Smoking Steelhead.

[lispeej]

What method do you guys like to use when smoking steelheads?

I bought a 7 lb'er from coastal seafood and want to see what folks like to do. I would prefer to do a dry brine. I'm not really into wet brining.

This would be my first time smoking a fish this size. I will brine it for about 12 hours. I will either steak it out or fillet it keeping skin on and then slow smoke @ about 170 degrees for 6-8 hours or so.

Any tips or suggestions would be great.

Thanks.

[Dark Cloud]

Here is ThirdEyes "dry brine", it is awesome and easy! Last fall I did a 6-7 lb steelie, turned out perfect...

http://www.hotspotoutdoors.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/2747407/1

[lispeej]

I am doing that now, as we speak.

Thanks a bunch!!

[suncruiser234]

That's too long and too hot! I will go at 120 for 1 hour, then 150 for 1 1/2 hours, then 175 for 1/2 hour. I only add a cup of Apple wood chips at the beginning and that's all.

[reinhard1]

i think it depends on the thickness of the fillet. i have used Third Eye's methods and so has my brother and he smokes thick lake trout and salmon fillets. everyone has methods that work for them, and when they work and one is satisfied that is all that matters. personaly i would go with Third Eye's reccommendations. good luck.

[lispeej]

If I remember to, I'll take a picture or two of the finished product. I added my own seasoning to the mix. I added some dried hot thai pepper flakes. I like my stuff hot and spicy.

[reinhard1]

so do i . it's all trial and error. but i feel comfortable with Third Eye's directions. i'll wait for your report. i like your choice of spices. good luck.

[lispeej]

It was late last night. I didn't get a chance to take a pictures.

I just wanted to get done with the cleaning and go to bed.

But, it turned out pretty good. I might've over cooked it a little bit. It was a bit soft (things kinda fell apart). It's kinda like when ribs fall off the bones. But the taste was unbelievably good. Just as I expected. Nice and spicy!! Next time, I'm going to probably smoke it at a higher temp for a little shorter time.

[reinhard1]

wont be long and you will get it down just the way you like it. i'm glad we got some great people on here to help us all out when we need it. good luck.

[lakeshoremunster]

sounds like too much moisture in the smoker

its just all trial and error, keeping a journal will help out tons when it comes to smoking

[thirdeye]

It was late last night. I didn't get a chance to take a pictures.

I just wanted to get done with the cleaning and go to bed.

But, it turned out pretty good. I might've over cooked it a little bit. It was a bit soft (things kinda fell apart). It's kinda like when ribs fall off the bones. But the taste was unbelievably good. Just as I expected. Nice and spicy!! Next time, I'm going to probably smoke it at a higher temp for a little shorter time.

Hmmm, I can't figure out why it would be soft, it sounds like you sampled it hot off the smoker? I generally hold mine in the fridge overnight before slicing, so maybe today it will have firmed up a bit, and the overnight rest allows the liquids to even out.

I have seen some fillets that were either not iced soon enough, or filleted while the fish was still in rigor, but it sounds like that is not the case here... your fillet was really fresh.

[lispeej]

I did sample it as soon as it cooled. I actually vacuum packed it the same night. Maybe I should've waited overnight before doing any sampling and packing. I haven't had any since I packed them.

Question: Thirdeye....

Did you de-scale your skin or did you leave the scales on?

I like to eat the skin, so I descale the skin.

It's all trial and error. Every smoker is different. I just have to get used to mine.

BTW: Thanks Thirdeye for the recipe.

[lispeej]

Another question:

Do you guys think if using a drip pan, it would affect the timing/temperature smoking of the meats? I use a drip pan

(9"x13" baking pan?) to catch any grease that may drip.

My smoker did not come with a drip pan, so I fabricated my own to fit. The only a drip pan that it did come with is the one that sits under/outside the smoker, and it catches drips through the drip hole.

[lakeshoremunster]

Another question:

Do you guys think if using a drip pan, it would affect the timing/temperature smoking of the meats? I use a drip pan

(9"x13" baking pan?) to catch any grease that may drip.

My smoker did not come with a drip pan, so I fabricated my own to fit. The only a drip pan that it did come with is the one that sits under/outside the smoker, and it catches drips through the drip hole.

you have a masterbuilt, correct?

If you do have one then there should be a drip pan on the bottom of the smoker, but it should not affect things in the smoker for you.

[lispeej]

Lakeshoremunster,

Yes. You are correct. I have a masterbuilt. But, in addition to my catch pan on the bottom that came with the unit, I added my own to one of the racks. I have 3 racks. Two of the top are for meat and the bottom rack is holding my drip pan/9x13 baking pan. I was trying to take a picture, but somehow it's not letting me put up pictures. I don't know why.

