Boogers EVERY TIME???

[Rubberdown]

I did a search and all of the threads said to use Kummoks technique, and if boogers are there, its to hot to fast. I always do my salmon prepared with Kummok's recipe from this site, the same temps, the same brine, the only thing I do differently is I don't cut the fish into 3/8" to 1/2" wide strips. I cut mine into 2" to 3" wide strips that are as long as the width of the fillets. My fish always gets filled with the white crap. Wiping it off usually tears at the fillets and makes a mess.

ANY suggestions?

Thanks.

[Habanero Smoker]

What are you using to measure the temperature of your cabinet? The thermometer or temperature sensor in the Bradley are not that reliable, once you have food in the cabinet. When I use Kummok's recipe, I generally will cut them into 4" wide sections. Often I will get a few boogers, but they are easily blotted off, if there is a need to do so for presentation.

Are your using wild or farmed salmon? Farmed salmon generally have more fat and are more likely to produce those boogers (albumin).

What temperature are you taking the fish to? The higher the internal temperature, the more boogers will be produced.

If it is not too much that has collected on the surface, try blotting it off instead of wiping. It will keep the fish more intact.

[watchdog56]

Maybe you need more drying time before putting in smoker to form a pellicle

[Rubberdown]

Hab's I use the temp display on the Bradley. The finished internal temp on the thicker cuts was about 138-143ish with a probe. They were in the smoker for about 7 hours in total. We bought the Salmon at the local grocery store and it was "Wild Caught Pacific (or maybe it said Alaskan) Salmon. The Laker was caught the day before in Lake Ontario. We always check the country the fish come from  when we buy and always ask if its farm or wild caught.

watchdog, maybe so, it was tacky and was sitting out for about 2 hours in the cool house with a fan on them.

[Habanero Smoker]

Though there are many factors that can cause boogers, even when you take every precaution. Your internal temperature is about what I use. Your cooking times seems to be alright.

You should purchase a digital probe thermometer, to better monitor your cabinet temperatures. Your cabinet usually registers lower than the actual cabinet temperature. Many use the Maverick models ET-72 through ET-733, for its remote features, but if you don't mind going to the cabinet and checking the temperature, most any digital probe thermometer will give you an accurate cabinet temperature.

Also if you post this problem in the Bradley Smoked Wild Alaskan Salmon thread, Kummok or other salmon smokers may respond. I believe Kummok follows that thread.

[Mr Walleye]

I'll just throw in one more comment in addition to what's already been said. You want to measure and control the temperature that the meat, in this case fish is being exposed to. The built in temperature probe in the cabinet is located halfway up in the cabinet. As the heat passes by the fish in the cabinet it influences the temperature of the air. At times, especially early in a cook, it's not uncommon to have a lot hotter temperature below the meat than above. As an example, if your target cabinet temperature was 140 and you are maintaining the temperature based on a temperature reading above the load of fish the actual temperature the bottom of the fish is exposed to may be substantially higher and could easily cause the boogers. This is why you want to adjust your temperature based on a temperature probe placed below the load of meat.

Mike

[piratey]

What temperatures do you use and what times at those temperatures?  Kummok's recipe says 100-120 for 1-2 hours, 140 for 2-4 hours, and so on.  That is a pretty wide range in time.  I would try staying at the lower temperature for the longer time, and make sure you get a good pellicle on the fish.  I've gotten a little white bleeding on my fish but not a lot by any means, and it blots off pretty easy for me.  Use a probe under the fish to monitor cabinet temperature.

[Rubberdown]

I have a temp prob that I use to check the internal temp, I guess I could also use that just hanging inside the cabinet to read the cabinet temp at all times.

I used Kummoks times and temps to the letter and my times were for the most part about the middle or just over of his suggested times, so maybe 90 minutes for the 100-120, 3 hours at 140, and 1-1/2 to 2 hours at 170

Also, the heat will be different at the top of the cabinet from the bottom right? I had the fish on all 4 racks, I did rotate them ones but just the top and bottom racks, the 2 middle racks looks to be coming along about the same as each other.

This fish will likely last me the summer, I'll do my next batch at the end of the summer for my winter supply and use a probe for monitoring the temps inside the cabinet and I'll let them sit for 3 or 4 hours in the fridge next time to get a good coating on them.

[piratey]

Most of us rotate the trays each hour, from top to bottom and also 180 degrees, so that the tray facing forward now faces backwards, if that makes sense.  The back of the cabinet tends to be hotter than the front.  If you have problems with regaining heat after open the cabinet every hour, a preheated foil wrapped brick helps a lot.

[Rubberdown]

Most of us rotate the trays each hour, from top to bottom and also 180 degrees, so that the tray facing forward now faces backwards, if that makes sense.  The back of the cabinet tends to be hotter than the front.  If you have problems with regaining heat after open the cabinet every hour, a preheated foil wrapped brick helps a lot.

I got ya, makes sense, thanks.

[pmmpete]

You can keep the temperatures and smoke levels in your smoker cabinet more even by adding a fan to your smoker.  There are several good threads on this forum about adding fans to smokers.  I describe an inexpensive way to add a fan to a smoker at http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=27281.msg325338#msg325338 .