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Author Topic: Smokin on a Hot Day  (Read 5872 times)

RossP

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Smokin on a Hot Day
« on: July 31, 2009, 04:38:23 PM »
Well my luck has not been the best this year with Salmon but my son on the other hand, well he arrived at my office on Wednesday morning with a cooler with 4 springs. The largest being a 25lb.er. He says he wants me to smoke them up for him, and I told him the cost of smoking was half the salmon. No problem he says, can I pick it up on Sunday? No problem I say. So off I go home on Wed. and fillet the four springs and get half of them into the brine. At noon on Thursday a stinken hot day I get the smoker out and fired up. As the first batch is out of the brine and drying I set up the smoker and get the smoke generator going. I like to start the smoke off with the temp in the smoker at about 100 - 120F, and let the smoke roll for two hours. Well it was so hot on Thursday the smoker was at 140F with just the smoke gen going. Well nothing I could do about that so in went the Salmon.


Salmon drying after coming out of the brine. and glazed with a mixture of Demerara Sugar and Rum



After the first hour of smoke.

Total time on this smoke was 7 hours. Two hours of smoke at 140F using alder, then two hours at 140F no smoke then I bumped the temp up to 160F for the next 3 hours. Then out it came for a cooling down period, were I had to stand guard after two pieces went missing.


Cooling down, a few pieces missing.......

Then it was onto the Food Saver for packaging and into the freezer.

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Birdsnest

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Re: Smokin on a Hot Day
« Reply #1 on: July 31, 2009, 10:22:44 PM »
what smoker is that?
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RossP

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Re: Smokin on a Hot Day
« Reply #2 on: July 31, 2009, 10:29:07 PM »
Quote from: Birdsnest on July 31, 2009, 10:22:44 PM
what smoker is that?


A Bradley Original Smoker. Made in British Columbia, a great smoker. I have a Little chief also but prefer the Bradley.
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Trophy Fisher

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Re: Smokin on a Hot Day
« Reply #3 on: August 01, 2009, 10:43:16 PM »
I have a Little Chief to and I prefer to do it on the BBQ. One day when I have some extra cash I'll invest in some stainless and weld up a custom smoker.

My buddy Matt is a guide at the QCL and he swears by the Bradley Original Smoker.
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doja

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Re: Smokin on a Hot Day
« Reply #4 on: August 12, 2009, 11:14:59 AM »
Hmmm, reading this thread makes me want to go make some right now.

Have you tried white wine in your brine ??? ;) ;)
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RossP

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Re: Smokin on a Hot Day
« Reply #5 on: August 12, 2009, 11:30:30 AM »
Quote from: doja on August 12, 2009, 11:14:59 AM
Hmmm, reading this thread makes me want to go make some right now.

Have you tried white wine in your brine ??? ;) ;)

Haven't tried white wine but I do like the Rum though.
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DavidD

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Re: Smokin on a Hot Day
« Reply #6 on: August 12, 2009, 02:38:49 PM »
Oh Man... that looks good...

I experimented with some Chum over the winter months with my Bradley - anxiously awaiting to catch a fish of better quality....  ;D
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RossP

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Re: Smokin on a Hot Day
« Reply #7 on: August 12, 2009, 10:59:47 PM »
Quote from: DavidD on August 12, 2009, 02:38:49 PM
Oh Man... that looks good...

I experimented with some Chum over the winter months with my Bradley - anxiously awaiting to catch a fish of better quality....  ;D

Try doing your Chum with a dry brine of brown sugar and salt. 4 parts brown sugar to one part sea salt, NO water or liquid.
The chum I did last year like this was great. Used 3 apple and two hickory bisquettes.
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DavidD

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Re: Smokin on a Hot Day
« Reply #8 on: August 13, 2009, 08:53:46 AM »
I started with 2 parts brown sugar and 1 part salt (experimented with coarse or sea salt (produced the best results)) and worked my way to 4 parts brown sugar.  I enjoyed the texture produced by using Demerara Brown sugar.

The last couple of batches, I added some scotch whiskey to the liquified sugar/salt brine (a cup to a cup and a half depending how big the btach was), stirred around the mixture a bit and let it soak overnight. 

I agree - the apple/hickory combination added a nice flavour to it.  ;D

I picked up a 4 rack digital bradley last year - and then 4 jerky racks to double the amount of smoking area.

Hoping to try to produce some Indian Candy this year. :)
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robj

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Re: Smokin on a Hot Day
« Reply #9 on: August 29, 2009, 07:49:09 AM »
Those Bradleys are great.  I can cold smoke with mine in the middle of summer, I make a cold smoking attachment.  Meaning to take some pix and post them, maybe next week. I bought an extra set of racks and put them in upside down to double the capacity.  You should also try making ribs in the Bradley.  Awesome.

Have a great day
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captainzippy

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Re: Smokin on a Hot Day
« Reply #10 on: August 30, 2009, 10:58:41 AM »
A freind of mine makes salmon jerky from chum - nothing like it
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Easywater

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Re: Smokin on a Hot Day
« Reply #11 on: September 25, 2009, 02:45:29 PM »
When I smoke my salmon, I do 3 smokes with Alder, which is a very light smoke.
Then I'll do another 2 with Cherry chips, which is much thicker & darker smoke and adds a lot of flavour and colour.
Smoke time is about 4 hours - I'll pop it in the oven at the lowest temp (200F) if it needs to dry out more.

Jerky is easy to do - just take your filet and cut it into 1" wide slices.
Only put it in your curing mixture for about half the time, though - it will be very salty otherwise.

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