Smoked Crappie

[watchdog56]

I put 8 crappies in a salt brine which was 2 1/2 gal water and added canning salt until egg floated(about 1 1/2 cup). Added 1/2 bottle of liquid smoke and 1 cup brown sugar and let sit overnight. Took out of brine and let air dry for 1 1/2 hours. Put in smoker using alder and smoked for 3 hours, 1 1/2 hours at 120 then turned smoker up to 140 for 5 hours then to 160 for another 5 hours. Cabinet temp stayed around 160. Took out of smoker 12 hours later and fish was firm but really moist. Any ideas why? I used this same recipe for over 20 years in my old Brinkman charcoal smoker which just had a warm,ideal,hot gauge and the gauge always read ideal but never had moist fish like this. Like I said meat was firm but really moist.

[Habanero Smoker]

I had a couple Brinkman Gourmet model smokers (they tended to rust out on me, but they were good smokers and very easy to replenish the water and fuel), and if I recall the "Ideal" range was temperatures from 225°F - 275°F. So you were smoking at a much higher temperature. Also some fish will get "mushy" when cooked with low temperatures. I'm not sure if crappies is one.

[watchdog56]

Put fish in frig overnight and it firm it up. Came out really good in fact.