Albumin on Smoked Salmon

[Big Green Machine]

OK, I dried my Salmon pieces for four hours, pellicle was formed, nice and tacky for the smoke to stick.

After two hours at 125 I noticed the dreaded Albumin white spots on the fish. This can only mean that I was smoking at too high a heat, but 125 is pretty low, what the. Heck am I doing wrong?

 

[SophiaB]

maybe your thermometer is wrong?

 

[IronNoggin]

OK, I dried my Salmon pieces for four hours, pellicle was formed, nice and tacky for the smoke to stick.

After two hours at 125 I noticed the dreaded Albumin white spots on the fish. This can only mean that I was smoking at too high a heat, but 125 is pretty low, what the. Heck am I doing wrong?

I tend to dry mine a fair bit longer, and want them DRY to the touch, NOT "Tacky" but actually a dry surface.
I then start off with a very low heat for the first hour or two (just enough to get the smoke generating ~ 100 - 115) then gradually increase that over several hours.

Still get the odd piece doing as yours did, but odd is the operative word.

Good Luck!

Cheers,
Nog

 

[Fish Assassin]

If you own a dehydrator toss it in and it will actually go away. Was amazed the first time I seen it.

 

[Birdsnest]

Same as nog says. I leave the door open a crack to help keep it cooler in the start. This also aids in drying. But you better know the habits or capabilities of the neighbourhood dogs if your leaving any such opportunity. i have been robbed a couple of times. I put a game camera on my smoker now and confront the owners if there is a issue. Any denial is ended when I show the photos. Keep your dog in YOUR yard thank you.

Seasons Greetings.

 

[IronNoggin]

Any denial is ended when I show the photos. Keep your dog in YOUR yard thank you.

Seems I don't have much of a problem in that regard

Back Yard (where smoker lives) is Fair Game for ANY "Trespassers"

And The Pack knows MUCH Better than to touch Boss's little projects, no matter how Good they might smell!
Defend To The Death, as they do know they'll get a little something when it is all said and done... LOL!

Cheers,
Nog

 

[Big Green Machine]

Yes, I keep the vent open all the way to get the temp down at the start, but I agree, Fish needs to be completely dry and I think with the colder temps here I did not leave it to dry long enough. That could be a factor. That's the great thing about smoking, it's a learning process. I let it dry with a fan for 4 hours. I just made one of the two biggest mistakes in smoking fish. Not drying enough after brining and smoking at too high a temperature.

Now, my buddy gave me two fillets of farmed Steelhead he wants smoked and those things look like they have a lot of fat content. I'm thinking of telling him to bring me some real fish

 

[Birdsnest]

The bigest mistake I made and it was long ago was putting cold fish on hot smoke. The moisture in the smoke condensated on the flesh and that made them taste like cigaret butts. Nasty.

 

[sammyslabber]

You can warm the salmon in the oven at the lowest temp before putting them in the smoker...

 

[Big Green Machine]

You can warm the salmon in the oven at the lowest temp before putting them in the smoker...

Well, now that's three mistakes, I let them dry in the cold garage. That explains why this never happened when I smoked in the Fall.

 

[wolf]

I put a fan on the fish as well REALLY aids in drying but then I also wash my brine off so need it dry (about 3 to 4 hours) but my shop is warm also make sure you put the thicker chunks on top thinner on the bottom higher on the smoker is about 30 degrees hotter.

hope that helps Wolf

 

[Birdsnest]

Basically, break a good handful of some of the basic foodsafe rules and you will get a better product. lol ho ho ho.

 

[wolf]

Your not breaking any food safe rules as the fish is salted and brined .. look at how the natives did and still do in the sun and they lived fine for centuries or even how they make European salami its covered in mold for up to 6 months then you eat it....not my thing but hey if thats how ya roll carry on... LOL