Wet brine

[misfish]

I rinse my fish after I use a dry mix,but do you guys rinse after a wet brine ? Also,how long in a wet brine? 24 hrs ?

 

Thanks

[smitty55]

12 hours at a minimum, 24 is better for flavour. Definitely rinse, pat dry, and then leave on rack until a good sticky pellicle forms before going into the smoker.

 

Cheers

[misfish]

Thanks Smitty

 

Would you use the brine for 2 batches,or make fresh ? Also to add to that,I want to do salmon 1st then want to do white fish 2nd.

[Spiel]

I have never rinsed but I do agree with Smitty55, you need that pellicle to form.

 

[misfish]

Doing it with dry,I found it was always quick to pellicle . I have seen where they let it go for 36 hours after removing from the brine. Almost like jerky before hitting the smoker. I,ll let you know how I make out. Have yet to do a wet brine, as my dry mix has served me well so far.

[misfish]

Oh,I am going to go with 2 lt of water and 2 lt of apple juice. 2 cups of sugar and 2/3 cup of salt.  I got the smoke down to what I like. Just want to mix up the mix..

Edited May 17, 2019 by misfish

[ketchenany]

I read the post title really fast and looked like Wet Brian!

Oh crap he fell out of the toone again!

Edited May 17, 2019 by ketchenany

[GBW]

I never pat it dry.  My last batch I saved some brine and put it in a spray bottle (before soaking the fish in it) and I would mist the fish every now and then while it was in the smoker.  Keeps the fish really moist and full of flavour.  

A former co-worked text me yesterday asking when the next time I was going to fire up the smoker as he wanted in and would pay for his share.  I haven't worked with him in close to a year so I guess his family really did like the way I made it.  

[misfish]

Step 1 and 2 are completed

 

Got me my fresh fish this morning. I like to snap the neck to bleed out as you know. Well I snapped the first one a bit to much and took the head right. LOL So had to keep him in the net in the water. Also had to net the 2nd one with the other fish in the net still.LOL Hey Terry look,double header. LMAO.

 

Home,cleaned and in to the brine. Apple juice,brown sugar,salt and a whole bottle of syrup. Put 2 plates on top to hold the meat down in the brine. Both fish are in the brine. CO-Workers will be happy happy next week.

 

 

[misfish]

On 5/17/2019 at 12:57 PM, smitty55 said:

on rack until a good sticky pellicle forms before going into the smoker.

Do you put it in the fridge,or just let it air dry ?

[akaShag]

I ALWAYS use a wet brine with fish, except for when I make Indian Candy.

12 hours absolute minimum, 24 about right, 36 is going long but I have done it.  I NEVER rinse the brine off the fillets and I NEVER pat them dry.  I put the fillets (usually, chunks of fillets), skin side down, on the smoker racks that I sprayed first with Pam

I was just typing away and a bunch of what I was typing disappeared, what the hell???????

As I was saying, the racks are laid out on newspaper to catch the drips.  Leave them to air dry at room temperature, (Pellicle forms in about an hour.) then into the smoker. 

Don't think I ever put apple juice in a fish brine but it should work just fine.  You did not need that much sugar, and if you also added syrup they are going to be some sweet fish.

The "standard" brine for fish is a gallon of cold water, a cup of sugar, and a cup of salt.  I generally, but not always, add soya sauce, garlic and lemon juice.

Brian, you have my e-addy if ever you have a question about smoking with the Luhr-Jensen smoker............

Doug

[misfish]

Up at 5 am,pull from the brine,let dry for 4 hours. Into the smoker they went.  Going with 3 pans. The fly hatch is on now, that is what they are eating.

 

 

 

 

 

[akaShag]

That last picture looks kind of like a dish my wife ate in Paris about forty years ago....

[misfish]

20 minutes ago, akaShag said:

That last picture looks kind of like a dish my wife ate in Paris about forty years ago....

YUK LOL

[misfish]

Sampled off the top rack.  OMG

[misfish]

All done

Will not say wet is best, I like the dry better, but still yummy yummy to the tummy

 

[ketchenany]

Could you not add “the special herb” to the smoker! Lol 

B I do like smoked salmon on a special occasion. But it stops there. I make the other stuff.

[akaShag]

Brian, those chunks look pretty pale in the photos.  I would have thought they would be darker?  How was the texture?  Was it kind of "damp" like not nicely moist but like under-cooker lake trout "damp."  I am thinking maybe more time in the smoker (without chips smoking) might improve your results?

Doug

[fish_fishburn]

How long did you have it in the smoker. I have the same unit and Im thinking about 8 hrs minimum for that batch.

[misfish]

14 hours ago, akaShag said:

Brian, those chunks look pretty pale in the photos.  I would have thought they would be darker?  How was the texture?  Was it kind of "damp" like not nicely moist but like under-cooker lake trout "damp."  I am thinking maybe more time in the smoker (without chips smoking) might improve your results?

Doug

It was actually dry Doug.  And as far as sweet,not even close.  Will make for some nice white fish salad sandwiches.

[misfish]

1 hour ago, fish_fishburn said:

How long did you have it in the smoker. I have the same unit and Im thinking about 8 hrs minimum for that batch.

It was around 6 or so hours. I had the smoker tucked away, so it got  good heat and out of the wind.

[misfish]

LOL

Co-workers sure gobbled it up at lunch time.

LOL