YT Collars and Bellies - Smoked

[seaquinn]

Wow, what an amazing summer! Guys, for years I have appreciated each and every fish I catch. And I have figured out many delicious recipes from this board and friends. But only recently did I discover a MAJOR find, for me.. some of you already know this.

A few years back I made a post about smoking YT and there were many great ideas, but I just want to remind those into smoking of what I have found:

1. Don't skip the collars or bellies! Oh My God.... I am gonna have smoked YT bellies for breakfast and throughout the day again. And the collars! Such good meat there! I went on a Party Boat last week, and I kept so many bellies that others just don't know about. And I have a silly amount myself.

2. For years I smoked at 225 degrees, and in an hour or less, they were done, and very good..... but now, OMG again, I smoke at under 200, such as 190, for 1.5 times as long.... SO MUCH BETTER! Much more moist, and smoky.

3. Maybe the biggest improvement is the "brine". I use to just slather fish in Teriyaki or soak for an hour or so..... but now with a real brine, maybe equal parts brown sugar and good salt, plus a little molasses which the kids love, and a good red ale, plus water.... soaked at least an hour, then rinsed off, then slow smoked..... this is BY FAR the best smoked fish I have ever been eating.

Try a smoked YT belly some time, and see if it ain't the best piece of fish you have ever tasted. Well, some salmon is hard to beat, and others are good, but I just wanted to share what has turned me from a fish "cook" to more of a "gourmet chef".

Catch 'em, then savor 'em, too worthy of a fish and resource to not enjoy 100%!

Cheers all!

[YakDout]

When I first started posting on BWE I had searched for a good smoked yellow recipe. I found one and haven't turned back. I have tried a few alterations to it but the original is hard to beat. When I take multiple batches of this stuff to a party or BBQ I have to make sure that I eat a little bit on the way because when I lay it out for others, I blink and it's gone. But I do have just as much satisfaction seeing others smile about it. It makes people talk to me less and eat more.

Originally posted by stevoooooo a while back.

I am quoting him here because he definitely deserves credit for this one


"Smoked Fish Dip
1 ½ cups crumbled smoked fish
1/2 cup milk
8 ounces light cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup finely minced onion
1 stalk finely chopped celery
1 tablespoon finely minced fresh parsley
3 teaspoons sweet pickle relish
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (or to taste)
Cayenne, salt and pepper to taste


Put the smoked fish in a medium bowl and add the milk. Cover and chill for 30 minutes to an hour. Stir in the cream cheese, onion, celery, parsley, relish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and cayenne, salt and pepper to taste. Cover and chill for 2 to 3 hours until flavors have blended. Serve with your favorite crackers."

I also have tried his brining method for smoking the yellowtail and also comes out great. I smoke between 160-170 for 3 hours. That part of the equation will never change for me.

[Nic D]

just bought a smoker and I cant wait to try it...

thanks for the inspiration guys...

question,,, what kind of chips are you using to smoke with?

-Nic

[YakDout]

mesquite and hickory work well with fish. The key is to soak overnight to prevent flareups and to get the most smoke before they ash. Also keep adding wood about every hour or so depending on heat to get the best smoke flavor.

[Nic D]

thanks bud.

[Lipripper92592]

It sounds like your dialing in your technique. Slow and cold is the way to go for fish. On your next batch, air dry your fish for 24 hours until a pellicle forms on the surface.


(Before cured foods are smoked, they should be allowed to air-dry long enough to form a tacky skin, known as a pellicle. The pellicle plays a key role in producing excellent smoked items. It acts as a kind of protective barrier for the food, and also plays an important role in capturing the smoke’s flavor and color.
Most foods can be properly dried by placing them on racks or by hanging them on hooks or sticks. It is important that air be able to flow around all sides. They should be air-dried uncovered, in the refrigerator or a cool room. To encourage pellicle formation, you can place the foods so that a fan blows air over them. The exterior of the item must be sufficiently dry if the smoke is to adhere)

Waiting for this to form, you'll notice the meat become translucent and the pellicle will form on the surface, then throw in the smoker. This will make a world of difference in your end product.

[IN2DEEP]

Originally Posted by Nic D

just bought a smoker and I cant wait to try it...

thanks for the inspiration guys...

question,,, what kind of chips are you using to smoke with?

-Nic

Applewood chips for me
Soaked in water for a 1/2hr
Use only one pan of chips for enough smoke flavor (don't get carried away with the smoke)

Yes, bellies are better than the loins for smoked fish
Need to give the collars a try

[bwana]

For fish it's best to use a milder wood such as Alder, cherry, apple, or most fruit woods. I use a basic brine soaked overnight, then rinsed well, and experiment by adding seasoning and marinades.

I learned from Yani to add a glaze during the last hour of smoking. Talk about taking your smoked fish to the next level - thanks Yani. Last time I coated the fish with a mango habanero jam which left a hint of a sweet but hot aftertaste. I must have done something right because a fellow BWE member donated pounds of YT, BFT, and YFT so long as I smoke and return some. Good deal for all.

Just ordered 2 large jars of the mango habanero jam and 2 of raspberry jalapeno jam from www.jackiesjamsandjellies.com out of Rochester NY. This lady makes incredible jams with ingredients I would have never thought to combine.

I get lazy making dip - mayo with sriracha hot chili sauce.

[nacho66]

I just put some Sockeye Salmon in a dry brine tonight, going to smoke tomorrow. 2 Cups Brown sugar, 1/2 Cup of Kosher Salt, 1/2Tblsp Fresh Ground pepper. Will smoke for 2-2.25 hours using either alder, or apple. Last half hour baste with Apricot Jam mixed a pinch of my ground Scorpion Peppers.

[Lipripper92592]

Originally Posted by nacho66

I just put some Sockeye Salmon in a dry brine tonight, going to smoke tomorrow. 2 Cups Brown sugar, 1/2 Cup of Kosher Salt, 1/2Tblsp Fresh Ground pepper. Will smoke for 2-2.25 hours using either alder, or apple. Last half hour baste with Apricot Jam mixed a pinch of my ground Scorpion Peppers.

Smoked salmon...oh so good...ever made Indian Candy? Should give it a try sometime.....

[nacho66]

Have not tried Indian Candy however My Salmon turned out pretty

[Aaron&Julie]

Thanks for the tips, Cliff.

[ctfphoto]

Cliff, thanks for the tips, tuna, and yellowtail

Your brine is similar to mine except that I have not used molasses or ale, but I will in the future as they sound like awesome additions.

One question, why did you "rinse" the brine off the fish?

Most likely will see and fish with you on the water tomorrow bro ....

[EntropyFletch]

I smoked some YFT loins Sunday and they came out great. Brined for about 4 hours then quick rinse and sit in fridge for 2 hours then smoked at about 195 for a couple hours over alder.

I've got a question for you guys, I can't get smoke below 195 or so, so how do you cold smoke at 170-180?

[YakDout]

less charcoal more venting