Got some fresh steel to smoke!

[Erik]

Got lucky and caught a couple very fresh chromers sunday afternoon. I plan on smoking them tommorow eve. So I was wondering, any suggestions for a brine recipe? I've had some problems in the past with my brine leaving my fish too salty. I've even toned it down from the original recipe witch came from an LL Bean cookbook I recieved quite a few years ago from my wife. It calls for 1 cup salt to 1 gal water and 1 cup sugar. I have played around for awhile with differant variations of this and finally decided that this was the best variation. 1 half cup regular salt, 1 quater cup seasoning salt, one gal water, 1.5 cups brown sugar, one table spoon werchestershire sauce and last but not least the juice from one whole lemon squeezed into it. Believe it or not sometimes it still comes out salty. Other times its perfect. Why? Am I not letting the fish dry enough after removing it from the brine? Or is that just too much salt? I've seen recipes that call for more. Any suggestions?

------------------
Phish

[Salmonsmoker]

Erik,

First of all - C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S - on the catch. What a way to spend Sunday.

Many of the old recipes for smoked fish (or smoked foods in general) were working from the premis that curing was being used to preserve the food - thus, the strong salt. Our reason for brining is to impart falvor. (Apple cider makes a good addition to the liquid part of the brine.)

Fish is a very porus meat. It absorbs salt quickly. Basically, I use 1 cup of salt - 1/2 cup of sugar (adding what other spices are preferred (I posted a recipe for a basic seasoning that works well) to 3 qts of liquid.

You did not mention how long you leave your fish in the brine. Keeping the fillets in the brine for 3 to 4 hours is plenty (keep them covered and in the refrigerator. During the process, I try to "turn over" the mixture at least one time - to insure that all areas of the fillets are equally exposed to the brine.

After the brine - I rinse the fillets in cold running water, and pat dry with paper towels, then let them air dry for an hour or two.

Some of the best results that I have attained were with hard maple smoke for about 6 hours and keeping the smoker at a moderate (150 to 180 degres) temperature. The time depends on the thickness of the fish - when they are done they are done.

Let me know how it turns out.

Salmonsmoker

[Salmonsmoker]

Erik,

In one of my Smoked-Wild Game cookbooks, I found the following recipe. It is called "Smoked Salmon Delux" - also recommended for Chinook, Coho, and Steelhead. I have not tried this recipe - so I'm not makeing a recommendation. If you try it, please let me know how it turns out.

Brine:

1/3 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup non-iodized salt
2 Cups Soy Sauce
1 Cup water
1 Cup dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t black pepper
1/2 t tabasco sauce.

Mix until all salt and sugar are disolved.

Cut fish into 1 inch cubes and brine them 8 or more hours - keeping refrigerated.

Place fish in smoker with largest pieces near the bottom. Keep temperature from 150 to 180 degrees. Use a mixture of 2/3 Apple and 1/3 Cherry sawdust in the smoker and smoke the fish for up to 12 hours - or until the drying process is completed.

Again. This is not a recommendation. I have not tried this one. However, it sounds like it is worth a try. Let me know if you use it.

Salmonsmoker

[Erik]

Sounds like my problem is leaving the fish brine too long. Something I didn't think about is that some recipes are probably written for fish with skin still on. Most often I remove the skin from salmonoids in an attempt to cut out on some of the fat. Does that make sense? Your recipes seem to call for much less sugar. Probably I could leave the skin on and cut down on the sugar, eh? It sure is alot easier to handle the fish when I leave the skin on.
Any ways, I will definitely try your recipes out. Have to catch some fish first though. Already got these ones ready to go on the smoker. Fires rolling as I speak. I'll be up for awhile tonight but when I get some fresh ones like these I just have to smoke them while they're still fresh. They never taste the same if you freeze them, or wait too long.
Thanks
C-yah on the river!


------------------
Phish

[Salmonsmoker]

Erik,

Skinning the fish will have a lot to do with how fast they absorb salt. I never gave that any thught, because we always leave the skin on and then cut out the dark side strip and leave it with the skin when we eat.

Also, rinsing the filets after the brine is very important for consistancy of flavor.

ss

[Salmonsmoker]

Eric,

My wife cooked a couple pieces of Salmon filet's in the microwave. My initial reaction was "what a waste of good meat." I was wrong. It turned out EXCELLENT!! and took less than half an hour to prepare.

For this recipe you will need the following:

2 large salmon steaks or filet peices (or steelhead or trout)
3 TBLsp butter
3 TBLsp olive oil
2 TBLsp lemon juice
2 TBLsp fresh garlic minced
1/2 tsp dired tarrigon
1/4 tsp freshly grated lemon peal
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 TBLsp sesame seeds

In a small microproof bowl, melt the butter by microwaving on high for 1 minute. Combine remaining ingredients - except sesame seeds and salmon.

Arrange salmon (skin down) in baking dish large enough to hold them in a single layer. Pour the butter and spice mixture over top of the meat. Cover with plastic wrap, making sure that you have a tight seal on all sides. Micro on high for 5 to 7 minutes (until the fish becomes opaque.)

Let stand for 5 minutes.

Remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Then - ENJOY.

Salmonsmoker

[This message has been edited by Salmonsmoker (edited 08-16-2000).]

[Erik]

Micro wave eh... boy I don't know. What if I tried the same recipe in the regular ole oven, or better yet on the grille. Then I can nuke the leftovers for lunch at work. That sounds more like my speed. I will give it a try though, as a matter of fact, I just happen to have some fresh salmon that my good friend was kind enough to give me. Seems I couldn't land one of my own this past weekend! I tried like heck, but it just didn't happen.
I'll let you know how it turns out.

------------------
Phish

[Salmonsmoker]

Erik,

Actually, someone wrote a whole book on "Microwave Cooking Fish and Game." All of the recipies that we have tried from that book are good to excellent: what seems to work best is cold-smoke first, then follow the microwave cooking recipe. (The Tom that my wife got this past spring turned out excellent using that proceedure.)

We have prepared Salmon in a lot of ways. The one listed above rates right up there with other favorites - and it is very quick and easy. (This coming from one who is a confirmed advocate of black iron cooking over the campfire....well, microwaves are not all bad.) The meat is exceptionally juicy because all moisture is trapped in when the cooking-dish is completely sealed with plastic-wrap.

ss

[Salmonsmoker]

Making Current