And So It Begins...

[IronNoggin]

Held off for the chilly weather, and now appears to be the time.

Today: Fillet and brine whole sides of eight coho (16 sides).
Hold in brine over tomorrow, then onto the racks under the fans the next.
Then a day in the smoker.

Next up: Another eight coho cut to candy, brined, dried, glazed then smoked.
Following that: A rinse & repeat with the same number of coho.

Lagging behind: 44 Tuna loins to double brine (dry then wet), desalinate, fan dry, glaze and cold smoke.

Better Busy than Bored! :lol:

Cheers,
Nog

[RICKADY]

Can't wait to see it Nog, you always do such a good job,,
yup stay busy, best thing for your brain,
oh and eat well too!
Had no time to fish this year, but 2021 is gonna be better.
Rickady

[alpinedust]

Cool! Do you use an electric smoker? How do you keep your smoked fish after...freezer?

[mrdoog]

Smoked tuna must be a tasty treat

[weatherbyjunkie]

Held off for the chilly weather, and now appears to be the time.

Today: Fillet and brine whole sides of eight coho (16 sides).
Hold in brine over tomorrow, then onto the racks under the fans the next.
Then a day in the smoker.

Next up: Another eight coho cut to candy, brined, dried, glazed then smoked.
Following that: A rinse & repeat with the same number of coho.

Lagging behind: 44 Tuna loins to double brine (dry then wet), desalinate, fan dry, glaze and cold smoke.

Better Busy than Bored! :lol:

Cheers,
Nog


Dang!! Sounds amazing! The tuna sounds like delicious,def keep us posted on that one! Cheers

[jlirot]

I tried to smoke some salmon earlier this year - I've smoked quite a few fish - both a barrel smoker and electric. I think it was too cold out (electric smoker). Everything came out mushy. First time that's ever happened. Dog got a lot of salmon this year.

Have you ever had problems with it being too cold while smoking? This was a first for me.

[tigrr]

I tried to smoke some salmon earlier this year - I've smoked quite a few fish - both a barrel smoker and electric. I think it was too cold out (electric smoker). Everything came out mushy. First time that's ever happened. Dog got a lot of salmon this year.

Have you ever had problems with it being too cold while smoking? This was a first for me.

They make an insulating cover for the electric smokers now. I should have got one too! The big little chief wouldn't hot smoke small rainbow fillets. I need a bigger smoke house with a wood stove supplying the smoke.
Any pics Nog?

[fuzzybiscuit]

There’s probably no one thing that makes me miss living on the Island more than Nog’s annual candied salmon thread...

[jlirot]

Good. So I'm not the only one! Yeah, it was a little chief. Before I used a big barrel BBQ with a smoke box. The only time I used the little chief before was in the summer with trout. I ruined a pile of salmon this year. But, the dog is happy!

[IronNoggin]

Cool! Do you use an electric smoker? How do you keep your smoked fish after...freezer?

My smoker is a custom built job based on a 60's Hospital Food Warmer.
400 pounds of stainless steel with 3 inches of hard-pack insulation between the layers.

https://i.imgur.com/FbgQM75.jpg

Here she is set up for cold smoking:

https://i.imgur.com/HcvXzjd.jpg

Dual commercial electric burners controlled by a PID.

Product is eaten fresh and / or frozen.


... Have you ever had problems with it being too cold while smoking?

Nope. But then again with the smoker I use it can either generate a huge amount of heat (when desired) or run cold with the smoke generator as shown above.

Hot smoked products do require a minimum amount of heat for a few hours to turn out well. Likely when you did yours the Little Chief simply could not produce and sustain enough heat to do the job when the ambient temperatures were low.


... Any pics Nog?

I'll run up a few as the jobs go along.
Not much to look at yet - fish fillets in brine simply isn't all that eye-catching... :lol:

First batch will sit in the brine overnight and onto the drying racks tomorrow.

