards left over from construction or repairs, the remains of an aluminum profile or corner - that is, any suitable durable materials.

1. A door is hung on the assembled frame.
2. The opening is hermetically sealed to prevent the entry of insects.
3. A mesh is tightly attached to the walls (best of all, a mosquito net).
4. Many people also stretch the net on the ceiling, but this is fundamentally wrong, since the deposited fly larvae can penetrate the cells and infect the catch. Therefore, the ceiling must be made solid, preferably from a plywood or plastic sheet.
5. A tray is placed at the bottom for the timely removal of flowing fish oil.
6. After that, shelves are made inside the dryer or several rows of wire with hooks are pulled (in accordance with the estimated size of the fish). Dryer ready!

Below are some examples of the original creativity of our anglers.

As they say, it is better to see once than to hear 100 times. Therefore, we invite you to watch the video from detailed description making a dryer with your own hands.

How and how much to dry the fish

The drying time and the choice of technology largely depend on the type and size of the caught fish, as well as on the gastronomic preferences of the angler himself.

The duration of salting, again, depends on the size of the fish and the angler's taste preferences - the longer you salt, the saltier the fish will be. Enough on average 2-6 days. After that, the fish is taken out, washed running water and on average for an hour is placed in a bowl with clean water for soaking and removing excess salt.

Exist two ways to hang fish on hooks or ropes of the dryer - behind the head (through the eyes) and behind the tail (after making a hole in the right place of the body of the fish with an awl).

Each method has its pros and cons. For example, if you hang it by the tail, then the fat will drain through the mouth and the fish may come out dryish. And if for the head, then the remaining fat can give the meat a peculiar taste. In general, each fisherman chooses the method of hanging according to the type of fish and with his experience and taste preferences.

After hanging, the dryer is placed out of hit zone sun rays . Best in a draft. The catch is dried for about a week. Samples are taken starting from the smallest specimens.

Possible mistakes

When salting and drying fish, the most common mistakes should be avoided.

• Salt for salting should be ordinary, coarse grinding. In no case not iodized! Its use is guaranteed to spoil appearance and the taste of dried fish.
• It is not necessary to wash the fish immediately before salting (it is washed only before soaking), otherwise it will inevitably become dry.
• Herbivorous fish should not be salted without gutting in hot weather. The algae remaining in its insides will begin to rot - the fish will have a bitter aftertaste or it will completely deteriorate.
• When placing fish in the dryer, care must be taken that they did not touch. This will prevent uniform drying.

Dried and dried fish- one of the most popular snacks in our country, and it would be strange to pay money for it if you yourself like to fish, and even boast of abundant and regular catches. The simplest version of a do-it-yourself fish dryer can even be an ordinary clothesline with clothespins on which the prey will be attached. To protect against midges, the catch can be protected by an anti- mosquito net, but with the “production” put on stream, this looks frivolous.

Home-made drying for fish of a decent appearance and the same functionality can be done at home by placing a large number of slaves in a small space and providing there at the same time good ventilation and protection from curious insects. In a rural area, such a solution is especially relevant, since not only fish, but also mushrooms, and even meat can be dried in a similar way. Two variants of this design can be distinguished. Let's consider each of them in more detail.

Demountable hanging cabinet

In private houses, in most cases, they resort to making a box, covered on all sides with a mosquito net to protect against insects. Depending on the size, such a structure can be hung on a wall or even be multi-tiered and stand on the ground - then up to several dozen fish can dry in it at the same time, but the likelihood of access by ground insects increases. The dimensions of the future box are determined only by you, based on your fishing abilities.

For good air access, the box should not have walls - in fact, we are talking just about a contour frame. For its manufacture, a bar is usually chosen or wooden slats, whose thickness should never be less than 2.5 cm. Moreover, in many cases it makes sense to take a thicker material if the structure has many tiers, or its volume allows you to hang several kilograms of fish at once. In order not to be mistaken with the amount of purchased material, you can draw up a drawing in advance.

Just keep in mind that any box of a relatively large size will not interfere with the presence of additional spacers for strength and stability. When purchasing a bar, it is worth taking it with a small margin - just in case.

For beauty, wood is often sanded and then painted, but it is more reasonable to do the first procedure before assembling the structure, and the second after assembly. The polished slats are cut so as to make two identical rectangles out of them, which will become opposite walls. You can connect them together either with several separate spacers, or with two more equal rectangles. After all this, one more rectangle needs to be made according to the size of one of the walls - it will serve as a door. For the perfect correctness of all angles, most masters advise using special metal corners small size, sold somewhere in the neighborhood with the same lumber.

