My First ABTs - The Fiasco Begins

[ArnieM]

What does par boiling do for the pepper ?

As 10.5 said.  I did a really quick par boil with the bacon wrap.  I figure the fish would take less time to cook and do a bit longer of a par boil.

Example:  Take broccoli crowns (if you like 'em').  Par boil for a couple of minutes in salted water.  Meanwhile, sweat some thin sliced garlic in a cast iron pan (that's about all I use) with some OO.  Drain the broccoli well, put in the pan, add some ground sea salt and ground black pepper.  Toss a couple of minutes or so and serve.  "Good Eats" (sorry Alton).

[ArnieM]

Sounds good, but I might try either thin trout or salmon fillets. The more oil in the fish the better. Sole has a 12% fat to calorie ratio versus 40% fat to calorie for wild Atlantic salmon. Wild trout come in at 26%. It should help to keep the fish moist while smoking.

Those are some very impressing numbers HS.  I didn't know that. 
[rant]But, I disagree on one thing.  There's no such thing as "Wild Atlantic Salmon (unless they're having a party) anymore".  All Atlantic Salmon here are farm-raised.  Costco has them with artificial color added to make 'em look like salmon.  I even see Scottish Salmon advertised - farm raised.  I only buy Pacific/Alaskan wild caught salmon (Sockeye or Kohu) when I can find 'em.  It amazes me that we have to put up with this junk at the market.
[/rant]

[HawkeyeSmokes]

Sounds good, but I might try either thin trout or salmon fillets. The more oil in the fish the better. Sole has a 12% fat to calorie ratio versus 40% fat to calorie for wild Atlantic salmon. Wild trout come in at 26%. It should help to keep the fish moist while smoking.

Those are some very impressing numbers HS.  I didn't know that. 
[rant]But, I disagree on one thing.  There's no such thing as "Wild Atlantic Salmon (unless they're having a party) anymore".  All Atlantic Salmon here are farm-raised.  Costco has them with artificial color added to make 'em look like salmon.  I even see Scottish Salmon advertised - farm raised.  I only buy Pacific/Alaskan wild caught salmon (Sockeye or Kohu) when I can find 'em.  It amazes me that we have to put up with this junk at the market.
[/rant]

You would be correct about finding junk for good seafood in most places. I just used some species with a higher fat content for an example. Here's a link to a great website to crunch some numbers. I have founf it quite useful http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/finfish-and-shellfish-products/4258/2 IMHO the higher the fat content of the fish, the better the end result when smoking it.

[squirtthecat]

If you want to get technical

I hear ya...

But, tradition is tradition.   Don't worry, we don't do the Mrs Paul fish stick thing...   Salmon/scallops rule!

[ArnieM]

Thanks for the link HS - quite interesting.  As a general rule, the more fat the better the smoke, I think.  Whatever it is comes out more more moist.

I haven't done anything with fish yet on the OBS.  I've done salmon fillet on a cedar plank on the grill and poached it with some dill.  Both were very good. 

[HawkeyeSmokes]

No problem Arnie. I only use the site to make the best choice on what to use for cooking be it smoking, grilling, frying etc. Not a health nut for sure. I look at it this way, I'm only here for a little while, might as well enjoy my time. Will a year or 2 really matter? I think not but the salad with tofu eaters might not agree.  :D

[pensrock]

Not sure who it was that asked. but par boiling is not to soften the peppers but to remove some of the heat. Problem is you want to do seperate batches, you do not want to put the habs in with the other peppers in case some of the heat transfers to the other peppers.
IMHO I would think it would help remove some of the heat but not sure how much.