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Author Topic: smoking white springs  (Read 21858 times)

fishonsteelheader

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smoking white springs
« on: September 30, 2007, 12:28:19 PM »

Can anyone help me with a very good brine I have two nice big springs and the last brine was OK but they still had that white fish taste> also if you know how to cure egg that have the natural look to them thanks  ;D
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armytruck

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Re: smoking white springs
« Reply #1 on: September 30, 2007, 07:37:24 PM »

I would help you but I'll be on the river fishing without a raincoat  ::).
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armytruck

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Re: smoking white springs
« Reply #2 on: September 30, 2007, 07:43:58 PM »

I'll see if I have one for you , and by the way , you need to resize  your avtar to a smaller size so we can see it  :-\.
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Eagleye

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Re: smoking white springs
« Reply #3 on: October 03, 2007, 10:13:10 AM »

I have for you an excellent brine for white springs I got off a chef I met on the flow.  I smoke my salmon with a variety of different recipes, last year I tried this one and everyone who tried it said it was their favorite out of the 5 kinds I had (better than red spring coho, chum et al).  It is a very simple brine but I highly reccommend you give it a try.  Cut the Spring into fairly even strips.  You can do singles, doubles or triples.  In a non-metallic container place one layer of strips down leaving space in between them for the dry brine.  Lightly sprinkle the fish with brining salt, then hard pack heavily with brown sugar.  You want the fish to be completely covered in brown sugar with the spaces in between filled and with no fish showing on top. Repeat with additional layers if needed.  I don't remember exactly how much brown sugar I used last time but the above is how the recipe was explained to me and it came out great.  For a 30lb fish you will probably need 2-3 bags.  Let brine covered in the fridge for at least 48 hours.  Once the brine is mostly liquified (after the first 12hrs or so) move the pieces around a few times to make sure they are evenly brined and also to move the salt around in the mixture.  If the fish is floating up and protruding out of the brine you can weigh it down with something (non-metallic).  When ready to smoke place the fish directly in the smoker do not rinse the strips.  Place the thickest strips on the bottom rack.  Smoke heavily with alder chips (or alternate with a couple pans of cherry for something different) for 6-8 hrs in a Big chief smoker (Times will vary depending on outside temp or if using another smoker such as Bradley with a heat control.)  For the first 4-5 hours you want to change the chips frequently; immediately once they blacken through, approx. every ~40 min.  Dispose of the last pan of chips then cook the rest of the way adding 1-2 or so more pans infrequently.  I have found when cooking in cold temps it is sometimes necessary to baste the fish with honey with a very small amount of water if you find the outside is drying out and and appears to be getting overdone while the inside is still mushy.  When smoking the fish you want to keep the door shut as much as possible.  I would recommend waiting until the 6hr mark before checking it and be fast when you do so.  The finished product will be black in appearance but will not taste burnt it will be very tasty.
« Last Edit: October 03, 2007, 11:10:01 AM by Eagleye »
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Eagleye

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Re: smoking white springs
« Reply #4 on: October 03, 2007, 03:23:46 PM »

Just realized it is Kosher salt not Brining salt that I use for this recipe, the brining salt is for reds.
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fishonsteelheader

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Re: smoking white springs
« Reply #5 on: October 03, 2007, 05:28:42 PM »

I built a box for my smoker so that it keeps some kind of heat and it works good in this cold weather. thanks for the brine recipe eagleye I will try it
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Eagleye

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Re: smoking white springs
« Reply #6 on: October 03, 2007, 06:17:34 PM »

good luck with the smoking let me know if you have any questions and let us know how it turns out.  I forgot to mention that you should freeze the fish before smoking.
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fishonsteelheader

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Re: smoking white springs
« Reply #7 on: October 03, 2007, 07:26:47 PM »

yes I always do that just for good storage.
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boscheefish

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Re: smoking white springs
« Reply #8 on: August 30, 2008, 03:54:48 PM »

ive tried a very similar if not exact recipie eagleye, and was dissapointed with the taste of the white spring.  does it really matter that much if fish is a little colored up or does it have to be a very clean fish?
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Every Day

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Re: smoking white springs
« Reply #9 on: August 30, 2008, 04:38:06 PM »

Naw it can be a little dark. I love smoking white spring but I had a good recipe but I need to find it lol  ::)
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Nucks

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Re: smoking white springs
« Reply #10 on: September 02, 2008, 03:13:43 PM »

Most people don't like the white in the oven, bbq, or smoked but if done the right way can be very delicious. Bleeding the fish right away will always help. If you trim all the fat off the fish prior to brining, you will find this also helps.
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armytruck

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Re: smoking white springs
« Reply #11 on: September 02, 2008, 05:04:55 PM »

Naw it can be a little dark. I love smoking white spring but I had a good recipe but I need to find it lol  ::)
Let us know when you find it I would like to do up a batch this weekend
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island boy

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Re: smoking white springs
« Reply #12 on: September 05, 2008, 10:09:11 PM »

6 cups brown sugar(the dark stuff) 1 cup coarse salt. mix in bowl -pack on fish in layers like said above.
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Eagleye

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Re: smoking white springs
« Reply #13 on: September 09, 2008, 07:43:51 PM »

ive tried a very similar if not exact recipie eagleye, and was dissapointed with the taste of the white spring.  does it really matter that much if fish is a little colored up or does it have to be a very clean fish?

What was it about the fish you didn't like.  If it was too fishy possibly you didn't deslime it or it was freezer burnt or it could also be that the fish was too black before you bonked it.  With the colored ones I would recommend skinning it.  Be sure to spray the racks with Pam to help prevent sticking.
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Eagleye

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Re: smoking white springs
« Reply #14 on: September 09, 2008, 07:47:55 PM »

Most people don't like the white in the oven, bbq, or smoked but if done the right way can be very delicious. Bleeding the fish right away will always help. If you trim all the fat off the fish prior to brining, you will find this also helps.

It is also good breaded and fried.
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