Smoker Brine

[bluewater]

how long do you guys let them sit in the brine?

overnight?

I soak mine for 2 days turns out great. I also use apple cider, it turns out awsome!!! It ends up with like a nice glaze on it from the cider.

[bandrus1]

I got 6 cohos and 3 steelhead this past weekend and they are all in the smoker today... we will see how they do!

[muskybob]

I got 6 cohos and 3 steelhead this past weekend and they are all in the smoker today... we will see how they do!

It's been a while, but wondering how you liked it.   Time to stock up the freezer for smoking during the Fall/Winter months.

[bandrus1]

It's been a while, but wondering how you liked it.   Time to stock up the freezer for smoking during the Fall/Winter months.

 

 

Everybody loves it.. I dont eat it but all my friends and family loved it

[muskybob]

 

[DJ 17]

guys,

I see the recipe says low temp, what temp did you have the best luck with?

[muskybob]

My Brinkman only has low, med, high.  I think the low setting is around 250

[skipper19]

225 to 250 is what I do in my charcoal smoker. My big chief electric gets up to about 200. I take fillets off at internal temp of meat at 135. Best moisture and texture so far.

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[Zebedee]

Any secrets to keeping the fillets from sticking to the grates?  I looked at that pic Musky posted in the first post and he has nice grate marks on the fillets.  I usually have to scrape the fillet off what sticks to the grate.  I do this over a pan so I can save all the loose fillet pieces for sandwich spread (so it's not a total loss).

[skipper19]

Any secrets to keeping the fillets from sticking to the grates? I looked at that pic Musky posted in the first post and he has nice grate marks on the fillets. I usually have to scrape the fillet off what sticks to the grate. I do this over a pan so I can save all the loose fillet pieces for sandwich spread (so it's not a total loss).

It's just a nature of the beast, but to make them come off a little better I spray the racks with grilling Pam first.

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[peas247]

What temps are you smoking at?

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[skipper19]

What temps are you smoking at?

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Check back a page!

[peas247]

Sorry....must of overlooked it...thanks! New to smoken fish...i smoke a ton vension...

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[jonboat]

Jason, here's a recipe I copied from the net years ago. I'm sorry but I can't remember where it came from, but it is very good. Alaskans call it Indian Candy Salmon:

· 1/2 Gallon of Water

· 1 Cup Pickling Salt

· 2# of the darkest, heavy-molasses type Brown Sugar

· 1 Cup real Maple Syrup

Clean and slice fillets of salmon (against the grain) into 1/2" slices.

Mix brine and soak salmon slices for 1 to 2 days.

To smoke, use a mixture of cherry, madrone ( it is good with alder substituted if you can't find madrone), and apple in a smoker and depending on the weather smoke from 8 hrs to 1-1/2 days (the colder the days the longer the smoke).

NOTE: halfway through the smoke, brush the salmon with a mixture of 3/4 Cup honey and 1/4 Cup water.

This is also great for beef and venison.

To help you figure out when it's done: the salmon is dry but not TOO dry and it break’s apart easily while retaining its shape. Don't go to the point of dry jerky, try to catch it just before.

I regularly do my salmon (and browns) up as "indian candy". It is a favorite snack in my house.

Done right, it's not quite jerky dry, but a lot firmer than normal smoked salmon.

What MuskyBob posted is very close to my recipe, which I'll share...

 

Brine:

1 gal Water

1/2 cup canning/pickling/kosher salt (pick one, as long as its not iodized)

1 cup dark brown sugar

 

halve or double depending on how much salmon you have to brine.

Use a non-reactive container to brine. I use a canning pot (porcelin coated) for small batches or a cooler for large batch

For the cooler, you have to keep some ice in it to keep at safe food temps, for the canning pot, it goes in the garage fridge. 

