quote:Posted March 24, 2012 15:02
Mr.T,
Have you (or anyone else here for that matter) ever used this brine to smoke whitefish? Does anyone have a whitefish brine? Thanks in advance!
Jaques
Jaques,
Thought it might be better to start a new thread on your question about whitefish.
Are you asking about a specific fish or the whitefish in general? Sixty years ago I would cure and smoke whitefish mainly Chubs or Shiners trying to duplicate what was then called a Blind Robin. It was a Smelt that was brined, heavily smoked and packed in oil for preservation and had a very distinct odor. Mostly found in bars, stapled to a poster board and hanging above the pickled eggs, gizzards and sausages. Of course, those recipes are long forgotten but seems like they were packed in salt until dry then heavily smoked. Today the only whitefish I smoke is the perch on occasion. They just seem to find their way to the deep fryer (our favorite) or the pickle jar first.
The salmon brine recipe works well on them but keep in mind that whitefish in general are a non-oily fish, some even less than others. You can expect the finish product to be dryer than the salmon varieties. Taking for granted you are asking about a small fish, I will usually just scale, gut, remove the gills, scrub the cavity clean then brine the fish, whole.
When smoking the smaller fish, use a toothpick across the rib cage to help keep the body open for good aeration while they are hanging in the smoker. Take the time to take good notes on your process and the results.
Hopefully somewhere in my rambling, you found your answer. If I can be of further assistance, please ask.
Thanks for bringing back the memories.
Tom
P S: I am still trying to replicate those Blind Robins.