you are friggin awesome nog...heheheh
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you are friggin awesome nog...heheheh
They came out of the wet brine earlier today.
Big changes in both color and consistency! They swelled back up quite a bit!
https://i.imgur.com/cyxGtb9.jpg
So, onto one of the most fussy and critical steps - Desalination.
I prefer to have a LOT of water surrounding the loins at this point, and to keep a slow but steady flow of fresh water into their domain:
https://i.imgur.com/7XUvPj0.jpg
If you take your drain cap off your cooler, you can replace it with a large soft drink cap.
Drill a small hole in the center of that so you have flow both top and bottom:
https://i.imgur.com/0ZuDQEI.jpg
Having too much Tuna is never an issue if you know how to deal with it.
And I don't see a lot of point in repeating the process when one good run will do...
https://i.imgur.com/weexhHo.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/u27AnIZ.jpg
The ones on the uphill side will freshen just a tad sooner than those on the downhill.
Move the latter into the bigger tank while you pat dry the first lot and get ready for the grills.
By the time you've accomplished that, the other should be ready.
Move the loins around in the fresh water every 10 minutes or so, and keep a damn careful eye on them!
Too little, the salt will be overbearing.
Too much, and they become non-recoverable mush!!
I do the double taste test - nip a little off a couple differing loins (should slice very thinly with a sharp knife).
Taste. You will know it when you realize what you are looking for...
This lot is now off to the grills, glaze and fans.
Back atcha when able...
Cheers,
Nog
Steady as she goes,,,looks awesome.
After about and hour and a half, the loins began to look a little washed out (don't worry - this is normal and will soon be rectified).
https://i.imgur.com/YSBOVl9.jpg
Thin Slice & Taste Test said: Good To Go!
https://i.imgur.com/3DXiQdK.jpg
Funny thing about that picture - left it up on the phone while I transferred the rest of the fish to totes, then turned, saw this, and actually tried to pick it up and eat it. LOL Yummy already!
Then, onto the racks to dry. These dried very quickly - as in an hour after hitting the racks with NO fans, they were already crying for the Glaze!
https://i.imgur.com/CzsHLfg.jpg
Took advantage of that hour to prep the glaze itself. nearly 1/2 Maple Syrup, a shot of Rum Extract and top off with Black Bacardi:
https://i.imgur.com/3oT8eac.jpg
And apply:
https://i.imgur.com/uhZ3to5.jpg
It sucked the first application up within 45 minutes, so got hit again.
Already you can see a color transformation as they darken from the glaze.
Normally I would have hit the fans at this point.
But with dark rapidly buzzarding in, temps into the minuses overnight, and the way these were already sucking up the brine I decided to leave them overnight without the fans. My Buddy hit them with the glaze again at midnight and said "Looking Good".
Today they get rolled around, glazed again, and finished drying with the fans on...
Looks soooo good....
As expected, the loins sucked up the glaze some, leaving just enough on the surface to give them that classic Glassy finish.
Dry to the touch, they are ready for the smoker...
https://i.imgur.com/XrxPU9i.jpg
Yet another fine color / consistency change - beginning to look downright appealing!
https://i.imgur.com/Rv7Zb10.jpg
Load 'em up:
https://i.imgur.com/pWRCgwJ.jpg
And pour the cold smoke to them:
https://i.imgur.com/BH54xNk.jpg
Ambient air temperature is three degrees. No heat transfer into the smoker. Excellent conditions...
See ya in a few hours...
Nog
Initial Taste Test...
https://i.imgur.com/h0IAQjo.jpg
Horrible... NOT!!! :lol:
Cheers,
Nog
Those look delicious! Wishing I lived a little closer...
And... That's a wrap!
https://i.imgur.com/NNoNuXe.jpg
Cheers,
Nog