When the frame is ready, if not painted, then at least varnished, because wood, and even outdoors, will last much longer.

Paint and varnish must be chosen wisely: they must protect the wood from water and salt deposits, but at the same time be environmentally friendly, because toxic fumes will surely soak the fish.

In the upper part of the box, as well as between the spacers of the lower tiers, you need to stretch a twine or wire on which the fish will be hung. The density of the rows and the vertical distance between the rows should be determined based on the size of the catch you can usually show off. Choosing among twine and different types wire, focus on the ability to withstand rain and withstand the expected weight of the catch, it is also reasonable to provide an easy option to replace sagging or torn pieces.

When this stage is also passed, you can start fitting the mosquito net - usually it is simply cut into fragments required size and simply nailed to the rails in a taut state. In this way, all sides of the box are trimmed, except for the one left for the door, and with the planned tight hanging on the wall, the opposite side may also be left without a grid. The door itself is also upholstered with a mesh, after which it is attached with hinges to the “doorway”. final touch there will be the creation of a “heck” of two or three nails, but here it is worth approaching the task as responsibly as possible so that not the slightest gap remains.

If it suddenly turned out crooked, and there are still cracks, you can paste them on the outside with a sealant.

Many, by the way, do not want to make the door on their own, but specifically adjust the dimensions of the box to the dimensions of a standard mosquito net on the window in order to use it as a door. The very lazy ones may not assemble any frame from a bar at all, simply by connecting several such grids together.

Some craftsmen do not like the fact that when the door is open (at the stage of hanging the fish or extracting part of the prey), insects can get inside, therefore, instead of doors, they sew a zipper into the mesh. This can make the inlet much smaller and easier to control, but this approach tends to degrade the mesh on that side more quickly.

Drying chamber with fan

This design is more intended for the city - at least, it not only can, but should be inside the building, since it requires electricity to operate.

Any box can be used as a frame, only now with integral walls and the possibility of tight closing. You can put it together with your own hands, but the use of large (at least 20 liters) is much more popular. plastic containers from anything.

The ventilation grill is usually built into the box cover located on top, but a small one is installed in one of the narrow side walls. exhaust fan window type, so that by its efforts the air flow passes through the entire box. Availability electric fan allows you to completely level the lack of draft due to the lack of free air circulation in the room, therefore even the dense walls of the plastic box will not interfere with the quick achievement of the result - in most cases, this design dries the fish faster than the classic one with a net and fresh outdoor air. In the upper part of the box, metal rods with a wrench thread are attached, which are fastened on the outer sides with the corresponding nuts - we will hang fish or other products on them.

On this simplest design home drying cabinet could be finished, but some craftsmen offer options to improve the design. So, it's no secret that for normal drying, you need not only constant inflow air, but also heat , which in winter time even indoors is not always achieved. good decision to increase the temperature inside the cabinet, it can be the use of an electric mat - such an item can be bought at a pet store, since it is necessary for the comfort of most pet reptiles. You can go the other way, providing a place inside the box for installing ordinary incandescent bulbs, which also heat up significantly during operation, but they will take up more space and may require numerous holes in the frame.

When installing any equipment for raising the temperature, it must be remembered that water flowing or evaporating from the dried products should not get on the heated surface, and even more so on electrical contacts.

Both design options are quite effective, tested over the years of operation and used by hundreds of thousands of our fellow citizens, as evidenced by positive reviews on various fishing forums. Another thing is that for beginners who decide for the first time to try to dry fish or mushrooms on their own, the first pancake comes out lumpy. Out of ignorance, such people often sin on an unsuccessful design, although the reason for the spoilage of products or their very specific taste lies not in the crooked hands of the master, but in the banal non-compliance with the technology for preparing the catch.

For example, it makes no sense to dry fresh fish - the finished product will turn out to be completely tasteless and few people will like it. Before being sent to the drying cabinet, the fish must be salted for at least 10-12 hours, and not any salt can be used for this - only coarse-grained is suitable, and iodized and "Extra" are considered completely unsuitable for these purposes.

Another common mistake is to thoroughly wash the fish before salting - although this may seem unhygienic, you should not do this. The fact is that the inhabitants of the depths are already an excellent breeding ground. various microorganisms, and the increased presence of water also contributes to this, at the same time slowing down the drying process.

A dehydrator, or dryer for fish or meat, is a must-have item for many fishermen and hunters to use as one of the ways to process their prey. In order not to spend money on an industrial design, you can make a fish dryer with your own hands with minimal financial costs.

