Smoked a laker

[misfish]

Still new to the smoking thang, but enjoying. My frst atemp sucked. I for got to wash off the fish. This time, I followed the rules.

First part of the smoke,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Fresh LAKER

Next is in the brine of ,salt and lots of brown sugar and a gallon of water for 20 hours. No pic. Remove,pat dry and let stand for 1/2 hour.

 

Set up the racks

Note: Hanging without skin attached, no work. DANG. They fell, BUT lucky me, they landed on the lower rack. Adjusted them so they all layed flat

Brushed with a mix of maple syrup,mustard and black pepper.

Cracked more pepper after that.

 

HAPPY HAPPY

Next, salmon, when I get one.

 

Note: I prefer the back strap of the fish. Seems to smoke and solid up the best. Then again, I am  new to this.

[misfish]

Forgot to add, chips where apple.

[TJQ]

That looks great!!

[tender52]

Good job Bryan. I have a off set smoker for a good 10+ yrs now. And I still struggle with getting the smaller pieces correct.  From my experience do it in 2 steps. If you can get a rack of ( back strap ) or the likes of thicker pieces, do them first. Then do the thinner tail prices on a colder smoke.  I may have to steal that mustard rub on you. But I also smoke mine with sugar maple. Try a sugar maple plank with salmon.  The wife and kids love it. 

[grimsbylander]

Did you soak the chips Brian? When I smoke on my Napoleon I usually soak the chips for half an hour. It's not a real smoker though, just a gas bbq with a smoker box. I use water with a healthy dose of Jack Daniels and for ribs, the flavour is fantastic.

[misfish]

11 minutes ago, grimsbylander said:

Did you soak the chips Brian? When I smoke on my Napoleon I usually soak the chips for half an hour. It's not a real smoker though, just a gas bbq with a smoker box. I use water with a healthy dose of Jack Daniels and for ribs, the flavour is fantastic.

No, I do not soak the chips. From what I read and seen, soaking seems to prolong the smoking process. When you watch the real smokers, they are throwing in chunks of dried wood.. They are not soaking them logs. LOL I go straight dry. The smoking starts real quick. Like I said, learning, but from what I have read and seen, straight out of the bag, in to the pan, to smoker.  I do find the smaller chips seem to smoke slow for some reason. The larger chunks I used last weekend, fueled up and smoked so nice. Filled the condo with that camp fire smell. LOL

[misfish]

34 minutes ago, tender52 said:

Good job Bryan. I have a off set smoker for a good 10+ yrs now. And I still struggle with getting the smaller pieces correct.  From my experience do it in 2 steps. If you can get a rack of ( back strap ) or the likes of thicker pieces, do them first. Then do the thinner tail prices on a colder smoke.  I may have to steal that mustard rub on you. But I also smoke mine with sugar maple. Try a sugar maple plank with salmon.  The wife and kids love it. 

Did sugar maple last weekend . Did some nice sausages. I found the smoke great, but need to limit the amount. Very powerfull.

[misfish]

58 minutes ago, TJQ said:

That looks great!!

Thanks Boss. Nice to hear from you.

[misfish]

24 minutes ago, grimsbylander said:

healthy dose of Jack Daniels

I,ll be over soon. EXACTLY 2 hours from now. LOL

[SirCranksalot]

I think the first part is the hardest---"Take 1 freshly caught laker"  ?

[grimsbylander]

57 minutes ago, misfish said:

No, I do not soak the chips. From what I read and seen, soaking seems to prolong the smoking process. When you watch the real smokers, they are throwing in chunks of dried wood.. They are not soaking them logs. LOL I go straight dry. The smoking starts real quick. Like I said, learning, but from what I have read and seen, straight out of the bag, in to the pan, to smoker.  I do find the smaller chips seem to smoke slow for some reason. The larger chunks I used last weekend, fueled up and smoked so nice. Filled the condo with that camp fire smell. LOL

That makes perfect sense. Thanks Brian.

[grimsbylander]

52 minutes ago, misfish said:

I,ll be over soon. EXACTLY 2 hours from now. LOL

Woohoo!! Haha

[Hack_Fisherman]

43 minutes ago, SirCranksalot said:

I think the first part is the hardest---"Take 1 freshly caught laker"  ?

For me too. 

Id have to go to the store and buy it

[spincast]

never tried a laker, but where I get 'em, dont think ya wanna - been working on my Salmon recipe for a couple years now, and this years version is serious smoked candy 

 fillet and skin and let em dry out in the fridge for 24, then a soak with indonesian soy (ketcap manis), water, and whatever special seasonings are speaking to me. 48 hours to 5 days, depending on size of fillets, and schedule.  3 hours in the smoker with JD chips and last time I used cassis liqueur (black current liquor)in the pan, and drizzled maple syrup on them just before putting them in the smoker.

didn't last long,

 

[Fisherman]

Looking at pics #3 and 4, you see the red meat before smoking and then the dark brown after.  That has to go...far far, away before anything.  That stuff can really impart a bad taste.

