Salmon Smoking Class

[Kummok]

I've been invited to give a class on smoking salmon in our local community schools program.

This is the first class of it's kind that I'm aware of being offered here, so I don't know what to expect for attendees. I'm guessing somewhere between 10 and 25.  The class won't cover catching salmon, but will cover post-catch care, cleaning/cutting, brining/smoking, packaging, and storage. Of course, I will be using the Bradley. (However, I will do my best to interpret for the Little/Big Chief smokers in the group....there's lots of those here.) We will actually smoke salmon as part of the class and the "final" will be the consumption of the finished product.[:p]

Why did I post this info here?   Simply to invite any of y'all that have Bradley or other smoker support products/services to send me your info and I'll see that it gets distributed in the class. The class will be held Saturday, March 25, so if you have info you'd like me to include, get it in the mail or email to me right away.......

35 years of extinguishing smoking stuff and now I'm wondering WHY!
Kummok @ Homer, AK USA

[iceman]

Way to go Kummok. I did a few classes for Bear Valley school in Anchorage. The dang thing turned out to be standing room only so watch out.[;)] Glad to hear someone is out there teaching the "Care of the Catch". I've had folks bring me filets to process for them that I wouldn't feed a junk yard dog. For alot of the folks that showed up it was a wake up call. They had the misconception that smoking is a 'MAGICAL CURE" for salmon. I did a two part class for them because they wanted to see the brining process also. The first one ran a couple of hours on Friday evening then a half day on Saturday. I have had many requests to do those classes along with sausage making classes but just don't have any time to pull it off. Have fun with the folks that show up. It's a blast to say the least.[:D]

[Habanero Smoker]

Congratulations![:)]

I have taken several food classes, and one thing I enjoy is the hands on practice.

At the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), they limit most of their classes to 16, in order that everyone can get some hands on experience. Besides the chef, there are at least two assistance.

The class begins with an one hour presentation on safety, sanitation, full discussion of the method being used to prepare food, and a review of the recipes that will be prepared. Then the class is broken down into groups of 4; and each group works of a different set of recipes. At the end everyone sits down and samples everything that had been prepare. Then class ends with a general Q&A session.

If you want detail information on how the CIA runs their classes, send me an e-mail.

Good luck!

[BigSmoker]

Excellent Kummok.  A general outline of what you would like to cover might be a good idea so you don't leave anything out[;)].  These people are in for a treat for sure[:D].

Jeff



Some say BBQ is in your blood, if thats true my blood must be BBQ sauce.

[Oldman]

Hey Salmon Man [:D]  have some one take pictures and I will host them so you can share this with us.

I won't wish ya luck as I know you know what you are doing....

Congrats~~!

Olds

[manxman]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">but will cover post-catch care, cleaning/cutting, brining/smoking, packaging, and storage<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Congrats Kummock, real feather in your cap to be invited to give  such a talk.

Obviously some (e.g brining/smoking) of what you will be teaching is already on the BS forum and on Old's recipe site, but other bits may be of benefit to forum members. How about posting the notes from your lecture in relation to the other topics on the recipe site, sure a whole host of people would be interested?

That, and as Olds says, a few pictures![:D]

Manxman.

[Chez Bubba]

Congrats RC, I'm sure you're gonna have a great time. Enjoy![8D]

<font color="blue"><u>Kummok, Phd</u></font id="blue">  Hmmm, kinda has a ring to it![:D][:D]

Kirk

http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?

[Kummok]

Okay...first post on the newly revised forum?!?!?

The class went very well....15 new "students" of the smoking arts! I brined/pellicled King salmon the night before and showed everyone the look/feel of properly pellicle'd salmon at the start of the class. I then slipped all eight racks into the smoker (A new Bradley purchased for the class, since I didn't trust my other two to work properly during the class....same ol' smoke generator issues  :()

I actually thought I was going to have a hard time coming up with even 30 minutes of instruction, since smoking salmon is so simple and the smoking process was planned for 4 hours. The folks in the class saved the day though, with MANY great questions stretching the instruction/demonstration to around 3.5 hours. Class material/instruction/demonstration covered everything from the time the fish is hauled aboard, to cutting/skinning/bone removal....wacked up a whole Red (US$34....first salmon I've EVER had to BUY!), meat sizing, brining, drying, smoker types, wood selection, smoking, and ended with the final exam....Eating freshly smoked King Salmon! Actual smoking method was "interpreted for "Chief-type" smokers, since that was the predominant entry-level method chosen by these folks....although there was considerable interest in the Bradley, Bubba-Pucks, and Rack-Rack.