 

Pull the pin bones, then cut fillets into ~1 inch wide strips

Brine for 24 hours

Rinse and pat dry with paper towels

Allow to air dry for 1-2 hours, until pelicle forms

About midway through drying, start getting the smoker ready

Smoke at "IDEAL" (I have the Brinkman bullet smoker too) for 3 hours with apple or cherry wood

At 3 hours, baste with real maple syrup

smoke for one more hour and done

*variation: sprinkle with brown sugar before placing in the smoker

 

Here's what I end up with:

 

Edited August 30, 2013 by jonboat

[Adk1]

Can I ask one question with hijacking this post so to peak....I have been looking into getting a smoker but there are so many choices. I basically would like one that I can walk away from for 3-4 hours not having to worry about it etc. Budget under $300 for one. I like the idea of propane cause  I can use it camping. Not so interested in charcoal but a duel version would be fine. I have looked at the Masterbuilts thats about it..Any thoughts as to a decent one for that $

[skipper19]

Can I ask one question with hijacking this post so to peak....I have been looking into getting a smoker but there are so many choices. I basically would like one that I can walk away from for 3-4 hours not having to worry about it etc. Budget under $300 for one. I like the idea of propane cause I can use it camping. Not so interested in charcoal but a duel version would be fine. I have looked at the Masterbuilts thats about it..Any thoughts as to a decent one for that $

About the only one you can load and walk away from for 3 or 4 hours are those that automatically drop a wood puck in and are electric. Not usually under the 300 you are looking at.

I have both a wood fired side box chargriller, and a luhr jenson big chief electric cabinet that uses electric and a pan of wood chips. If I don't want to babysit the fire I choose the big chief. The wood never gets fire, the electric element controls the heat at even 200, and a pan of wood lasts about 1.5 to 2 hours before having to fill it again, but you can let it go 3 or 4 and just add another pan when you come back. Haven't bought one lately, still have mine from 25 years, but it isn't expensive, they have a couple sizes.

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[carpedium]

Bob, I'm trying to work around a soy allergy. Would additional salt offset the effect of removing the soy sauce? Any other suggestions would be appreciated. 

 

Matt

[muskybob]

Bob, I'm trying to work around a soy allergy. Would additional salt offset the effect of removing the soy sauce? Any other suggestions would be appreciated. 

 

Matt

Hi Matt, I don't like to overdo the salt thing too much so I'd try substituting paprika for a replacement.  Just a thought to give it a little more flavor.  I'd like to hear your thoughts when  ya try it.

 

PS: Probably 1 tbsp to replace the half cup or if you use smokey paprika I'd go with 1 tsp.

 

Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

 

Bob

[skipper19]

Maybe you could just leave out the soy sauce. I think the salt already is enough for the base brine.

However, since a good portion of the seasonings is a pepper tone, I think I would try a half cup of Worcester shire. I think you would be just fine with the brine as is and without the soy, probably not too noticed with the majority of the base being sugars in the juice. I would not add any more salt though.

If ya like a little zing Matt, go with the Worcester😉

Mark

Cent frum my notso smart fone

[JosephParker]

   Who can recommend to me the best product among those in the list on this site? :  https://startbbq.com/best-electric-smokers/

[vetting]

Is it a 1/2 cup of soy sauce?  There is a strange character in the original post - likely from a copy paste.  How many lbs of fish is the stock recipe good for?

[Fishmaster 196]

Is it a 1/2 cup of soy sauce?  There is a strange character in the original post - likely from a copy paste.  How many lbs of fish is the stock recipe good for?

Yes, a half cup. I use this on salmon and most say its the best they ever had.

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[vetting]

Currently have 20 lbs of fillets in the fridge submerged in brine.  

 

Going to be my first smoking of fish in years, so hopefully Im not to rusty.  I picked up a electric Masterbuilt smoker, so I can set the temp to whatever I want.   I see that time/temps are all over the place for recommendations.  For smoke I'm using a Amaze'n smoke pellet maze, so I can run whatever temp I want and dont have to use the smoker to actually produce the smoke.  I was thinking doing a 4 hour smoke.

 

Hour at 145

2 hours at 160

1 hour to at 180

 

Basically I'd like an internal temp of 160 since this salmon is all fresh and hasnt gone through the freeze for 30 days to kill everything process.