Reusing brine for double batch of salmon?

[LeBoism1]

Just wondering if it's safe to reuse my salmon brine for a next day second batch of salmon? In other words, can I brine, then smoke my fully loaded OBS... then do the whole process over again immediately using the same brine? If this is safe, how many days would you go before it's unsafe to do a second batch with same brine?

I've been using Kummok's recipe(thanks Kummok) for a couple years now and love it. But, the chinook are running in Idaho now and we're getting a lot of fish. Time for some serious smoking. Thanks for any/all opinions!! :)

Randy

[Habanero Smoker]

It is not safe to reuse the brine, it should be dump down the drain after it's first use. Beside being unsafe, the salinity (concentration of salt) of the brine has been lowered, and other flavoring have weaken. To make it short and simple, due to the  action of osmosis - the movement of water with a high concentration of salt (brine) to where the salt concentration is lower (meat cells). Depending on how long you brine this process will continue until the concentration of salt is equal in both the brine and the cells. Lowering the salinity also can encourages bacterial growth.

Here is a good site that explains brining.
All About Brining

Making a brine can be time consuming when you have a lot to get brined, but the ingredients for brines are inexpensive. If you need to save on the cost  of the brine you have to make, there is a safe and fast way you can determine how much brine you actually need. Weigh the fish you are going to brine, place the fish in a container and add water to cover it by one inch. Remove the fish and measure the water (1 pint = 1 pound; 1 quart = 2 pound; 1 gallon = 8 pounds etc). If the water weighs at least 50% of the weight of the fish, that is all you need, if it doesn't add more water. Then you just scale the recipe proportionally to the amount of water are using.

[NePaSmoKer]

Ditto on what Habs said

Never reuse your brine.

[classicrockgriller]

LeBoism1, Welcome to the Forum!

[LeBoism1]

Excellent, excellent post, you guys. Knew I'd get the correct answer here! 3-4 years ago, when I first got my obs, you guys turned me on to Kummok's recipe. Since then, and many smokes later, along with the Auber also discussed here, I can make perfect salmon every time. My personal preferences for total smoke time and time spent in the last, highest heat range, had to be slightly tweeked.  Almost a "set it and forget it" operation. :)

Thanks,
Randy

[classicrockgriller]

Excellent, excellent post, you guys. Knew I'd get the correct answer here! 3-4 years ago, when I first got my obs, you guys turned me on to Kummok's recipe. Since then, and many smokes later, along with the Auber also discussed here, I can make perfect salmon every time. My personal preferences for total smoke time and time spent in the last, highest heat range, had to be slightly tweeked.  Almost a "set it and forget it" operation. :)

Thanks,
Randy

Randy, don't be a stranger.  Come on back and sit awhile.

We'd love to your smoked salmon pictures.

[LeBoism1]

Thanks classic. "pictures", I will do that. I always enjoy all forum member's posts and photos of recent gourmet masterpieces! I should be doing the same! Only seems fair.

By for now from Idaho, there's  a chinook want's to bite my hook.

[oakrdrzfan]

Thanks classic. "pictures", I will do that. I always enjoy all forum member's posts and photos of recent gourmet masterpieces! I should be doing the same! Only seems fair.

By for now from Idaho, there's  a chinook want's to bite my hook.

I imagine you are from Boise given your user name.  I used to live there and am now in SLC.  Welcome to the forum.  Where you fishing?  Riggins?

[LeBoism1]

oakrdrzfan,

Yes, Boise. Glad to meet another(use to be) from here. What do you think of those Boise State Broncos? Two Fiesta bowl wins in three years. Went to both games...thrilling.

Anyways, the salmon are showing up in Riggins and elswhere. I fish in Riggins on the little salmon as well as the park hole, main salmon river. Can be combat fishing but most folks get along/cooperate well. This years fish counts over the first dam are multiples ahead of last year. Hey, come on up and give it a try!

Randy

[oakrdrzfan]

oakrdrzfan,

Yes, Boise. Glad to meet another(use to be) from here. What do you think of those Boise State Broncos? Two Fiesta bowl wins in three years. Went to both games...thrilling.

Anyways, the salmon are showing up in Riggins and elswhere. I fish in Riggins on the little salmon as well as the park hole, main salmon river. Can be combat fishing but most folks get along/cooperate well. This years fish counts over the first dam are multiples ahead of last year. Hey, come on up and give it a try!

Randy

Randy

The Fiesta bowl wins were great.  I went to BSU back in the mid 80s.  Had a great time while there. 

I usually do my fishing in SW Oregon.  Used to steal head fish on the Salmon River near Challis.  Also fished the Feather and Sacramento rivers when I lived in CA.  Combat fishing at its worst, but I would catch 50 or so a year.  Last 4 were terrible though.

[Kummok]

Glad Habs gave you a good explanation, Randy. (My answer would have been closer to "Yuuuuck...don't do it!"  ;)  ) Good advice on why you don't and great tip on proportioning your brine to match your meat quantity. Getting LOTS of Kings is an wonderful burden ain't it!?!?!!

[LeBoism1]

Hi Kummok,

Nice to talk with the originator of the salmon recipe I've been using for a few years now! If I paid you a dollar for everyone who said they like my salmon, you would be rich and I would need a second job. Thanks.

Getting lots of kings IS a wonderful burden. Our season here is short, so have to go for it when we can. I fillet them out and vacuum seal what I don't smoke immediately. Then I can smoke any time up to 6 months or maybe a little longer. The fresh are still the best, however.

You have fun up there catching the big ones almost year round.
cheers,
Randy

[Kummok]

Very glad you've enjoyed eating and sharing the salmon, Randy. Wouldn't mind trying that "rich" thing but I'm happy to just be richly blessed here in Alaska!

I do the same thing with my Kings for longer term storage, except that I go ahead and pull the bones (yup, ALL of them!) and the skin, cut the "slab" into 1 1/4" steaks, then vac seal/freeze. I use it that way for all kinds of presentations and it makes it easier for me to strip and smoke what it starts getting a little too old for other uses....Fish/Smoke on, buddy!!

[Gary Acker]

ok I see this post is way old and dont know if it will be seen, but -- always looking for the ultimate brine recipe.  Kummok can you share?

[Tenpoint5]

Gary it is the very first recipe in the fish section. Alaskan Smoked Salmon