Cheers,
Nog

[B-rad]

glad to see its that time of year for other too,,,,,,iv got freezer full of rainbow to smoke up next week,,,,,,,i put aprox 12--15 pounds of mule deer aside for jerrky,,,,,,,aprox 8--10 pounds of whitetail aside for jerky,,,,,,freezer full of duck and goose for jerky,,,,,,i have 8 grouse breasts specifically put aside for smoking,,on the bone,,,(5 ruffed,,3 blue),,,,,,gonna try 2 rabbit this year,,,never tried smoking rabbit before,,should be interesting

[IronNoggin]

https://i.imgur.com/zdwGhQL.jpg

Relative Humidity is so high that even with all four fans on full roar the fillets did not dry out sufficiently to smoke overnight.

Good thing it is cold (and clearing). Temperature in the garage has not risen above 4 Celsius.

They will be fine for another overnight session & drying slowly works well for an excellent finished product.

So, shutting down the pre-warming cycle on the smoker, and starting the choppy whacky job for the first batch of Gummy Bears...

And on it goes...

Nog

[IronNoggin]

Yesterday's efforts:

Choppy Whackey Time:

https://i.imgur.com/D9DaNmX.jpg

And Splashdown into the brine:

https://i.imgur.com/9XIfJoH.jpg

Smoker preheating again, whole sides on in just a few minutes now...

And on it goes...
Nog

[ElectricDyck]

Amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[IronNoggin]

After making the entire neighborhood drool all day, now the house too smells incredible!

https://i.imgur.com/ijux4hL.jpg

Bag & Tag this lot, then onto Candy...

Cheers,
Nog

[IronNoggin]

All sides (except the one we are currently chewing on) Vac Sealed:

https://i.imgur.com/47MduNT.jpg

They now sit on top of the freezer for a whole day to allow the various flavors to mingle well:

https://i.imgur.com/9XeQiyA.jpg

Getting the screens ready for the turn around to Gummy Bear Candy.

Here's a hint for any aspiring Gummy Bear Makers. Notice that the majority of the strips have now sunk into the brine rather than floating (see previous picture for comparison). This is an indication they are damn near ready for the next stage under the fans:

https://i.imgur.com/Zujr5so.jpg

And if the saying "No Rest For The Wicked" is real, I must have been a particularly Evil Bugger in a previous lifetime! :lol:

On it goes...
Nog

[IronNoggin]

https://i.imgur.com/bQYNq9X.jpg

[Ridgehunter604]

Always love seeing this yearly process. (Usually see it on flybc)
seems like an even bigger batch this year?

[HarryToolips]

Looks incredible Nog! I just started using brown sugar in the brine solutions for the trout I smoke and I love the sweet taste it adds...

[HarryToolips]

glad to see its that time of year for other too,,,,,,iv got freezer full of rainbow to smoke up next week,,,,,,,i put aprox 12--15 pounds of mule deer aside for jerrky,,,,,,,aprox 8--10 pounds of whitetail aside for jerky,,,,,,freezer full of duck and goose for jerky,,,,,,i have 8 grouse breasts specifically put aside for smoking,,on the bone,,,(5 ruffed,,3 blue),,,,,,gonna try 2 rabbit this year,,,never tried smoking rabbit before,,should be interesting
Interesting, did you happen to find in your studies on smoking rabbit a certain temp you have to get it to in order to be safe??

[tigrr]

This post is the one time I wish I lived back in Ucluelet. Poof gone. Back in Horsefly.
Thanks Nog.

[Sportster]

We used to smoke quite a lot of salmon some years back, nothing on the scale that Nog does. We used the big chief and little chief smokers with great success. The trick is to keep them in the boxes you bought them in and cut a door in the top or front depending on the model. Makes a big difference in the performance of the unit and the outcome of your product. That being said I do have a couple of nice big venison roasts sitting in a brine for corned venison. Should be ready by the 25th. Can't wait.

