Here I go!!!

[CHONGO]

Hello all my first time doing this hope doing it right.
Well finished filleting my whitefish from Lake Simcoe and Trout my girls caught at a local trout farm in my area, Brine I used is

2 gal water
2#8oz salt (kosher or sea, NOT table)
4 oz dark brown sugar
1.5 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1.5 oz pickling spice
3 oz honey
1 tbsp soya sauce
1 tbsp teriyaki sauce

Brined for 12 hours then rinsed and soaked for 10 minutes.
Now drying in the garage getting it ready for the BS.

Here is some pics drying.

Whitefish
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Rainbow trout
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ready for the BS dryed for 3 hours.
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Will be smoking for about 3 hours 1st hour for 110f 2nd hour 140f and 3rd 175f. Do you guys think that should do it???Will post result when done wish me luck.

Cheers CHONGO

[smokeitall]

Wow that looks fantastic....good luck, let us know how it turns out.

[Mr Walleye]

Chongo

You should be close on your times, just keep an eye on it and go by feel a bit. You may want to through a rack rotation in as well, top to bottom and front to back. This will help them cook a little more even.

I also see you have an additional tray on the V-pan in the bottom. You may have to watch those ones because they will be subjected to more heat there. In the future you may want to pick up another set of 4 racks so you can invert them and turn your 4 rack unit into 8 racks. Here's a picture of 6 racks salmon I did and the bottom 2 racks are doubled up by using the inverted method.

Click to enlarge...


Mike

[KyNola]

Chongo,
Your fish looks great and I'm hopeful that the times and temps will be sufficient but don't be surprised if the time takes a little longer than that with that much fish.

One thing does concern me. From your pics, it appears you have a rack sitting directly on your V tray.  I wouldn't recommend that as any moisture from the fish needs to be able to drain onto the V tray and channel into the water pan.  Otherwise, you have a danger of it running all over the place.  If it were pork or beef you would really risk a fire.  If you can't fit all of the fish on to your 4 racks, try inverting one of your racks, placing the fish on top of the inverted rack and then place the inverted rack of fish on top another rack.  That will then leave you room for the 5th rack although it looks like it may be too small to properly fit.  If it is too small, place it on top of one of the racks you have in there already.

You really want the V tray clear.

KyNola

[KyNola]

Sorry Mike.

You got yours posted while I was still typing.  Didn't mean to repeat what you already said.

KyNola

[Caneyscud]

Good looking smoke going to happen!  Man, I wish I fished the places you fish!  You'll be eating good tonight!

Shakespeare
The Bard of Hot Aire
Pontificator Extraordinaire'

[Mr Walleye]

Sorry Mike.

You got yours posted while I was still typing.  Didn't mean to repeat what you already said.

KyNola

No problem KyNola... You probably explained it better than me anyway.  ;)

Mike

[lumpy]

Ditto on the v tray also you may want to rotate your racks with a full smoker.

Lake Simcoe eh? ;)

Welcome to the forum CHONGO also did you season your smoker? You need sunglassed to look inside of yours. Won't last long thought.

Lumpy

[CHONGO]

Thanks guys, so far I've smoked for 3 hours as stated previously. Just wondering why fish doesn't seem to be getting the golden brown colour, still just white, but the inside temperature has already hit 140F. Coming out of the BS now to let the wife sample will post back when I get results. Also wish I read your reply sooner and would have thrown in a rack rotation. But will make sure to do it next time. Here's some pics for you to have a look what I mean by, "not that golden brown", unless that's how it's supposed to look. You fellows would know better.

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By the way, wife gave the thumbs up on the taste and flavour. I myself like it moist the way it is now, but she rather it more dry. Would I be able to re-smoke to make it drier and browner, as she feels it looks more appealing when it's more golden brown. Thanks guys, can't wait til the next time. Already thinking of what to smoke next.

[seemore]

Chongo, it looks pretty darned good!  I thought the color looked fine.

[Habanero Smoker]

I know this is a little late. It hard to tell from a photo on the color, all computer monitors may display the color different. When I smoke trout, mine get a little darker (but not much darker) then what yours appear to be, but I smoke/cook mine until they are firm. I don't want to say dry, because the brine still maintains a certain amount of moisture.

[minnowfisher]

Hi Chongo,
Try this brine, it will certainly make your fish a darker colour,

2 cups soy sauce
1 cup water
1 cup dry cider or dry wine
1/4 cup salt
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp ground garlic
1 tsp tabasco sauce

If you are doing a lot of fish just increase the amounts listed until you have the desired volume, brine for at least 3 hours, but you can leave overnight if you have the time, rinse, then air dry for 1 hour before putting in to the smoker

[Mr Walleye]

Minnowfisher

Your brine sounds good, plus with the soy sauce it would give the finished product a darker color for sure.

Mike

[Roadking]

I know this is a little late. It hard to tell from a photo on the color, all computer monitors may display the color different. When I smoke trout, mine get a little darker (but not much darker) then what yours appear to be, but I smoke/cook mine until they are firm. I don't want to say dry, because the brine still maintains a certain amount of moisture.

That's the way I do mine but I mostly do whole fish that way hanging them.

[car54]

Chongo,

That looks mighty good but I have 1 question. What brand remote thermomter is that? I have never seen 1 like it.

Brad