Well it helps to have friends that don't like fish. I had a couple of friends that love to fish but don't like to eat fish. They had a good couple of days fishing and brought me the results of their fun. I did have to tell them to leave the heads on next time as they are hard to fillet with out the heads to hold onto.
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/SOCKEYE%20SALMON%20SMOKE/101_7573.jpg)
I did what I call a half fillet of the rainbows. I broke down the fish and skinned them but did not rib them. If I had the meat would have been just too thin.
Here is the first slabs off of the fish.
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/SOCKEYE%20SALMON%20SMOKE/101_7575.jpg)
Then fillet off the skin. I wanted to have the Kummok brine on the meat and not on the skin.
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/SOCKEYE%20SALMON%20SMOKE/101_7576.jpg)
Now in the brine over night.
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/SOCKEYE%20SALMON%20SMOKE/101_7578.jpg)
Drying in the smoker on low temperature and the fans running full speed.
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/SOCKEYE%20SALMON%20SMOKE/101_7580.jpg)
About 4 hours of heavy smoke and on the counter to cool. Don't you just love the frog mats. The smoked fish just slipped off the sheets.
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/SOCKEYE%20SALMON%20SMOKE/101_7591.jpg)
The trout turned a nice color and taste just great. I reduced the salt just a little because previous frozen fish will suck up a little more salt.
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/SOCKEYE%20SALMON%20SMOKE/101_7586.jpg)
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/SOCKEYE%20SALMON%20SMOKE/101_7592.jpg)
I know I will never smoke another small rainbow with the skin on. You get to enjoy the glaze on the smoked flesh. I am going to save this batch for when my daughters family comes up soon, we will make Cesar dinner salads with crumbled smoked fish on top .
Wow those look really good Kirby. Don't you just love they way they turn dark.
You have that right Don. They are moist inside and have a sweet salty and chewy outside with a great smokey flavor.
Friends that fish but don't eat it are some of the best ones to have....way to turn trout into GOLD, Pikeman!
Very nice, excellent fiet job!!!
Dang !!! now that's a heck of a deal..free fish, and they look great...
Them turned out Awesome looking!!
Them fish look mighty tasty!
Absolutely beautiful Pikeman! :P
Frog mats rule when it comes to things like this. ;)
Mike