Need help smoking pinks

[CP]

I can’t seem to get them smoked without white cream (albumin) oozing out and pooling on the fillets.   I’ve tried lowering the temp, drying longer before smoking to get a good pellicle formed, dry brine, wet brine.  What’s the secret? 

 I don’t remember this being so difficult.

[singleshot12]

dry brine,low temps at first while smoking,then increase temp to finish

[h2ofowlr]

Scrape it off with a knife before it cools.  I have had the same issues with pinks in the big chief.

[tmike]

I just finished some up and didn't have a problem. Where did you catch them? That might have something to do with it  I brined for 36 hours (dry), lightly rinsed, left on rack for a couple hours before smoking. I did pat dry with a paper towel too. Pinks are soft so you really need to get them gutted and bled and on ice ASAP for best results.   Your smoker might be too hot also.

[92xj]

read this thread.  Read all of it before making a final choice.  Some good info some very not good info. 

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,128244.0.html

[CP]

I just finished some up and didn't have a problem. Where did you catch them? That might have something to do with it  I brined for 36 hours (dry), lightly rinsed, left on rack for a couple hours before smoking. I did pat dry with a paper towel too. Pinks are soft so you really need to get them gutted and bled and on ice ASAP for best results.   Your smoker might be too hot also.

These are bright salt water fish.  Bled and iced while they are still squirming and filleted within a couple of hours after they were caught.

[sirmissalot]

Set them out to dry and create a film over the meat, I use a fan to speed it up and dry until its a good hard skin on it, maybe a couple hours. Then just make sure you are starting at a cooler temp, 130ish if you can. Haven't done pinks in years but kings have more fat thank pinks, so pinks should actually be a little easier with the white fat issue. Seems like.

[Thefisherman83]

Try glazing them before you put them out for drying.  I use a white wine/brown sugar glaze that seems to lock everything in really well. 

[CP]

Try glazing them before you put them out for drying.  I use a white wine/brown sugar glaze that seems to lock everything in really well.

That's what I'm looking for! 

Does the glaze go on before or after it goes in the smoker?

[Thefisherman83]

I pull them out of my wet brine, pat dry and soak them in glaze for an hour.  Then remove and let air dry until a good solid pellicle is formed usually a couple hours, more if its overly humid outside.  Sometimes I go as far as leaving them in the fridge overnight.  Its a long process, but if done correctly even pinks will be edible  .  BTW the glaze is one bottle white wine to two boxes of dark brown sugar, heat until sugar is dissolved and let cool. 

[h20hunter]

Gonna do the glaze thing....

[sirmissalot]

What brine are you using? The brine I use which is a dry brine with basically salt, brown sugar and some garlic does the glazing along with the brining, just have to make sure you air dry for a good while to create the skin and "glaze" look.

[CoryTDF]

I use the following brine and it always turns out great!

Equil parts of:
 
Yoshidas teriyaki sauce
Soy sauce
Apple juice

Then add:
Brown sugar like a cup or so
Red pepper flakes
Course ground black pepper
Garlic powder

Soak for as long as you want I have done if for a few days even. I take them right out of the brine and put them right on the smoker. I dont pat dry or anything. Smoke with alder or apple. Everybody loves my smoked fish. I can't even keep it around long enough to enjoy it most of the time.

I have used the same brine for jerky and it has turned out really good as well.

[Smossy]

I dont dry brine, I always use a wet brine. Two parts brown suger, one part salt. garlic salt, chopped onions, and whatever else im in the mood for at the time..
Mix with 2 cups warm/hott water to melt it down, then add 1-2 gallons of water depending on how many fish, mix well, add fish, brine for 24 hours atleast, take out, rinse well, dry well, place on smoker low and slow for about 10 hours with applewood chips, perfect to my taste.

[CP]

Thanks all.  I think I’m not getting a good enough pellicle base before I start the smoke.  I’ll work on improving that and l'll be trying the glaze on my next batch.   My end product is pretty tasty but not all that aesthetically appealing.

It looks like this before going in the smoker.  (I didn't take an after photo but it doesn't look too good).