[IronNoggin]

With the RH being basically 100%, it took three days for the strips to dry properly. Thankfully the temperatures stayed low!

https://i.imgur.com/IZ8qrvD.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/e4Cpb7e.jpg

The squirter bottle in the upper left of that first picture is loaded with 50% Maple Syrup, and 50% Black Rum. The Glaze.

Applied:

https://i.imgur.com/TNdwfap.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/F1yWQVM.jpg

Should set up quite nicely overnight, then into the smoker for a spell.
Next load thawing out for Choppy Whacky tomorrow...

And on it goes...
Nog

[IronNoggin]

While that first run of Candy was smoking, I set to getting the next batch ready:


https://i.imgur.com/lUpZDFj.jpg


Takes hours to do, but by the end of that shift Round Two managed a successful splash down:


https://i.imgur.com/YEOXJeg.jpg


No sooner finished that when the run in the smoker suggested it was time. So out of the big box and on top of a house freezer overnight:


https://i.imgur.com/YWj8hK0.jpg


You can sort of see that they indeed are translucent and very much like the Gummy Bear product they got their name from.


A better boo:


https://i.imgur.com/0I56efH.jpg


https://i.imgur.com/5BCFDKT.jpg


Both The Lady & I concur - another super fine product!

Makes it all worth the effort!


Today is bag and tag day, then prep the screens for their next go.


Be nice to have a day "off" tomorrow!!



Cheers,
Nog

[IronNoggin]

https://i.imgur.com/zcUITZe.jpg

[IronNoggin]

The next batch has sunk into the brine

https://i.imgur.com/a20gYh2.jpg

Time to get them arranged on the screens for drying...

Nog

[IronNoggin]

Round two Racked & under the fans:


https://i.imgur.com/bb7A00Y.jpg

[IronNoggin]

Freezers guarded 24/7 by wolf hybrids and a redneck couple who own lots of toys :)

Wrapped up the smoking of this lot yesterday. Sat overnight on the house freezers to do their thing:

https://i.imgur.com/viM6lms.jpg

Vacuum sealing took around 4 hours this go. Bit of effort, but worth it IMHO:

https://i.imgur.com/SYzbytv.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/aowgBxS.jpg

Another whole tote full of Yummyness now sits overnight before jumping into the cold box:

https://i.imgur.com/i1WjlpE.jpg

And that's a wrap for salmon. Taking a day or two off, then onto a massive double run of Cold Smoked Tuna...

And on it goes...
Nog

[IronNoggin]

The couple days down were refreshing, but recognizing the mountain of work still staring me down, I decided it was time to get back in the saddle...

After doing a piece count I recognized I'll have to do two runs of this product, as there is no way it could all fit in my smoker despite the latter's rather generous size. That being the case I went with four loins per screen, and loading only eight of the ten screens per run. Makes for an even amount both runs.

Thawing tuna lions:

https://i.imgur.com/GZEYNyP.jpg

Chopping and initiating the dry brine component:

https://i.imgur.com/Qrh8vFF.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/4iPcXOU.jpg

Capping with the dry brine mix:

https://i.imgur.com/v0gW7gw.jpg

And a couple hours later with four totes loaded to sit overnight:

https://i.imgur.com/YgxoUiF.jpg

I thought it might a tad longer than the usual 24 hours for this part of the process due to overnight temperatures hovering at basically zero. But when I checked them this morning, it appears they are well on their way. Means a quick scramble to get ready for the next stage later this afternoon - the wet brine component.

Stay tuned, more to come soon...

Cheers,
Nog

[IronNoggin]

After 24 hours the dry brine has well penetrated the loins, and largely turned into liquid:

https://i.imgur.com/u8AEJ5Z.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/7sfkpmz.jpg

The loins themselves have darkened considerably in this process:

https://i.imgur.com/WBPQHdG.jpg

Continued...

