salmon question

tailfeathers · December 25, 2013, 07:08:24 AM

Mixed up a half recipe of Kummock's brine last night and put it in the fridge. Put the salmon in this morning, (4 lbs) but I am a little concerned. The salmon I used said wild caught Alaskan pink salmon, four ounce portions individually frozen in vac packs. They seemed pretty soft, some were even borderline mushy it seemed like. Probably serves me right for buying the 2 lb frozen packages for $12 instead of the $12/lb fresh stuff at the meat counter. My only comparison is the fish I catch myself, which doesn't include salmon, but the perch/crappie/walleye sure seems a lot firmer? Nothing to do now but proceed I suppose, but my expectations aren't very high at this point. Not likely to find anything on Christmas morning. Which reminds me: MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

pikeman_95 · December 25, 2013, 07:21:33 AM

Tailfeathers
Pink salmon is a generally soft fleshed fish compared to reds or silvers. If you smoke it low and slow and spend the extra time in the smoker you should be able to firm up the fish with just dehydration. Keep the vent wide open and take your time. When I was younger I worked a couple of summers in Alaska salmon canneries. We did mostly Pinks and they firmed up in the can once they were cooked.

tailfeathers · December 25, 2013, 08:05:04 AM

Oh did I forget to mention northerns in my list of firm fleshed fish? Sorry pikeman, and thanks for the response. I gotta admit most of the snot rockets I catch get released, not because they aren't delicious but I'm to lazy to learn how to take out the y bones. I keep one now and again for pickling because then all I worry about is getting the ribs out .

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tailfeathers · December 25, 2013, 08:07:37 AM

So if I understand correctly I should use some additional time at the beginning lower temps?

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pikeman_95 · December 25, 2013, 08:27:43 AM

Yes you need to keep it in a dehydration temp from 125-130 F for as many hours needed to reduce moisture. You can check it by pushing down on the flesh with your finger. If you do this from the start you should be able to tell when it starts to firm up. After it gets more firm then you can start to raise the temp. 140 for a couple of hours then finish it off at 175 for a hour or more. All the time I would test the firmness as I go.
As for the northern pike I have a lot of experience at taking the Y bones out. We put lots of filets in the freezer each summer. I spear fish them with a spear gun.

tailfeathers · December 25, 2013, 09:01:26 AM

Yea I saw a post from you with a bunch of pike you had speared. Looks like a blast! And I never turn down a meal of them if someone who knows the right way to fillet them makes me an offer. They eat as good or better than any of the other more popular (at least around here) varieties of fish. Thanks again.

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Quarlow · December 25, 2013, 03:20:41 PM

Tailfeathers, the brine will firm up the fish quite a bit. Shouldn't be a problem. The salt pulls moisture out of the flesh.

tailfeathers · December 25, 2013, 06:00:27 PM

Thanks everybody. Fixing to pull the fish out of the brine shortly, that will be at the twelve hour mark. My plan is to put it on Pam sprayed frog mats in the fridge overnight and hopefully it will have a good pellicle by tomorrow morning.

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tailfeathers · December 26, 2013, 07:45:44 AM

Well it didn't seem at all tacky this am so I brought it in, turned it skin side up on the racks and put a fan on it for an hour. The skin side then felt pretty sticky do I turned it meat side up and stuck it in the Bradley preheated to 100. My plan is to leave it at 100 for about 1.5 hrs or until it seems tacky, then 130 with smoke for a couple hours. Then 140 for a couple more hours without smoke, finish at 175 for 1-2 hours. Sound about right? My first attempt at salmon. I know for sure next time I'm investing in higher quality fish.

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pikeman_95 · December 26, 2013, 07:51:26 AM

Make sure your racks are sprayed with Pam and them put them skin side down. If you have frog mats they should go on your racks with the fish on them. The last batch I did the fish just slid off.

tailfeathers · December 26, 2013, 08:19:13 AM

Yep, they're skin side down on pam sprayed frog mats. In at 100F right now to try to get a pellicle set up.

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Quarlow · December 26, 2013, 08:40:13 AM

Did the flesh firm up at all?

tailfeathers · December 26, 2013, 08:44:50 AM

Quote from: tailfeathers on December 26, 2013, 08:19:13 AM
Yep, they're skin side down on pam sprayed frog mats. In at 100F right now to try to get a pellicle set up.

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Salmonsmoker · December 26, 2013, 08:52:29 AM

Quote from: pikeman_95 on December 26, 2013, 07:51:26 AM
Make sure your racks are sprayed with Pam and them put them skin side down. If you have frog mats they should go on your racks with the fish on them. The last batch I did the fish just slid off.

tf,
I always scale the fish before I fillet them out. I don't like scales stuck to the flesh. It ruins presentation and once dried, impossible to get off. Ditto on the stick-release. I found another product used by commercial size smokers called Peel-Ease. It comes in concentrated liquid and you add water to dilute it to the right stength. I think sausagemaker.com carries it. Also, after smoking I put the fish in the fridge-covered- for 24hrs to let the flavors meld. Then vacpac and freeze.

tailfeathers · December 26, 2013, 01:21:21 PM

Things are looking better than I thought they would at this point, the fish has firmed up nicely and no boogers as of yet. Been going lowww and slowwww. Been on five hours now at 100 for 1.5 120 for 1.5 with smoke and now 2 at 130 with smoke for the 1st hour. I'm thinking 175 in another half hour to finish.

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