Newsgroups: rec.food.preserving,rec.food.cooking Path: wln.com!calliope.wln.com!news.uoregon.edu!news.sprintlink.net!howland.reston.ans.net!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!sdd.hp.com!hp-pcd!hpcvsnz!news From: doug_smart@hp-corvallis.om.hp.com (doug smart) Subject: Re: need help with smoking a fish Sender: news@hpcvsnz.cv.hp.com (News ) Message-ID: Date: Fri, 29 Sep 1995 15:22:17 GMT References: <449414$9ve@usenet.srv.cis.pitt.edu> Nntp-Posting-Host: protowk2.cv.hp.com Organization: InkJet Business Unit (IJBU) X-Newsreader: WinVN 0.90.6 Lines: 32 Xref: calliope.wln.com rec.food.preserving:1672 rec.food.cooking:68826 In article <449414$9ve@usenet.srv.cis.pitt.edu>, tylka@engrng.pitt.edu (FRED W. TYLKA) says: > >Hello everyone, I need some help on a recipe for smoking a fish in my -- snip! -- Fred, this isn't a recipe, but it is good information and does offer something on the strength of the brine: Pacific Northwest Cooperative Extension publication PNW 238 advises the following (somewhat paraphrased) for safety in smoking fish: - Fish must be heated to 160F internal temp and held there for at least 30 minutes during the smoking process. - Fish must be brined long enough to absorb adequate salt for preservation. A brine solution containing 1 part salt to 7 parts water by volume for 1 hour will usually suffice. - Oily fish such as salmon, steelhead, shad, and smelt take longer to absorb brine, but tend to absorb smoke faster. - Fish should be air dried before smoking for better smoke absorption and to minimize the chance of spoiling during smoking. - It is best to smoke at a low temp for 3-5 hours before elevating to the 160F cooking temp. This helps eliminate "curd" formation as juices boil out. To avoid spoilage during smoking, the magic 160F temp should be reached within 6-8 hours. - Commercial smoked products must meet an FDA requirement of at least 3 1/2% water phase salt after smoking. Since most home smokers cannot make that measurement, refrigeration is essential for safe storage of home-smoked fish. - Use only hardwoods for smoking. Maple, oak, alder, hickory, birch and fruit woods are recommended. DO NOT USE WOODS FROM CONIFERS. Have fun and good luck, doug smart doug_smart@hp-corvallis.om.hp.com