Herring

[loadmaster]

I have smoked tullies and white fish before but never herring. Anybody have any tips for this fish or is it the same for for all fish?>>>>later the load

[Surface Tension]

Load, I use the same brine for all skin on fish. 1 cup(non-iodized) salt, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon sodium nitrate, 1 one gallon water. If you don't have the sodium nitrate use Tender Quick instead of the non-iodized salt. Since your smoking whole fish add 1 cup brown sugar otherwise I'll sprinkle brown sugar on steaked fish or fillets. Soak 24 hours. Quick rinse and let air dry.

I use alder for smoke, good flavor and I can walk out the door and have get it.

Cisco & herring have delicate bones. If you don't dry the fish out the meat will pull away from the whole skeleton. Remember the oils in the fish will firm up when cooled so don't use texture when hot as an indicator. If your unsure take a small section out and cool it down. Because of the thinness of the fish and fine bones, its a fine line to get that meat just perfect where you can handle it without pulling out bones.

[loadmaster]

hey Frank, have you heard,or figured out a way to hang a fish while smoking??? I have tried wire thru the eyes,lips, and gills but during the smoking time it gets to soft and falls of the wire. What I am trying to do, is stand them on end, to drain the oil. There has to be way to do it, just have not figured it out. When you lay them flat, you pull some of the skin off while turning or removing them. If you notice Kendalls fish have no grill marks.>>>>later the load

[Surface Tension]

Bob, I like the oils so I lay them on the racks. In fact those omega 3 oils are very good for you, cuts down on your bad cholesterol. Then I can have more sausages.

Clean and oil the racks, they'll come off without pulling apart. Too high of heat will make them stick. I use 200 degrees.

Hang them with a stiff wire hook through the tail close to the spine.

[sjburnt]

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[Surface Tension]

sjburnt, sodium nitrate is a cure and it'll change the flavor of the smoked fish. Ham and beacon is cured and as we know changes the flavor, although that cure is sodium nitrite, the outcome is the same they just use a different process. I also smoke at low temps, low enough that depending on who you talk to is low enough for bacteria growth in the smoker.

Once smoked they don't last long around here either.

If you'd rather not use it you can certainly omit it.

Tag Alder grows like a weed around here and I like the flavor.

I happen to have a couple lake trout in the brine right now.