Kippers

manxman · November 02, 2006, 01:02:43 AM

QuoteYou still have to cook them after you get them?

Yes, you do have to cook them. Some people boil them, others do them under the grill or in the oven. They are actually ideal to do on the BBQ as well, keeps the (distinctive) aroma outside!! :D :D

3rensho · November 02, 2006, 03:27:27 AM

The aroma is distinctive indeed. Whenever I would order them for breakfast in a hotel in the UK heads would turn as the waiter brought them through. I think it was just envy as they smelled delicious to me. ;D ;D

Tom

manxman · November 02, 2006, 04:14:30 AM

Big "problem" is the aroma does hang around the kitchen for a while, and they tend to repeat on you quite a lot after eating them but enough of my personnel problems!!!! :-[ ;D

For me it is a price well worth paying, although boiling is the best method of cooking if you are worried about the smell!! :)

You certainly seem a fan of kippers Tom. They may well have been Manx kippers, they are sold in many hotels and fish stalls around the UK including London. Manx law dictates no artificial ingredients, preservatives whatever whereas others produced elsewhere in the UK may or may not have additives as they are not prohibited by law.

Having said that there are other excellent kipper producers in the UK, Loch Fyne being one in Scotland.

Dalby Spook · November 02, 2006, 11:33:44 AM

There is another side effect of kippers that Manx failed to mention. A couple of hours after consumption you will be climbing the walls for a beer. (high salt content). And one beer won't be enough!!!

manxman · November 02, 2006, 11:48:52 AM

QuoteThere is another side effect of kippers that Manx failed to mention. A couple of hours after consumption you will be climbing the walls for a beer. (high salt content). And one beer won't be enough!!!

And that's a problem!!?? ;D ;D ;D

Probably also why people eat their kippers accompanied by a good big mug of tea! Fair comment and true of quite a few salted/cured/brined foods in general.

3rensho · November 10, 2006, 03:57:06 AM

Manxman,

I just received my kipper order in the morning post. I couldn't wait for breakfast tomorrow so I heated up a package for lunch. Wow, some kind of good Paul ;D ;D ;D They'll be getting another order from me shortly as I only ordered three packages as a trial run - and the remaining two packages aren't going to last very long. Thanks again for the links.

Tom

manxman · November 10, 2006, 06:55:26 AM

QuoteWow, some kind of good Paul

Hi Tom,

Really pleased you enjoyed them, rather thought you would though but then again I am biased! :D

Dalby Spook · November 10, 2006, 09:58:47 AM

Hi Manxman

Just an update on the puck making. I got hold of a 1/2 ton arbour press , some 55mm stainless tube and a huge sack of oak shavings. Very much in the experimental stage but have knocked out 20 or so today that look promising. I'll run them through the BS this weekend . Will post with pics when I've refined the process.

John

manxman · November 11, 2006, 06:54:58 AM

Hi Dalby Spook,

Sounds very promising John, very interested to see how you get on using them in the BS compared to normal pucks.

Don't know if you have seen any other previous posts on this subject..... eg:

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=2857.msg26153#msg26153
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=2487.msg23152#msg23152

One of these posts seems to be saying they can knock out a puck every 15 seconds, how long does it take for you to do one? Do you use a binder?

There are other posts including another one that sounds very similar to the set up you have developed but can't find it at the moment. Not sure if anyone who posted ideas previously is still making their own on a regular basis?

Puck costs on this side of the pond seem to be about £1 an hour, slightly more by the time package and postage is included to the Isle of Man. Comparative costs in the US seem to be about $1 per hour, even less if the pucks can be found on special which is something I have yet to see over here.

Looking forwards to the pictures as well.

Dalby Spook · November 11, 2006, 12:20:24 PM

Manx

For sheer power, hydraulic is the way to go but I don't have that kind of gear just
knocking around. I can turn the pucks out about one every 30 seconds or so. As for binders I mix a couple of teaspoons of flour to 1/2 pint of water. Then dry them in a warm oven.

I,m a bit wary of this tainting the food so I'm going to test on some small batches.
Bradley use gelatine but how I,m not sure.

The hydraulic machine in the post uses no liquid at all, just lots and lots of pressure .

On a different subject, did you see the farmers market at the sea terminal? Moores have a stand. The whole bacon loins were superb to look at. Smoked for 168 hours they say. Thats a lot of pucks!

manxman · November 12, 2006, 02:02:42 AM

QuoteOn a different subject, did you see the farmers market at the sea terminal? Moores have a stand. The whole bacon loins were superb to look at. Smoked for 168 hours they say. Thats a lot of pucks!

Plan on popping into the Sea Terminal today to have a look. Have you ever done the tour of Moore's in Peel? It is well worth doing as you get to see all the processes of not only kipper making but the bacon smoking as well. Unfortunately they buy in the ready cured bacon and "only" smoke it themselves, it would be interesting to see it right from the start. Still well worth a visit though.

Mmmm.... 168 hours at 3 pucks an hour = a lot of £££££££'s.

Good luck with the home made pucks. :)