My son in law brought home 11 pounds of frozen walleye fillets and I was
thinking about smoking a few of them. I've got some apple wood I've had
since last year that I'd like to use. Is this good for smoking fish or will
it give an "off" taste? What temp should I try to keep the smoker at?

tranch728 wrote:

> My son in law brought home 11 pounds of frozen walleye fillets and I was
> thinking about smoking a few of them. I've got some apple wood I've had
> since last year that I'd like to use. Is this good for smoking fish or will
> it give an "off" taste? What temp should I try to keep the smoker at?
>

Apple is good for fish, IMHO.

Matthew

--
Thermodynamics and/or Golf for dummies: There is a game
You can't win
You can't break even
You can't get out of the game

tranch728 wrote:

> My son in law brought home 11 pounds of frozen walleye fillets and I was
> thinking about smoking a few of them. I've got some apple wood I've had
> since last year that I'd like to use. Is this good for smoking fish or will
> it give an "off" taste? What temp should I try to keep the smoker at?
>

Apple is good for fish, IMHO.

Matthew

--
Thermodynamics and/or Golf for dummies: There is a game
You can't win
You can't break even
You can't get out of the game

tranch728 wrote:
> My son in law brought home 11 pounds of frozen walleye fillets and I was
> thinking about smoking a few of them. I've got some apple wood I've had
> since last year that I'd like to use. Is this good for smoking fish or will
> it give an "off" taste? What temp should I try to keep the smoker at?
>
>
Excellent fish smoking information he http://www.3men.com/smoked.htm

Apple would be fine. You can smoke fish at anywhere from 80-250°, with
different results (mostly different textures), of course. Hot smoking
at 220-250° is easiest.

--

================================================== =============
Regards

Louis Cohen

"Yes, yes, I will desalinate you, you grande morue!"

Émile Zola, Assommoir 1877

tranch728 wrote:
> My son in law brought home 11 pounds of frozen walleye fillets and I was
> thinking about smoking a few of them. I've got some apple wood I've had
> since last year that I'd like to use. Is this good for smoking fish or will
> it give an "off" taste? What temp should I try to keep the smoker at?
>
>
Excellent fish smoking information he http://www.3men.com/smoked.htm

Apple would be fine. You can smoke fish at anywhere from 80-250°, with
different results (mostly different textures), of course. Hot smoking
at 220-250° is easiest.

--

================================================== =============
Regards

Louis Cohen

"Yes, yes, I will desalinate you, you grande morue!"

Émile Zola, Assommoir 1877

"Louis Cohen" > wrote in message
...
>snip<

Thank you for the web site.
I was going to use hot smoking but didn't remember the temp. I saw in an
earlier post.

>
> Excellent fish smoking information he http://www.3men.com/smoked.htm
>
> Apple would be fine. You can smoke fish at anywhere from 80-250°, with
> different results (mostly different textures), of course. Hot smoking
> at 220-250° is easiest.
>
> --
>
> ================================================== =============
> Regards
>
> Louis Cohen
>
> "Yes, yes, I will desalinate you, you grande morue!"
>
> Émile Zola, Assommoir 1877

tranch728 wrote:
> My son in law brought home 11 pounds of frozen walleye fillets and I was
> thinking about smoking a few of them. I've got some apple wood I've had
> since last year that I'd like to use. Is this good for smoking fish or will
> it give an "off" taste? What temp should I try to keep the smoker at?
>
>
Repost of AFB article on hot and cold fish smoking;

Go to Google Groups Home </> *alt.food.barbecue*

*complete novice need some advice on smoking fish please.*

*Doug Morton >*

> joe

Fish smoking is a method which should be used more extensively in home
food preservation of fishery products, says the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service. When the curing is properly done, it is inexpensive and the
product is of high quality, attractive in appearance and taste. Although
preservation by smoking usually lasts for a shorter time than by
salting, the product is more appetizing. If smoked fish spoils quickly
and is poor in quality, it is because the smoking has been done
improperly. If proper attention is given to materials and methods,
little difficulty should be experienced.

