Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Cure needed in my Brine?

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Cure needed in my Brine?

    Hello All,

    I've really never given this much thought until I began reading up on Bacon. I am plannning to make a batch of smoked salmon, which I usually smoke at a Smoker temp of 140-150 degrees for about 7 hours. Do you think I should consider incorporating a Cure in the brine?

  • #2
    Never done fish. Ryteks book calls for cure if cold smoking.
    Fishawn and Erain are 2 that come directly to mind for smoking fish, though many here do it.


    Tom

    Comment


    • #3
      Thanks Tom.....yes Rytek's book started me thinking about it....and yes hopefully Erain and Fishawn will be along soon.
      We've always eaten ocean fish raw here in the islands, but sashimi/poke are not subjected to the low heat/low oxygen smoking environment.

      Comment


      • #4
        my brine uses alot of salt. 140-150 really isn't cold smoking, but i guess close enuff. but if you can eat raw fish, yuk, I would think what salt you use would be enuff to smoke the fish.


        let us not cry because we lost someone, but let us smile because we enjoyed their company for what time was allowed us!

        Comment


        • #5
          I hot smoke Salmon, Steelhead, Trout, Halibut, Sturgeon, etc. Typically @ 150* - 160*..... My "Brine" for Salmon is usually straight Kosher Salt packed on thick, let it rest in fridge for 1.5 - 2.0 hours, rinse, pat dry, sometimes I will put a fan on the filets to air dry and form the pelicle, but not alway.....Then smoke... Typically about 2 hours, but longer if ya like it drier. That is the fast and easy way I usually do it.... There are a million different wet brine recipes, which are good also that use most often; Water, Salt and Sugar as a base, then I have added lots of stuff to it; wine, soy sauce, apple juice, worstechire, garlic salt, hot pepper flakes, Brown sugar, Jalapeno Tabasco,etc... The base I start with is 1 gallon water, 1 Cup Salt (non iodized) and 1 Cup Sugar....brine 8 hours or longer.
          sigpic

          Comment


          • #6
            Anything that has the capacity for carrying botulisim spores should be cured if held at warm temps in an anerobic environment more than 4 hours. Salmon has that capacity. I use it on my salmon when going below 225°. Rarely do that...but I do sometimes.
            In God I trust- All others pay cash...
            Check out the Mad Hunky and products at https://madhunkymeats.com or https://www.facebook.com/MadHunkyMeats
            Lang 60D, The Beast, 18 and 22 WSM, Brinkmann Backroads trailer, Weber 22 Kettle, gutted MB burning watts

            Comment


            • #7
              I try to treat mine pretty much like fresh fish.... I always keep my "smoked" salmon refrigerated or frozen........ & vacuum pack it if I do not plan on using it within about 3 days......... If I serve it & its still around after an hour, it goes back in the fridge..... 2 - 3+/-hours..... it goes into the garbage....

              Yeah..... Room temperature is not for Beer, Good Vodka or crab bait......
              sigpic

              Comment


              • #8
                hea Val... i kinda do mine like Fish, cept instead of a dry pack i use a brine... i dont do a cold smoke either. will smoke at the 150 degree area for several hours or so then to finish off i let the temp climb to around 180 to finish off. when the fish just starts to flake it is done. if you think its too moist at first wait till it cools down and be big difference.

                here is the brine i use on fish...

                smoked fish brine

                2 3/4 cups pickling salt
                10 qts cold water-use good water
                1 cup brown sugar
                2 tbls garlic salt

                soak avg sized pieces 24 hrs, soak in fresh water 1 hour

                big thick pieces of fish, may require more time and smaller less. once out of brine set on a rack with a fan blowing across fish til outside of fish dry, a coating will form on it called the "pellicle", is now ready for smoker. i also like to rub some brown sugar on the meat.




                these are lake trout steaks...


                you may also want to check Capt Dan's post in the fish forum... he always puts out some beautifull looking smoked fish...
                Charbroil SFB
                GOSM
                MES
                Dutch Ovens and other CI
                Little Chief, Big Chief, No Name water smoker
                Weber 22" gold, Smokey Joe, WSM 22"

                Smoked-Meat Certified Sausage Head


                sigpic

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Fishawn View Post
                  I try to treat mine pretty much like fresh fish.... I always keep my "smoked" salmon refrigerated or frozen........ & vacuum pack it if I do not plan on using it within about 3 days......... If I serve it & its still around after an hour, it goes back in the fridge..... 2 - 3+/-hours..... it goes into the garbage....

                  Yeah..... Room temperature is not for Beer, Good Vodka or crab bait......
                  Word for word what I do too. Not sure what cure would do to the texture. Would be an interesting experiment.
                  JT

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Aloha,

                    Thanks for the great advice everyone, as well as the brine/dry pack suggestions.
                    I think I will continue to use my salmon brine without adding any cure. I'll make sure that I have the smoker temp between 150-155.
                    My brine is a simple Teriyaki type:
                    1 part shoyu, 1 part brown sugar, 1 part water. Then I add grated fresh ginger to taste. I usually let the fish sit in brine a day or two before the Smoke.

                    Val

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      If it's any help- I'd eat that too... :{) The salt helps, as well as some of the spices.

                      When asked about curing, I always feel it's best to "go by the letter of the law" and if someone chooses not to follow it strictly, that's their choice- not me giving out "shortcuts".
                      In God I trust- All others pay cash...
                      Check out the Mad Hunky and products at https://madhunkymeats.com or https://www.facebook.com/MadHunkyMeats
                      Lang 60D, The Beast, 18 and 22 WSM, Brinkmann Backroads trailer, Weber 22 Kettle, gutted MB burning watts

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Old poi dog View Post
                        Aloha,

                        Thanks for the great advice everyone, as well as the brine/dry pack suggestions.
                        I think I will continue to use my salmon brine without adding any cure. I'll make sure that I have the smoker temp between 150-155.
                        My brine is a simple Teriyaki type:
                        1 part shoyu, 1 part brown sugar, 1 part water. Then I add grated fresh ginger to taste. I usually let the fish sit in brine a day or two before the Smoke.

                        Val
                        That sounds perfect Val...... I have seen many brine recipes using soy sauce instead of salt, especially the Teriyaki type, like yours..... Good Luck
                        sigpic

                        Comment

                        Working...
                        X