smoking salmon

Should be lots of this going on now. I copied 18 pages of recipies from Piscatorial and Ifish -----settled on a few to try -- have some questions!!!!!
1. does anyone re-use their wet brine for another batch.
2. Because of the difference in thickness in backs and bellies on fillets --do you cut bellies and smoke separately?? seems like bellies get over done.....
3. how many of you prefer to cut into steaks and smoke v.s. fillets????????

Sooo, I did 2 batches of small Kenia (sp)silvers this week. One Jonny Coho's dry marinade and then rinsed ---turned out YUK!!! bland and over cooked (6 hrs) salmon jerky anyone????? my error I shouldn't have rinsed.
Next, I used BRunSteelies wet apple juice marrinade---24 hrs--smoked 5 hrs (same little Kenai silvers) much better.

So do you guys find 1 system and never deviate??????? How about thickness of fish???

So 'This Buds For U' what did you settle on last Sept.?????

I used a variation on the Johnnycoho dry brine and it turned out great. I have both rinsed and not rinsed after the brine, either taste good. The key I think is not to overbrine or overcook.

1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup salt
1 tbs onion salt
1 tbs garlic salt
1/2 tbs pepper
1 tbs colemans dry mustard


I fillet mine and then cut the fillets in half so they fit on the smoker rack. I then slice the thick part of the fillets almost down to the skin in about 1" squares and then sprinkle on the brine making sure I get it down in between the squares. Brine for 12 hours, rinse or not rinse, then smoke till done with apple chips. I've used other types of wood but get the best flavor with apple. Pull it off the smoker when the meat is flakey yet still pink and moist. It takes a few batches to get the knack of when to pull it off the smoker.

[ 09-24-2001: Message edited by: Pickled Herring ]

PW - Some anwsers and a receipe.

Never, never, never reuse your brine. Batceria from your fish will grow quickly and spoil it. Always pitch it after brining your fish.

I always cut out the belly strip and the thin portion where the ribs are. Smoke these seperately on a middle racks in your smoker. These are the coolest racks so the fish won't dry out too much. I use a Luhr Jensen "Big Chief" smoker.

I always fillet all my fish and leave the skin on. So whether I'm grilling or smoking, there are only a few bones. My wife appreciates this more than I.

Here's my receipe and directions. Use this and you can't go wrong. Let me know how it comes out.

Southwest Washington's Best Smoked Salmon

Brine

One quart water and one quart apple juice (or two quarts of water)
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup white wine (chardonnay)
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup non iodized salt
1 Tbl Old Bay Seafood seasoning

Combine all ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Place fish in a large bowl, cover with the brine. Brine for 10-12 hours in the refrigerator. After brining, remove fish from the brine and rinse gently but thoroughly in cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Set the salmon on smoking racks or cookie sheet. Dry for several hours (or overnight) in refrigerator.

Smoking

Remove fish from refrigerator, place on racks in cold smoker. Turn on heating element and cook for 60 minutes without wood. After 60 minutes, add wood to the heating element. Applewood is my favorite but most hardwoods are okay (alder, maple, cherry, oak, walnut). Never use a softwood such as pine, fir, spruce, or cedar. Apply smoke for 6-7 hours. You should go through about three pans of wood. Total cooking time should be around 8-10 hours depending on the thickness of the fish. Baste with warm honey immediately after the first and second pans of wood has burned out. That way you avoid basting while smoke is billowing from the smoker. After smoking, cool the fish, wrap in plastic, and store in refrigerator or freezer.

1. No
2. Yes/No - depends on the fillet
3. always fillet

Simple Brine
1 qt water
1/2 cup salt., non-iodized
1/2 cup brown sugar
10 oz. teriyaki sauce (optional)

Always;
overnite in the refer - rinse, dry, rack. wait for pellicle to develop, into a hot box
3 pans of chips, 8-12 hours

The below brine recipe has always worked good for me. A couple of weeks ago I smoked some humps, I didn't have any white wine so I used a red, an Australian Shiraz. Smoked it with a combo of apple, mesquite, and Jack Daniels oak chips. For humpies it turned out really good. Had a friend stop by and I tried to give him some but he wanted no part in those humpies. His taste buds are spoiled on Alaskan Reds, but he tooks some anyways just to be nice. He called me that night and said it was some of the best smoked salmon he and his wife had ever tasted.

"Little Chief" Mod Deluxe
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup salt, non-idonized
2 cups Hawaiian Soy Sauce
1 cup water
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tabasco
1 cup dry white wine

same as above;
overnite in the refer - rinse, dry, rack. wait for pellicle to develop, into a hot box
3 pans of chips, 8-12 hours

I usually do a triple to quadruple batch based on the Little Chief Deluxe Salmon brine (I substitute brown sugar for white) and I use it up to three times as long as I use it within 5-6 days. The second batch is consistently the best batch (salt level a little lower). Haven't had a problem in using this recipe for 20 years and hundreds of times. The little chief instructions say you can use it three times within a week. I've tried a lot of smoked fish but none better than this wet brine. I put the larger pieces of fish towards the bottom of the smoker (Big Chief) and almost always I can finish smoking all fish at the same time. I've made a cardboard box to insulate my smoker so I usually finish my fish in 4-6 hours depnding on outside air temp. The fish rarely cracks or blemishes. Check occasionally when I think it's almost done by pressing on the fish to see how firm it is. Too squishy and I leave it for another hour or so. I like mine a little on the moist side. I often do whole sides of up to 6 lb silvers and can get the whole side on the smoker rack if placed diaginally. Use my food saver vacuum packer for the whole sides and you've got some highly prized holiday treats for family and friends. Smoked fish will last 6-12 months in the freezer if vacuum packed and still retain high quality. Drop me your phone number on an email if you want more details.

