Smoked Tullibees

[otterman91105]

Just wondering if anyone has a good brine recipe that they use for these fish. Got ten last weekend and would like to smoke them. What wood do you smoke them with?

[WalleyeWarrior]

Jeff Sundin has a pretty good video showing how he smokes the tulibees that he catches. The video is on his HSOforum.

[Walleye Guy]

I use this brine and it always works very well.

3/4 cup canning salt

1 cup brown sugar

1/ cup soy sauce

1 TBSP garlic powder

1 cup apple juice

1 cup water

Mix in large plastic (not metal) bowl. Place fish in the bowl. Put glass plate on the fish to keep them submerged in the brine. Soak overnight in refrigerator.

Remove fish from brine. Some people rinse their fish after removing from the brine. I do not however. Personal choice. The fish will be slightly saltier without rinsing. The fish need to set up and air dry for at least 30 minutes after you take them out of the brine. The air drying forms a “pellicle” on the fish which helps the smoke stick to the fish so to speak.

[pikestabber]

Some people rinse their fish after removing from the brine. I do not however. Personal choice.

While I agree it's a personal choice, I'd recommend at least a quick rinse. Tullibees are naturally pretty slimy, so a quick rinse in cold water after taking them out of the brine will remove a bunch of the "goo" that forms when the salt has done its thing. Your salt is pretty much imbedded on the molecular level after being brined and not much will rinse out. My two cents...

I really like the look of your brine, though. I will have to try that.

[otterman91105]

Thanks guys cant wait to try them.

[otterman91105]

Going to smoke a couple of them tomorrow. Whats the best wood to use while smokeing them?

[Walleye Guy]

I like apple wood with tulibee. Cherry is pretty good too.

[minky]

I like to use a combo of apple and plum chips and saw dust.

[otterman91105]

I smoked them over the weekend. They turned out pretty good but i think next time i will smoke each filet seperate instead of the fish being whole. That way it would get more smoke.

[eyeguy 54]

here's my go to for tulees

guart water

1/2 cup non iodine salt

1/2 cup white sugar

brine 4 hours then I like to rinse, a bit longer if thick over 1/2 inch thick.

let them sit at room temp for one to 2 hours till they get tacky

I prefer fillets.

hickory chips in smoker and put at 150 for an hour

then I like to run it up to about 175 and I brush on a little maple syrup for the last 30 minutes or so. Great smokey and sweet.

[DrJuice1980]

First timer on the tullies. I filleted 12 pretty decent sizers last night a few pushing 20". The de-scaling of them was the biggest mess I have ever created cleaning fish and I am sure I will be picking up scales here and there for the next year. I had to stop after one so I ended up filleting them completely, no skin (which was a pain due to their tissue-paper skin). I have not smoked fish without skin before and I was wondering if anybody had pointers for smoking without skin. I really dont want to end up with a bunch of rubbery pieces.

Thank you.

Also cut a few of them up for pickling...

[Alagnak]

No reason to scale em if you are smoking unless you plan on eating the skin. Good luck.

[DrJuice1980]

Not about to "not scale" them due to the massive mess there would most likely be by having them become like glue from the brine.

[fivebucks]

Never had any scales become like glue on the hundreds+ of fish I smoked. I don't understand how the brine could do that. I have found the best way to smoke tullies is to hang them by the mouth. You can make a "S" hook with a hanger and for me 80% of them stay hung up. Just make sure you have something to catch the ones that drop.

[DrJuice1980]

No scaling? These aren't trout or salmon, those scales had some nice size to them. Do most guys not scale tullies?

There's no turning back now, I already filleted the skin off so..... Smoking with skin off question: Any do's and donts?

[JP Z]

I've never scaled tullies either when I've smoked them.....and I usually leave the skin on but that could just be me......I'm used to seeing them with skin on and the like at Morey's so I guess "monkey see, monkey do"

[eyeguy 54]

never have scaled and never have taken skin off so not sure. maybe get some grill buddies foil sheets? Probably need to spray with pam or something like that? If you can find them maybe just on tin foil. let us know how they turn out. pics too.

[eyeguy 54]

these have skin on

[pushbutton]

There's no turning back now, I already filleted the skin off so..... Smoking with skin off question: Any do's and donts?

You should be fine…...make sure the grill plates are clean, oil the carp out of it, and use a spatula to softly loosen them after they firm up a little. Can also do a makeshift hanging system.

[DrJuice1980]

Thanks for the help, I'll let you guys know how they turn out. Planning on doing them this weekend for the SB. I'll try those grill buddies. Im sure the time for smoke will be less too.

I'm almost positive that the smoked fish at Moreys is scaled.

[loadmaster]

Never scaled. I do not fillet them. Gut and rinse and into the brine. Never had any luck hanging them they all seem to fall>>>later the load

[eyeguy 54]

scales on all the smoked fish at moreys.

[Walleye Guy]

No scaling here either. I do mine whole, belly down on the grate. I am going to try fileting some for the next batch. Not sure they will taste any different but they do like nicer fileted.

[eyeguy 54]

with the fillets its nice to put a little maple syrup on towards the end. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

did I say mmmmmmmmmmmmmm?

[pushbutton]

Oyster sauce….sweet and savory