smoking fish question

I have smoke fish for a few years–but cant seem to get the salt brine down–i been using 2 cup salt to gallon of water and then hour per pound soaking–my question is–do you really have to salt fish–i mean its more for preserving fish than anything else right?? can i guy just smoke fish without salting in brine?? if keep refridged and eaten soon??

The salt is needed. I can’t remember all the technical stuff but you need to brine.

I just brine 8 hours half cup salt half cup sugar 1 quart of water.

I don’t use a brine when I smoke my fish. I put on a dry rub and let marinate overnight then put some other stuff on the day I smoke it. Do a google serch, there are a ton of recipes out there that don’t brine before smoking.

I have had the same problem, fish is always to salty for me. Bradley Smoker forums seem to agree that the salt is for keeping a long time, and if you are going to keep in fridge and eat soon just put on the spices you like and marinate overnight. I am going to try this with a northern next time I find one willing to bite!

The salt helps a lot of things, most notably the build-up of bacterial growth. And it adds/accentuates flavor.

I’ve done a TON of smoked salmon, for both myself and clients. I’d just spend a bit more time figuring out your recipe.

What you were doing sounds fine. If you want to error, don’t be afraid to error on the lite side IF you are refrigerating…

So start lite and move up to a level that seems too high, then go back down. People have a higher tolerance, tastewise, for salt than pepper, so don’t be afraid to let it sit for a longer time.

I also experimented with ‘pressure influsing’ salt and other marinades. I used a ?30gal? canner and added pressure fittings to the lid. Put my meats in and evacuated all the air with a vacuum pump. I had a pressure gauge, so I’d crank it up to about 45-60# and leave it for an hour or so. Worked best with marinades on red meats, but it did work.

Make a rub out of 1 part Morton’s Tenderquik [sold with the salt in grocery stores] and 1 part brown sugar. Blend the dry ingredients together in a gallon zip lock. Rinse your fish off and rub the mixture into both sides and lay the fish flat in a GLASS dish in the fridge over night. Rinse off well while the smoker warms and smoke however long you want to smoke it.

Tenderquik is a cure with salt added along with some sugar. Its used primarily for making an injectiable cure agent for hams and bacon, but it works great for fish in a dry rub.

When finished smoking, the fish will store in the fridge up to a week. Freeze the fish that you want for later than a week.

I started making my brine to taste. Tase as I make it and if its too strong, It will be too strong after smokin.-mark

one thing most of the guys havent hit on is do not use iodized salt with give a funky flavor and appearance. I personally use non iodized sea salt coarse my brine always turns out great 1 cup salt to a gallon of water

thinking brine I was told to try is way too strong–its too salty–sounds like 2 cups-per gallon too strong!! I might go with 1 cup or try over night in fridge–thanks!!

Hi, guys.
MY dad was a butcher, and we smoked (and still do) a lot of fish. The one thing that we always did was use PICKLING AND CANNING salt, sold in the baking and spice area in the stores. Also, the old test for enough salt was: use just enough salt to float a raw egg, (still in the shell) which is between 3/4 to 1 cup per gallon, then let the fish in the brine 15-20 hrs. Pat the fish dry, then place skin side down on the grid, and rub the inside with brown sugar, which will literally melt into the flesh with the heat. When the fish cracks and starts to flake, it is done. It is ALWAYS better after it is refrigerated for a few hours, and keeps a long time!
Curt

Curt hit it right on the head,follow his directions and you will have perfect smoked fish every time.
Watch your fish as it smokes as some dry out faster and get done sooner.

Back in in college at UMD, salmon from the fall run was one of our staples (besides ramen noodles We tried countless variations of brines and dry rubs over the years (even after college), but the recipe below was ALWAYS the first to disappear by a longshot. And since it’s also the easiest (and I do mean easiest), it’s the only one I go with anymore…

Mix a 4-1 or 5-1 ratio of brown sugar to canning salt in a bowl. You can adjust this ratio up or down, depending on whether you like it sweeter or saltier, but I’ve found most people like it in this range. That said, consider the thickness of the fillets. The salt really seems to become the major player in thinner/smaller fillets, so I usually increase the sugar if that’s the case.

Lay the fillets skin-side down in a shallow glass pan, cover with the mixture and put in the fridge over night. By morning, it’ll look like molasses. Throw onto the the smoker until golden brown it just starts to flake. For what it’s worth, I prefer hickory…start out with chips to get early smoke and then chunks for lasting smoke.

Enjoy!

Jim

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I enjoy this brine very much. Came from buddy in Alaska.

Definitely not salty.

1 GAL Water

1/2 Cup pickling salt

1 Cup unsweetened pineapple juice

1 Cup terriyaki sauce (any brand, I use kikkoman)

1 Cup brown sugar

We have always used pickling / canning salt too. The other thing is that if you have treated or softened water that may be contributing to your brine not the way you like it. I tend to buy a few gallons of bottled water when I brine because my city water does not taste right. Also, the size of the fish (whole vs. chunk) and skin on or off might make you want to think about adjusting the brine time. We make adjustments with pheasants and ducks a lot if they have skin on or not.

Just something to try.

well as far as im concerned it all depends on how you plan to eat it?

there is so much you can do with fish in a smoker….

the two basic ways are to eat as a meal!!! OR to make candy snacks out of your fish! this is the way you want to do it if your looking to take out fishing to eat as a snack or while your hunting!

as a candy or type of jerky you need a brine! its a must! ingredient vary as far as your imagination can go!

for a meal! Ill take a more oily fish like trout or catfish and smoke with no brine! Its just no needed on these types of fish if your going to eat right away for dinner or what have you….

on say pike or a non oily fish a simple salt brine does help a lot! again if eating right away and you smoke it cool a brine is not needed! if your planning on keeping it for a spell!! (more than a couple days) Do use a brine! or youll find yourself tossing out you fish!

either way smoked fish is hard to beat once you find what you like!

good luck

Thanks for all the info guys!!