Really good brine for smoking

[glenn57]

Fish and chicken.

[tangle tooth]

Glenn, what kind of wood do you like to smoke fish in?
Thanks.

[glenn57]

Glenn, what kind of wood do you like to smoke fish in?
Thanks.

for my taste Hickory. My brother uses apple alot, straight from a tree I guess.

I've tried others, mesquite isn't bad. I use nothing but hickory, if I smoke cheese I use apple.

[Boar]

Yuve been smokin grass...

[mike89]

Yuve been smokin grass...

as dry as the grass is now it will really burn!!!!   

[snow1]

For many years I use Russ Kendahl's brine and smoking method,met ole Russ many years ago when lake superior had a steelhead run,fished every stream from duluth to grand marias,Russ's smoke fish house is still operating today in Two Harbor's,Russ passed away in 2007 but his boyz still have it goin on,tough life up there constant cold bring in fresh fresh daily,my favorite was his smoked cisco's/herring and brown sugar cured lake trout,trout were really oily but this made the the fish very moist,not dry like salmon.he said  state guide lines required  commercial smoked fish to reach internal temp of no less than 165 degrees,thus drying out the not so oily fish.

Russ's brine was one part kosher salt,very important not to use table  salt as the iodine is to strong to 3 parts brown sugar...

My best smoker for fish was the bradley digital 4 rack stainless steel contraption,gave it away when I bought a pellet smoker/grill (big mistake for smoking fish),live and learn

smoking oily fish like trout and salmon,I found starting out with low heat reduces the white "booger's" ozing out as the fish cooks,these white boogers are actually oil's...

further alot of our fresh water fish have parasites in the flesh,hence the 165 degree internal temps or freezing the fillets does the job as well killing off these parasites.

My favorite to smoke is steelhead trout and atlantic salmon(fresh water) firm meat texture as other salmon species like chinnok,silver,chum salmon,meat gets mushy

smoking at my house takes all day,temps starting out at 125 degree's for an hour or two then gradually bring temps up no greater than 150 degrees(frozen fillets so no parasites to worry about)

constant smoke for 5-6 hours,when I asked Russ what wood he uses,he pointed to his backyard woods," he said "see all those maple tree's?" thats what we use...so I do the same,maple gives the fillets a nice mild sweet flavor ,well maybe the very last thing before removing fish from smoker is basting the fillet with a mixture of maple syrup/brown sugar for at least 30 minutes before removing,makes "candy smoked fish"

Sorry glenn for hijacking your thread,but I love smoke fish as well,never tried pike or walleye as I figure these fish aren't oily enough and would dry out.

ppl smoking carp/suckers tell me these fish are best smoked in the fall as they are maxxed out in oil,great for smoking,again never tried these fish either

[Steve-o]

Nice tip on the glaze at the end of the smoking.  I will do that next time.   

I never missed the chance to stop at Kendahl's on trips to the North Shore.

[glenn57]

if you've seen th pictures of my fish.........you wont need no glaze......especially with brown sugar or maple syrup for that matter. and i only put about half the brown sugar it calls for!!!!!!! 

[Steve-o]

When it comes to smoked fish done right, there is more than one right answer.   

I've used both methods:  Your multi spice method, Glenn, and the salt/sugar purist approach Kendahl's uses. 

I loved Kendahl's maple smoked fish and tried adding pure maple syrup to a basic salt/sugar brine.  I didn't get enough maple flavor and it seemed a waste of pure  maple syrup.  I also tried basting with syrup at the end of the smoking, but I could never get it good like Kendahl's.  Next time I will make a slurry of syrup and brown sugar and I'm certain that will do the trick.

I use alder or apple wood for smoking fish.

[glenn57]

i agree Steve-o!!!!!!! this one rocks.........i just plain dont like syrup or brown sugar. the brown sugar is probably a neccessary evil......not so much the syrup..IMO anyway!

next up will be either chicken leg quarters.........or i'll dip into my pension fund and get some salmon form costco!!!!!

[Steve-o]

Yes, and oregano is a killa ingredient!  I never buy oregano from the 0.99 cent spice rack.  It is too important in recipes like this.

[glenn57]

talkin spices.......i really like the spices that runnings carries........and go there first for them!!!!

[snow1]

steve-o,the key to this syrup mixture is 50/50 with brown sugar heated up in the microwave then baste the fish then back in smoker to bake in the sweets for at least 30 minutes,makes a nice hard glaze on the flesh,Russ's recipe doesn't call for this ending effect,just my .02...

Oh,after smoking for my taste,I like the smoked fish chilled before we eat it,seems to draw more smoked flavor out doing so and firm's the meat up.

[glenn57]

Here's my smoking brine again.

[Steve-o]

Another tip I heard was that you do want pickling salt - because that fine salt dissolves better into the brine.

[Bobberineyes]

Looks good Glenn! You've come a long ways , took some doing to take that smoker otta the box. Proud a you 

[glenn57]

Another tip I heard was that you do want pickling salt - because that fine salt dissolves better into the brine.

ALWAYS use pickling salt for smoking and pickling.

i use regular salt in all my canning!!!!!!!

thanks boober!!!!!!!! yea just had to finally dive in !!!!!!!

[Scenic]

For the last couple of years I have been using "Pops" brine for my basic brine.   I use this recipe as a base and then add stuff from there.   Very simple base to start:

1 Gallon of water
1 Tbls of pink cure
1 Cup of Brown Sugar
1 Cup of just plain white sugar
1 Cup of  sale  I use fine sea salt and you can adjust the amount of salt
Add whatever non-salt spices you like.

Mix until all dissolved and pour over what ever meat you are going to smoke.   For chicken i soak normally 3 days.  Fish I soak for 2 days depending on the size. 

99% of all my smoking is done using maple.   I will switch over to hickory if I am smoking beef. 

[LPS]

Pretty hard to beat Pop's

[Jerkbiat]

Pretty hard to beat Pop's

Right. Good brine

[Scenic]

About as easy as it gets !!!

[glenn57]

About as easy as it gets !!!

so......Scenic...........do we need to do a competitive smoked fish contest???????? PO's vs Glenn's brothers reciepe!!!!

[Scenic]

About as easy as it gets !!!

so......Scenic...........do we need to do a competitive smoked fish contest???????? PO's vs Glenn's brothers reciepe!!!!

Bring it !!!!   

[Scenic]

These ended up with a brine soak an extra day because I was waiting for the wind to lay down a bit.  That did not happen so yesterday had to be done.   Turned out great.  They are actuall a bit darker than the pic shows.

[mike89]

looks great!!!!   

pm me your address and I'll try to get there before it's all gone!!!!     

[Jerkbiat]

Look really great!!!

[LPS]

Perfect! 

[glenn57]

  yea think it would be good enough for 2nd place!!!!!!!!!

does look darn tasty!!!!!!!!

[Scenic]

yea think it would be good enough for 2nd place!!!!!!!!!

does look darn tasty!!!!!!!!

Turned out great.  You have to keep in mind there Glen that some of us catch things that don't stink as bad as those little snot rockets you catch.  We don't need all them spices to cover up that stink.   

 About to do chicken in a few days.  Might try that second place recipe of yours.

[glenn57]

 

hey i'd keep the pike for myself........i'd enter some salmon!!!!!!! i catch then right in the frigerated section at costco!!!!

that reciepe is good with chicken too........if your gonna do that one.......plan on a second batch with it.......we always use that brine twice!!!!! never failed up yet......and cant tell the difference!!!