The efficiency of smoking depends on the drying action; it is only a
flavoring and coloring agent. According to species, fish may be smoked
either in the round, gutted, split and beheaded, or cut into pieces with
or without the skin removed.

There are two general methods of smoking fish: hot-smoking or
barbecuing, and cold-smoking. In hot-smoking, the fish are hung near the
fire, usually not more than 3 or 4 feet distant, and smoked at
temperatures from 150 to 200F. so that they are partially or wholly
cooked. Therefore, while hot-smoked fish is very appetizing, and
requires no preparation, it will keep for only a short time. In
cold-smoking, the fish are hung at some distance from a low smouldering
fire and smoked at temperatures usually lower than 90F. (a temperature
of 90F. may be used occasionally). The degree of preservation depends on
the length of time the fishes are smoked; fish cold-smoked a few hours,
for example, will keep only a short time. If an extended period of
preservation is desired, fish must be cold-smoked from a few days to a
week or more. The same general principles governing the smoking,
handling, and storing of cured meats should be followed with fish.

Hot-Smoking. Almost any species may be hot-smoked. Mullet, shad, Spanish
mackerel, mackerel, alewives or river herring, herring, lake herring,
whitefish, and king mackerel. This method is recommended if it is
desired to prepare a fish that can be used immediately without cooking.
Fish smoked by this method may be kept longer without molding or
souring, but even so, it will preserve for only a short time.

Split the fish along the back, just above the backbone so that it will
be open in one piece, leaving the belly solid. Scrape out all viscera,
blood, and membrane. Make an additional cut under the backbone for the
smaller fish. For the larger fish, cut out the forward three-fifths of
the backbone. Wash thoroughly and soak in a 70 salt brine (1/2 cup salt
to 1 quart water) for 30 minutes to leach blood out of the flesh. Then
prepare a brine, using the following ingredients: 2 pounds salt, 1 ounce
saltpeter, 1 ounce crushed black peppercorns, 1 ounce crushed bay
leaves. This makes a 90 per cent brine (saturated salt solution). The
amounts of ingredients are increased in proportion to the amount of
brine to be made. The spices used may be increased both in variety and
quantity.

The fish are held in this brine for periods varying from 2 to 4 hours,
depending upon their size and thickness, amount of fat, and the desire
for a light or heavily cured fish. Weather conditions also make a
difference; the exact length of time must be determined by experiment.
Rinse off the fish in fresh water and hang outside in a cool, shady and
breezy place to dry for about 3 hours before hanging in the smokehouse,
or until a thin shiny "skin" or pellicle has formed on the surface.

For the first 8 hours that the fish are in the smokehouse, the fire is
low and smoldering. The temperature should not be higher than 90F. A
dense smoke should then be built up. After 4 hours of heavy smoking, the
fire is increased until the temperature is between 130 and 150F. The
fish are cured at this temperature for 2 to 3 hours, or until they have
a glossy, brown surface. This partially cooks, or hot-smokes, the fish.

When smoking is finished, the fish must be cooled for 2 or 3 hours. They
may be brushed over lightly with vegetable oil (usually cottonseed)
while warm. This is sometimes done just after finishing the cold-smoking
part of the process. The oil forms a light protective coating, but the
chief value of this treatment is to make the appearance more attractive.
Another method is to dip the fish in melted paraffin; thus, a more
effective protective coating is formed, but the fish must be handled
carefully as the coating is brittle. The paraffin must be peeled off
when preparing the fish for the table. Each fish should be wrapped in
waxed paper and stored in a cool, dry place. Spoilage occurs more
rapidly if the fish are stored in a warm place or under damp and cold
conditions.

