Hey folks! I've been lurking all over this forum for a while and since finally having space, excited to get smoking for the first time. But, I've run into some problems. Here's what's happened – perhaps you can triage?
I bought a frozen salmon fillet, just from the supermarket (it's a bit thin, but still salmon).
Washed it in cold water, patted it dry. Made a dry cure of 50% brown sugar : 50% sea salt flakes. Then lined a metal tray with parchment, put some cure (a thin layer on the bottom). Placed salmon in, skin side down. A light coating on top. there was cure all over, but it wasn't like a salt-igloo like I've seen in some videos.
I then put more parchment paper on top, and put on heavy-ish baking tray on top and left it in the fridge overnight - probably 8-9 hrs.
Took it out, washed it again, patted it dry again. Laid on a wire rack indoors in the cool-ish living room with a fan blowing over it. Now here's where I expected it to form a pellicle in 2-4 hrs. But, it's been 7, and nothing. Nada!
It's quite a thin piece of salmon, probably tail-end of a small fish, and it's pretty stiff, but no real pellicle. There are a few light spots of liquid, as if the lazy beast is breaking a light sweat, but not the glistening sticky wonder-gloss I've seen in the myths.
Haven't even gotten to the smoking stage.
Could somebody help triage this? Have I missed the pellicle boat, and is it my dry-brine, the timings or the fish that's likely to have done this.
Right now, I've got to go out for the evening so I've placed in the fridge and won't be able to look again until 6am. Is this poor fella screwed?
I bought a frozen salmon fillet, just from the supermarket (it's a bit thin, but still salmon).
Washed it in cold water, patted it dry. Made a dry cure of 50% brown sugar : 50% sea salt flakes. Then lined a metal tray with parchment, put some cure (a thin layer on the bottom). Placed salmon in, skin side down. A light coating on top. there was cure all over, but it wasn't like a salt-igloo like I've seen in some videos.
I then put more parchment paper on top, and put on heavy-ish baking tray on top and left it in the fridge overnight - probably 8-9 hrs.
Took it out, washed it again, patted it dry again. Laid on a wire rack indoors in the cool-ish living room with a fan blowing over it. Now here's where I expected it to form a pellicle in 2-4 hrs. But, it's been 7, and nothing. Nada!
It's quite a thin piece of salmon, probably tail-end of a small fish, and it's pretty stiff, but no real pellicle. There are a few light spots of liquid, as if the lazy beast is breaking a light sweat, but not the glistening sticky wonder-gloss I've seen in the myths.
Haven't even gotten to the smoking stage.
Could somebody help triage this? Have I missed the pellicle boat, and is it my dry-brine, the timings or the fish that's likely to have done this.
Right now, I've got to go out for the evening so I've placed in the fridge and won't be able to look again until 6am. Is this poor fella screwed?
