Clear Jell After Smoking

[mosov]

Hi all.  I'm pretty much a "lurker," meaning I read a lot of your brilliant posts but don't do a lot of posts myself.

I'm a bit of a newbie with smoking, and I have a question:  After I smoke salmon, trout, etc., I refrigerate the outcomes.  After a few days or so, a clear jell accumulates in small pockets, mostly where the pieces of meat lay against each other.

Can anyone tell me what that is.  Right now, I just brush it off and eat away without any apparent harm.

But I'd sure like to know that stuff is and if there's a reasonable way to prevent it.

Ideas?

TG

 

[DanMcG]

I can't really say for sure, but if I had to guess that clear jell could be collagen the same thing they make Jello out of.

 

[pit 4 brains]

I get it on my bacon some times. Wipe it off and enjoy the food.

Collagen seems like a good guess..

 

[venture]

With fish, I am not sure.  With pork and beef?  With a good chile verde?  It is not fat.  It is wonderful collagen that will make your tummy happy and make you sleep with a smile.

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[SmokinAl]

I always thought it was dissolved fat.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Yep...Moisture + Collagen + Low and Slow Heat = Gelatin aka Jello.  Small Bone-in fish like Trout and Whitefish etc, will produce more gelatin because their bones are high in a collagen like protein...JJ

 

[alelover]

I boiled some veal bones once to make stock. Ended up with a pot full of veal jello.