Acid Boogers?

[JML54]

Hi All

Looking for some help and advice from the group.

The photo below was taken after approximately an hour and a quarter in the smoker after slowly climbing to 112 degrees (Auber PID) with a mix of Alder and Maple smoke.  The fish was warmed to room temp and dried well before going to the Bradley.  The top rack was prepared in a brine that contained lots of citrus; orange, lemon and lime juices as well as light and dark sugars.  The bottom rack was prepared with Kummok's recipe from this site.  The fish is wild Koho.  Both had 30 and 15 minute soaks in plain water after brining.  Both were finished at roughly 128 degrees IT and have great flavor and texture.  Does anyone out there have some insight as to why the citrus rack would have major league boogers and the other would have little or none?  Is there a way to control it?  Does acid content increase the purge? 
Thanks
Joe
   

[Habanero Smoker]

Interesting thought. The "boogers" are a combination of fat, coagulated proteins, and seasonings you have on the fish that may add some color; generally it is white. Coagulation is a reaction you see when you cook eggs, when the egg whites change from a liquid to a solid.

Acids from citrus, or vinegar in brines do change the structure of protein in a similar way that heat does, at least at the surface of the meat. This change of protein structure (denaturation); is also one of the first steps that can create coagulated proteins, which are the boogers on your salmon. It could be that when the acid change the protein structure prior to cooking, it created better conditions for the boogers to form.

[manxman]

I suspect it may be due to the citric acid in the fruit juices starting to denature the salmon protein, the cooking process without heat which is called ceviche. Therefore the top rack may well have been ahead of the bottom rack in terms of overall cooking process?

That's my take on it although someone may well shoot it down!  ;)

Edit:

or wot Habs said.... he just beat me too it!  ;)

[Habanero Smoker]

Manxman;

Good morning!

Since you are 5 hour into the future, I must have read your mind. :) Technically that would make you first.  ;)

[manxman]

Good morning Habs, great to hear from you.

At least we were in agreement! And the record shows you beat me by over a minute!  ;)

[KyNola]

As I was reading the thread my first thought was the citric acid had already begun to ceviche the fish.

So I think both of you gentlemen are correct.

[JML54]

Thanks for the responses.  I was pretty certain it was the acid.  Never thought to compare it ceviche. 
Joe