Hot Smoked Maple Glazed Salmon and need some tips please

[weekendsmoker]

Made this great maple glazed salmon over the weekend and it tasted great for the first night.  Then after wraping it up, a couple days layter the glaze had sort of run off and it was all in the plastic.  The fish no longer had the dark brown glaze.  Any suggestions on how to get my glaze to stick?

I marinated it fish in salt/brown sugar and 1 cup of maple syurp for 24hrs.  then smoked for close to 3 hrs.  It was great at first, then just like really nicely smoked salmon sans maple syurp.

Any help would be much appreciated as always.

Jason.

[Habanero Smoker]

I've had glazed foods get sticky after being wrapped in plastic, but never get watery and run. What was the consistency of the glaze when you took the fish out of the smoker. Was it sticky - similar to syrup, or well caramelized.

Was the salmon still warm when you wrapped them. If so, that may be part of the problem. Try refrigerating the salmon uncovered until completely cooled before wrapping them in plastic. A couple of years ago Cook's Illustrated tested the best way to glaze. I'll try to find that article and see if they have encountered this problem.

The only other suggestion I can think of it to use a separate glaze, than what you use as a marinade. It could be related to the salt. Try rinsing the marinade off or use paper towel to pat the fish dry, and then apply a glaze of brown sugar, maple syrup (possible with some unsalted butter).

[West Coast Kansan]

Habs, comment about allowing it to completly cool before the fridge is consistent with my experience  :-[ need to let the moisture go away before you trap it in the wrap.

When vac packing a soft piece like fish for longer term storage it is good to put it in the freezer a bit ... once it is hard you can vac pack without it breaking into pieces or getting smashed by the vac.  ;D

[weekendsmoker]

Thanks for the input.  When the fish came out of the smoker it was tacky and it sat out for about 30 min before going in the fridge, maybe that was too soon.

As for the marinade, I just kind of winged it.  I used brown sugar, salt and then the maple syurp, about a cup.  I had troubles finding any measurements for this so I kind of guessed, any help would be appreciated on measurements.

Jason.

[westernhunter]

I am not sure if it will make any difference keeping a glaze on the fish, but you should always let your salmon air-dry after it comes out of the brine and before you put it in the smoker.  It does not have to be bone dry, a little bit tacky to the touch is fine, but not wet.