Post by: Stein on September 06, 2023, 05:29:42 PM
I used Hank Shaw's recipe. Note: When he says brine 12 hours, I'm 99.999% sure he means 1-2. 12 hour brine makes some electrolyte sticks for backcountry use. :chuckle: I'm glad I only did one pink to try it out. After that, it's all good.
Post by: passman65 on September 06, 2023, 05:54:39 PM
Post by: Stein on September 06, 2023, 06:44:44 PM
Post by: Remnar on September 06, 2023, 06:52:32 PM
Post by: WSU on September 07, 2023, 07:48:34 AM
Post by: 2MANY on September 07, 2023, 10:03:34 AM
Post by: RC on September 07, 2023, 10:47:19 AM
Squaw Candy is what we used to call it.
Still call it that. This is the recipe I got from a processor in Alaska years ago and it turns out phenomenal everytime. I've always made it with sockeye, but I'm sure it would turn out okay with humpsters:
Base is 1 cup brown sugar and one tablespoon salt per 3-4 pounds of salmon sliced into 1/4" to 1/3" strips
Add pepper and garlic powder to taste, or whatever else you might like.
Mix everything in gallon size bags and toss every few hours for about 24 hours in the fridge
VERY lightly, rinse off the salmon, set on racks and dry for about 24 hours, or until the fish is dry to the touch. Using a box fan helps a lot.
After it's dried, smoke for 4 hours at 170 degrees
Definitely a process, but well worth it. Make sure to spray down your racks with non-stick cooking spray before any drying or smoking.
Post by: Angry Perch on September 07, 2023, 10:54:24 AM
Squaw Candy is what we used to call it.
Still call it that. This is the recipe I got from a processor in Alaska years ago and it turns out phenomenal everytime. I've always made it with sockeye, but I'm sure it would turn out okay with humpsters:
Base is 1 cup brown sugar and one tablespoon salt per 3-4 pounds of salmon sliced into 1/4" to 1/3" strips
Add pepper and garlic powder to taste, or whatever else you might like.
Mix everything in gallon size bags and toss every few hours for about 24 hours in the fridge
VERY lightly, rinse off the salmon, set on racks and dry for about 24 hours, or until the fish is dry to the touch. Using a box fan helps a lot.
After it's dried, smoke for 4 hours at 170 degrees
Definitely a process, but well worth it. Make sure to spray down your racks with non-stick cooking spray before any drying or smoking.
Man, that is super light on salt. 1Tbsp salt in 4 pounds of meat is less than 1%.
Post by: passman65 on September 07, 2023, 11:05:43 AM
Man, that is super light on salt. 1Tbsp salt in 4 pounds of meat is less than 1%.
Yeah, the recipe for smoked salmon candy that I use calls for one-pound salt to one-pound brown sugar for five pounds of salmon
Post by: 2MANY on September 07, 2023, 11:14:19 AM
Post by: RC on September 07, 2023, 11:39:37 AM
Squaw Candy is what we used to call it.
Still call it that. This is the recipe I got from a processor in Alaska years ago and it turns out phenomenal everytime. I've always made it with sockeye, but I'm sure it would turn out okay with humpsters:
Base is 1 cup brown sugar and one tablespoon salt per 3-4 pounds of salmon sliced into 1/4" to 1/3" strips
Add pepper and garlic powder to taste, or whatever else you might like.
Mix everything in gallon size bags and toss every few hours for about 24 hours in the fridge
VERY lightly, rinse off the salmon, set on racks and dry for about 24 hours, or until the fish is dry to the touch. Using a box fan helps a lot.
After it's dried, smoke for 4 hours at 170 degrees
Definitely a process, but well worth it. Make sure to spray down your racks with non-stick cooking spray before any drying or smoking.
Man, that is super light on salt. 1Tbsp salt in 4 pounds of meat is less than 1%.
I thought that when I first got the recipe, but if you were to barbeque a 3-4 pound piece of salmon, how much salt would you season it with? Part of the reason I barely rinse it. I think the original recipe called for even less salt, but this one seems pretty well balanced for me anyway. I like a little fish with my salt, but it's easy to adjust and experiment with whatever you think might taste best. Not hard to sprinkle extra salt on it when you first start drying it.
Post by: passman65 on September 07, 2023, 12:14:14 PM
Post by: Angry Perch on September 07, 2023, 02:49:40 PM
Squaw Candy is what we used to call it.
