first time smoking coho, i have a bradely puck smoker

[MotoBoat]

Bodo, by mentioning:

Why is it, if the fish is left in the fridge for 36 hours to form pellicle. When the fish is done smoking, there is a rubbery texture? I am not talking from smoking to long, smoking just long enough so the fish supports itself when picked up and held by the thumb, pointer, and middle fingers. Pressing on the surface of the fish, with one finger, yields a soft but cooked texture. As apposed to a firm, overdone, dry texture.



Smoking is a way of preserving the meat, the pellicle natural seal on the meat. If you want smokey cooked fish, put it on the BBQ. Not really sure what you're getting at.

I was playing around with the overall time it takes to from pellicle. Tried from 8 hours to 36 hours, in an attempt figure out "Pellicle". I really liked the presentation, or overall appearance of the smoked salmon that dried for 36 hours in the fridge. No beads of moisture, or fat had leached out on the fish surface during the entire smoking process. Thought I was onto something, but the fish turned out rubbery, and dry.

I am trying to figure out. If a properly formed "Pellicle" will stop, or prevent moisture and fat from forming on the fish surface during smoking?

I have been drying the fish until no moisture is on my finger tip, after touching the surface of the fish.

My question is: Can the pellicle formation process, be overdone? And what is the result ?

[Bodofish]

Ah gotcha.... I guess if left to go too long you have more of a jerky (Dehydrated) than smoked fish. I know some folks like the dried more than classic smoked fish. Most modern referigerators are really good dehydrators, just by the way they work, circulating the air through the referigeration coils, thus removing moisture from the interior.

[MotoBoat]

Ah gotcha.... I guess if left to go too long you have more of a jerky (Dehydrated) than smoked fish. I know some folks like the dried more than classic smoked fish. Most modern referigerators are really good dehydrators, just by the way they work, circulating the air through the referigeration coils, thus removing moisture from the interior.

That make sense. Is there a moisture or oily residue on your finger when your pellicle formation is complete? And is moisture beads and oil puddling on the fish during smoking. Common, with a properly pellicled fish?

Do you have a water pan in your Big Chief during smoking of fish? Why do some smokers use a water pan?

[Bodofish]

No water pans for fish period. And yes you usually get a little oil off the fish. I normally don't let it get that far, I do 8 to 24 and usually closer to the 8 hour mark, just depends on how busy or lazy I am.

[racfish]

Its funny you mention Refridgerators. I used to smoke in a old Fridgedare Porcelin Reefer. I had a burn pan and portable element in it. The beauty of a reefer was you could smoke a whole filet without cutting it up. The downfall was the rats and coons that frequented my house. I had the smoker in an old shed in my backyard.

[Bodofish]

Its funny you mention Refridgerators. I used to smoke in a old Fridgedare Porcelin Reefer. I had a burn pan and portable element in it. The beauty of a reefer was you could smoke a whole filet without cutting it up. The downfall was the rats and coons that frequented my house. I had the smoker in an old shed in my backyard.

Hehehe yeah, I think we all had one! I used an old electric skillet with the thermostat reworked for the smoker. It worked great but not something you want to move.

[TroutSnipr]

I had a couple old recycled porcelain/steel refrigerator based smokers that I inherited through my family, but my fave was an old 50 gallon cast iron oil drum with a side-mounted smoke box. Unfortunately I moved to an apartment and had to pass it all along, and finding the cast iron drums to make a new one is all but impossible these days :(

[racfish]

Oh Mr Sniper. Steel drums arent had to find at all. In Seattle you can get whole barrells with tops and bottom lids attached at 2 places I know on Airport Way So. in Seattle. The first is 2 blocks north of Lucille St bridge. the other is another 2 blocks north of that. I bought my barrells there. Just remember to really fire it up to clean oil or chemicals from the steel.You will need probably a acetalene (sp) torch to cut the barrel.

[TroutSnipr]

Mine was a cast iron drum, not a steel one. It was about 3/8" thick and really worked awesome. I suppose a steel one would work pretty good as long as the walls were appreciably thick.

[MotoBoat]

Mine was a cast iron drum, not a steel one. It was about 3/8" thick and really worked awesome. I suppose a steel one would work pretty good as long as the walls were appreciably thick.

Do hot water heaters have a cast iron or steel tank?

[racfish]

The place I go is called Al's 4716-Airport Way So. Seattle Wa. 98108 (206) 452-4096.Ive used steel for years and I build my fire on the far side from where the meat goes. Ive yet to weaken the bottom where the fire burns. Hope this helps. There is a website for Als.

