Smoking Tulibee

[stoneeyes317]

With all the talk about the tulibee bite on Mille Lacs I'm wondering if anyone would like to post some ideas on smoking them. I'm going up to ML the last weekend in Feb. and would like to have some idea what to do with any tulibee we might get.

Thanks,

eyes317

[hockeybc69]

I use this for salmon or tullibee.

6 cups water

2/3 cup sugar

½ cup packed brown sugar

½ cup pickling salt

1/3 cup soy sauce

2 clove garlic, crushed

1 TBS pepper

2 bay leaves crushed

2 lbs salmon, skin on

Combine ingredients and add filets. Brine up to 24 hrs.

Drain and discard brine. Rinse with water and pat dry. Air dry for 1 hr.

Set smoker for 200 degrees. Should take just a few hours to complete.

Smoke until internal temp in thickest part of meat is 170-175.

[Mnfisher]

Caught some today and had question about smoking. Do you leave them whole or fillet. If I leave them whole, do I smoke them longer? I suppose I need to be sure temp reaches 170F. Do you deslime them like northern in water and vinegar 1st?

[hockeybc69]

I fillet mine with skin on of course.

Never done any "de-sliming". Never heard of that to be honest.

[Mnfisher]

I've seen them in the store, whitefish anyway, smoked whole. Does anyone know anything about smoking them whole? Do you smoke them with the inside of the fish facing downward into the smoke? or maybe smoke them on the side then turn them half way through the process? Seems to me it would take longer to get them done if you smoked them whole. Thanks

[only ice]

Im going to LOTWs next week and would like to smoke a few also. I have never kepted any to smoke but would like to try it. A little more info about this would be nice? Will have to watch this form for awile.

[badknee]

i bring mine to pierz mn there is a meat locker there that has pretty fast turn around and good price,along with other goodies for the ice.

[Mnfisher]

I have my Tullie's in the brine using hockey's recipe with some modifications. (Nopepper or bay leaves and brown sugar instead of regular sugar) I butterflied 9 of the bigger ones but will smoke the smaller ones whole. I have a small smoker so plan on doing two batches tomorrow. Can't wait til they're done!

[only ice]

I have my Tullie's in the brine using hockey's recipe with some modifications. (Nopepper or bay leaves and brown sugar instead of regular sugar) I butterflied 9 of the bigger ones but will smoke the smaller ones whole. I have a small smoker so plan on doing two batches tomorrow. Can't wait til they're done!

How long,and at what temp?

[hockeybc69]

Per the recipe I posted above.

Drain and discard brine. Rinse with water and pat dry. Air dry for 1 hr.

Set smoker for 200 degrees. Should take just a few hours to complete.

Smoke until internal temp in thickest part of meat is 170-175.

[Xplorer]

For filleted tullies smoke skin side down. Marinate for 12 hours in a simple 30/70 canning salt/brown sugar mix (add flavors to taste ie apple juice, spices etc)

I use applewood sawdust to smoke, chips last longer but dont give off as much smoke. Monitor for how you like it done, softer for mixes (tully cracker dip) or longer for firmer pieces to put on crackers. I like to debone all smoked fish whenever serving to guests, some get upset at the smallest bone so I make sure to even take out all the 'pin" bones off the backbone for guests.

Smoked fish, its whats for dinner!!

[Mnfisher]

My smoked tullibee's were delicious!! I "butterflied" half of them (which would be the same as fileting them out, I suppose and smoked the rest whole. I think the butterflied ones turned out better so will go with that next time or filet them out. Fileting them out would elimate some of the bones (backbone) so that would be good though I suppose you lose a little meat. The butterflied had a more smokey taste which I liked. I like the idea of using some sawdust. I used chips and got a lot of smoke during the 1st batch but not as much during the 2nd batch for some reason. I am anxious to catch some more. After giving most away, I only have 1 left!!!

[stoneeyes317]

Thanks for all the replies everyone; keep them coming! And if anyone wants to post any other tullibee recipes please do so!

eyes317

[hockeybc69]

Glad you liked it MNFisher!

Filleting is the only way I do it.

[Mnfisher]

I had trouble with my 2nd batch of Tullibee's, so thought I'd mention it so others don't make the same mistake. They were mushy and inedible! I put them on a rack to dry in front of a fan (same as befoe), but didn't have them elevated hight enough so the air would circulate to dry the underneath (skin side). The skin side was damp but the tops were dry so I thought that would be good enough but evidently it wasn't. Be sure and dry any fish thoroughly. You need to get that "sheen" on top and dry the skin side too. The only other thing that I did differently was to scale them. Does anyone think that might have made a difference?