Chum Salmon question

[bigredsmoker]

A local store has a sale on wild caught Chum salmon that is frozen and in vacum bags. I was wondering if this type of salmon is good to smoke and if so will it keep frozen for a long period. I was thinking about stocking up since it is only $3.88lb and then having it for winter smoking etc. Or I may thaw it all and smoke it now then freeze it for winter. Compared to $10.88lb for Sockeye it is a bargain, but am I getting a inferior fish?

I have only smoked the farm raised salmon to date so I was wondering if this variety will be better than the farm raised.

Any feedback from anyone would be appreciated. Thanks! Terry

[Kummok]

Excellent question BigRed.....here's a couple links to some great articles on chum. I agree with these article's statements. Chum (aka "dog") salmon is the most maligned salmon in the species....even more rebuked than "Stinkin' Pinks". Read these articles and I highly recommend trying it yourself (look for the brightest silver skin when picking it out) and then decide. I'd also remind anyone considering experimenting with any WILD salmon to remember that it wasn't THAT long ago that white King salmon was culled as yucky and is now the prized meat, commanding much more per pound?!!?!? Go figger....I've done blind taste tests and haven't found anyone that can tell the difference between white and red King when blindfolded. Readers of any of my posts regarding salmon already know what I think of farmed but even that is salmon (albeit with nuclear waste added  ;) ) and better than no salmon at all!

Here's the links:  http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/chum/chum-2b.htm     http://www.seafoodchoices.com/smartchoices/species_salmonchum.php

Be sure to post your taste test results!

[westexasmoker]

The only chum I get is in a can!  Makes for some good patties,,So what should I look for?

C

[KyNola]

BigRed,
If Kummok says go for it, go for it.  He IS the salmon guru on this forum.

Hey Kummok, can you ship some wild caught salmon to Kentucky? :D :D :D  The salmon I can buy is full of solyent green.

KyNola

[speltman]

I lived in and fished Washington for nearly 20 years. I have seen chum so thick in the rivers,  it was like fishing reds on the Kenai. But, I never found a good way to smoke them. The flesh would always go soft,  kind of mushy. We tried to smoke the freshest, firmest one we could find. I just never had any luck with them.  The have such a bad reputation for being soft, that when the stores  sell them locally they call them (silver brites), not chum....   That being said they still tasted good. Scott
     

[tsquared]

I used to get them free every fall at a native school I taught at. They taught me to fillet them, cut into long strips and go low and slow--like smoke for several hours and low heat for a couple of days to make them really hard. (This was done in a more traditonal doghouse type smoker, not a Bradley.) They were good that way and kept a long time 'cause of their lack of oil. (oil goes rancid after awhile)
T2

[Grayghst]

I just came back from Juneau for work (and alot of fishing). We caught about 50 Chum in 3 days. We kept 3 really good ones and took them to a local shop to be vacuum sealed. The guy would not do it. He said he didn't want to have that junk come to the lower 48 and be passed off as salmon. We took it to a friends house and selaed it there and had some that our friend had and it was softer than any other salmon I have had, but it was still good. I brought chum and sockeye home along with king crab and scallops. I will be doing some smoking when I get back from Hawaii in a week.

[Kummok]

I'd challenge that Juneau "local shop" salmon snob to a blindfold taste test, Grayghst....... The guy's probably never actually even had any Chum from the sounds of it. Yes, It's not as good as feeder King but it ain't THAT bad at all! You just need to be a little pickier at selecting the good Chum from the not-so-good Chum. Actually I prefer that such folks keep thinkin' that way about Chum (aka, Dog)....more for those of us that know and love salmon!  ;) ;D

[oguard]

Nothing wrong with Chum as Kummok says get the brightest on you can find and go for it! When I get my hands on some I like it candied. Start by filetting, de-boning and skinning the fish then cut into 1/2 " thick strips about 6" long.

Brine  1/2 cup course salt
         1 cup  maple syrup
         1 1/2 cups brown sugar
         1 cup honey
         Spices to taste
          1litre of hot water
         1/2 cup good dark rum

  Blend brine togethr and let cool in fridge

  Once cool add fish to brine and place in fridge for 12- 18 hrs

  remove from brine and let dry on racks for 6-8 hrs in fridge

  Place smoker on cold smoke for 2-3 hrs and then gradually bring temp up to 160f
  untill fish is finished(about 12-14hrs).

Mike

[pensrock]

Brine  1/2 cup course salt
         1 cup  maple syrup
         1 1/2 cups brown sugar
         1 cup money

Coins or currency?  ;D ;D

I'm sure you mean HONEY, but I could not resist.  :)

[oguard]

OK I fixed it Pens :D.I guess that could leave a funny after taste if you used pennies ;D ;D

Mike

[Kummok]

If you own your own boat, make that "1 barrel of money"!! :o ;)

Mike...ThanX for that recipe. It sounds wonderfully candied and I'm anxious to give it a try. The best batch of "salmon candy" I've made so far was the result of a mistake.....I let my "let me help you" wife mix the regular "simple" brine for me when preparing the fish for the recent smoking class. She misread the brown sugar package and mixed in 8 pounds of brown sugar instead of the recipe's 2 pounds. A little longer drying time and a little shorter smoking time resulted in a batch of salmon flavored candy that was a REAL class-pleaser!!

[oguard]

Yeah my kids go nuts for candied salmon.How was fishing up there this year? Down on Vancouver Island was a little hit and miss,But the fish on average seemed bigger.

Mike

[Kummok]

......How was fishing up there this year? ......

Best day..... http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=7523.msg76442#msg76442    :o ;)   (Same group, minus me, went down to same spot yesterday and barely got meat.  :-\ :'( , a $600 fuel bill run!  :o )

Least actual results (but still fun!).....  http://www.peninsulaclarion.com/kenairiverrun/kenairiverrun.html  ;) :D

Overall, a slow year for all....smaller fish on average and fewer hookups, according to circulating fishing rumors. Didn't get THAT much actual stick time in this year due to family needs, but still have enough red and white meat to get through the winter. A REALLY good year is when I get enough for us, for my two adult daughters' families, and smoked gifts for friends!

[chumly]

Chum are the best salmon for smoking for long term storage. If silver bright from the Ocean then just descale fillet and brine for overnight no big deal on actual time if you brine at supper time then some time next morning wash off access brine , let dry then cold smoke for up to 3-4 days. making candy cut into smaller chunks after brineing and smoke for up to 2 days. If river fish then they are going to be at the stage where the chum produce slime through the skin so all you need to do is scrape as much and wash off then place on a bed of rock salt skin side down then dry rub brine into flesh side , overnight then rinse making sure to give a extra rinse to the skin side, you may even need to rescrape to remove excess slime. smoke the same as for ocean caught. enjoy the best smoked salmon you will ever taste.[ Vacuum seal and freeze.]Disclaimer on taste is dependent on your brine so keep it simple and don't get carried away with soy, honey etc. If you want a sweet candy buy a jug of maple syrup and after the first 24 hours use a brush to coat the flesh side. finish smoking and enjoy. Chile flakes or powder like garlic can be added to the brineing stage for that exotic flavour. just sprinkle on when brineing
, how heavy you add it will determine how the finale taste is. good luck
My brine recipe is a closely guarded recipe passed down form before the mists of time. That said keep it simple Clue 1k/ROCK SALT 2k/BROWN SUGAR ETC.  Don't ruin a good fish with too much spice.