smoking fish

[wyowinter]

How long can fish be in a brine before smoking? it was heavy brine enough to float potatoe.

[wyoutdoors]

Had a fairly detailed reply in a smoker thread I began the other day. See if it helps you. If not, PM the fellow who responded.

http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=159670.0

[minnowguy]

I soak mine for 24 hours, in the fridge.

[RowdyRay]

Not sure what your asking. You can't over cure/brine it. An hour per pound or overnight is usually sufficient. Rinse it good and smoke it.

[ICECOYOTEE]

My Best Brine! I don't mine sharing because good food should be shared!!!

Put 1/2 to 1 cup coarse salt (how much depends on you), 3 bay leaves and 3/4 brown sugar and handful of peppercorns into a small sauce pan.  Fill half way with water and bring to a fast boil.  When the water turns BLACK remove from heat.  Pour into a lage bowl and add enough cold water to make about 1 gal total.  Soak fish up to 3 days.  The longer you soak the saltier the fish will be.  I like 30 to 36 hrs.  Smoke fish how ever you normally do, the brown sugar puts a nice glaze on fish.

hope u enjoy, ICECOYOTEE

[Converse All-Star]

I use 4 cups dark brown sugar, 1 cup pickling salt and a bunch of garlic.  It's a dry brine when you put it on but when it's done, the container is filled with juice.  8 hours is all the longer mine stay in.  The longer they stay in the saltier they are.  Rinse them off and dry the filets till tacky to the tough.  A standard Sunshine Cutthroat, at 200 F takes roughly 2 hours.  I alway use alder to smoke with.  Best I've ever had but may have to experiment with the previous recipe.

[wyowinter]

Well I put it off longer than I think I should have, it was in brine 5 days put it in the smoker for four hours last night with a unique mix of hickory and mesquite.

[Kinkyline]

     Good stuff, while waiting for wallys to show up. Make the beer taste better too yummmmm. Good recipes.

[RowdyRay]

Well I put it off longer than I think I should have, it was in brine 5 days put it in the smoker for four hours last night with a unique mix of hickory and mesquite.

That's ok, as I said earlier, you can't over brine or cure something. Only under cure it. You don't want that. It was probably too salty, right? If that happens again, you can cut a piece off and fry it. Do a taste test. If it's too salty, put them in a container with fresh water. It'll draw some of the salt out. Do a taste test after an hour and change the water if needed. Do that until you're satisfied. Then let them air dry and form a pellicle. Should be shiny, and as All-Star said, kinda tacky to the touch. Smoke away.

Dad still does the liquid brine and it's too salty for me. I'm supposed to lay off the stuff. So I've been doing a dry brine. I don't really measure things anymore, but here's an approximation. 2 cups kosher or pickling salt. 1 cup brown sugar and a 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper. Coat all the fillets generously. Put them in a non-metalic container that will hold the juices. Brine for 4 to 8 hours depending on thickness. Rinse well, and air dry. Usually use Alder, but sometimes I'll use maple on big slabs of salmon. Then I'll thin some pure maple syrup with water and brush on toward the end. 

And if any of you have had issues with the fillets sticking to the smoker racks, parchment paper works great. Set the fillet on the paper and cut around it. Doesn't affect the smoking, and won't stick to the rack.

[er-e-is]

Used to smoke Kokanee when I fished the Gorge. Antelope jerky. Usually smoke some cheese for the holidays. Smoked some salt one time, gave it a amber color and a pretty good taste. I like apple wood chips when I can get them.

[RowdyRay]

Anyone smoke anything besides trout and cats?

Smoked everything but popcorn. Seriously. Suckers, carp, sheephead, bullheads, whitefish....Oh, I haven't smoked eel. Ate some my uncle did. Just haven't caught any myself. Nuts, cheeses, any meat...even Spam, veggies and snacks. Name it, I've probably smoked it.

[rks-icer]

Smoked baked beans are awesome. They go great with a smoked rack of baby backs. I bought a new electric smoker this fall and have tried lots of things. This one is way better than the "Big Cheif" I was using. Smoked cheeseburgers are really good too.

[jopes]

Since this is a smoking thread, What does everyone use for their smokers?  I seen some small electric models at Rocky mountain sports and it got me thinking.

[rks-icer]

Mine is a Masterbuilt digital model. I got it from Cabelas when they were on sale, It is well insulated and the temperature is pretty consistant when you set it. It is a far cry better than what I had and the price was about right. Around $180 as I remember. So far I have no complaints and I have used the heck out of it.

[wyoutdoors]

Mine is a Masterbuilt digital model. I got it from Cabelas when they were on sale, It is well insulated and the temperature is pretty consistant when you set it. It is a far cry better than what I had and the price was about right. Around $180 as I remember. So far I have no complaints and I have used the heck out of it.

Just rec'd one of the Masterbuilts as a gift. Before this, I would have never went electric. It was always hardwoods back home, then charcoal when I moved to Wyoming. But this MES will see tons of use. This was eh smoker I was plabnning on getting before the "gift" arrived. Now the wife doesn't think we need to drop a grand on a smoker... 

If you know smoking you'll see why this was my choice: http://www.yodersmokers.com/wichita.html

[er-e-is]

Mines a homemade gasser

[MookieB]

I've found that about a cup of sea salt in 2 1/2 gallons of water..... but I soak it for 5-7 days for some reason that is perfect for me.... I have a commercial convection oven my Dad was throwing away that I converted into a smoker. It is actually pretty nice. good luck

[duckman111]

Caught some big walleye last year while chasing perch around.couldnt see trying to release a fish after there eyes are bugging out of there head...so i smoked them. i used coyotees recipe they were really good every time i go check on grandma she wants to know when im i going to bring her some more smoked walleye?

[Kinkyline]

     Good show...all contributors to this thread I'm a big fan of smoked fish but need a better smoker, maybe er-e-is could tell me how he made his gas model. Jopes if you're out there it's 0 here at 9:30mst. Maybe Glendo is tightening up...hope so.

[er-e-is]

Mine is an aluminum box that was used to transport school lunches from school to school. I was working on a school remodel and they were going to throw them away. I built it up on legs, 3/4'' pipe. Cut a hole in the bottom of it and built a firebox underneath with a light gauge steel and mounted 2 gas burners from a kitchen range in the bottom of the firebox. A angle iron rack above one burner with a small frying pan (full of wood chips) on it provides smoke. The second burner provides extra heat if necessary. I cut a 4'' hole in the top with a short stack and damper in it. The box had slots built in it and regular oven racks slide in for multiple levels. I think there is room for 6-8 racks.

Nothin fancy...


A view inside mine...


Finished product...

[gulp]

Anything with that much bacon has to be good no matter what kind of smoker it came out of. Oh yea the smoker look good too.

[RowdyRay]

Nice bacon weave. Whatcha got in that fatty?

[er-e-is]

That was a lasagna Fattie, My first attempt, wasn't near as good as it looked. Needed more cheese and sauce.

[rks-icer]

I have heard of basket weaving. Never heard of using bacon! That thing looks awesome. I have done some elk roast wrapped in bacon in the smoker. Turned out pretty tasty.

[4cator]

"Dad still does the liquid brine and it's too salty for me. I'm supposed to lay off the stuff. So I've been doing a dry brine. I don't really measure things anymore, but here's an approximation. 2 cups kosher or pickling salt. 1 cup brown sugar and a 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper. Coat all the fillets generously. Put them in a non-metalic container that will hold the juices. Brine for 4 to 8 hours depending on thickness. Rinse well, and air dry. Usually use Alder, but sometimes I'll use maple on big slabs of salmon. Then I'll thin some pure maple syrup with water and brush on toward the end."   
 


  A dry brine is my choice also.  The same deal here, two parts kosher, or pickling salt, vs one part dark brown sugar.  Coat the filets and let set overnight.  Rinse and dry for a couple of hours.  Then I coat them lightly with EVOO.

My two favorite recipes.

Add a few drops of liquid smoke to Fillet and rub into filet.
Sprinkle with garlic powder, white pepper,sage,thyme, and a light touch of tony’s.

Or

Sprinkle with lime pepper, white pepper, and a little tony’s.

Smoke with alder and hickory chips. For 6 to 8 hours.

In Tony's I mean Tony Cachere's cajun spice. 

Laters,

The Cator.

[sawblade]

My Best Brine! I don't mine sharing because good food should be shared!!!

Put 1/2 to 1 cup coarse salt (how much depends on you), 3 bay leaves and 3/4 brown sugar and handful of peppercorns into a small sauce pan.  Fill half way with water and bring to a fast boil.  When the water turns BLACK remove from heat.  Pour into a lage bowl and add enough cold water to make about 1 gal total.  Soak fish up to 3 days.  The longer you soak the saltier the fish will be.  I like 30 to 36 hrs.  Smoke fish how ever you normally do, the brown sugar puts a nice glaze on fish.

hope u enjoy, ICECOYOTEE

I just got done smoking about 20 lbs of trout and this is by far the best brine I have ever used. Thank you.

[smokedtrout]

Did you smoke whole fish with that brine, or fillets? 

[sawblade]

It was a combo of both the whole fish came out tender, moist and flaky. The fillets had a glaze that has a slight firm texture and moist. The kids really enjoy the fillets.
I cooked them this morning it was 18 degrees out snowing and a wind out of the west at 15mph. I adjusted the cooking time up 30 minutes. It took 2 1/2 hours to cook. I used some hickory chunks that I had left over from this last summer. I want to try this recipe with some apple wood or cherry wood next time.

[WYIfish]

Something that happened to me and to my neighbor while smoking up some rainbows.   We soaked the wood chips over night in warmer weather and the wood chips got a musty smell to them and it transfered over to the fish.  I now only hydrate the chips for a few minutes before I add them to the smoker. I doubt there's a danger of that now since it's just plain cold out and making ice.

[sawblade]

I only soak my chips for about an hour at the most and usually in hot water. I actually preferr to use the smoker in the winter. I seem to have better control over the heat and cooking time.