Cold-Smokirlg. Small fish, such as sea herring, alewives (river
herring), spots, or butter fish may be cold-smoked in the round (without
cleaning), but they should be gibbed. Gibbing consists of making a small
cut just below the gills and pulling out the gills, heart, and liver,
leaving the belly uncut. Fish larger than one pound should be split
along the back to lie flat in a single piece, leaving the belly portion
uncut. All traces of blood, black skin, and viscera must be removed,
paying special attention to the area just under the backbone. The head
does not need to be removed. If the head is cut off, the hard bony plate
just below the gills is allowed to remain, as it will be needed to carry
the weight when the fish are in the smokehouse.

Next wash the fish thoroughly, whether gibbed or split, and place them
in a brine made in the proportion of 1 cup of salt to 1 gallon of water.
They should be left in the brine at least 30 minutes to soak out blood
diffused through the flesh. At the end of this time rinse in fresh water
to remove surplus moisture, and drain for a few minutes.

Each fish is dropped singly into a shallow box of fine salt and dredged
thoroughly. The fish is picked up with as much salt as will cling to it,
and packed in even layers in a box or tub. A small amount of salt may be
scattered between each layer. The fish are left in salt from 1 to 12
hours, depending upon the weather, size of fish, fatness, length of time
for which preservation is desired, and whether the fish are round or split.

When the fish are taken out of the salt, they should be rinsed
thoroughly. All visible particles of salt or other waste should be
scrubbed off. They are hung to dry in the shade as described in
dry-salting (page 220) of fish. An electric fan may be used if there is
not enough breeze. The chicken-wire drying racks used in dry-salting may
be utilized if they are not exposed to direct sunlight. The fish will
dry on both sides but the impression of the chicken wire detracts from
its appearance. The fish is dried until a thin skin or pellicle, is
formed on the surface. This should take about 3 hours under average
conditions. If smoking is begun while the fish are still moist, the time
required is longer, the color will not be as desirable, the fish will
not have as good a surface, and will steam and soften in smoking.

Start a low, smoldering fire an hour or two before the fish are hung in
the smokehouse. It must not give off too much smoke during the first 8
or 12 hours if the entire cure is 24 hours, or for the first 24 hours if
the cure is longer. The temperature in the smokehouse should not be
higher than 90F. in California or the southern states, or 70F. in the
northern states. If available, a thermometer should be used in
controlling smokehouse temperature; if not, a ruleof-thumb test is to
insert a hand in the smokehouse and if the air feels distinctly warm,
the temperature is too high.

At the end of the first smoking process, a dense smoke may be built up
and maintained for the balance of the cure. If the fish are to be kept
for 2 weeks, they should be smoked for 24 hours, or for a longer time.
Smoking may require 5 days or even more. Hardsmoked or red herring may
require 3 or 4 weeks.

Keep the fire low and steady; if hardwood sawdust is not available, use
chips and bark; they serve almost as well. Rice husks and corncobs can
be used. The fire must not be allowed to die out at night. Do not build
it up before leaving, as this will create too much heat. It must be
tended regularly during the night.

Here is the best way to smoke fillets. Any white-fleshed, "lean" fish
will produce fillets weighing more than I pound which are satisfactory
for smoking. Cut the fish into fillets, removing the backbone and skin.
Cover with a 90 brine (saturated salt solution) and hold for 2 hours.
Remove and drain for 10 to 15 minutes and air-dry for 2 hours. Hang
across a threesided smokestick, each side about 3 inches in width. Smoke
over a fire with a fairly light smoke for 4 hours at a temperature not
higher than 90F. Turn the fillets so that the side resting on the
smokestick is uppermost and smoke 4 hours longer. Smother the fire so
that a dense cloud of smoke is produced, and smoke until the fillets are
a deep straw yellow, turning the fillets once or twice so that both
sides will be evenly colored. This operation should take about 6 hours.



--
Mike Willsey
http://groups.msn.com/ThePracticalBa...ewwelcome.msnw

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