More fish to smoke

[cmayna]

Wife and I just got back from a wonderful fishing trip in Eureka, Calif. Came in with limits of Rock Cod, Monster Ling Cod and a very nice Halibut. I need bigger freezers!!

 

[dannylang]

Nice

 

[pushok2018]

Wow! Great catch and I am jealous... I would take a couple of days off of my work and would spend that extra time to brine/smoke those beauties!!! BTW, cold smoked halibut is my favorite... Never smoked Rock Cod though.... Should be good as well. Let us know when you are done with smoking!

 

[kit s]

Wife and I just got back from a wonderful fishing trip in Eureka, Calif. Came in with limits of Rock Cod, Monster Ling Cod and a very nice Halibut. I need bigger freezers!!

Oh wow...lucky guy...not only lings but halibut....about $200 worth of fish there and gotta say the best tasting too...smoked grilled or fried.

 

[cmayna]

Thanks all for the replies. pushok2018, I'd love to consider cold smoking some of the Halibut. Any recipes you might suggest......

Craig

 

[kit s]

Thanks all for the replies. pushok2018, I'd love to consider cold smoking some of the Halibut. Any recipes you might suggest......

Craig

Not sure if one can cold smoke fish...i usually brine for 4 to 6 hours smoke cook at 180f for 3 to 4 hours..check and if done pull them out and taste some the rfer to cool...my brine is simple brown sugar salt 2% solution each...pull quick rinse pat dry and smoke. If you wanted it more candied add more brown sugar...almost like salmon, but it is a more delicate fish.

 

[jcam222]

WOW what a catch!!

 

[cmayna]

Yeah, my definition of cold smoking is just that. No heat at all to the product. Just like when I smoke butter, cheese, etc.

Nevertheless, I'd love to find a good smoked Halibut recipe. What I've done so far with Halibut has ended up with a way too dry of item.

 

[S-met]

Rock cod are notoriously wormy. Usually needs a good deep freeze to kill the parasites. I clean and vac-seal them then mix ice and dry ice to flash-freeze. Kills the Little red roundworms. Common in almost all fatty seafood, especially cod, salmon and rockfish.
Completely harmless with minor precautions. Not posting pics here unless requested, but below is an article that may set you at ease. Readers digest: freeze below -4 and/or cook to 140.
https://www.seafoodhealthfacts.org/...and-consumers/seafood-safety-topics/parasites

 

[pushok2018]

Craig,
I am sorry I could not respond more promptly.
There are many good recipes on how to cold smoke fish (salmon, for example) on this forum. Personally, I went through and tried many of them. Particularly, I was interested in the “wet” brine vs. “dry” brine. I came to the conclusion that I prefer dry brine better then wet brine. This does not mean that one is better over another – this is just my personal preferences. Mostly, I smoke salmon. Sometimes I smoke mackerel and rarely carp. Just couple of times I smoked halibut. Halibut is way too expletive for me at $17 per pound and I can’t afford to smoke it more often.
When I smoke salmon (and we are talking about cold smoke) I use this, very simple dry brine recipe: 1 part of salt + 1 part of sugar. Depending on fish weight, I add 0.25% of cure 1. Mix all together. Thinly cover bottom of plastic, food grade container with this mixture, lay the fish on it and cover fish with the mixture completely. If there are more fish left for smoking – you can place it on top of first layer and cover it with more mixture. Cover the container with plastic wrap or whatever is appropriate for this and - in the fridge. I remember that I cured my salmon for 24 hours and this was my first try with dry cure. Usually I apply cold smoke for 5-6 hours but depending on thickness of your fish you can smoke it for days. After I finished smoking and tested the fish – it was under salted! I could not believe it… Next time I cured salmon for 40 hours in the fridge, soaked it in ice cold water in the fridge for 90 min changing water three times – to remove extra salt from the surface of the fish. When I tried it after the smoke was completed – it was a little over salted. I was disappointed but decided to vac pack my fish. I don’t like when fish starts drying out so I vac packing salmon right after smoke is completed and - in the fridge (not freezer) for two days. When I tried my salmon in two days – it was perfect. Just right amount of saltiness… This is lox like kind of salmon.
Now about halibut: this fish has more delicate texture and IMHO and needs to be wet brined for no longer than 10 hours if thickness of your fish no more then 1”. You should add some extra time if your halibut is thicker then 1”.
Brine is pretty simple: Also, please don’t forget to soak you fish in ice cold water for at least 30 min, changing water once. I already mentioned the smoking time above…
Once again, this is my way how to brine/cold smoke a fish mostly based on knowledge I got from more experienced members of this forum and some information from Mr. Google. Some people have different approach to cold smoking fish and may share their knowledge here.
Thank you.

 

[cmayna]

pushok2018 and others, thanks for the replies. I agree that it seems Halibut might be best with a wet brine. Will need to study this further.

 

[drdon]

Great catches! Love fishing like that, but I get seasick in a bathtub. Went out about 3 years ago from Vancouver. Couldn't stop catching fish.....couldn't stop chumming them either.
Don

 

[kit s]

Great catches! Love fishing like that, but I get seasick in a bathtub. Went out about 3 years ago from Vancouver. Couldn't stop catching fish.....couldn't stop chumming them either.
Don

Well guess all that chumming was working...lol. All I know is that I moved up wind from the chummers...the over spray and all.

 

[Winterrider]

Nice haul Craig...