[Bodofish]

Seattle Cooperage is right down on Airport Way too as well as Northwest on 1st AVE S. Thems be the barrel guys.....

[racfish]

Funny thing is that both Al (passed away last week) and cooperage are relatives. Als nickname was the "Barrel King" Herman who owns cooperage is "The Barrel Baron". Both went to Garfield with my parents. Both sell new or used barrels.

[TroutSnipr]

Thanks guys I'll have to check it out!

[hewesfisher]

I have been reading post after post of little chief recipes and they sound amazing but being relatively new to smoking I don’t really want to just go with it. what temp and how long, what flavor puck, how thick are you fillets, skin on or off? any and all advice would be greatly appreciated, (I don’t like the recipes that Bradley provides) I have enough fish to fill the smoker (4 racks)

Which Bradley do you have? Did you season before first use?

See my post here about using my Bradley - http://www.washingtonlakes.com/forum/vi ... =21&t=9577" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I have used both wet and dry brines, but always go back to the wet. I don't like having to fool with finding counter space for 8 racks of fish fillets while the pellicle forms or having to babysit my product.

I have experimented with several different bisquette flavors, and have settled on a cherry/alder mix. Since each bisquette will smoke for 20mins, I alternate "pucks" in the stacking tube for my total smoke time. Generally, I smoke about half the total time in the smoker, but it depends on how thick my fillets are, how much of a smoker load I have, etc. For example, I just ran a batch through the smoker on Tuesday, 10lbs of filleted rainbows that filled 8 racks. I ran smoke for 3hrs 40mins, and cooked for 7hrs at 140°. Rotated racks, top to bottom, inside to outside, 3 1/2hrs in, and went to bed while they finished on their own. Overnight temps dropping to the mid-40s lets me do that.

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

[drysuperfly52]

i have the base model bradely, auto feed every 20 minute with a temp gauge on the door with a slide heat control on the bottom of the smoker. i used a brown sugar and salt brine for one of the fillets and a lemon pepper rub on the other, the lemon pepper has consistanly been better then every else i have tried. i do the same with the pucks i usualyl alternate between apple and hickory but i have been cooking the fish in the smoker more then actually smoking them, time is an issue and i need some rainbows to try out i would hate to waste some salmon. it sounds like your smoker is alot bigger also mine is only 4 racks. thanks for the time and temp you cook yours i just saved it to my recipes word doc.

[goodtimesfishing]

Just wanted to add my 2 cents, when it comes to brines. Last couple years I started using the dry brine or cure. I have not gone back to wet brines and will stick to dry from here on out. Just seems work really well and super easy.

[eat-sleep-fish]

I know I am late on this but had a great experience the first time I used our new Bradley. Fish were frozen so brined 6 hours, brine 12 hours if fresh, in following mixture. 1-cup rock salt, 1-cup water, 2-cup apple juice, 3-cup brown sugar, big batch of fish. Then added garlic, pepper, little bit of white wine. Cooked 8 hours, 4 at 125 deg, and 4 at 150 deg. Remove from smoker and let cool on counter for a while. Some of the best fish I have ever eaten, turned out great! Had an employee that stated did not like salmon at all. Asked her to try a bite and I went back to work. When I returned, there was nothing but a piece of skin left!

[MotoBoat]

Just wanted to add my 2 cents, when it comes to brines. Last couple years I started using the dry brine or cure. I have not gone back to wet brines and will stick to dry from here on out. Just seems work really well and super easy.

Funny thing is, I started with a wet brine several years ago. Then a few years back, switched to the dry brine found on Salmon U, did that for several years. Last three batches of Salmon, and a couple trout batches, have been a wet brine. With wine added as a liquid. I will not be going back to dry, for that reason. Plus the chunky salt required in that dry brine, makes the fish too salty.

Had cut back on the salt, several times. But did not get it right, still to salty. And, it seemed the fish did not get evenly brined, when fish was layered meat side to meat side and skin to skin, . The meat would stick together instead of suspend in the liquid, the dry brine forms.

With the liquid brine, salt is much easier to control, if too salty, liquid can be added to adjust. Flavors like wine are possible. One can dip there finger in the liquid brine, to taste what is going on as an ingredient is added Also, the uneven brining problem has been solved. I won't be going back to dry........LOL!

Try both methods. Decide which is better suited for you.

eat-sleep-fish, I see we were both typing a reply at the same time.

[goodtimesfishing]

motoboat-those are some excellent points you made. I always cut down the amount of salt. Salmon U is where I first saw the dry brine. Never had a problem with the sticking of the fish. What I have not tried yet is the pucks, been wondering how well they work.....seems like people like them.