Biergarden
Well-Known Member
The Life Cycle of Alaskan Salmon
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Oldskewl
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Love it! I just visited Alaska back in August. It amazed me that the salmon was smoked in the smoke houses for so long and that the houses were so open. What I do in my smoker takes hours and they are smoked for days hanging in the smoke houses.
OP
OP
Biergarden
Well-Known Member
It's fun here, then fun turns into work towards this time of year. I froze them as I was catching them until about 10 days ago. The summertime bears can be a problem so it's best to wait until they're hibernating before starting to smoke them.
I figured out sometime ago, and saw pictures, of how the old indians used to hang and dry their fish for the winter, and with a little modifications, it works.
I figured out sometime ago, and saw pictures, of how the old indians used to hang and dry their fish for the winter, and with a little modifications, it works.
Awesome, I am very jealous.
Wow that is so awesome. What a great way of life out there and so many opportunities to utilize the vast resources you have available to you. I love that you smoke the fish the old traditional Indian ways, so cool. Thanks for posting! 
John
John
That is some very good looking smoked salmon, did you brine first/dry rub salt sugar spices? what type of wood did you use Alder? and how long was the smoking session?
Sorry for all ???? but I really like smoking salmon & steelhead.
Sorry for all ???? but I really like smoking salmon & steelhead.
OP
OP
Biergarden
Well-Known Member
I made the brine with iodine free salt. That's very important since the iodine, I'm told, will make the meat mushy. The solution should so salty that a potato will float. That is about one pound per gallon of water. I used warm water to dissolve so much salt and allowed it to cool back down to room temp. I also added a ratio of brown sugar. It give the meat an interesting texture once the process is complete. It doesn't add any sweetness to the fish. None that I can detect at least.
The fish was brined for 10-15 minutes. Too long, in such a heavily brined solution, and the fish is too salty. No worries, just soak it in fresh water to correct it.
The fish was hung in the smokehouse, a 4'x4'x8' structure, for 24 hours, or more if you like, to allow the fish slime and moisture to run off the meat and allow it to dry while it hangs. This is the curing process.
I used alder to apply the smoke to the fish. I don't know that it really matters what hard wood you use, apple or cherry or whatever.... It's just that alder is all over the place here and grows like weeds, so it's the obvious choice.
The fish was cold smoked for 5 days. Cold because there's not much heat that isn't absorbed by the cold weather here. It was in the 40's while I was doing this, this time. Some years it's colder outside, but not so cold the fish would freeze before I was done.
After the fifth day, I brought it in and ran it through a dehydrator at 140*f for eight hours. Otherwise it would have to hang for a much longer time.
It's a week long process and there was about 100 pounds of cleaned fish I caught all summer.
I think cutting into strips is a good idea. The best way to do this is to freeze the filet and use a large thin and very sharp knife to cut the strips while the meat is still partially frozen. It gives you good control to manage the thickness of the meat.
If you ever want to come to Alaska for a fishing trip, let me know since I run a nice little vacation rental that is right in the middle of all the fishing fun. I would be happy to accommodate a fellow brewer. Look me up at http://www.cabinbaleen.com
Lastly, don't ever discard the salmon bellies. Dry brine those and hot smoke them. They're great to eat with shots of vodka and hard cheese.
They are so oily and delicious it's crazy to throw them away.
The fish was brined for 10-15 minutes. Too long, in such a heavily brined solution, and the fish is too salty. No worries, just soak it in fresh water to correct it.
The fish was hung in the smokehouse, a 4'x4'x8' structure, for 24 hours, or more if you like, to allow the fish slime and moisture to run off the meat and allow it to dry while it hangs. This is the curing process.
I used alder to apply the smoke to the fish. I don't know that it really matters what hard wood you use, apple or cherry or whatever.... It's just that alder is all over the place here and grows like weeds, so it's the obvious choice.
The fish was cold smoked for 5 days. Cold because there's not much heat that isn't absorbed by the cold weather here. It was in the 40's while I was doing this, this time. Some years it's colder outside, but not so cold the fish would freeze before I was done.
After the fifth day, I brought it in and ran it through a dehydrator at 140*f for eight hours. Otherwise it would have to hang for a much longer time.
It's a week long process and there was about 100 pounds of cleaned fish I caught all summer.
I think cutting into strips is a good idea. The best way to do this is to freeze the filet and use a large thin and very sharp knife to cut the strips while the meat is still partially frozen. It gives you good control to manage the thickness of the meat.
If you ever want to come to Alaska for a fishing trip, let me know since I run a nice little vacation rental that is right in the middle of all the fishing fun. I would be happy to accommodate a fellow brewer. Look me up at http://www.cabinbaleen.com
Lastly, don't ever discard the salmon bellies. Dry brine those and hot smoke them. They're great to eat with shots of vodka and hard cheese.
They are so oily and delicious it's crazy to throw them away.
That is dedication to smoking fish, one day I will fish Alaska and I hope to be able to bring back as nice a catch!
Great job!!
Great job!!
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