Why would my smoked salmon taste like that?

droptine · Aug 27, 2008

Ok brined over night , salt, sugar,pepper that's it.
Smoked at 225 for 2Â½ hours until flaky, pulled out and let sit for untilnext day in the fridge. Deep smoke taste But it has a slightly sour taste.
I am sure they were handled properly, temperature wise. I used maple to smoke.
Any reason why it would have that sour taste??

richtee · Aug 27, 2008

First off...stop into the Roll Call Forum and give us an intro post....smoker type, experience, location..all info that better helps us answer questions more accurately.

Now..from the hip-- sour or metallic-like? What kind of salt?

richoso1 · Aug 27, 2008

I know you probably gave it a whiff before you prepped the salmon, but did you cover the salmon when it was returned to the fridge? As a general rule, most fish will not taste the same once they are chilled. You mentioned deep smoke taste, is it possible you used too much smoke, or the smoker didn't have enough exhaust, causing smoke to linger?

pitrow · Aug 27, 2008

like richtee said, what kind of salt? Iodonized could give an off taste, also if you used rock salt, that could contain impurities that could impact taste.

I suppose it's also possible that you have a bad piece of salmon to start with.

jminion · Aug 27, 2008

Did you use iodized salt or was the fish foiled?
What kind of a container was it in while in refrigerator?

werdwolf · Aug 27, 2008

All the questions everyone else asked, the overnight brine seems a little long to me. Just brine my fish couple hours.
The dark part down the center is very fatty and can hold a lot of impurities, did you remove this?

douglaslizard · Aug 27, 2008

my bet would be that the if the fish was foiled then that is the culprit other than that the type of salt is also a suspect

waysideranch · Aug 27, 2008

I never found salmon to need a brine. IMO. Sounds like a mystery. If your going to brine do it for a few hours, smoke it and then eat it on the spot.

droptine · Aug 29, 2008

Cookshack, experience beginner, canning salt, sour.
Yes I did cover it up while brining, in a stainlesss steel pot. It was not foiled while smoking. I cannot control amount of smoke, it's an electric smoker, set a few blocks of damp wood and let it smoke at 225 for 2Â½ hours.

chef_boy812 · Aug 29, 2008

first off welcom aboard, you found a great place.
great group of folks, all of them trying to help.

I have one more scenario, not touched on yet. How quickly did you cool it down after the smoke. and what was the concintration of salt you used. if it was too low to facilitate an overnigt brine, you may still have bacteria concerns.

keep any more details you think of coming, there is litterally 1000's of years of combined experience. we get it fingered out.

richtee · Aug 29, 2008

Jeeez... Other than a bad batch of fish... I'm baffled..

fishawn · Aug 29, 2008

What kind of salmon was it? (King, Coho, Chum, Atlantic, etc?)...When I was a kid my first attempt at smoking fish was a Chum....I had my fisherman neighbor try it.....he asked what it was, I said salmon, he said WHAT KIND of salmon?...I said salmon salmon. He identified it as a Chum & told me you can't make ice cream outta sh!t son. I have never smoked another Chum.......Also I have never used Maple for fish, could that be the culprit?......In the Northwest Alder is King for fish.

droptine · Aug 30, 2008

It went directly into the fridge after smokin, Coho it was. Ate some did not get sick at all except for that mild sour taste. Is it possible I had too much smoke (wood) . How do you calculate how much wood/smoke you need??? I do not think my salt concentration was too low. I use the same concentration as for my chicken brine. If anything it'a a bit salty to my taste

davenh · Aug 30, 2008

After 2.5 hrs on a thinner fillet it might have dried out pretty good. Even more so sitting until the next day. To me, salmon taste lousy once it gets dry.

I buy the thickest pieces I can, no brine, I season with herbs, evoo and rub on some brown sugar. I wouldn't cook more than two hrs on real thick fillets. If the fillets are thinner I go 1.5 hrs. Give it another try

.

tasunkawitko · Aug 30, 2008

everyone has covered the ideas that i ahd - i have a buddy in michigan who uses a dry brine and he says that it works very well. i haven't been able to try it yet myself.

here's the link:

http://www.baitshopboyz.com/forum/fo....asp?TID=14638

jminion · Aug 30, 2008

If your interested dry cure recipe here is one my partner and I have been doing for a longtime..It's called Cardogs Salmon was featured in Sunset and Chili Pepper Mag and filmed for BBQ America...

[font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]Dry Rub[/font] [font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]1 cup light brown sugar, packed[/font]
[font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]1 cup non-iodized table salt[/font]
[font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]3 TBSP granulated garlic[/font]
[font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]3 TBSP granulated onion[/font] [font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]1 TBSP dried dill weed[/font]
[font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]1 TBSP dried savory[/font]
[font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]2 tsp dried tarragon[/font][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Turbinado sugar may be substituted for brown sugar. To substitute garlic salt and onion salt, reduce table salt to 1/2 cup and double garlic salt and onion salt to 6 TBSP.[/font][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]Finishing Rub[/font] [font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed[/font]
[font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]1 TBSP granulated garlic[/font]
[font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]1 TBSP granulated onion[/font] [font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]1 tsp dried savory[/font]
[font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]1 tsp dried tarragon[/font][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Turbinado sugar may be substituted for brown sugar.[/font]

[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]Buy a fresh[/font], 3-pound[/font][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial] salmon fil[/font]l[/font][font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]et, [/font]preferably S[/font][font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]ockeye or [/font]K[/font][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]ing. [/font]Remove the pin bones [font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]using tweezers or needle nose pliers. Do not remove the skin. Place [/font]skin-side down [/font][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]in a glass or stainless steel pan[/font].[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]P[/font][font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]ack [/font]the dry rub [/font][font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]on the flesh side of the fi[/font]l[/font][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]let[/font][/font][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica], [/font][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]ap[/font]p[/font][font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]rox[/font]imately[/font][font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica] 1/4" thick. Let the fil[/font]l[/font][font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]et rest in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours (the longer you leave the rub on[/font],[/font][font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica] the stronger the salt flavor). Rinse the fil[/font]l[/font][font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]et in cool[/font],[/font][font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica] clean water to remove the dry rub[/font], then[/font][font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica] pat dry. Allow to dry for about 30 minutes, until the flesh becomes tacky[/font].[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]Heat a [/font]barbecue [font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]grill to medium to medium-high. Sprinkle finishing rub on the [/font][/font][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]fillet[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial] (twice what you would use as if you were heavy salt and peppering). Cook with the lid closed to[/font][/font][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica] an internal temp of[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial] 140[/font][/font][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]-[/font][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]155[/font]°[/font][font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica] (your preference) measured in the center of the thickest part [/font]of the [/font][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]fil[/font]l[/font][font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]et[/font].[/font]
[font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]We recommend using [/font][/font][font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]wood to produce smoke while cooking. On a charcoal grill, just sprinkle a few wood chips on the coals. On a gas grill, place wood chips in a pouch made of aluminum foil. Poke holes in the top of the pouch and place it on the hottest spot under the grill. Alder is our wood of choice, but fruitwoods are a wonderful substitute[/font].[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]You can also smoke it [/font]at [/font][font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]lower temps[/font] of[/font][font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica] 225[/font]-[/font][font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]250[/font]°; [/font][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]this allows for more smoke on t[/font]he fillets.[/font]

fanciesmom · Aug 30, 2008

That brine sounds delicious. Thank you for sharing that - printed and will be copied to Mastercook this afternoon. May just have to go get some salmon!

Why would my smoked salmon taste like that?

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