This is a recipe that I'd love to share, it's one I have came up with over the years.
1. Fillet fish and chunk into 2" wide strips from back to belly.
2. Get a large glass tray and cover the bottom with rock salt.
3. Cover the rock salt with brown sugar about 1/2" deep.
3. Get some liquid hickory smoke from the grocery store and add about 2 tablespoons and this can vary in how smokey you like it.
4. Lay your fish chunks face down into the tray and it will juice up in about 20-30 minutes. Let it brine for about 36 hours and about every 6-8 hours just scoop some of the brine up and back on top of the fish.
5. Don't bother with the smoker, just lay the fish on racks on top of a pan and put them in the oven at 150 degrees, and leave them in there until you like the firmness, usually about 6 hours or so. The best thing is it makes the house smell awesome.

Also never rinse the fish before smoking.. Leave the brine on them. Anything else you want to add you can, but reality is this is the sweetest smoke tasted salmon you'll ever find.
Keith

Good suggestions and tips guys,, thanks.

Okay, I flushed the old brine, mold and all (just kidding) down the toilet (it was a week old). I was going do dump it in the back yard but my ol Lab would have scratched up the dirt and eatten it, really!

Hey Cohoangler, does the rest of the chardonnay go into the cook? Your recipe is quite similar to Brunsteeli's, that I tried, except for the wine and cooking time.

Gregor, I see you also use wine in the brine. Godd excuse to wet the whistle, eh? Wonder how merlot would work?

B.Ridgeway, looks like a box cover (I used one) really accelerates the cooking time. You suggest 4-6 hrs vs Coho and Gregor's 8-12 hrs. If I'd done my 2 batches 8-10 I would have ended up w/ boot soles. Checking for 'squish' looks like a learned skill, I'll try. Your recipe from 9/25/00 was one I circled to try.

Holly grapevines Batman, all these guys brine with wine. Do you use $12 SteMichelle or $4.99 Casarsa??

** Does anyone hang an oven thermometer in their smoker? If so, what's the optimum temperature?

** I'm wondering if my front load Totem gets hotter than the lil Chiefs?

Stlhdr1 - Keith, were you serious or adding humor, regarding the house aroma?? I'd sure hate to have to eat my fish in the dogs houseand share, at that!

Well, I'm off to the Snohomish R. tomorrow to see if the seiners allowed any silvers to head up the river. Got to get a couple fish so I can apply the new info. Thanks----

About 10 years ago I dropped the wine from my brine. I think it disoloved some of the oil. I like the finished product better and have never gone back to adding wine to my brine. I now save it for the cook. My 0.02 worth.........

Try this brine! I haven't posted it since last year.
My favorite brine:
1/2 gallon water
1/2 cup pickling salt
1 1/2 cup light brown sugar
3 cloves
3 cloves of garlic (crushed)
5 dried red peppers
3 bay leaves
1/2 medium onion, cut in rings
12 pepper corns
You can also add:
Soy sauce (careful, can get too salty quick)
Honey
Fresh ginger
Lemon zest
Orange zest
Brandy or J.D.

Recipe can be doubled.

Bring to a boil then cool.
Cut fish in chunks not more than 1 1/2 inch thick.
Soak for 2 to 3 days.(refridgerated)
Remove from brine and pat dry with paper towels.
Put on preoiled racks.
Let air dry until cuticle(shiny glaze)forms.
Smoke with cherrywood. If "Little Chief" 3 to 4 pans then 12 hours just heat.(Note: I got a new Big Chief this year and it only needs 3 pans and 7 hours. Its alot hotter.) Check and make sure its not drying out to much. If the product is too soft for your liking; finish in a 200 decree oven until desired firmness is reached.

The basic recipe is what I use 90% of the time.(It even works on Chums; not a black one though) And is outstanding with sturgeon. It has served me well for 25+ years.

1. I don't reuse brine.
2. I have cut the belly off and smoked seperately.
3. I have never smoked salmon steaks.

[ 09-27-2001: Message edited by: Bruce ]

I used to use a wet brine until a buddy turned me to this recipe. No more long brine soaks and advanced planning for a day of smoking.

1 1/2 cups salt
1 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp allspice
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp white pepper
1 tbsp cracked bay leaf
1 tsp ground mustard

mix together in glass bowl, (you can double or triple ingredients and store in the refrig.)

Coat the bottom of a glass pan with mixture and lay in filets skin down. coat the other side with mixture, cover with cling wrap and let sit at room temp for 2 hours.

rinse filets under cold water to release the mixture, then pat dry. Smoke as you would normally for your smoker.

This brine draws most water from the filets, we baste the filets as we smoke with italian dressing or maple syrup.

I'll try that IronheadMN.

I have a variation on the Luhr Jensen recipe that we really enjoy. Add 1 1/2 to 2 cups of Karo corn syrup to 1 gallon brine. I also heavily pepper brined filets prior to smoking. It helps to cut fish down to skin in 1 1/2 to 2 inch strips prior to brining. Seem to let brine/smoke/pepper in better.

GutZ

PW - The secret to my receipe is to baste the fish with warm honey twice during smoking. This adds a bit of sweetness to the fish and keeps it moist.

You can use almost any white wine. I prefer to use the cheapest on the market, such as Gallo, since I also use it for other cooking uses. But the wine I use to brine is NEVER the wine I drink. I drink Chateau St. Michelle or something similar.