Interestingly, the class make-up was mostly female "future smokers".  My main objective was to convince everyone to at least give smoking salmon a try after seeing how simple it was...based upon feedback, I suspect that at least 12-13 are definite, while 2-3 are "wobblers". The manager of the community schools program said it was a success for the schools and wanted an encore! Class started at 0900 and ended at 1300, leaving me plenty of time to get on the outbound flight to San Diego with about 20lbs of freshly smoked/vac-sealed King Salmon for family in America AND leaving behind some new HIGHLY motivated smokers!

[iceman]

Glad to hear all went well with the class Kummok. I had the pleasure of giving a smoked brisket 101 for newbies this weekend and had a blast. The folks at Saturday cooking class at Allen Peterson found out I was smoking this weekend and I ended up with the whole group over here Sunday. Happy campers to say the least. You have to admit it's a lot of work but it sure is fun when you have a good group to work with. Have fun. ;)

[tsquared]

Hey KIummok--sounds like it went really well...but...

wacked up a whole Red (US$34....first salmon I've EVER had to BUY!)

your virginity's gone now, baby! :D   Sounds like it was fun. I just smoked up 7 racks of your strips on the weekend out of mostly white kings. I'm trying to get the freezer cleared out for the new season.
T2

[Kummok]

Hey Iceman....wish I coulda made that brisket class! The word gets out pretty fast when giving a smoking class, I'm finding out....already have three new requests for another class, 1 from a local non-profit group and two from local retailers....having some fun with this! My main objective is to take the mystery out of smoking salmon and get folks to actually try it themselves!

T2
I guess the really good thing is that I didn't pop the cherry on Atlantic FARMED salmon :D  I'd have been run outta town!! I also FINALLY broke down and ate some bait fish (sushi to non-fishers ;)) while in California....I actually enjoyed it, octopus being the best flavor. I was expecting a nasty fish flavor, but it orta tasted like tofu (as in "tasteless") if it wasn't for all the garnish/spice they added....I would do it again!
I know what you mean about cleaning out the freezer....I still have King/halibut enough to last through WWIII...gonna be some GREAT smoking sessions coming up now that I'm back home!

[iceman]

Gee Kummuck ya mean when I get to Homer there's going to be more than one person that knows how to handle fish? :D I'm sushi'd out after the last trip to Japan. I want mine cooked! :P Now oysters are a whole different story. I entered the Sea Galley contest this year for shucking and all I ended up doing was taking sixth and cutting the cr_p out of my hand. Dang. Free oysters for us though. The nieghbor is getting his boat ready to haul down to Homer. It's time to get my little travel trailer out and get down there this summer.

[Kummok]

Yup, Iceman, I tried a place called 'Sushi on the Rock' in Carlsbad...great place to for a "sushi probie" to start! I recognized some slices as salmon and gave one a try....I found it flat tasting and "grainy".....it looked pale, like a Coho's meat.  I then asked the manager what kinda salmon it was....When he told me that it was farmed Atlantic, I almost puked, then asked him to make certain that if any security camera's were in use, to erase the tapes for that "Kummok eating farmed salmon part" so I could feel safe back in Alaska!! He said, "What goes on in the 'Rock' STAYS in the 'Rock'!" Other than that incident, it was an 8 on the food fun scale :)

King fishing has been iffy of late and the water blows out pretty fast with constant barometric swings, but signs of Spring are DEFINATELY apparent.....ice is outta the harbor completely and snow's melting fast. Still some good snowmobiling up in the Caribous, but the attention's pretty much on fishing and bear hunting in town right now.....be sure to look me up when you get down this way! (I'll be the one covered in sawdust and drywall mud!)

[iceman]

Kummock; I'll bring my "Will work for beer" sign when I show up at your door. I still have to sheet rock my garage and Anns putting the pressure on. I have a sheetrock jack and it's still a pain in the batudy! Get er done before the weather gets to nice to be inside. See ya sometime soon.

[BOUTCH]

Hey Hummok!
Why befor your class.
You not prepare smoke salmon with my recipe and make a little tasting just before you begin.
i am sure after that , you could  have more attention about your students ;D