Bradley Smoker Question

[ThinAir]

I'm going to be doing up some salmon here shortly...
What are your favourite bisquettes for fish?

Does it even matter? You guys feel it'll make a differance to the finished taste?

You won't hurt my feelings if you add your favorite recipe too!:)

[darrin6109]

alder is really nice with salmon.

[moosinaround]

Yup,alder is good!

[winchester284]

I've tried apple and mesquite but always come back to using Hickory for my smoked salmon.

[newhunterette]

I like to use maple or oak ... There is a really sweet app for bradley smokers gives great tips and recipes

[Peter Pepper]

alder is the classic smoked salmon flavour

[pnbrock]

fruit trees give a sharp flavour,hickory quite strong smoke alder is the perfect in between inmo.

[r106]

Apple, Alder or Maple in that order for me

[pnbrock]

little chief basic brine still my favourite.

[Sitkaspruce]

I mix it up sometimes, alder and cherry or apple, Crown Royal and apple is nice a nice mix. They have a new one out called Pacific Blend, it's nice as well. I have not had much luck with the strong woods like Mesquite.

Lots of recipes out there, but i like mixing a bag (2 lbs) of dememara sugar and a cup of pickling salt. Cut your fish into 4-5" x 1.5" strips and place the first layer skin down, then cover with the sugar salt mixture, next layer of fish skin up then cover and repeat until fish and mixture are gone, place in the fridge and after 12 or so hours you will have a slury mix. I like to remove the fish and mix the slurry until the salt/sugar is desolved. I also add my spices (garlic, italian, pepper etc) and my liquid (rum, rye, maple syrup etc.) skys the limit in what you want to add. Now place the fish back in again, ensuring all the fish is covered and place back in the fridge and let sit until you are ready to smoke (I have gone as long as 48 hours with good results, I know people who have gone 4 days). Now here is the trick, take your fish out and place on racks and air dry them (I use a small fan to speed up the process). Dry them until the get a sticky, tacky touch to them. After this is done place in the smoker and smoke for two hours or so, then cook them until the texture you like, usually another 3-5 hours depending on thickness of the fish etc. I like to stay around 150-175 to start then bump it up to 200 to finish, but again, this is basic guidelines.

Remember, what ever you do, write it down!!!! That way you can remember what you did and also have a baseline to start mixing things up.

I just did a batch and used orange rind, dark rum and maple sugar.....It my favorite so far!!!!

Good luck and what ever you, don't over cook it.

Cheers

SS

[ThinAir]

Thanks everyone. I can always count on HBC!

[goatdancer]

Be careful with mesquite. It is very strong.

[M.Dean]

I just did a smoker full of Trout for a buddy of mine in my Bradley, I used Cherry wood that I'd got from a member on here last fall, I cut the small pieces about a inch thick with a saw, split them and them put them right on top the burner. It took two small pieces of wood to do the entire batch, there was a gentle smoke the whole time, the Trout turned out great, not to much smoke, so no bitter taste you get from too much smoke, and if you use your Bradley lots like we do, way bloody cheaper than pucks my friend!!! And thanks again to the nice guy that had the wood on here for free,I had to clean out my message box cuz it was near the 200 mark, so I've lost everyone's names? My Son brought it up last fall when he came up hunting, and I'm real sure it'll last us for years to come!

[rred]

a gentle smoke the whole time, the Trout turned out great, not to much smoke, so no bitter taste you get from too much smoke

Amen to that... the first half dozen times i used my smoker i didn't have the top vent opened up all the way and everything from salmon/jerky/ribs all came out bitter.
Open the vent all the way, would be my only suggestion.

[Phoneguy]

My favorite salmon smoked is to put brown sugar on the meat, rock salt (non iodized) on the skin. Stack the filets meat to meat / Skin to skin and put it in the fridge overnight (minimum). Rinse all the salt off, and pat to dry. Put in the smoker at a low heat for about an hour to dry. 1:40 of smoke, and just heat after that. My wife does not like mesquite so I don't have any of that. Hickory, Alder, the blend are all good.

I like to have it finish off pretty dry like Indian candy / Jerky

James

[Sitkaspruce]

Amen to that... the first half dozen times i used my smoker i didn't have the top vent opened up all the way and everything from salmon/jerky/ribs all came out bitter.
Open the vent all the way, would be my only suggestion.

The bitter taste will come from not drying the fish/meat prior to smoking. The liquid will absorbe the smoke and will cause a bitter/hard taste. Make sure you dry your meat/fish prior to smoking. The vent is used to slow the smoke from rising too fast when you have a higher heat.....at least that is what i was told from the bradley forum.

