Batch of kings into candy tomorrow.

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

jonboat

Smoke Blower
Original poster
Feb 8, 2010
79
12
Upstate NY
Was fortunate to get out on Lake Ontario Wednesday after some King salmon and have a mess of fillets in the fridge right now (4 fish in the 20 - 25 lb range). They'll be going in a simple H2O + salt + dark brown sugar brine overnight. Tomorrow, I'll rinse them and let the pelicle form, then into the ECB they will go. Will mop them a couple times with maple syrup. Done this before and have been "pretty" happy with the results, but haven't had them get to just the right consistency yet. After lots of reading about "Indian candy", I think I found what I've been doing wrong... leaving the pieces too big. I've been cutting the fillets into 3rds, which are fairly big slabs of meat to try to get to that almost-dry consistency I want. Tomorrow's batch will be 1 inch wide strips. I'll keep a couple pieces a bit larger for plain old smoked salmon too, but my focus will be on the candy.

Hope to have some Q-view for y'all come Sunday.
 
cross-grain... and here's the Q-view:

Raw material (these are 20- 25 pounders)
I'm glad I catch them instead of buying them. Checked out king salmon fillets at Wegman's supremarket seafood counter, and they're getting $12.99 per pound!!!! holy highway robbery!

Garage fridge - brining meat in the canning pot, air-drying brined meat on the tray, curing salmon egg skeins int the white bucket, and more fillets in the plastic tub at the bottom by my beer

Getting the trusty old ECB ready to go:

Pelicle formed, getting ready to load up the ECB: (yes cut cross-grain)

All loaded up and ready to go:

Apple wood doing its thing:

TBS working, the smell had everybody's mouth watering all day:

Final product basted with pure maple syrup 45 minutes before done:

Did two more batches Saturday. First batch disappeared real quick since we had family & friends over. The rest went in the freezer so it'll last us a while.
 
Last edited:
Can you break down your brine into amounts please?  Howl long do you smoke and what temp?  Are you looking for a i.t. on the salmon.  Thanks
 
Jon, morning....  Great job on the king....  looks awesome.... cooked perfect.....  no fat oozing from the meat.....   

You are in NY ???  where did you catch those beauties ???      Dave
 
Last edited:
I like the reefer pic showing your priorities.  IPA and fish.   Also the dedicated brown spot on the lawn for the smoker.
 
Last edited:
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky