Salmon - drying overnight????

robyorke · August 19, 2011, 11:32:46 AM

I smoked salmon once before with great results using Kummok's recipe. I dried the salmon overnight in the fridge to help form the pelicle.
After reading a number of posts I am trying to find the best way to dry the salmon that fits into my schedule.
My process currently is the following.
Salmon has been in the brine for 12 hrs and I was planning on leaving it in the brine for another 12 hrs.
This evening I would take the salmon out of the brine and dry the salmon in the refridgerator overnight until tomorrow morning at which time would start the smoke process.
Based on what I read it appears that it is better to dry the salmon for approx 2-3 hrs with a fan blowing over it.
I live in Texas. My garage gets to 90+ degrees. Can I dry the salmon overnight with a fan blowing over the salmon in a garage that will stay above 80+ degrees during the process or is this too hot????
Could I dry the salmon just a few hours (with a fan) then put it in the fridge (covered) overnight and start the smoking process in the morning?
Which way would be better?
Any feedback would be appreciated.

Smokeville · August 19, 2011, 07:21:42 PM

"Could I dry the salmon just a few hours (with a fan) then put it in the fridge (covered) overnight and start the smoking process in the morning?"

This is the safest. Around 8pm, I spread my fish on towels on the kitchen table, and run a fan for maybe an hour or two. Then I put them on the racks and put them in the fridge overnight. In the morning I take them out and again let the fan blow over them to bring them up to room temp.

What also works is to take the fish out of the brine in the morning, and then air dry them, but you lose several hours of smoke time this way.

Regards, Rich

aces-n-eights · August 19, 2011, 07:37:30 PM

Welcome to the forum! I think overnight at 80°-90° is too warm. I'd dry the salmon in the refrigerator overnight to form the pellicle. Are you able to put the fish on racks so air circulates around all sides? I've had good luck if i can turn the fish pieces once during the drying process so all sides get a nice tacky surface. Good luck!

Quarlow · August 19, 2011, 08:41:44 PM

Just my 1.6 cents. I would not dry that long outside the fridge at that temp. I also "personally" don't like that long for pellicle forming. I put mine in the fridge on the second shelf with the fan on the top shelf pointing down for 2 or 3 hrs or just till it gets tacky. Takes a lot of fridge space but works great. Of course I have a second fridge.

SamuelG · August 19, 2011, 08:53:46 PM

X2

Another option would be I'm the fridge overnight.

SamuelG

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Quarlow · August 19, 2011, 08:59:40 PM

Ok just .6 cents. I find even without a fan, overnight makes for a real thick pellice. Of course before I came to this forum I never even heard of pellicle. Dad just took them from the brine, gave them a rinse and into the smoker.

SamuelG · August 19, 2011, 09:14:15 PM

Quote from: Quarlow on August 19, 2011, 08:59:40 PM
Ok just .6 cents. I find even without a fan, overnight makes for a real thick pellice. Of course before I came to this forum I never even heard of pellicle. Dad just took them from the brine, gave them a rinse and into the smoker.

Ooops?

I used over night till I installed the fan in my Bradley. Than just 2-4 hours in S FL WEATHER. But that's just my taste.

SamuelG

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robyorke · August 20, 2011, 06:10:52 AM

Thanks for the feedback. My preference was to put them on racks and dry on the kitchen island with a fan blowing on them for 2-3 hrs and then overnight them on racks in the refridgeator. Unfortunately my wife got in the way. We are showing our house to sell and she does not like having the "smoke" smell in the house. That was the reason for needing to blow dry them in the garage.
Anyways, what I did is blow dry them for about 2 hours in the garage and then I dried them on racks in the fridge overnight. They are about to go in the smoker in a couple of hours.
Thanks for everyones feedback. It looks like the air drying in the fridge is the safest method for my schedule.
I did read on another post that someone had done this long air dry overnight in the fridge and they did not like it.
I will have results later today and make a comment.
Again, thanks

robyorke · August 21, 2011, 10:23:02 AM

Salmon turned out the best I have done. Even my wife who dislikes smoked food likes it alot. Kudo's to Kumok's recipe and process. The salmon is excellent. Thanks for the comments.
I would attach photos of the salmon but I cannot figure out how to insert a photo.
The insert image icon just adds [img]/[img] to the sentence. I thought it would prompt for a file to insert.

devo · August 21, 2011, 11:21:31 AM

What you have to do is host the picture up on a photo site like photobucket. Once its there copy the link from the picture and put that link inbetween the IMG codes

chiroken · August 21, 2011, 04:35:37 PM

I just smoked a batch today and it took quite awhile to form the pellicle on the kitchen counter. I've built a rack (scrap wood) that holds my bradley racks and it sat from about noon until the evening before I put on a fan and left overnight. Was good to go this morning. Tastes awesome right now still warm!

This was the fish double stacked (8 racks) yesterday. I realize now I normally stack them individually to dry and then double them to put in the smoker. My thots are that they'll dry better single stacked.

The home made rack is great because I can pull racks out of the smoker and slide in to baste with maple syrup or pull out pieces that are done which allows me to minimize how long the bradley door is open.

Kummok · August 21, 2011, 07:07:52 PM

You've gotten some great advice from Forum members, robyorke and I'm glad it all turned out well for you...the only thing I would add is that when you sell your house, move to the cool Alaska coast and you won't have to be concerned with 90+ degrees in the garage AND you will be closer to the supply of raw product!! ;) ;)

robyorke · August 21, 2011, 07:26:22 PM

I am buying a place in Breckenridge, Co. That will help.
Thanks again for all the advice.
The smoked salmon tasted even better today!!!!!!!!! My son loves it and wants me to make more just for him.
I will do some more in a couple of weeks and try a couple of tweaks to the recipe.

chiroken · August 21, 2011, 08:29:33 PM

Quote from: Kummok on August 21, 2011, 07:07:52 PM
...the only thing I would add is that when you sell your house, move to the cool Alaska coast and you won't have to be concerned with 90+ degrees in the garage AND you will be closer to the supply of raw product!! ;) ;)

too bad he's moving or you could work a house swap with him and get some of that warm weather too!

Kummok · August 21, 2011, 10:43:45 PM

Quote from: chiroken on August 21, 2011, 08:29:33 PM

too bad he's moving or you could work a house swap with him and get some of that warm weather too!
[/quote]

[Smiling] Gonna try to take care of that warmth thing with a couple months on Rarotonga BEFORE snowmobiling gets real good up here this winter....

Salmon - drying overnight????

devo