Kummok Salmon and......

[tailfeathers]

Paddlefish? Got the bug to smoke some salmon, so I mixed up some of Kummok's magic this morning. Brined 3 lbs sockeye and 2 lbs pink salmon. Also had a package of rainbow trout fillets (five trout, 10 fillets) and a package of paddlefish that had been given me by a fishing buddy, so I thawed them out and brined them as well. Everybody is out of the brine and drying on inverted racks in the fridge overnight for a ride through the Bradley tomorrow. Really curious to see how the trout turns out, but even more so the paddlefish. I love the stuff and am hoping and assuming that like most everything else it will be even better smoked.

[tailfeathers]

Here's a pic of the beast


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[tailfeathers]

Out of the fridge....and into the smokereverybody happy!


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[Quarlow]

Those paddles are really strange fish. Are they good eating? I guess since you are smoking it it must be. duh. Forget I asked that but what does it compare to? Is it firm flesh, white meat or what ?

[tailfeathers]

Very good eating, I usually just saute it in butter or steam it and dip it melted butter. I'm curious to see how it is smoked. I still have a little in the freezer, so if its real good smoked I can do more next time. The texture is almost more like meat than fish, and cleaning them is more akin to butchering than filleting. Out of a fish the size of the one my buddy is holding you MIGHT get 8-10 lbs of edible meat. They have no bones, just cartiledge but by the time you trim all the nasty red meat from beneath the skin and around the cartiledge there isn't a whole lot left. I consider it a delicacy. The flavor is akin to torsk but the flesh is much firmer.

[tailfeathers]

The paddlefish meat is the 4 pieces in the R/F corner of the rack.


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[tailfeathers]

Well I found out I really like smoked trout and paddlefish. Everything turned out scrumptious! I gave half the trout and half the paddler to my buddy from whence they came and ate a little of each. Here are some shots of the finished product.


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[ragweed]

That fish looks great, Paul!  I haven't had Paddlefish (Spoonbill Cat) since I lived near St. Louis.  They still fish it commercially there.  Not too many swimming in Salt Creek here in Lincoln!!  Enjoy, you're lucky my friend.