Colds smoked salmon questions / diagnosis

[efursten]

Hi all,
First time poster. This is probably discussed elsewhere but I can't find all the info, so I apologize if it is repetition.

I have a batch of cold smoked salmon, completed:

6lbs of fish (frozen sockeye),
2 lbs of 50/50 sugar/salt dry brine for 18 hours. It got very soupy/syrupy.
Rinse and set on racks for 24 hours for pellicle
Smoke for 12 hours.

Unfortunately, the smoke reached 100 degrees for an hour. The fish has unsual texture. Other times I have done this I get the typical dry skin / leathery exterior and creamy/slightly opaque interior. This batch is more opaque all the way through, with no skin on the exterior. It crumbles when slicing.

My questions are whether this is related to excess heat, or something to do with the cure/pellicle. Should I be concerned about safety?

Many thanks in advance,

Eric

 

[cmayna]

Eric,
Welcome to SMF. My first question is how and why did the temp reach 100 if this was a cold smoke operation? It would be nice to know your setup. What smoker? Doesn't sound like you used a seperate smoke generator or mailbox? Did you use pellets, chips or wood chunks?

 

[efursten]

Eric,
Welcome to SMF. My first question is how and why did the temp reach 100 if this was a cold smoke operation? It would be nice to know your setup. What smoker? Doesn't sound like you used a seperate smoke generator or mailbox? Did you use pellets, chips or wood chunks?

Hi, it is a Bradley smoker, with the main element unplugged. I did not separate the smoke generator from the smoker. It was a cold day, and on warmer days it has gotten up to 85, so I don’t know why it got so hot this time.
Thanks!

 

[cmayna]

Hi, it is a Bradley smoker, with the main element unplugged. I did not separate the smoke generator from the smoker. It was a cold day, and on warmer days it has gotten up to 85, so I don’t know why it got so hot this time.
Thanks!

Is the attached smoke generator electric powered? Is that what caused the temp to go up to 100 degrees?

 

[thirdeye]

Other times I have done this I get the typical dry skin / leathery exterior and creamy/slightly opaque interior. This batch is more opaque all the way through, with no skin on the exterior. It crumbles when slicing.

My questions are whether this is related to excess heat, or something to do with the cure/pellicle. Should I be concerned about safety?

You don't happen to have a photo to post do you?

I think it's heat related since you mentioned leathery and crumbly. My Nova lox is not leathery on the surface, and here is what it looks like:

My hot smoked salmon (150°-ish finish temp) does not have a leathery surface either.

 

[efursten]

Sorry for late reply.

Photo attached. It has lost all translucence, and crumbled when slicing.

Yes, the smoke generator is electric powered. I think the sun was also shining on the smoker, causing it to warmup despite cold weather.

 

[thirdeye]

Sorry for late reply. Photo attached. It has lost all translucence, and crumbled when slicing. Yes, the smoke generator is electric powered. I think the sun was also shining on the smoker, causing it to warmup despite cold weather.

Yep, I think the salmon got too warm.

 

[efursten]

Thanks. It still tasted good, although the cold smoke texture isnt there.

 

[tpc74]

You don't happen to have a photo to post do you?

I think it's heat related since you mentioned leathery and crumbly. My Nova lox is not leathery on the surface, and here is what it looks like:
View attachment 686083
View attachment 686084
View attachment 686085
My hot smoked salmon (150°-ish finish temp) does not have a leathery surface either.
View attachment 686086

How do you manage to keep the fat from leaking out? I believe its fat, white gooey substance. When Hot smoking I almost always have this issue.

 

[Culinary Otter]

How do you manage to keep the fat from leaking out? I believe its fat, white gooey substance. When Hot smoking I almost always have this issue.

Is it fat, or is it albumin? That's white and kind of slimy and will appear on salmon in hot smokes. If that's what you're getting it can be prevented by brining for 15 mins in salt water before smoking.

 

[thirdeye]

How do you manage to keep the fat from leaking out? I believe its fat, white gooey substance. When Hot smoking I almost always have this issue.

When the fish reaches about 120° internal, the fish will firm up and you sometimes see serum albumen, a protein that is part of the blood. It will set up and congeal just like the albumen in egg whites. Albumen rising to the surface is related to species, wild caught or farm raised, and to smoker temp.

To discourage the albumen rising to the surface, start smoking your fish around 140° (pit temp) for the first hour. Then try and keep your smoker temp around 170° for the next couple of hours of the cook. Then then ramp up the temp to 190° to 200° to get the fish to the finished temp you like. The intention is to cook the fish as well as smoke it. I can usually get the internal temp to 130° in around 2.5 hours, and if the outside temp is lower, I'll move the fish to my convection oven at 190° and keep a close eye on it.

You can blot the albumen with a paper towel when it's still liquid. If it sets up, it's harder to remove.

 

[tpc74]

When the fish reaches about 120° internal, the fish will firm up and you sometimes see serum albumen, a protein that is part of the blood. It will set up and congeal just like the albumen in egg whites. Albumen rising to the surface is related to species, wild caught or farm raised, and to smoker temp.

To discourage the albumen rising to the surface, start smoking your fish around 140° (pit temp) for the first hour. Then try and keep your smoker temp around 170° for the next couple of hours of the cook. Then then ramp up the temp to 190° to 200° to get the fish to the finished temp you like. The intention is to cook the fish as well as smoke it. I can usually get the internal temp to 130° in around 2.5 hours, and if the outside temp is lower, I'll move the fish to my convection oven at 190° and keep a close eye on it.

You can blot the albumen with a paper towel when it's still liquid. If it sets up, it's harder to remove.

Thank you! Blotting is what I usually do, I will try the lower temp increase the next time!

 

[tpc74]

Is it fat, or is it albumin? That's white and kind of slimy and will appear on salmon in hot smokes. If that's what you're getting it can be prevented by brining for 15 mins in salt water before smoking.

It must be the latter, as I always brine for a few hours prior, depending on the amounts. But I might be starting off too hot to begin with.

 

[cmayna]

I'm still stumped as to why the smoker temp reached 100 degrees if this was a cold smoke attempt. Even if the sunshine was hitting the smoker,,,,,,in January?

Since the smoke generator was/is electric powered, seems like there's a need to find a way to help prevent the heat from the generator from entering the smoker. Add more distance between the generator and the smoker?

 

[SmokinAl]

When I make lox I always use cure #1, just for safety reasons.
If the CC is getting too hot a couple of frozen ice jugs will keep it cool.
Al