Has anybody else experimented with fish. I have done smoked mackrel 2x biscuits and it was just right. Has anybody done Hot/cold smoking with Haddock, herring (Kippers) etc.
These are all UK Species, as i Believe in the states there is a diffirent fish called the mackrel as well.
Stormdiver
Scott,
My wife's family always has finnan haddie on Christmas Eve. I'd love to make it from scratch, any tips or ideas?
Kirk
http://www.chezbubba.com
Dear Kirk,
I only got my smoker a few months ago and have not had a chance to get hold of some Fresh Haddock so have not tried this popular treat out yet though i have a recipie for it.
here it is below
Fairly small Haddock of about 450g (1lb) in weight are ideal. The fish must be carefully gutted as small haddock are easy to tear, the heads are removed and the gut cavity is scrapped and cleaned.
The fish are the split all the way along the inside of the spine from the neck to the tail, though not going through the skin.
The fish are then soaked in an 80% brine for 7-15 minutes depending on size say 10 mins for 450g (1lb)fish, after brinning they are hung for 6-7 hours to get the good salt gloss finish
now here is were it differs as this fellow says they need 6-12 hours at 26°C (80°F) or a weight loss of 12-14% of original weight
I have found some times that say 1-2 hrs for fish recipies are enough as these other recipies are for sawdust, suppose you will find out
Regards
Scott
Stormdiver
Scott,
I'm really going to show off my ignorance here.
80% what & 20% what? Water%?
What wood?
Thanks in advance,
Kirk
http://www.chezbubba.com
Kirk,
I am currently offshore again for about six weeks[xx(], so don't have accsess to the book I got it out of. However I believe it was an 80% brine solution where 100% is when the water can't take any more salt.
Though have to admit without the book i can't be sure on the exact salt/water mix as there was a nice little table in it, which had the recipie for 1%- 100% brines. Lucky for you have just found a website see below. May need to convert imperial gallons to USA Galons as there is a slight differance Can be done on various websites or search for download for convert.exe(brilliant little program)
[8]80% brine = Pounds of Salt per Imp. gal. water = 2.677lb
Try link below is simlar to what my book used to state
http://www.3men.com/history.htm
Hope this is of Help to you
Regards
Scott
Stormdiver
Scott,
Thank you VERY much! That is really informative. Anyone out there who's interested in smoking fish should give it a look.
I was a little concerned going to a "3men.com" site at first, but trusted the messenger![:D]
Hope your 6 weeks feels more like 3,
Kirk
BTW, milestone post #100.[:)]
http://www.chezbubba.com
Congrats Kirk! You now look like a 5 star general......How many does it take to go Intergalactic?!?!? BTW, I think Fuzzybear is catching up quick....probably make the quantum leap shortly [:D]
Kummok @ Homer, AK USA
Hi Stormdiver
When you smoked the Mackerel, what flavour did you use and did you brine them first, and if so, for how long?
As you can tell I'm new to this ,but I love smoked Mackerel.
Kind regards
Manx.
p.s. what was the book?
This may really show my ignorance out here in So. Cal., but.........isn't Mackeral either bait or cat food?[?]
Sorry, I'm not slamming anyone but that just sounds weird to me.
"A mans got to know his limitations"
Glendora, CA - USA!
Fuzz:
Some good advice about fish....If it has fins and/or just lives in the water, it's probably edible to SOMEONE!!
Up here there's some pretty ugly, oily, nasty stuff that comes outta the ocean and almost ALL of it is food to SOMEBODY. I've eaten herring (bait), herring roe, crab eggs, hoolligen (like needlefish), and mussels, to name a few saltwater nasties....ALL pretty much seagull food in the eyes of most folks.
Pretty handy actually...imagine that if you run outta bait while you're 25 miles out in the Inlet, you can always use part of your lunch to catch the "prettier" stuff (like Ling Cod?!?!) [;)][:D][:D]
Kummok @ Homer, AK USA
Kummok:
[xx(][xx(][xx(][xx(][xx(]!!!
I suppose that <i>if</i> I had to, I would chomp on those tasty morsels of which you speak, but only if they are not catching me other, more palatable chow![;)][;)]
"A mans got to know his limitations"
Glendora, CA - USA!
Open up your minds & try anything once has always been my motto with food. Although I do admit, I'd probably have a hard time sitting down to a dinner in Tibet of fresh monkey brains while the monkey is still alive![xx(]
If you really want to try some off-the-wall stuff, get into sushi, I love it, or at least most of it. Uni (sea urchin)[xx(], ikura (salmon eggs)[xx(]. If I ever get to Japan, I WILL have to try the blowfish. That's the stuff that is pure poison unless trimmed just right.
And Kummok, a lot of times the uglier it is, the better it tastes. Had some of those gooeyneck clams when I was in Seattle and they were fine tasty. As long as you could overlook the fact of their appearance (or not be jealous).[;)]
http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?
At least Chez Bubba has an open mind! My little daughter is a bit like fuzzy beard, and turns her nose up at anything without trying it. As for regional foods, we use your most popular food "McDonalds" as cat food over here. Could be our sense of humour?
kind regards
Manx
in The states Mackrel is a totaly different looking fish and variety to ours over here though i believe the Canadian one is similar.
I have smoked mackrel (Atlantic)with brine and without also salted and then smoked and used all the biscuits available. If you are going to brine you don't want it in there two long deffenatley not more than six hours.
Up my way we still like salted meat and fish as salt is not as bad as people make out (you should see what they put in bread), due to this what i consider to be just right others may find to salty so i would suggest for you a 20% soluotion. Have not tried the oak chips yet but i myself am keen on the speacial blend.[:)]
scott
Stormdiver
Here in the midwest (US), some people smoke carp or suckers. They even sell it in the grocery stores for some ridiculous cost like $10/lb. I can't think of an uglier fish, but I will be smoking a couple this summer for the guinnea pigs at work.[8D]
Let your trout go and smoke a salmon instead.
For us Land Locked saps here in Alberta we definitely have fewer species to choose from. I have heard some people in these parts refer to Walleye as "Mackrel".
Walleye is a very tasty fish caught in our lakes. We batter the fillets and fry them up in oil or butter[:p][:p][:p]
Have not yet smoked one, but I plan to if I catch any this summer[;)]
whitetailfan
"Nice Rack"
Lethbridge, AB
Walleye is, IMO, second only to bluegill in flavor. May even take first since you only have to catch a couple as opposed to 40.
http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?
Whitetail:
When you smoke the "eye's" let me know how they turn out....
Mr. Bubba: There you go on weird fish again with those bloogies![xx(]
Walleye![:p] Walleye![:p] Walleye![:p]
Sorry, couldn't resist - was up in Spokane, Deer Park, Priest River this past weekend meeting with my contractor for my house...I can't wait to hit the lakes for walleyes!![:p][:p]
"A mans got to know his limitations"
Glendora, CA - USA!
I wish there was somewhere kinda close where you could catch wallys here.[:(] Not that they're not here, but you might spend a day just to get one. Not like the spectacular fishing up north in Canada.
I'm so glad they are managing their fisheries better than we did like in Wisconsin & Minnesota. Thumbs up Canucks![^]
Kirk
http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?
Kirk:
Yeah, I wish there was wally fishing down here in So Cal too....
Whitetail: Just an FYI - the street for my house is "Whitetail Lane" and yessir, whitetails abound and are currently stripping my trees!!!
I had one baby pine (ponderosa) doing great - about 8 feet tall...stripped in between brances from two feet to six feet - I hope the thing lives...
"A mans got to know his limitations"
Glendora, CA - USA!
Fuzz,
If you didn't live in The People's Republik of Kalifornia you could shoot them things![;)][:D]
.........and have bonus Q!
Kirk
http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?
LOL Kirk!
You are correct re: the Great Republick!!! To funny![:D]
"A mans got to know his limitations"
Glendora, CA - USA!
Fuzzy B
When I left SoCal a while back, it was a stiffer sentence to shoot a deer illegally than to shoot a person if I recall the headlines correctly. (Is there such a thing as a headline that's correct?!?![;)]) Also as I recall the freeway wars, they added a whole new dimension to the term "Smoke em if ya got em" [:D]
Kummok @ Homer, AK USA
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Fuzzybear</i>
<br />This may really show my ignorance out here in So. Cal., but.........isn't Mackeral either bait or cat food?[?]
Sorry, I'm not slamming anyone but that just sounds weird to me.
"A mans got to know his limitations"
Glendora, CA - USA!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
gilbert crawford
I hope I am welcomed aboard. Brand new to this site, and am replying to fuzzybear. atlantic, sometimes called boston mackeral differ in west coast macks, namely diet. On theleft coast they taste like anchovies...YUCK! Atlantic macks are real tasty, if you like oily fish.Smoked,broiled, or on the "barby", the can't be beat.Also good for bait(and cat food.)
gilbert crawford
Hey Gilbert,
Welcome. We look forward to your experiences.
Kirk
http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?
welcome Gilbert tons of info and comedy here.
<b><font face="Comic Sans MS">KEEP ON SMOKIN</font id="Comic Sans MS"></b>
<b><font face="Comic Sans MS">Mike</font id="Comic Sans MS"></b>
Catch it,Kill it,Smoke it
Welcome to the Forum, Gilbert!
John
Newton MA
Rytek Kutas's book has a little blurb on smoking mackerel. He says they are usually smoked whole, uncleaned. "the vent of each fish must be opened to allow excess brine to drain from the cavity" uhhhh, I don't think so.
Heading to North Carolina in June. We usually catch quite a few mackerels and blues. Anything that doesnt go into sushi I am just going to knock off the filets, brine and smoke. I imagine I will have plenty to experiment with. I will update you guys when I get back.[:D]
Leif
Leif,
Eat the sushi!!!!
Smoked is great, but fresh & raw is FANTASTIC![:p]
Kirk
http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?