[Pikeslayer]

 

1 hour ago, spincast said:

never tried a laker, but where I get 'em, dont think ya wanna - been working on my Salmon recipe for a couple years now, and this years version is serious smoked candy 

 fillet and skin and let em dry out in the fridge for 24, then a soak with indonesian soy (ketcap manis), water, and whatever special seasonings are speaking to me. 48 hours to 5 days, depending on size of fillets, and schedule.  3 hours in the smoker with JD chips and last time I used cassis liqueur (black current liquor)in the pan, and drizzled maple syrup on them just before putting them in the smoker.

didn't last long,

If that's the result you brought to Home Lake earlier, I give it ??. I'd rate it higher, but I only have two thumbs

Confession: I stashed a healthy portion and it is vacuum sealed in my freezer for a winter treat

1 hour ago, Fisherman said:

Looking at pics #3 and 4, you see the red meat before smoking and then the dark brown after.  That has to go...far far, away before anything.  That stuff can really impart a bad taste.

^^^^ This. You gotta trim those nasty blood lines/spread out B. Smoked, fried or baked, in any fish leaves a nasty taste

Edited September 3, 2018 by Pikeslayer

[glen]

I trim that out too.  Fisherman. 

I’ve tried cutting the gills to let them bleed out.  I find lakers can be harder to prepare and cook then walleye

[spincast]

12 hours ago, Fisherman said:

Looking at pics #3 and 4, you see the red meat before smoking and then the dark brown after.  That has to go...far far, away before anything.  That stuff can really impart a bad taste.

yup, I remove the blood line too. Only the pink stays 

11 hours ago, Pikeslayer said:

 

If that's the result you brought to Home Lake earlier, I give it ??. I'd rate it higher, but I only have two thumbs

Confession: I stashed a healthy portion and it is vacuum sealed in my freezer for a winter treat

^^^^ This. You gotta trim those nasty blood lines/spread out B. Smoked, fried or baked, in any fish leaves a nasty taste

That's the one Sy - glad you kept some - I brought if for the sharing!. I need to get out on the lake and get a couple more before the season is over.  

[misfish]

Thanks for all the comments guys.

 

I will agree I missed that blood line, but I just pick it off when I am eating it. To add, the blood line will be there if you leave the skin on. Bleeding out does not get rid of it. Bleeding out keeps the meat from blood getting into. I bleed all my white fish as you know. The blood line is always there.

 So after this laker, I think I will do a dry mix next time. Knowing lakers are oily, I only added more moisture to the fish with the wet brine instead extracting the moisture and oils. One thing for sure, the apple wood was the ticket. Not over powering. Was just perfect. 

 I went 2/3 this morning. Kept a small one. 8lb. I put the fillets in a bag of water and froze it. I have read this helps to make the fish much firmer when it thaws and makes a better smoked fish. Now I have to go and see if my light show video turned out. It was amazing. I was not on the water while it was going on. I may be loony, but Im not stupid. LOL

[dave524]

I enjoyed the 2 to 5 pounders we used to get in Haliburton, smoked , baked, BBQ'd even battered and fried,  the ones from Lake O and I suspect Simcoe  tend to be greasers because of the oily baitfish like Alewives and Smelt and smoking the best option. I suspect some of the Haliburton Lakers were insectivorous.

[misfish]

48 minutes ago, dave524 said:

I enjoyed the 2 to 5 pounders we used to get in Haliburton, smoked , baked, BBQ'd even battered and fried,  the ones from Lake O and I suspect Simcoe  tend to be greasers because of the oily baitfish like Alewives and Smelt and smoking the best option. I suspect some of the Haliburton Lakers were insectivorous.

I'm not sure it,s smelt, as their numbers have declined over the years. Still see the odd schools during ice season down the hole, but the herring would make more since, but even with the great come back since the closing of the season for them 12+ years ago, they seem to have disappeared again. There is talk they are chomping down on perch now. Yes perch.  Schools of them have been reported to be in the depths of 100ft now. We have caught them in 80 fow, and I have snagged a few in the 100 depth. This lake seems to change every year. Shiners seem to be in a abundance these years. They are seen in schools on the surface through out the year.

I hope to have the right brine mix and  smoke right ,when it,s steel head time.  This is my goal.

Edited September 3, 2018 by misfish

[wantabigone]

nice

 

[misfish]

Lets see how this one turns out.

Dry  style

Put it all together at 5am this morning before work. It,s now been rinsed and in the fridge  til I get off the lake Thursday mid morning. Then let the smoke begin.

 

 

SHHHHHH, they are getting happy happy

I wanted to just bite right into it. Look so good.

 

Stay tooned,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

 

See ya in the morning buddy

 

 

 

 

Edited September 5, 2018 by misfish

[Terry]

Looks good

[Canuck]

I have found its best when you let the filets dry for a long time before they go in the smoker.  Someone said 24 hrs.  That works if the fridge is not too moist.  It needs a nice glaze on it before you smoke it.