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[DanL]

I dusted off my Little Chief smoker and am going to smoke some coho this weekend. I prefer my fish drier, and as we all know the Chief doesnt have adjustable heat settings and can take quite a while. I've finished it in the oven before, but it smells up the whole house, so not doing that again.

Any tips on finishing the smoking process on the BBQ instead? Or is that just a plain bad idea?

[Bently]

I too prefer my smoked fish a little dryer than normal. When I use my big chiefs or little chief smoker I usually burn 3 pans full of chips then once they're done I keep the smoker on with the fish in for another 12 hours, checking it from time to time and pulling out the thinner pieces as they are to my liking. Sometimes it takes up to 15 hours after the chips are burnt, depending on the thickness of the fish you put in. I'll sacrifice one of the thicker pieces just to make sure it's the way i want it, of course I eat it though.

Hope this helps some, enjoy your fish.

[blaydRnr]

it also helps to dry the fish a little longer after brining. the dryer the fish goes into the smoker, the faster osmosis takes place in the smoker (where the natural oils of the fish reacts with the smoke and beads on the outer side of the meat).

[DanL]

Thank you both. good tips all around

... I usually burn 3 pans full of chips then once they're done I keep the smoker on with the fish in for another 12 hours, checking it from time to time and pulling out the thinner pieces as they are to my liking. Sometimes it takes up to 15 hours after the chips are burnt ...

Doesnt it take about 1-2 hours per pan of chips? So overall it could possibly be up to 18-21 hrs in the Chief for a 'dry' product? Not sure how I'd be able to check it "from time to time" without getting up in the middle of the night though

[Noahs Arc]

Interesting I like a fairly well done smoke and have never had to have it go longer than 13 hours looking back on my diary.
Are you insulating your little chief? I kept the box it came in and I put it over top of the smoker for the whole time..  Seems to help me I know I tried it once without and wasn't getting anywhere.

They sell those insulating blankets but I'd just dig through a cardboard dumpster.

[Fish Assassin]

Thank you both. good tips all around

Doesnt it take about 1-2 hours per pan of chips? So overall it could possibly be up to 18-21 hrs in the Chief for a 'dry' product? Not sure how I'd be able to check it "from time to time" without getting up in the middle of the night though

It takes approx an hour per pan on my Big Chief

[Noahs Arc]

It takes approx an hour per pan on my Big Chief

X2

[Bently]

Thank you both. good tips all around

Doesnt it take about 1-2 hours per pan of chips? So overall it could possibly be up to 18-21 hrs in the Chief for a 'dry' product? Not sure how I'd be able to check it "from time to time" without getting up in the middle of the night though

Ya about the same time for mine, but if you want the fish the way you say, sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do, if that means getting up at 3 am so be it. 

[DanL]

Thats a good tip to insulate the smoker during the process. The last time I tried smoking many years ago, I recall that the inside barely felt warm when it was cold out.

I'm going to brine a few fillets tonight, and smoke one rack's worth tomorrow in a test run.

[firstlight]

You could also leave it in the brine longer to achieve a dryer product.

For Coho,Sockeye type i usually cut into filltes and then at least 3 pieces per side depoending on size of fillet.
Leave it in brine for at least 24 hours.
Rinse off and let air dry and even better if you have a fan on it.
I ususally just use the racks and prop them up on cups or whatever so the air gets all around them.
Pre warm your smoiker at this time of year and the very least a cardboard box around it if using the Little Chief type.