No Steelhead This Year!

[BandCollector]

With this pandemic and my fishing buddy battling rheumatoid arthritis, I was unable to fish for our Lake Erie steelhead this year--just wouldn't have been any fun without him.

Since today was forecast to be a cool day in Pittsburgh, I decided to smoke some Lake Sam's Club salmon.

Out of the dry brine after 24 hours.
Thanks to @daveomak for helping me with these proportions.
Dry cure per pound of fish:
29.3 grams of dark brown sugar
9.6 grams of kosher salt
.46 grams of black pepper
.92 grams of granulated garlic
1.5 grams of Cure #1

Rinsed, dried, and racked for two hours to form the pellicle. I used a computer fan to help things along.

Check out the finished product. Pretty nice pellicle, huh?

Into the Woodwind @ 160˚ for the first hour, then I increased the temperature 50˚ every 30 minutes until the internal temperature reached 145˚.

During the last 30 minutes, I brushed on a glaze of melted apricot jam.

These were delicious!

Thanks to all for viewing,

John

 

[JLeonard]

Looks mighty tasty!
Jim

 

[Jonok]

I would rather eat coho than any other salmon.
Great Lakes Candy!

 

[BandCollector]

@JLeonard @Jonok

Thanks for the likes. Very kind of you.

John

 

[D.W.]

That looks really good, I'm going to need to try out this recipe. Nice job!

 

[daspyknows]

Looks tasty. Need to smoke some salmon.

 

[thirdeye]

That looks really good. I would be interested in your curing time as I use a very similar dry cure, and have the same kind of fan. I like a 12 hour rest in the fridge before smoking.... but I'm always interested in comparing notes when I see a method similar to mine.

If you have not tried the steelhead from Sam's club, give it a whirl. I prefer it to their salmon. I smoke it and can it as well.

 

[BandCollector]

That looks really good. I would be interested in your curing time as I use a very similar dry cure, and have the same kind of fan. I like a 12 hour rest in the fridge before smoking.... but I'm always interested in comparing notes when I see a method similar to mine.

If you have not tried the steelhead from Sam's club, give it a whirl. I prefer it to their salmon. I smoke it and can it as well.

My curing time is 24 hours in the refrigerator. Two hours under the fan for pellicle formation. Smoke time is determined by how long the salmon IT reaches 145˚

I have looked at their steelhead and did give it a thought to try it.

John

 

[thirdeye]

My curing time is 24 hours in the refrigerator. Two hours under the fan for pellicle formation. Smoke time is determined by how long the salmon IT reaches 145˚

I have looked at their steelhead and did give it a thought to try it.

John

Thanks for that. I cure salmon fillets 6 to 8 hours depending on thickness, then progressively less for steelhead and trout. I like skin-on too. But your sugar-to-salt ratio is 3:1 and mine is 2:1, and I tend to go lower salt on most things I cure, bacon and ham included. I generally pull the tails from the curing pouches about an hour or 1-1/2 hours earlier and rinse since they are so much thinner. They reach temp in the smoker sooner, so get pulled earlier.

The advantages I see to the steelhead from Sam's is the consistent thickness, very good flavor and the fat ratio appears to be a little higher...... I think the smoked steelhead and canned steelhead are moister than their salmon. I do trim the belly when smoking, but add strips of belly to each jar when canning. On, and by the way if you like fried trout or trout meuniere, the steelhead is excellent for that.

 

[daveomak]

I'd eat it....

 

[BandCollector]

I'd eat it....

Thanks Dave. Appreciated your help!

And yes, your food safety posts could easily be featured on the carousel.

Take care my friend,

John

 

[BandCollector]

A Shout out and a big thanks to @chopsaw @daveomak @kruizer @thirdeye and @D.W. for the Likes!

Thanks guys really appreciate it,

John

 

[sandyut]

I think you nailed it!

 

[BandCollector]

I think you nailed it!

Yep, It was fun too!

John

 

[pc farmer]

Looks great. Stealhead at Sams. Gonna have to try it. I see it all the time there

 

[BandCollector]

Looks great. Stealhead at Sams. Gonna have to try it. I see it all the time there

Thanks. . .You won't be disappointed!

John

 

[pc farmer]

Thanks. . .You won't be disappointed!

John

I buy salmon there all the time.

 

[SmokinAl]

Fine looking salmon there John!
Al

 

[BandCollector]

Fine looking salmon there John!
Al

Thanks Al,

You were one of my inspirations with your famous Lox recipe! Which by the way I will need to try soon.

John

 

[Bearcarver]

Looks Awesome, John!!!
Nice Job!
Like.

Bear