Skip to main content

5 replies

Smoked salmon soot problem

FM Former Member
Smoker is an SM-160. When smoking at 225 degrees, 2 racks with three 2.5 lb. salmon filets that were brined and then air dried for over an hour, the salmon had a beautiful golden color.
When I added 2 more racks, with three 2.5 lb. salmon filets, the drippings increased.
Now the drops not only burn on the aluminum foil covering the heat shield above the smoke box but must cause soot that covers the fish.
The same type and size wood chips are used.
The drops that end up on the fish in the lower racks disperse the soot and leave black rings. The golden color is gone by the time the internal temperature of 148 to 152 degrees is reached.
WHAT IS THE PROBLEM AND HOW DO I CORRECT IT?
Hope some one has an answer, otherwise I need to get a different brand of smoker.
Thanks, pelt
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

T tomMember
Well my CS 160 is about 10 yrs old and not seen what you described.

As mentioned,if you were trying to cheat some smoke up,down around 100º,for pure cold smoking,some folks try wood chips.

Seems like we have a lot of folks that try that with the cold smoke kits ,with great success.

Now chunks,which is what the design is for ,start smoking about 135º.

I do a lot of lower heat on fish,sausage,vegetables,down around 160º-180º with no problems.

Now, 225º is hot smoking, and I've never heard of a problem with chunks.

If you want almost no heat,folks start the wood smoking,about 150º,and then put the fish in.

Is there a reason you decided to use wood chips?
FM Former Member
It is a hot smoked salmon and the 225 degrees is the only temperature that will give the nice golden color.
I started with wood chips because that was what I used in an outdoor smoker and that was what the Cookshack sales rep. used. As I have stated, there was no soot problem with only 2 racks filled. When I use 4 racks the problem started. The source of the soot seems to be from the burning of the drippings from the salmon onto the wood box sheild (that is covered with foil.
I clean all excess build up and keep it seasoned. The sales rep. did inspect it and agreed it was properly cleaned.
I will try the chucks of wood and see what happens.
Hope to hear some more good advice.
Thanks for the responses, Pelt
T tomMember
Never one to question a Cookshack sales rep,but it almost sounds like parts of different techniques were applied together.

Yes,the hotter the cook,the more likely to have drippings.

Ordinarily ,I thought,the heavier the pellicle,the less likely it was to drip away.

An hour is a much shorter time than I am used to ,to develop pellicle,with the brines I use.

Give it another shot,and I'm sure you will work it out.

Everyone else has for several decades,so I'm sure your adjustments will pan out.
FM Former Member
"soot" comes from wood burning, so it's not the dripping that's creating the issue, I don't think.

Which filets have the problem. Top rack, middle, etc?

Sometimes, there will be an issue around the vent. When you're smoking really moist items and a lot of them, then the condensation collects at the vent and drops back in (sometimes affected by outside humidity)

Make sure to clean out the vent hole real well also.

Add Reply

Post

Membership Required

We're sorry. You must be signed in to continue. Sign In or Register
×
Are you sure you want to remove from your Block List?
×
Loading...
×
When you block a person, they can no longer invite you to a private message or post to your profile wall. Replies and comments they make will be collapsed/hidden by default. Finally, you'll never receive email notifications about content they create or likes they designate for your content.
Note: if you proceed, you will no longer be following .
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×