Of course, the most inexpensive option for a dehydrator is an ordinary clothesline, on which a fish is strung and placed somewhere under a roof or on a balcony. With all its simplicity, this option does not exclude the infection of fish during the drying process with larvae. various insects, as well as from sitting flies. Therefore, the most practical and reliable dryers for food are always designed with walls that protect prey from flies, other insects and pollution from the street, but somehow promote free air circulation. According to their design, dryers for fish or meat are different:

• Suspended
• collapsible
• Stationary
• With fan

Hanging dryers differ from stationary dryers in that, in accordance with their name, they are suspended from the wall, thanks to which their height and position can be adjusted, which is convenient when choosing the most suitable place for the amount of sun or wind. Collapsible dryers are very convenient in that they can be disassembled for compact storage while they are not in use. In addition, they are mobile, and during long-term fishing, the catch can be immediately placed in the dryer right on the shore of the reservoir. All these dryers are adapted to dry fish on outdoors. What to do if there is no such possibility, or dehydration of fish needs to be done in winter? In this case, a dryer for meat and fish with a fan will help, which is quite simple to do with your own hands.

In order to make a dryer with a fan, you will need the following materials:

• Plastic container with lid. Can be used plastic box for children's toys.
• Extractor hood with outlet grate. Sufficient fan power is 280 cubic meters. Instead of ventilation hood you can use a PC cooler.
• Threaded rod on M8 or M6, can also be used metal bars 3 mm in diameter.
• Nuts, washers, bolts.

The sequence of work on the manufacture of the dehydrator is as follows:

1. At the bottom of the box, on its short side, it is necessary to mark with a marker the place for mounting the ventilation hood. The place for fixing the grate for the hood is also marked, it is best if it is located on the lid. If this is not possible, it is built into opposite side from the fan at the top. Holes can be cut with a jigsaw, a circular saw-crown suitable diameter, or use a drill with a thin drill: holes are drilled around the perimeter of the circle, then the jumpers between them are removed with an ordinary knife. If you heat the blade of the knife, the plastic will be cut more easily.
2. The fan and the grate for the hood are installed in the prepared holes, fixed to the walls of the box with fasteners. The lattice can be planted on liquid nails.
3. Next, you need to mark the location of the holes for the rod, which will hold the fish or pieces of meat during drying. To do this, masking tape is glued around the perimeter of the box, and markings are already applied to it. Holes are drilled with a screwdriver or drill. Another option for attaching a drying rod is using duralumin corners. They are fixed on the long sides of the container with the shelf down, fastened with bolts, and on the shelves of the corners they are arranged through holes for the bar. With the help of such corners inside the dryer, you can make several rows.
4. The threaded rod is cut into required amount bars of the desired length with a hacksaw.
5. The rods are inserted into the holes, fixed with nuts and washers. If you need to dry something roomy, you can unscrew the nuts and remove the rods.
6. The fish is strung on rods through the eyes or clings to hooks and hung on rods. Then the container is closed with a lid, the fan is turned on, the box is placed in any comfortable spot for several days.

Such a dehydrator is universal, since it is used not only for drying fish, but it is also a dryer for meat, vegetables or fruits. In addition, if thick parchment is placed on the rods, you can dry small products - berries and mushrooms. The dryer from the container is quite capacious, airtight, protects products from the penetration of any insects. How fast the food will dry will depend on the outside temperature of the dehydrator. Modify similar dryer it is possible if you install a special adapter-timer to set the operating time, as well as a device that supplies warm air inside.

In the process of evolution, mankind has invented many ways to prepare products that allow them to be preserved for a long time. One of them is drying. Today we will dwell in more detail on the process of drying fish, the devices used for this and some of the nuances and features of the process of their self-production.

With a successful combination of circumstances, the angler's catch can be calculated not in pieces of fish caught, but in kilograms of its weight.

And in this case, there is a need to preserve the extracted product. Of course, a refrigerator can come to the rescue. But what an incomparable pleasure you experience when eating your own caught and dried fish.

When harvesting a catch, you should remember some features. First, before drying the fish should be well salted.

To improve the taste of the future product, it is better to use not only salt, sprinkling rows of caudate ones in a voluminous container, but also add a few handfuls of black peppercorns and grind a dozen leaves of lavrushka.

Some gourmets mix salt with sugar in a ratio of 3/1. In the case of salting the catch directly at the fishing spot, especially in the hot season, it is recommended to gut the fish to avoid spoilage. In this case, the amount of salt can be slightly reduced.