Still call it that. This is the recipe I got from a processor in Alaska years ago and it turns out phenomenal everytime. I've always made it with sockeye, but I'm sure it would turn out okay with humpsters:
Base is 1 cup brown sugar and one tablespoon salt per 3-4 pounds of salmon sliced into 1/4" to 1/3" strips
Add pepper and garlic powder to taste, or whatever else you might like.
Mix everything in gallon size bags and toss every few hours for about 24 hours in the fridge
VERY lightly, rinse off the salmon, set on racks and dry for about 24 hours, or until the fish is dry to the touch. Using a box fan helps a lot.
After it's dried, smoke for 4 hours at 170 degrees
Definitely a process, but well worth it. Make sure to spray down your racks with non-stick cooking spray before any drying or smoking.
Man, that is super light on salt. 1Tbsp salt in 4 pounds of meat is less than 1%.
I thought that when I first got the recipe, but if you were to barbeque a 3-4 pound piece of salmon, how much salt would you season it with? Part of the reason I barely rinse it. I think the original recipe called for even less salt, but this one seems pretty well balanced for me anyway. I like a little fish with my salt, but it's easy to adjust and experiment with whatever you think might taste best. Not hard to sprinkle extra salt on it when you first start drying it.
All good, just understand that it's well below a normal level that would provide some preservation, as is generally the case with smoked fish.
Post by: Happy Gilmore on September 07, 2023, 04:05:58 PM
Post by: Remnar on September 07, 2023, 05:23:28 PM
Post by: cjjcb on September 07, 2023, 06:58:07 PM
Just a typical brown sugar/salt/soy sauce brine for good old fashion smoking…
Put it on the smoker at 6 o’clock at night thinking to get to it later….
Woke up at 5am remembering I still had stuff in the smoker….
CRAP!!!
Got up and found I had jerky…
It was surprisingly good, still lots of oil between the skin and flesh….I might just do it again! Intentionally this time… :chuckle:
Post by: Angry Perch on September 08, 2023, 07:18:33 AM
Thickness has a lot to do with salt penetration. A humpy filet and a king filet brined the same time isn't gonna have the same salt.
I've gone to EQ cures exclusively for this reason. Use the exact amount of salt for the weight of fish and let it brine for a few days. No way to over salt.
Post by: Alchase on September 08, 2023, 08:39:30 AM
For the brine use...
1 1/2 cups dark pure brown sugar
1/4 cup sea salt
1/2 cup filtered honey (I prefer to use 1 cup of pure maple syrup, and leave out the honey)
1/2 cup pure maple syrup... it costs a bit more but is worth it to avoid unnecessary additives.
2 tbs garlic powder
1/2 gallon of water
Cut fish into 1 inch strips, Brine over night.
Remove from brine, do not rinse (if more salt is used I would definitely rinse lightly) and place on drying racks in a cool location, with a fan gently blowing on the fish.
You can tell when it is ready, it will firm up and be a bit tacky. Usually between 6 - 10 hours depending on temp.
Place in smoker and cold smoke 4-8 hours depending on wood and temp. Alder is good, I prefer apple wood.
With my Bradley Smoker, 5 hours seems to be the sweet spot.
My Grandpa had a single car garage smoker that was constant smoke from a fire about 10 feet outside the garage, with ceramic pipes in the ground sucking the smoke from the fire into the garage. He would smoke for months on end with hams, ribs, and turkey hanging.
He would smoke Squaw Candy for 2 days or more, but with a lighter volume of smoke than a modern smoker produces.
I use to love standing in that garage, the smell was amazing.
Post by: Stein on September 08, 2023, 07:40:37 PM
Thickness has a lot to do with salt penetration. A humpy filet and a king filet brined the same time isn't gonna have the same salt.
I've gone to EQ cures exclusively for this reason. Use the exact amount of salt for the weight of fish and let it brine for a few days. No way to over salt.
That's what I do for lox as well as charcuterie. I should remember how much I like that method....
I generally trust Shaw's recipes without hesitation, but this jerky one really knocked him down a couple notches. It wasn't just ok, it was borderline inedible.
I think I need more sugar and seasoning and less salt. I'll probably go equilibrium on the salt next time and add whatever I want for flavor on top. At least his 5 hours at 190-200 seemed spot on.