batch of Kokanee in #3

[azbohunter]

Did a batch of Kokanee over the weekend, some of my freezer stock from this past summer in Oregon!
Turned out really good. This time I did a dry brine and it is a little more salty than we prefer but still very good! For several years I have done a wet brine and it is the favorite of everyone including my wife and I, should just stick with what has worked for me for years but I keep reading about dry brines and that they are better used on fish that has been frozen. Jury is out for us 
I use a AMNPS tray with dust (and run my jerky fan) I start my #3 at 110 for a couple hours with smoke then work up temperature to 170 till IT of fish is 145 then pull it. Usually around 6 hours total!

 

[Lonzinomaker]

What type of sugar did you use?
What ratio sugar to salt? 

 

[azbohunter]

What type of sugar did you use?
What ratio sugar to salt?

Dark Brown Sugar 4 to one Kosher Salt...by weight!

 

[rich b]

and how long did you leave it in the dry brine?  I find 6-8 hours is just about perfect.  Any longer than that and it will be salty....

 

[azbohunter]

My be it Rich, I left it in overnight, probably 13 hours and I did a very light rinse. I have a wet brine that I have used for years that has always been good, I just wanted to try the dry brine. This was my third go at it and it is certainly edible and good but just not as good. So I will probably go back to what we liked.

 

[rich b]

What is your go-to wet brine recipe?

 

[azbohunter]

2 quarts cold water
2 cups Teriyaki
1/2 cup Kosher Salt
1 pound dark brown sugar
1 T garlic powder
1 1/2 T Cayenne Pepper
this will do around 10 pounds of fillets
I brine overnight, rinse well, dry to form pellicle, and smoke typically around 6 hours starting at 110 for 2 hours, 140 for 2 hours and 170 for 2 hours or until IT is 145 to 150. I usually will run smoke using a AMNPS tray and alder dust at least 2 hours, sometimes longer.

 

[rich b]

I'm gonna buy a fillet pack from Costco for this weekend and dry brine 1 fillet and try your wet brine for the other, will be a tasty offering for a family Christmas party on Sunday.  Thanks for sharing!  (and I see you are an alder user too, that's the only wood I use for salmon.)  I purchased a bag of fine chips and a bag of large chips from https://www.charcoalstore.com/collections/smoking-wood-chips  since I got tired of taking a hammer and chisel to my large alder chunks.  With the smokin-it chip screen in place they were perfect at a low temp smoke....

 

[azbohunter]

good luck, anxious to see your thoughts on the two. My wife loves it when I baste the salmon a couple or three times during the smoke with maple syrup! Very nice touch  ;D

 

[rich b]

in a side by side comparison at a family Christmas party yesterday everyone preferred the dry brined maple glazed salmon over the teriyaki wet brined salmon.  They were smoked together so they had the same smoke exposure.  The brine smelled amazing and I brined the fillet for 24 hours, was disappointed I didn't taste the same flavor profile that i smelled.  I will try it again at some point but will likely stick with the dry brining for now.  next batch i smoke this weekend i will use a maple syrup that has been aged in bourbon barrels.

 

[azbohunter]

Rich B
Sounds like what you have been doing is what your family likes! Did you use maple syrup on both? My wife loves the maple syrup glaze and I sometimes do and sometimes don't. When I glaze it I like to do it 3 or 4 times during a 6/7 hour smoke.
Thanks for trying it!

 

[rich b]

I didn't maple glaze the teriyaki batch, I really wanted to taste the teriyaki come through, it smelled so great as it was brining.  Like I said, I'll try it again someday, but for the holidays I'm gonna stick to the dry brine technique.....

 

[Greenenvey]

That's awsome good job. I smoke lots and lots of kokanee too

 

[azbohunter]

That's awsome good job. I smoke lots and lots of kokanee too

Thank you, it is hard to beat!