Secondly, in the process of drying, the fish is very attracted to flies, striving to plant their eggs in each carcass. Naturally, this "seasoning" is not to many tastes, so measures must be taken to prevent free access insects. Consider several options for household fish dryers, made by hand from a variety of improvised materials.

Wooden fish dryer

It is a rectangular wooden box in which a fish hanging system is made. As building material take a few slats of wood with a section of 20x40 mm, file a sufficient number of parts from them.

Connect the resulting bars at the corners with nails or self-tapping screws, trying to prevent splitting of the ends.

To protect against insects, you can use a synthetic mosquito net, which is not difficult to purchase at any hardware store.

The cell size should be minimal and not exceed 1-1.5 mm. Fastening the mesh to the frame can be done using small nails, but it is much more convenient to use a furniture stapler for this purpose.

To save cellular material, one of the walls drying chamber can be sewn up with a sheet of thin plywood or fiberboard.

Hanging the fish during drying can be carried out on wire strings or nylon cords stretched between the bars of the dryer cover. It is convenient to attach the catch directly to hooks made of stainless paper clips.

Homemade collapsible dryer made of plastic panels and corners

This option is suitable plastic lovers. You will need the following materials:

• 2 trimming sandwich panels 250x400;
• corner for connecting panels;
• edge profile;
• frames with a mesh according to the principle of removable mosquito nets for plastic windows.

The advantage of this model is mobility, easy assembly, low weight, as well as the small volume that it occupies when stored unassembled. For assembly, it is enough to insert the frames into the connecting brackets without using adhesive compositions. We will get the side railing of the dryer.

Then we will install the same corners on the lower edges of the frames and put the bottom on them - a piece of the panel.

The next step is to make a fastening system to hold the fish from pieces of a plastic corner profile. For this with inside vertically install the corners in the corners of the body and lay four more on them.

We put salted fish strung on wooden skewers or pieces of steel wire on the prepared suspension.

It is better to cover the bottom of the dryer with paper towels to collect the flowing brine. We close the top of the structure with a lid assembled from the second piece of the panel and four pieces of the edge profile. Top cover can be non-separable, fastened using glue or a stapler.

Dryer for fish from plastic boxes

A dryer variant made on the basis of two fruit boxes is quite simple to manufacture. In the device, the container is located one above the other in an inverted form. At the top box, you must first remove the cellular part of the bottom.

It is convenient to do sharp knife or side cutters. The boxes can be connected to each other with glue or self-tapping screws.

To provide protection against insects from a mosquito net, sew two bags equipped with an elastic band in the neck. The lower bag is stationary, and the upper one will be installed after loading the next batch of fish.

To fix the catch during drying, you can use wooden slats with a section of 15x20 mm, into which nails with removed caps are driven in with a certain step. Depending on the size of the fish, the slats can be set higher or lower. If it is necessary to dry pike, pike perch, one more intermediate box with a completely removed bottom can be added to the structure. In working condition, drying from a container will look like this.

Other dryer options

Human thought has no boundaries. To solve the problems of drying fish are used various options dryers from various materials. Stationary based on plastic window grids can be made in another version, different from the collapsible described above.

For a welder, a more convenient option is made entirely on a non-separable metal frame.

At the same time, the device can be used both suspended and installed on the ground in the shade. garden trees or canopy. It has been noticed that drying fish (drying) is best done in a semi-shaded place, and not in the open sun. In this case, the product will be more tender, soft and oily.

In places characterized by large volumes of fish caught, it is advisable to use stationary dryers large volume, allowing you to load large batches of fish up to several tens of kilograms.

Even an ordinary umbrella, supplemented with a fine mesh sleeve, can be used by savvy anglers to harvest fish in field conditions. It is enough to hang it from the nearest tree and hang the pre-salted daily catch on the needles. In Soviet times, with a total shortage of a mosquito net, one could not even dream of, but people easily got out of difficult situations. Disused tulle was used as protection against insects.

Dear readers, if you still have questions, ask them using the form below. We will be glad to communicate with you;)

Often, anglers get a big catch, which is measured not in pieces, but in kilograms. At the same time, there are difficulties in the preservation of fish.

To prevent spoilage, it can be dried in special dryers. They can be made independently or purchased in specialized stores.

Features of salting and drying fish using a dryer

When harvesting the resulting catch, it is necessary to remember the recommendations that allow you to properly dry and:

• For a piquancy of taste, it is better to add a few dozen black peppercorns and crushed bay leaves to the salt;
• For refinement of taste, some salt is mixed with sugar, the ratio should be 3:1;
• So that the fish does not deteriorate, it is better to gut it before salting or drying;
• Dried fish is very attractive to flies, in order to prevent their appearance, it is necessary to make special traps for insects.