[IronNoggin]

The next step is the Wet Brine process. You need to create a super saturated salt brine for this. Easiest way to determine that you have reached that is to drop a raw egg into the brine. If it floats, you are good to go. If not, stir in another 1/2 cup of coarse salt and try again:

https://i.imgur.com/7ELsTk6.jpg

Then toss in the loins - note there is no need to rinse them from the previous brine:

https://i.imgur.com/Jurxxky.jpg

In the past this is the wet brine we've used with success. Never did add anything else as I always thought that any other additives would be washed away in the upcoming desalination process. but, after a few good reports from buddies, I am trying a modified wet brine with a small amount of product this time. This brine includes both maple syrup and demerara sugar:

https://i.imgur.com/gNG9qd8.jpg

It will be interesting to taste test the two types and see if this makes any real difference in the long run.

The four totes now sit over night. Good thing our overnight temperatures are hovering between zero and two degrees!

https://i.imgur.com/3ekqBpT.jpg

Checked them this morning, and they will be ready for the desalination process and racking later this afternoon.

And on it goes...
Nog

[IronNoggin]

So, after around 20 hours or so, the tuna is now ready to get the salt removed (called Freshening or Desalinating).

The coolers are set up such that a gentle flow of fresh water goes into each, and leaves via the drain and overflow from the top:

https://i.imgur.com/IDM4leD.jpg

Then the loins are carefully submerged in that:

https://i.imgur.com/LFBO8Zc.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/PAC5SOv.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/kYbOFD1.jpg

This step is extremely fussy but critical.
Too short a time in the fresh water and they will be so salty no-one will eat them. Too long, and they become a wet rag and are ruined. Have to stay right on top of the progress:

https://i.imgur.com/Pz5aEy7.jpg

...

[IronNoggin]

This lot took just over two hours. At that point they look decidedly unattractive and washed out:

https://i.imgur.com/sdANZ66.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/CtUhvc9.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/HsJzRq1.jpg

What you are looking for is just so firm, on the edge of being soft, and not too damn pretty:

https://i.imgur.com/h4Q2mUU.jpg

Must be able to easily slice it very thinly, and little to no salt taste:

https://i.imgur.com/XJKeXSD.jpg

...

[IronNoggin]

As expected, the experiment batch stayed a darker color than the rest, but consistency is the same. Shows better just how thin it should slice:

https://i.imgur.com/OPUhUwA.jpg

Then it's off to the racks to dry, and soak up the rum & maple glaze to bring the color back and introduce more flavor:

https://i.imgur.com/JMbmmvd.jpg

Already checked & glazed early this morning but I forgot to take a picture.
They are both drying and darkening right on schedule.

And on it goes...

[IronNoggin]

A day to dry, then two days of glazing.
Here's a picture I took last night when applying the last shot of glaze:

https://i.imgur.com/qC8laNg.jpg

You can easily see how much they have darkened and firmed up as they absorbed the glaze:

https://i.imgur.com/66j3inr.jpg

I'll try to remember to take one more shot before they come out from under the fans.

Smoker is now preheating, and shortly to engage...

And on it goes...
Nog

[IronNoggin]

Oops! Belay that last. The fat side of the loins is still not quite dry enough.
So, smoking will commence tomorrow.
No more glaze required, just a tad more drying time.
Smoker cooling down... For now...



Nog

[Ride Red]

Damn Nog, your pics always make me hungry :)

[IronNoggin]

Damn Nog, your pics always make me hungry :)

Wait until you get a boo of this finished product!! :lol:

Cheers!

[Ride Red]

Wait until you get a boo of this finished product!! :lol:

Cheers!

