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I just bought a big chief smoker and my first attempt didn't turn out to good. I bought a mix of Brine and followed the directions on the package and then smoked the fish with two pans of alder chips according to the directions. The Brine didn't seem to add hardly any flavor at all, and two pans of chips was way to much. The smoke flavor is so strong you feel like you've smoked a pack of cigs after a couple of bites. Next time I am going to try a home made brine and only one pan of chips, if that. Just wondering if I could learn from others mistakes or successes before I waste any more precious Kokanee. I used to smoke tons of salmon in alaska but we used a dry brine and had a commercial smoker, the big chief is a completely different ball game and I want to try some wet brines, they are far cheaper than buying pound after pound of brown sugar. Thanks in advance for any advice.
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I make my own dry rub and that is all I use anymore. Got tired of messing with brines and soak times. I have way better luck this way. I only use cherry or apple wood for smoking fish (2 pans) because that alder wood you buy makes it to smokey for me too. But when I was in Alaska I used only a salt water brine (enough salt to float a egg) and Alder and had great luck. I did brine and smoke some Mackerel for the wife this weekend but that is all together different but turned out great. Also did some Black Cod w/ the dry rub that is heaven. If your interested I can post the dry rub recipe when I get home tomorrow.
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I just eyeball everything but it goes something like this...
five-eight cups of water
handful of salt
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup or worshteshire steak marinade or soy sauce
soak fish over night.
use one pan full of chips.
Depending on size of fish 1hour 45 minutes -2 Hours Fifteen minutes.
I leave the skin on the bottom side while they are smoking. That seems to block the heavy smoke, but allow the fish to soak up plenty. I use apple wood for a sweeter smell.
Good Luck
Windriver
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I have used the dry rub that you suggested and I like it. The last batch I added a little of the Morton Cure salt and it turned out a little better. It looked like someone who knew what they were doing made the fillets. I use 1 pan (just level) of Jensen Lure apple chips. There is alder in them. I too would like to try a brine for fish. I brined a pork shoulder once and smoked it. We ate it right out of the smoker. I wish I had an idea what brine I had used.
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Try "Indian Candy" recipes. There are numerous variations if you google, but all have brown sugar and pure maple syrup as main ingredients. With kokanee I personally like them moist so I smoke for only about 6 hours with two pans of apple chips.
I first brine them overnight and dry to a glaze. I smoke the whole fish minus the heads rather than filets.
If you want them drier (like most of my family) then you can smoke them up to 24 hours; just check them until they are the way you want.
I use a Big Chief electric. Works great.
I might add that I scrape the scales off before brining. Just less messier. Check these out...
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