Where to buy a fish dryer and at what price?

The fish dryer is required device for the fisherman. It can be purchased:

• in a specialized fishing store;
• hardware store;
• in online stores;
• in sports shops in the fishing department.

The device protects the fish from insects thanks to a special mesh that can be fastened with a sewn-in zipper. The dryer is made of durable materials of high quality.

There are several types of industrial dryers:

• On stretch marks;
• on the frame;
• Rectangular;
• single tier;
• Multi-tiered.

The cost of fish dryers is different, it all depends on what material it is made of:

• 300-600 rubles (the basis of such devices is a dense mosquito net, which is stretched over a frame made of light metals, quite convenient to use, you can easily take it with you on a fishing trip);
• 700-1500 rubles (the device has several tiers and chains, contains a large amount of catch);
• From 1500 and above (the frame of the dryer is made of durable heavy metals, steel is mainly used, it is not mobile).

When choosing a dryer in a store, you need to weigh all the advantages of each model, and then choose the device for yourself.

What can you make a dryer for fish with your own hands?

In spite of big variety models of dryers for fish, each fisherman needs his own, which will fully satisfy the needs. Not all purchased devices are suitable for use in individual cases. Therefore, quite often, lovers of fishing make dryers on their own.

This takes into account:

• Place for drying fish;
• The materials from which the dryer is made;
• Conditions in rooms where drying is planned.

Considering all the nuances, the angler decides for himself which device suits him. Most often, the dryer is made:

• From wooden blocks;
• From plastic panels or boxes.

The production technology of each type is different, includes its own characteristics.

wooden bars

The dryer, which is made of wooden bars, is considered the simplest design.

To make such a device, you need to prepare:

• self-tapping screws;
• Bars of wood;
• Mosquito net.

After preparing all necessary materials, you can start assembling:

1. It is better to make this type of dryer on legs, so first of all it is necessary to measure the height of the product, as well as the length of the supporting elements.
2. Slice wooden blocks according to the measurements taken, connect them together using self-tapping screws. The frame is ready.
3. On the sides of the frame, you need to make two small blocks on which a string or clothesline will be placed.
4. Cover the entire structure, starting from the top, with a mosquito net, attach it to the dryer using a stapler.
5. To build a cover, for this purpose any available material that fits in size can be used.

Note! When making a device from wooden bars, the main thing is to choose the right tool that will allow you to get a high-quality and durable design.

Plastic panels and boxes

Dryers made of plastic have a rather poor throughput, therefore, in their manufacture, it is necessary to ensure the presence of an extract.

For the construction of the structure should be prepared:

• plastic corners;
• Glue base (you can use liquid nails);
• bolts;
• Screwdriver and jigsaw;
• Hood;
• Mosquito net.

Manufacturing plastic construction is carried out as follows:

1. Take measurements of the height of the structure.
2. Cut off the required number of plastic strips.
3. Cut out the necessary parts for the cover and inlet.
4. Fasten the panel in the corner, connect the rest with each other using adhesive base or liquid nails.
5. After making the frame, make a cover, attach it with a corner.
6. Similarly, do all sides of the dryer.
7. It is necessary that at the top of the dryer along the entire length there is a finishing bar.
8. Make corners that will be the basis for the rods.
9. Using a thick wire, make rods that are located on opposite sides.
10. The first side of the rod must be attached to one side, making a 90-degree bend, the second end of the rod must be freely detached from the structure in order to string fish on it, then inserted into the hole in the corner without any problems.
11. Make a hole anywhere on the side wall, insert the hood.

The design should only work when the hood is on and the lid is closed on top.

To make the fish tasty and fragrant, you need to listen to some drying tips:

• If the fish is larger than 30 cm, it must be gutted, put in a cold place mixed with nettles for a couple of hours.
• Before drying, the fish must be rinsed under running clean water, remove all dirt.
• It is important that the carcasses do not touch each other, and the abdomen is out, so no more than 10 pieces should be placed on one rod or rope.
• Small fish are dried for 2 weeks, large ones for at least 6 weeks.
• The most delicious fish is obtained in the spring, as it is cool and fresh outside, it is not recommended to dry the carcasses in the summer, as they will quickly deteriorate.
• When drying under oppression, it is very important to apply one nuance, how long the fish lay under salt, the same amount of time it needs to be soaked in clean water and then place in the dryer.
I caught this pike with a bite activator. I have never caught these before, but now every time I bring trophy specimens from fishing! It's time for you to guarantee your catch!!!