[thirdeye]

I did sample it as soon as it cooled. I actually vacuum packed it the same night. Maybe I should've waited overnight before doing any sampling and packing. I haven't had any since I packed them.

Question: Thirdeye....

Did you de-scale your skin or did you leave the scales on?

I like to eat the skin, so I descale the skin.

It's all trial and error. Every smoker is different. I just have to get used to mine.

BTW: Thanks Thirdeye for the recipe.

I remove the loose scales, just so they don't transfer to the flesh side. I don't see any harm in removing all the scales, the skin will still help hold moisture. Some folks will actually cut the skin off, then slice the bloodline, then re-attach the skin for smoking.

[suncruiser234]

Once you go above 180 degrees you are no longer smoking. You are now in the BBQ range. It was probably soft because you did not let it air dry long enough before you put it in the smoker.

[thirdeye]

That's too long and too hot! I will go at 120 for 1 hour, then 150 for 1 1/2 hours, then 175 for 1/2 hour. I only add a cup of Apple wood chips at the beginning and that's all.

Once you go above 180 degrees you are no longer smoking. You are now in the BBQ range. It was probably soft because you did not let it air dry long enough before you put it in the smoker.

It's good that you mentioned your smoker temps, I double checked the old link against my online version of this recipe and my smoker temps were off a hair in that old link. My recipe calls for smoker temps of 150* to 190*, which is mid to high ranges of "hot smoking". The smoking times still vary because I might have a load of salmon one time, and some trout the next.

You could be right about the air (or refrigerator) drying time and the soft texture, I've just never experienced soft fish. (unless it was not cared for properly, ie stringered). I've had some that was very moist, but that was because it was not smoked long enough (or to a higher internal temp).

I did ask the Moderators to edit that old link and correct the smoker temps. I'm curious if you only smoke your fish 3 hours, what thickness of fillets are you doing, and what is the internal temp when they come out of the smoker?

[lispeej]

My internal temp was about 180 and I smoked them for about 4 hours. My fillets were about 3/4 to an inch thick. I just had some today for lunch and it was excellent, but didn't look as firm as yours.

Next time I try this, I'm not going to use my home-made catch pan. I think that is altering my smoking time and temp. I had the catch pan sit directly under the racks in which the fillets sat on.

[thirdeye]

My internal temp was about 180 and I smoked them for about 4 hours. My fillets were about 3/4 to an inch thick. I just had some today for lunch and it was excellent, but didn't look as firm as yours.

Next time I try this, I'm not going to use my home-made catch pan. I think that is altering my smoking time and temp. I had the catch pan sit directly under the racks in which the fillets sat on.

180* is a little high for me unless I'm using some fish with a higher oil content. One of my buddies like them in the 170* to 180* range, and he also makes a salmon jerky that is dried longer prior to smoking.

The firmness in my pictures might be deceiving, It will flake just fine, but I do my slicing of the chilled (hot) smoked fish with a serrated knife most of the time. My finished fish is on the moist side.

Now, my cold smoked Nova lox gets a thin blade slicer or fillet knife so the slices can be really thin.

[reinhard1]

i've been looking over my old meat books and talked to some of my former fellow workers about temps on smoking fish and sausage. need i say there are different opinions . so if you go by the so called guidlines we went by in our running of the big commercial smoker where all you had to do is press buttons plus the temp was consistant because of circulating air [no hot spots] the temp for the term "hot smoking" was between 180 deg and 200 ". we didn't smoke fish so i can only go by sausage. that we ran at 220 until the product was 163 deg. with a cold shower following at the end.

i am not an expert at smoking fish for i was only doing this for the last few years. i think Third Eyes original temps are more what i use for fish. some of the guys i worked with go as high as 225 depending on the thickness of fillets and whole fish smoked and like Third Eye says about oily fish.

i dont see nothing wrong with the 150 to 175 temps. i just think it will just take longer that's all. the consensus seems to be an internal temp of 140 when you pull the fish. also the "drying" time after the rinsing of the brined fish is around 2 hours before putting in the smoker. now that may be different than other do as well.

it's a learning proccess and i'm still learning. it's what the final product turnes out to your liking that counts. i also am a fan of cherry wood for fish and chicken also. so that's my input in this. i also like to keep my fish overnight after they cooled down in the fridge covered and then eat or vacume pac them for the freezer. i dont smoke as many fish as you guys do, i'm more of a sausagehead realy. good luck.

[thirdeye]

One advantage (and this applies to all smoked meats) is that by starting off at a lower temp, your meat will take smoke easier and a little deeper.

However, sometimes when hot smoking fish in the summer I can't hold temps below 175 or 180, so I have to resort to different set-ups. Here is one of my buddies set-ups that works good in warm weather, and is especially good for cheeses.

[reinhard1]

that's awesome, where there is a will there is a way. thanks. good luck.