We need a scratch and sniff button on this site :)

[IronNoggin]

We need a scratch and sniff button on this site :)

Only (and I Mean ONLY) if restricted to this section alone! Obvious reasons... :lol:

[IronNoggin]

Upon inspection this morning the tuna proved to be quite dry to the touch, considerably darkened, and ready for the next stage:

https://i.imgur.com/1wmgInX.jpg

You can see the experimental batch darkened even better then the rest:

https://i.imgur.com/2t1RoSb.jpg

Another comparison:

https://i.imgur.com/MUc4cXf.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/kiWnejt.jpg

And so into the big box to smoke for a handful of hours...

https://i.imgur.com/BH54xNk.jpg

Already the neighborhood smells like a fine mix of rum, maple and apple + alder smoke!

And on it goes...
Nog

[IronNoggin]

https://i.imgur.com/Lj976j5.jpg

[IronNoggin]

Taste Test Time:

https://i.imgur.com/RzxPVGq.jpg



https://i.imgur.com/5pH3jqQ.jpg



Houston, we have another WINNER!! http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/images/smilies/sHa_shakeshout.gif

Pulling the lot off the smoke now.
Sits overnight, then vacuum sealed (or eaten).
Already better than half a loin gonzo! LOL!

Cheers,
Nog

[IronNoggin]

And on the eighth day, he said That's a Wrap for Round One on the Tuna:

https://i.imgur.com/HNxxhxO.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/9Xr3EbF.jpg

Round Two starts tomorrow...

Don't see a whole lot of point to rehashing the process with this next run. But stay tuned... I'll start up another thread once we get to Sausage Time...

Cheers,
Not

[IronNoggin]

May have posted this here already (likely) but thought I'd run the both versions of the recipe in this thread. Will make it easier to find next winter...


There are basically two versions, one which incorporates sugar in the wet brine, and one which doesn't.
I'll post them both for any who wish to try.
That said, after the last experiment, I am leaning towards the recipe that does include it...


Cold Smoked Tuna


Slowly thaw the desired amount of whole tuna loins. Once thawed, make up a DRY Brine of 2 parts Demerara Sugar to 1 part non-iodine (coarse or pickling) Salt. Put enough of this in a plastic container to cover the bottom of it.

Place the tuna loins on top of that. And cover well with the balance of the brine mix.

Now let sit for at least 24 hours in the fridge (If you don't have room in your fridge, keep cool by whatever means). After that period the tuna will have "leaked" a fair amount of juice (moisture) and the brine will pretty much dissolve.

At this point the tuna will have darkened substantially in response to the dry brining process.

It is not necessary to rinse the loins, as they now go onto the next stage - the Wet Brine process. Yes, that is correct, two brines as apposed to a single one that we are all most familiar with. I chose to go this route due to the advice of some VERY serious lox producers who insisted this was the "preferred" method to ensure a great quality product.

Salt Saturated Wet Brine


Run enough cold water into your tub to cover the tuna. Add in a LOT of salt (in this case a little better than half a bag went into the brine). You want a "super saturated" solution, meaning that the brine can absorb no further salt, and there is salt settled out on the bottom of the container. Drop a raw egg into the brine to test. If it floats, good to go. If not add another 1/2 cup of salt and try again.
Then add the tuna loins. Let sit in the fridge or a cool place for another 24 hour minimum period.

Following that the loins will lighten considerably.
Remove from the brine, and prepare for the next step


Alternative Salt & Sugar Wet Brine


Run sufficient water into your brine tub to well cover the tuna. Add in Demerara Sugar at 2 parts to one part Coarse Salt, then add just a hint more salt. Conduct the egg test to ensure saturation levels. Toss in the loins & keep cold while it sits for the next 24 hours.
Remove from brine and ready for Freshening.


Freshening or Desalination Process

This next step is CRITICAL and very finicky!

This is termed "Freshening" in which the salt is slowly removed from the tuna.
Place the loins in another container and run cold water into that, allowing the water to run over the sides carrying away the salt with it:

You MUST keep a VERY sharp eye on this process! If you don't allow sufficient time for the desalination to occur, the tuna will be overly salty, and no-one will want to consume it! On the other hand should you leave the loins in for too long, they will turn into a wet soggy mess and be ruined - non-recoverable error!


