Anyone else love wasabi powder in their brine? I'm hooked on it.

Neocrunch · August 01, 2013, 10:45:10 AM

I've been experimenting with different ingredients in my salmon brine and I keep coming back to wasabi powder. Does anyone else use it? I just covered an Atlantic salmon fillet with a dry brine of equal parts brown sugar & kosher salt (about 3/4 cup each), plus orange zest from 1 orange and 1 heaping tablespoon of wasabi powder. I can't wait to smoke it tomorrow! I'm out of alder pucks so I'll be using maple. I may (or may not) make a peach-mango-habanero glaze to go on it. We'll see...... Regardless, I love the taste of wasabi on my salmon. :)

rveal23 · August 01, 2013, 11:12:55 AM

I love Wasabi, but haven't had it on smoked salmon, however I always put it on my Salmon Sashimi!

Neocrunch · August 01, 2013, 11:21:53 AM

Quote from: rveal23 on August 01, 2013, 11:12:55 AM
I love Wasabi, but haven't had it on smoked salmon, however I always put it on my Salmon Sashimi!

Exactly! That's what made me think of adding it to my brine in the first place. The first time I used it I had no idea how much to put in. I started with half a teaspoon... now I'm up to a couple of tablespoons. I want to be able to taste it.
A couple of weeks ago I brushed on a mixture of grape jelly and wasabi powder (after a 24 hr brine that also included wasabi) and it turned out great. I think the orange zest is going to be even better. 8)

rveal23 · August 01, 2013, 11:22:59 AM

wow, this looks soooo good

Neocrunch · August 01, 2013, 11:44:33 AM

My last batch was probably the best. I think I've finally got a grip on the smoking process. I definitely have to watch it, especially in the summer heat. I really need to invest in a cold-smoking rig.

Tenpoint5 · August 01, 2013, 12:53:18 PM

Salmon looks good. The second better than the first. The trick with salmon is to treat it like sausage. You have to ramp up the temps slowly. Or else you get the white boogers on top of it

Neocrunch · August 01, 2013, 02:20:34 PM

Quote from: Tenpoint5 on August 01, 2013, 12:53:18 PM
Salmon looks good. The second better than the first. The trick with salmon is to treat it like sausage. You have to ramp up the temps slowly. Or else you get the white boogers on top of it

Yep. Easier to do in the winter than in August. Seems like the minute I turn on the puck burner it's already too hot. It's taken some practice to get it just right. Fortunately I think I've got it dialed in... I just have to keep a close eye on it. :o

pz · August 01, 2013, 04:43:39 PM

Quote from: rveal23 on August 01, 2013, 11:12:55 AM
I love Wasabi, but haven't had it on smoked salmon, however I always put it on my Salmon Sashimi!

This thread made me hungry for sashimi - I've blocks of salmon and yellowtail in the deep freeze. Just put a block of salmon in the fridge last night to thaw and am now enjoying sashimi with a little dipping sauce made of soy, rice wine vinegar, ponzu, and of course a healthy dose of wasabi.

I might try some kind of wasabi-based sauce for my next smoked dinner salmon.

rveal23 · August 02, 2013, 12:14:12 AM

PZ, I envy your freezer, I love me some sSlmon and Yellowtail!

Neocrunch · August 02, 2013, 02:42:34 PM

OK... Time to brag about my salmon again. Here's how it turned out. Pictures don't do it justice. It tastes AMAZING. As usual, I should have used more wasabi in the brine. Regardless, it has a nice smokey, citrus flavor with a savory hint of wasabi.

I served it up with a sauce of pureed peaches, mangos, white onions, sweet red pepper, and purple jalapeño - as well as made-from-scratch fresh-from-the-garden two-green bean casserole and scalloped potatoes.

I'm going to marinade some chicken breasts in the remaining mango sauce. It's really fresh and light... Tasty Tasty Tasty. 8)

Habanero Smoker · August 03, 2013, 01:54:35 AM

I love the flavors of mango and habanero. I had a friend from Jamaica who would bring me back a hot sauce made with mango and habaneros.

The fish looks good. For more wasabi flavor, have you tried giving the fish a light dusting of wasabi powder then apply your dry brine? More wasabi will be in direct contact with the fish.

Neocrunch · August 03, 2013, 06:25:51 AM

Quote from: Habanero Smoker on August 03, 2013, 01:54:35 AM
I love the flavors of mango and habanero. I had a friend from Jamaica who would bring me back a hot sauce made with mango and habaneros.

The fish looks good. For more wasabi flavor, have you tried giving the fish a light dusting of wasabi powder then apply your dry brine? More wasabi will be in direct contact with the fish.

I'll try that next time. Thanks for the tip.