Fish Jerky

[n/a]

Hello Everyone,

I just purchased a Bradley Smoker and tried making some fish jerky, salmon/steelhead, I cut in quarter inch thick pieces I cured and seasoned with the High Mountain Jerky, Inc. using their Mandarin Teriyaki Blend, I just kind of winged it as they didn't have a jerky recipe for fish, just smoked fish. It turned out very good but could have used a little more seasoning I think. If anyone has a way and know how to make good Fish Jerky could you please pass it on [:)]

Thank you in advance for your response,

Larry M

[zr2paul]

Curious to know how long you smoked it for and cooked it for to make the fish jerky?  I want to make some moose jerky but I am unsure of the temp, cook time, smoke time Im suppose to use?

HiMountain says 200F for up to 3 hours BUT I was told to make jerky you need 160F for about 5 hours minimum???

Fish Jerky sounds good....any hints/pointers you can give me to help me make some fish jerky?

Thanks!

Paul

[jtrew]

A very basic marinade for jerking fish is:
1 large bottle soy sauce
4 Tbs liquid smoke
4 rounded TBS brown sugar

You can add garlic, onion, peppers, or whatever, to suit your taste, but the basic marinade is very good just by itself.

I jerked my last batch of catfish at 150 degrees, but I really prefer a temperature of 130-140 degrees.  IMO, cold smoking is the ticket for jerky.  The last batch was made before Thanksgiving; it hasn't been refrigerated; and it's still as good as when I made it.

Jerry

[jcarry]

Fish Jerky Recipes
When making any kind of jerky, you want to make sure the slices are even. Try to slice the fish into strips about 3/8" thick. Even slices mean all the pieces will dry at the same time.
Salt Cured Fish Strips

RockfishOne method of preparing fish for dehydration is curing. This helps with preventing spoilage during the drying process. Salt kills microorganisms and prevents the growth of more by drawing water out of the cells of the microbes and the fish.

To start, add 3/4 cup of salt to 1 1/2 quarts of cold water. Marinate the fish in the brine for 30 minutes. Then rinse off all the salt and pat dry with a paper towel.

Now, add a dry cure (salt and your favorite seasonings) to the fish. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for 6 hours.

Now, shake off any excess salt and lay the strips of fish on the trays. Don't let the fish touch each other. Dry for 8-12 hours at 145-155 F.

You have to test a piece to know if they're done. The first test is visual. There shouldn't be any surface moisture. Then squeeze the thickest part of a cooled piece with your fingers. The jerky should not crumble. Finally, smell and taste it. It should smell and taste fishy.
Marinated Fish Jerky

If you want to try something a bit fancier than a simple salt cure, you can marinate the fish in your favorite sauce. Try a sauce like the reliable standby Teriyaki, or maybe Yoshida's Gourmet Sauce.

The Preserve It Naturally book has a wonderful recipe that calls for beer and Yoshida's. Mix a 16 oz of beer with 16 oz of Yoshida's Sauce in a large bowl. Then add the fish. Cover and store in the fridge for 24 hours.

Lay the fish sticks flat on your dehydrator trays. Don't let them touch. Then dry at 145-155 F for 8-12 hours or until completely dry.

Storage
Always allow the jerky to cool before storing. If you put the dried fish in a container too soon, moisture will form, which'll hasten spoilage.

The leaner the fish, the longer the jerky will store. Be sure to use airtight plastic or glass containers, and place that in a cool, dry place. If you dehydrated a fattier fish, it's fine. Just try to eat it sooner than later.

[Mr Walleye]

Great information Jtrew & Jcarry!

Thanks for sharing and welcome to the forum.

Mike

[josbocc]

Dehydrator or Smoker???  Or does it matter.  This sounds like something that I'd like to try.  Sounds like that the brine mixture is being used as the cure.  Does that mean that a commercial cure is not necessary?  Inquiring jerky conniseurs want to know.

Jeff