Kummok's brine with Ivory Kings?

[Smokeville]

Hey Kummok,

That great brine recipe with the soy sauce does turn the regular red trout a deeper red. Looks great! (Tastes even better, I'm told)

Can you very quickly recommend a change to the brine that would give similar results for White Kings? I've tried it and it makes the beautiful ivory a deeper almost light brown shade I don't like.

Once again I have Ivory Kings at $2.99/lb and want to smoke them and sell them with the reds.

Thanks, Rich

[ArnieM]

Wow! 2.99 a pound?  They go for about 17.99 a pound down here.  Please send me a case.  ;D

This is only a suggestion because I haven't done it.  Cut back on the water and substitute some dry white wine and fish stock if you have it.  Maybe add a bit more salt to make up for the missing soy.

At my prices I can't afford to experiment too much  >:(

[Kummok]

I've never experimented with changing the color so can't help much on this..... :-\    There's soooo much brown in the ingredients that I'd think you have to come up with more "clear" ingredients...e.g. substitute Karo syrup for brown sugar. I don't know what could pass for soy sauce that's clear....everything I've seen that has a salty/saucy base is usually dark. I understand the marketing side of "looks/presentation" but have never had the need so just haven't messed with "Mother Nature".  ;)    Wish I could be more help

[BuyLowSellHigh]

Disclaimer - same as Arnie, only a suggestion becasue I haven't tried this for a brine.  If you can find it (it can be ordered online) you might try using white miso paste to make a strong broth that approximates the strength of soy sauce. I think that would be significantly more than the ratio of paste to water that is commonly used in miso soup. Best shot would be in a good Asian market that has a Japanese section (often it is refrigerated), and look for one in which the first ingredient is soybeans (it probably will also include rice or another grain).  This is a staple in Japanese cuisine. There are many brands and several types, with red miso probably being the most common.

I'm thinking something like this ...
http://www.asianfoodgrocer.com/product/maruman-organic-white-miso-26-4-oz

Miso is a bit like yogurt in that it is a living thing, so you may want to boil the broth it so that you don't have another variable (the living stuff that is supposed to be good for you) in the brine.

For the brown sugar just sub regular granulated sugar in the same amount.

edit - so after posting I decided to a do a little checking, Googled "miso cured fish" and "miso smoked fish".  A lot of references.  Miso curing of fish is a common technique in Japanese cuisine, and they don't do anything to destroy the living nature of the miso.  Here's an intersting video for a cured version of Black Cod (Sable fish) that is more a Gravlax style.  Other ref's show a miso cure then grilling.
http://how2heroes.com/videos/appetizers/white-miso-cured-wild-alaskan-black-cod

[BuyLowSellHigh]

After breakfast I had another thought ... I vaguely recalled a "white" soy sauce, white being a relative term.  A little searching and I found this ...
http://www.amazon.com/Takumi-White-Shoyu-Japanese-Sauce/dp/B003AHA7EE

[Smokeville]

Hey, thanks everyone.

We have a number of Chinese superstores here and I bet I can find the stuff you've suggested.

I'll experiment. I could do the Ivory Kings with the regular brine but I want them to look and taste the same --- I plan to slice the fillets into 1.5" strips and package them "red-ivory-red-ivory"

If it works I will post pictures.

Rich

[Habanero Smoker]

I use white miso in various foods, and with white miso I don't believe you will get much of a soy sauce type flavor you are looking for. But a lot depends on the brand. I've never attempted to use it as a brine, but you choose to go that route, you will have some flavorful salmon.

You can also find a variety of miso in any health food store.

[Smokeville]

My wife and I are headed out tomorrow to see what we can see....

I will let everyone know what we find.

Probably, for this week, I will use Kummok's brine for the reds and the regular for the Ivorys, and package them separate as people will buy one or the other. I'll try the new brine later in the week...... I seem to have a near unlimited supply of Ivory for some reason, so experimenting isn't costing too much.

[Habanero Smoker]

You may want to experiment with Boutch's brine for trout. It's really good. I've been meaning to brine salmon with it, but haven't gotten around to it. As suggested above, you may want to use white sugar to make it a clearer brine.

Smoked Trout

[Smokeville]

You may want to experiment with Boutch's brine for trout. It's really good. I've been meaning to brine salmon with it, but haven't gotten around to it. As suggested above, you may want to use white sugar to make it a clearer brine.

Smoked Trout

That does look good. It has the extra sugar and salt just like Kummok's but in a different form....