Check the tuna over the freshening period. What you want to see is the ability to slice the loin VERY thinly, and little to no salt taste.
Once done to your satisfaction, drain the water and ready for the next stage.


Drying & Glazing

The Glaze is a mix of full bodied Black Rum, maple syrup and brown (Demerara again) sugar. I used quite a large amount of rum, as I like the taste it instills. For this run the ratios were 3 Parts Rum to 1 part Maple Syrup. Then I added in 1/2 bag of the sugar. The sugar will settle out, so to combat that and mix it well, heat (GENTLY) just until the sugar dissolves. DO NOT OVERHEAT!


Alternatively you can go with a straight mix of 50% Black Rum & 50% Maple Syrup. Easier, just not quite as complex a flavor.


WELL oil one of your smoking grills, and place the tuna loins on that. It is best to ensure air flow both above and below the surface to the grill. You can now apply the glaze either by brushing on, or as I did with a squirter bottle.

This is a somewhat messy process, so make sure you cover the surrounding area with some type of protection. The glaze is very sticky!

Set up a fan so the air rushes over all sides of the lions:

Over the course of the next few hours the tuna will absorb the glaze. Add more glaze as it does so. You can choose to keep the surface of the loins moist through this, or allow the glaze to soak in and become dry to the touch between applications. Doesn't appear to make much difference except that keeping them moist will allow for better penetration. The drying process will vary, in this case they ran under the fan (with a lot of glaze sprayed on continuously) for over 24 hours (at 3 - 4 degrees C). At the end of that time allow a "patina" to form with the glaze. You must stop adding the glaze to induce this, and it will likely take several hours or so before it dries enough to form the patina


Smoking


The final step of course is the actual smoking. Regardless of how you do it, the internal temperature of your smoker should NEVER reach more than 70 degrees F - and cooler is indeed better.

Again, the temperature is CRITICAL! Do not overheat the loins, or they will dry out and be ruined!


I generally smoke them for around 5 hours, then pull a loin to test. Slice thinly and try the second or third slice in. That will tell you if you need more smoke or not. My general rule has become ~ 6 hours in the Cold Smoke all told to finish.


Remove from the smoker and allow to sit for a couple hours.


Then either vacuum seal or ENJOY!


Cheer,
Nog

[IronNoggin]

Last Load of Tuna for 2021 made the journey home safely:


https://i.imgur.com/o3OrWJK.jpg


And has now been in the cold smoke (and cold it is at all of one degree!) for a couple hours now...
Looking like it may well be the Best run yet...


Cheers,
Nog

[IronNoggin]

Yesterday brought the fish smoking sessions to a wrap:

https://i.imgur.com/UamlbUe.jpg

Another tote of Yummyness headed into cold storage (sans a few for the fridge and a buddy or two).

It did indeed turn out to be one of the very best runs I've ever done:

https://i.imgur.com/GXYUNPq.jpg

The flavors are complex, yet blend together in a very velvety way with a nice buttery finish. Man I love this job! http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/images/smilies/sHa_shakeshout.gif

Couple days down now. After 5 weeks steady I need something of a break.
Then canning the trim from these tuna, and onto Sausage Time for another week or so...

And on it goes...
Nog

[IronNoggin]

Managing to stay busy these days...

Canned up the trim from the Tuna:

https://i.imgur.com/88LdUzo.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/JREHEvX.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/LJGIl2O.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/NJBiVV2.jpg

...

[IronNoggin]

Honey Garlic Pepps and a couple others (about 1/4 of that run here):

https://i.imgur.com/TAthAHb.jpg

Regular Pepps (again 1/4 of the batch):

https://i.imgur.com/ZBj5Go8.jpg

And Cheesy Smokies (1/8 of the batch):

https://i.imgur.com/xhJwoiQ.jpg

Taking a couple days off before launching into more sausages...

Cheers,
Nog