Need your help Kummok!!

[KyNola]

Help me to understand what I am doing wrong.  Purchased the freshest salmon you can buy in Western Kentucky. "Supposedly" wild caught coho salmon which I understand is silver salmon and flown in to Sam's Club.  Brined, allowed to dry and trying to follow your smoking/cooking instructions.  First 2 hours the temp in the smoker the Maverick ET-73 and the BDS said the temp ranged from 85 to 120 at the end of the 2 hour period.  Opened the smoker to check on the status and I already have the white boogers on top.  In the second cooking phase currently.

I'm really disappointed in myself that I have done this recipe several times now and I simply can't seem to get it right.  Any ideas?

KyNola

[Smoking Duck]

Are you certain the Maverick is reading correctly?  85F seems awfully low temp for Kentucky this time of year.  The boogers don't mean that the fish will necessarily turn out bad, IMHO.  Just cooking too fast and too high.  Of course, the fish play an awfully big part of it.  I'm always really leary of what the stores label as wild caught myself.  However, it seems like maybe your temps aren't registering correctly.  Just a guess on my part, tho.  Hope you figure it out KY.

SD

[Habanero Smoker]

I'm doing some wild Alaskan salmon now. It was suppose to have been Sockeye, but when I got to the store they said the Sockeye didn't come in, it was either coho or king. The skin was still on so when I got home I went to a site that had pictures of the different salmon and written descriptions of the differences. I've concluded mine were Kings.

Any way in the early part of the smoke, I thought I was going to get boogers, but as it went along what every was forming on the surface cleared up. I just checked mine again, and it should be done in 15 - 30 minutes. As SD stated it will not ruin the fish, and you can blot it off with paper towels. What I do to ensure that the temperature is controllable is to use the cold smoke setup.

[KyNola]

SD,
I considered that the Maverick was off but the BDS was showing the same thing.  Even more disappointing, Took it up to 140 and then to 175.  5 hours later brought it out.  Looked good with the exception of the white stuff.  Checked the IT with digital instant read thermometer.  The IT was under 130 degrees.

The flavor is fine but just really disappointed.  The low start temp was because I was using only the puck burner as it is 85 here today and I knew there was no chance to keep the box temp down in the first 2 hours if I was using the box heater.  Skin was on and even though I used the non-stick jerky racks and sprayed them with Pam. the salmon still welded itself to the racks.

Oh well, the end product will be fine I'm sure.   I'm finishing in the oven.  My Bradley did all kinds of goofy things today.  Started to lower the oven temp, the puck burner shut off!  Full moon?! :(

KyNola

[Smoking Duck]

Sorry bout the way it came out, KY.  You know, something I do when I'm concerned about cooking things too fast in the Bradley is to prop the door open with a pencil.  It really keeps the temp down in the box and you really don't have to worry about the smoke as there is still plenty of smoke even with the door open.  Hopefully, the expert Kummok will be along to help you more than I.

SD

[KyNola]

SD,
Thanks for your advice and your concern.  Glad to see you back amongst us.  I know it's tough for you personally right now.  I happen to work in the community banking industry in the residential real estate field, 36 years worth.  If you want to email me, I'll be glad to see if there is anything I can think of to take some pressure off of you.

I'm about ready to order an OBS and PID to see if I can solve the gremlins that have been in my BDS for the last year.  With everything else going wrong today, my BDS started skipping advancing pucks again!  If I have to set a timer every 20 minutes to go see if my BDS is going to advance as it should, I might as well have an OBS.

Oh well, it could be worse.

KyNola

[Mr Walleye]

Just a thought KyNola. What you could do is order a smoke generator for an OBS, then build a PID or buy a pre-built unit. By using your DBS cabinet you get the best of both worlds, plus you wouldn't spend as much either. Once you hook up a PID to either an OBS or a DBS the "built in controls are no longer used. You can get an OBS generator from Bryan at Yard & Pool for about $89. Here is the link.

http://www.yardandpool.com/Bradley-Smoker-Replacement-Smoke-Generator---Black-p1106.html

Mike

[KyNola]

Mike,
You are smarter than the average bear! ;)  Thanks for the tip.  I honestly would never have thought of that.  If I decide to do something, that is exactly what I will do!  Thanks again!

KyNola

[Kummok]

Sorry for delayed response, KN ..... family funeral "Down in America", after a looooong period of leukemia. Back home temporarily.......

Boogers, boogers, boogers..... all look but no real affect  (Kinda reminds me of certain political candidates recently ::) )   I've come to believe that, in addition to temp rise and venting, the method of processing fish can make a difference in the appearance of boogers. Next time, take a look at the meat after it thaws and see if there's still blood showing in ANY of the veins/capillaries (it shows up well by tamping the meat with a paper towel and looking for red). The more blood, the more the chance of boogers, I believe....the more moist the meat when smoked, the higher the chance of boogers. Try the paper towel lasagna method that I always preach and let the thawed meat stay in the reefer that way for a day or two before brining and see if that doesn't help immensely......

[KyNola]

Kummok,
Thank you so much.  I knew you would have the answer.  I'll try everything you recommend.  It is just mildly possible :) that I rushed the drying process.  Sorry to hear of your family loss.

Thank you for responding,
KyNola

[Kummok]

Hmmmmm....."I'll try everything you recommend".....I like that!! I recommend buying a new offshore Grady-White w/ 2 150 4 stroke Yammers and full instruments and giving it to me so I can take everyone on the forum fishing!!  ;) ;D ;D

[pensrock]

I'm ready to go fishing.... let me know when.  ;D ;D ;D

[FLBentRider]

Now THATS what I call an "Alaska Cruise" !