Post by: KFhunter on December 29, 2015, 06:43:06 PM
Looking at building a big smoker here soon, wondering if I should build a side by side setup for fish on one side, everything else on the other!
Post by: The scout on December 29, 2015, 06:47:13 PM
Post by: LndShrk on December 29, 2015, 06:54:25 PM
I have done hundreds and hundreds of lbs of fish through my smoker and never had any issue with fish smell. I also run sausage and various meats through mine never had any issue with fish smell on anything.
what kind of fish is leaving stank in the smoke house?
Also how are you curing that fish?
What is the quality to begin with?
Post by: Ridgeratt on December 29, 2015, 06:58:50 PM
Post by: KFhunter on December 29, 2015, 07:02:14 PM
I can smell the fish long after, in fact this was a big chief smoker that's sat up in the garage and hadn't been used for over a year and I still smell the fish. I scrubbed it out and still smell fish. Got me to thinking I need a dedicated fish smoker and was contemplating a new smoker build.
I did heat it up and run it before I put meat in it, but I still smell fish.
Post by: The scout on December 29, 2015, 07:06:43 PM
Post by: The Weazle on December 29, 2015, 08:25:22 PM
Post by: Boss .300 winmag on December 29, 2015, 08:29:27 PM
Post by: The Weazle on December 29, 2015, 08:35:07 PM
Get some orange citrus based food grade degreaser to clean your metal smokers, that's what I used on my master built :tup:. But I gifted it to lokidog for a fish smoker, now it's his problem. :chuckle:
Nice!
Post by: Jonathan_S on December 30, 2015, 07:11:14 AM
Post by: Commando on December 30, 2015, 11:45:28 PM
Post by: Jason on January 07, 2016, 01:11:33 AM
I have two smokers. I have an old Little Chief that I use for fish and a MasterBuilt (sic?) for everything else.:yeah: Same for me, all fish get smoked in the little chief, all the rest in the masterbuilt.
Post by: Alchase on January 08, 2016, 11:06:15 AM
Post by: NRA4LIFE on January 08, 2016, 11:20:26 AM
Post by: runamuk on January 08, 2016, 11:43:02 AM
I have noticed in my Bradley that fish will leave a little scent. I use a dry brine, let the fish dry out before smoking, and don't use any water in the pan, and leave the vent wide open, so it really reduces the moisture, and makes more salmon jerky, or candy, then smoked salmon. Then when I am done, while everything is still warm, I wipe the smoker out really good with a vinegar soaked rag. Then I crank up the heat as high as it will go and do one 20 minute smoke once it reaches temperature to re-cure the smoker. No more problems.Can you PM me and elaborate on how you do this times, temps etc. I love salmon candy apparently and most of the smoked fish I have had was not smoked that way. I really don't like paying $17 lb on the occasions they have candy at the fish counter. I have a little smoker at my disposal so would love to experiment. Amd if you dont want to share your trade secrets thats also cool :)
Post by: Jonathan_S on January 08, 2016, 11:50:07 AM
Post by: lokidog on January 08, 2016, 07:56:51 PM
I have two smokers. I have an old Little Chief that I use for fish and a MasterBuilt (sic?) for everything else.
Same for me, but only because the Little Chief stays cooler than my propane one. I've used the same LC for almost 25 years and don't smell any fishiness in it. :dunno:
Post by: The Weazle on January 08, 2016, 08:21:27 PM
I have two smokers. I have an old Little Chief that I use for fish and a MasterBuilt (sic?) for everything else.
Same for me, but only because the Little Chief stays cooler than my propane one. I've used the same LC for almost 25 years and don't smell any fishiness in it. :dunno:
I wonder if that is because the little chief is so "open", it doesn't retain moisture?
Post by: lokidog on January 08, 2016, 11:12:07 PM
Post by: The Weazle on January 08, 2016, 11:25:29 PM
Seems to retain plenty of smoke residue. Maybe the OP tried smoking some past prime Chums? :puke: :chuckle:
I've seen people retain chums up river on the Skagit that should have been fertilizer, for smoking... :bdid:
Post by: jeepster on January 17, 2016, 11:03:01 AM
I have a Bradley and I smoke a few dozen fish a year, and use it for doing meats the rest... The way I had it explained to me, a smoker is like a cast iron pan, the favors just kind of build up in it, they get seasoned. I clean the big chunks out, keep my racks clean, use a drip pan, and what not, but when I'm done smoking, I usually just unplug it and proceed with eating whatever I smoked.
If it smells funny, I'd smoke something else and if it tastes funny, Then you have an issue :twocents:
Post by: jasnt on January 17, 2016, 11:42:23 AM
Post by: j_h_nimrod on January 17, 2016, 11:54:12 AM
I primarily smoke fish but have smoked everything from jerky to cheese to tomatoes to peppers in the same smoker and never had more than a slight fish smell in the smoker, and never on my other products.
I would think that even if the smoker smells like fish it should not impart a fishyness to whatever else you are smoking. Once your pellicle forms the smoke is mostly a surface deposition. As long as you are not using fish chips for your smoke there shouldn't be a fishy flavor/essence in whatever else you are smoking.
Post by: Alchase on January 17, 2016, 12:16:14 PM
I have noticed in my Bradley that fish will leave a little scent. I use a dry brine, let the fish dry out before smoking, and don't use any water in the pan, and leave the vent wide open, so it really reduces the moisture, and makes more salmon jerky, or candy, then smoked salmon. Then when I am done, while everything is still warm, I wipe the smoker out really good with a vinegar soaked rag. Then I crank up the heat as high as it will go and do one 20 minute smoke once it reaches temperature to re-cure the smoker. No more problems.Can you PM me and elaborate on how you do this times, temps etc. I love salmon candy apparently and most of the smoked fish I have had was not smoked that way. I really don't like paying $17 lb on the occasions they have candy at the fish counter. I have a little smoker at my disposal so would love to experiment. Amd if you dont want to share your trade secrets thats also cool :)
Run, when I make sqaw candy, i do not brine just lay out and dry your salmon then cover salmon completely with brown sugar, and place in fridge over night. The sugar will cure the salmon. You can tell by touch. Then place in smoker for a couple of hours.
Smoke time is smoker dependant, but you do not need a lot of heat. The salmon is basically cooked by the brown sugar.
Might take a couple attempts to find the smoke length you like, mine comes out perfect in about two hours in the Bradley.
Good luck
Post by: The Weazle on January 17, 2016, 12:46:09 PM
I have noticed in my Bradley that fish will leave a little scent. I use a dry brine, let the fish dry out before smoking, and don't use any water in the pan, and leave the vent wide open, so it really reduces the moisture, and makes more salmon jerky, or candy, then smoked salmon. Then when I am done, while everything is still warm, I wipe the smoker out really good with a vinegar soaked rag. Then I crank up the heat as high as it will go and do one 20 minute smoke once it reaches temperature to re-cure the smoker. No more problems.Can you PM me and elaborate on how you do this times, temps etc. I love salmon candy apparently and most of the smoked fish I have had was not smoked that way. I really don't like paying $17 lb on the occasions they have candy at the fish counter. I have a little smoker at my disposal so would love to experiment. Amd if you dont want to share your trade secrets thats also cool :)
Run, when I make sqaw candy, i do not brine just lay out and dry your salmon then cover salmon completely with brown sugar, and place in fridge over night. The sugar will cure the salmon. You can tell by touch. Then place in smoker for a couple of hours.
Smoke time is smoker dependant, but you do not need a lot of heat. The salmon is basically cooked by the brown sugar.
Might take a couple attempts to find the smoke length you like, mine comes out perfect in about two hours in the Bradley.
Good luck
Using sugar to cover your fish overnight is dry brining it. I use three cups of dark brown sugar to one cup of salt.
Post by: Alchase on January 17, 2016, 03:36:27 PM
I should have said "I don't wet brine" when making squaw candy.
Post by: jbauch357 on February 09, 2016, 09:10:42 PM
I wonder if you are not getting a strong pellicle on your meat or are having lots of dripping or something to funk up your smoker. Maybe your fish drippings are getting in your chips and you are getting that burned fish funk?
I primarily smoke fish but have smoked everything from jerky to cheese to tomatoes to peppers in the same smoker and never had more than a slight fish smell in the smoker, and never on my other products.
I would think that even if the smoker smells like fish it should not impart a fishyness to whatever else you are smoking. Once your pellicle forms the smoke is mostly a surface deposition. As long as you are not using fish chips for your smoke there shouldn't be a fishy flavor/essence in whatever else you are smoking.
I have to agree with this response specifically. With a wet brine (I like the consistency and flavor more than dry brine, it is also actually a lot cleaner in the long run) I'll give my fish at least 2hrs on racks in front of a fan in the sun to form a pellicle before I toss them in the smoker. Keep the heat under 150 degrees and you won't cook out any albumin and won't leave any fish smell in the smoker.
Post by: Alchase on February 12, 2016, 10:28:34 AM
If you are seeing albumin, you are cooking not smoking.
Keep the inside temp below 150.
Some like to do a step up process where they start the first hour at 110, then 2nd hour 120, 3rd hour to 140.
I find 120 is about perfect, then just adjust time on smoke, to taste.
Post by: NRA4LIFE on February 12, 2016, 10:55:26 AM
Follow this guy's instructions and you will never have the albumin cook out. Developing the pellicle is key. I use a fan for 2-3 hours prior to smoking.
Post by: Thefisherman83 on February 12, 2016, 11:12:28 AM
Pic to make people hungry.
Post by: TommyH on June 05, 2018, 10:38:12 PM
I smoke everything in my smoker, never had any cross contamination. I do a lot of cheese and it has never come out tasting like fish.
Pic to make people hungry.
That looks verrry good! What was your process ? I want to be able to replicate that!!!
My old smoker (dad made in high school-OLD) does have a fish smell from the last batch I did in it...? I’ll clean it an only do fish in it and all other meat on the masterbuild.