Perch is a fish of the perch family. The body of the perch is oblong,
moderately compressed laterally. It is covered with fine, dense
seated scales, the edges of which have spines. Scales available
and on the cheeks. The mouth is wide, on the bones of the oral cavity there is
several rows of bristle teeth. At the back edge
the opercula have sharp spines. First dorsal
the fin has only spiny rays, in the second – they are mainly
soft. The pelvic fins also have spiny rays. Side
the line is complete. The body color is greenish-yellow with dark
transverse stripes. The back is dark green, the belly is white.
The spiny dorsal fin is bluish-red in color with
black spot on the membrane between the last two rays.
The soft dorsal fin is greenish yellow. Pectoral fins
yellow-red, abdominal, anal and caudal – bright red.
Perch can reach a length of up to 40 cm, and weighing up to
2 kg or more.
The perch prefers to swim near the shores overgrown with bushes on a small
current or in bays, oxbows, as well as near all kinds
structures (piles, bridges, etc.) in the riverbed. His flocks
can be found near steep banks, where there are
snagged places, sparse vegetation as on the shore,
and in the water. He avoids sections of rivers with fast currents,
rapids, small sandy or rocky rifts. Perch
keeps at some distance from the bottom. In the lakes he
lives near aquatic vegetation, sometimes among rare
its thickets. It rarely goes into shallow water.
When the water warms up to a temperature of 7-12 °, the perch starts
to reproduction, which is usually observed in the last days
March and April. For spawning, he gathers in flocks.
At the beginning of the spawning period, the breeding sites are dominated by
males, of which there are two to three times more at this time,
than females. Fertility is from 12 thousand to 300 thousand eggs.
Despite the delicious meat, many people dislike the river
perch due to prickly rays and thorns, as well as due to dense
scales that are difficult to peel. Due to cleaning problems
scales sometimes perch are cooked
unrefined (only with the removal of internal organs).
To improve cleaning, the perch scales are lowered for 1-2 seconds
into boiling water. To avoid cuts and pricks with thorns
and fins when cutting perch are used rubber
gloves. Before salting, the gills are removed from the perch and the first
dorsal.
Useful properties of perch
Perch meat contains proteins, fats, vitamins B1,
B2, B3,
B6, B9,
B12, C,
E, D,
A, RR.
Perch is rich in such macro and microelements as: potassium,
phosphorus, calcium,
iron, zinc,
it also contains magnesium, sodium,
chlorine, sulfur,
iodine, copper,
manganese, chromium,
fluorine, molybdenum
,
cobalt, nickel.
Perch meat is tender, white, lean, aromatic, possesses
good taste, in addition, the perch is relatively
few bones. Perch can be eaten fried, boiled,
smoked, baked and dried. Perch is also used
for the preparation of canned fish and fillets. Perch is considered
dietary meal, energy value 100 g of meat
perch – 82 kcal.
When frozen, perch fillet retains its taste
within 3-4 months (at a temperature of -18 ° C).
River perch is one of the most suitable fish for
cooking fish soup. For fish soup, both small and
and large individuals, and the former, as a rule, only
gut, without removing the scales, wrapped in gauze,
boiled for a long time, and then thrown away, after which
lay large fish. Large specimens are cooked in
a little water. Perch fish soup can be added
spices, fresh mushrooms (porcini or champignons),
cucumber pickle, dry white wine.
One of the best ways to cook river bass
hot smoking is considered, for smoking are used
beech, hornbeam, oak, maple, alder, poplar, ash and fruit
trees. The total hot smoking time is about two
hours, it is not recommended to add spices for smoking perch.
The shelf life of smoked perch is no more than three
days.
In addition to hot, the so-called
“Semi-hot” smoking of perch, when the fish is smoked at
smoke temperature 50-60 ° C, removing the top lid from the smokehouse
cameras. The duration of such smoking is 12 hours.
In the record holders for the presence of iodine
Dangerous properties of perch
Perch meat is contraindicated in case of individual intolerance,
idiosyncrasy – painful sensitivity to various stimuli.
Plus, they shouldn’t be abused for gout.
and urolithiasis, as it can provoke an exacerbation
due to the high content of purines, which increase education
salts in the body.
You can watch how to catch perch in winter in our video.
