Brining salmon and rainbow trout.

[tpc74]

So I need some help with my brine.

I plan on using this recipe for the brine:

½ gallon of water at room temperature

1 cups Kosher salt

½ cup brown sugar

1/6 cup lemon juice

1½ tsp garlic juice (or 1½ tsp garlic powder)

1½ tsp onion powder

1½ tsp allspice (it's best to sift this into the water to avoid clumping

1 teaspoons black pepper

This is the brine I’ve been using forever, credit to another here that I can’t recall the name of.

Anyways, the plan is to do the smoke Wednesday morning. However I’m going over to a buddy’s house Tuesday night and will set up there.

The question is, is it ok to brine on Tuesday night for the recommending time (1-2hours) and then maybe pull out and put in baggies still wet in fridge till morning? I would then do the pellicle thing at that point prior to smoking. I suppose I should rinse fish after it comes out of brine?

I’m trying to do as much as I can ahead of time. I’ve already mixed the first batch of brine but haven’t put fish in. I just plan on doing that tomorrow night, or i could bring the brine with me.

Thoughts? Usually it’s easy doing at home but the plan is to do it over there, which is kinda putting me out of my element.

 

[browneyesvictim]

Personally I always do an overnight (dry) brine or up to 48 hours, but since I haven't used this recipe I'm not so sure if it would "overbrine" or not make a difference. My gut says no. Otherwise I would get it in the brine on NOW (monday) and pull it out on Tuesday at your buddies, to start forming the pellicle and smoke Wednesday morning as planned.

 

[tpc74]

Do you think the brine will keep ok in the fridge for a night? If I don’t add the fish to it?

I’m dragging my trailer over there so I can safely add the fish to the brine tomorrow before I get the trailer and bring it with, and then I could pull it out and put in the trailer fridge for pellicle forming, because that takes awhile to get cold.

 

[browneyesvictim]

Sure. The brine will be fine. I don't think it will degrade or anything. Or you can always just put it in a cooler with some ice or ice bottles and not stress over your timing and transport issues.

 

[tpc74]

Sure. The brine will be fine. I don't think it will degrade or anything. Or you can always just put it in a cooler with some ice or ice bottles and not stress over your timing and transport issues.

This is true, I could pull out the cooler. Wasn’t planning on that, but it’s a better idea, even for transportation of the brine. If it leaks I can rinse out the cooler. If it leaks from the cooler, it leaks in the bed of truck, not the backseat!

I think that’s what I’ll do. I’ll premake the brine and bring it with, but I’ll add the fish to it later that night before bed.