Cheers

SS

[buck nash]

Another vote for alder.

I like to keep it simple for salmon. Brine in litre of water with half cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup salt overnight . Pat it dry and smoke at low temp for 4-6hrs

Done.

[newhunterette]

BRADLEY SMOKER APP (I have it on my iPhone)
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8265/8676634170_6f7b241275.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/94935762@N05/8676634170/)
IMG_0474 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/94935762@N05/8676634170/) by ioarana (http://www.flickr.com/people/94935762@N05/), on Flickr


BRINE IT
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8119/8676325222_9f9a7bec77.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/94935762@N05/8676325222/)
IMG_0793 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/94935762@N05/8676325222/) by ioarana (http://www.flickr.com/people/94935762@N05/), on Flickr


RACK IT - SMOKE IT - CANDY IT
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8387/8675219223_89847dcda7.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/94935762@N05/8675219223/)
IMG_0800 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/94935762@N05/8675219223/) by ioarana (http://www.flickr.com/people/94935762@N05/), on Flickr

REMOVE IT
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8546/8676325000_e1bf8c6f44.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/94935762@N05/8676325000/)
IMG_0797 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/94935762@N05/8676325000/) by ioarana (http://www.flickr.com/people/94935762@N05/), on Flickr

EAT IT
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8396/8675219063_7197712338.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/94935762@N05/8675219063/)
IMG_0802 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/94935762@N05/8675219063/) by ioarana (http://www.flickr.com/people/94935762@N05/), on Flickr

[ThinAir]

Wow that looks good! I've gotta get smoking!

[outdoorsk]

Damm Newhunterestte your making my mouth water. Looks awesome.

[goatdancer]

Hey Ali, what did you use for candying? Did you finish it in the oven? Temp, time? The last time I candied some I did it in the smoker and it left a horrible mess to clean.

[newhunterette]

Wow that looks good! I've gotta get smoking!
thanks...I have used my smoker so much, I wore out the door seal so had to call my Bradley rep and he gave me a new one........one day I think I need to upgrade my smoker, mine is ready for retirement


Damm Newhunterestte your making my mouth water. Looks awesome.
Oh if you like how my salmon looks, I should show ya my smoked turkey and my smoked ribs.........................oh okay My name is Ali and I am a Bradley Smoker addict


Hey Ali, what did you use for candying? Did you finish it in the oven? Temp, time? The last time I candied some I did it in the smoker and it left a horrible mess to clean.
gd......... I have a special mix I make for candying my salmon (very few are given the ingredients, but maple honey is a big part of it) and how much you baste your salmon. I preheat my smoker to get it to about 180-200F I do not finish in the oven..................I dont have a problem cleanin up the sticky mess in the smoker...nothing hotwater and suds can't handle or use a drip pan under your racks

[goatdancer]

thanks...I have used my smoker so much, I wore out the door seal so had to call my Bradley rep and he gave me a new one........one day I think I need to upgrade my smoker, mine is ready for retirement


Oh if you like how my salmon looks, I should show ya my smoked turkey and my smoked ribs.........................oh okay My name is Ali and I am a Bradley Smoker addict


gd......... I have a special mix I make for candying my salmon (very few are given the ingredients, but maple honey is a big part of it) and how much you baste your salmon. I preheat my smoker to get it to about 180-200F I do not finish in the oven..................I dont have a problem cleanin up the sticky mess in the smoker...nothing hotwater and suds can't handle or use a drip pan under your racks

I'm guessing that your solution is a liquid paste that is brushed on. I won't ask for your exact recipe. I know all good cooks guard their special processes. Thanks for the hint.

[newhunterette]

I'm guessing that your solution is a liquid paste that is brushed on. I won't ask for your exact recipe. I know all good cooks guard their special processes. Thanks for the hint.

Gd... I'd give you the exact recipe it's just I rarely use recipes.. I'm a little of this, little if that, pinch here, pinch there, and a dollop..... I have some salmon up and coming for the smoker, I'll try to estimate quantities I use...

[goatdancer]

Ali, you are a sweetheart.

[rred]

The bitter taste will come from not drying the fish/meat prior to smoking. The liquid will absorbe the smoke and will cause a bitter/hard taste. Make sure you dry your meat/fish prior to smoking. The vent is used to slow the smoke from rising too fast when you have a higher heat.....at least that is what i was told from the bradley forum.

Cheers

SS
Good to know, thanks

[Phoneguy]

remember that you do not want to use table salt, or iodized salt in any of your brine or cures. Gives the meat a metallic flavour. Non Iodized only. Can't find it? Look for Kosher salt, that is usually non iodized.

James