Time is Everything

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catchemsmokem

Newbie
Original poster
Nov 13, 2014
15
11
OK, here's a question.  Got me two nice Lake Erie Steelhead today (12/4/2014), brought them home, steaked them and now they are sitting in the brine.  I usually brine my Steelhead for at least 24 hours, then an hour of drying time, then a good 4-5 hours in the Smoker.  No problem, but "there's a problem".  Forgot about my schedule and right when they should be coming out of the brine, seasoned, dried and place in the smoker, I will not be home (previous schedule), so no time to put in the smoker.  So, my question(s):

Q.  Can they stay in the brine longer and if so How Long?

A. 

Q.  Can I bring them out of the brine (I'll be home after the 24 hr.s) and simply season and place them in the refrigerator and smoke the next day?

A.

Appreciate any ones opinion.

Thanks
 
JMHO opinion. I've smoked a LOT of salmon, not steelhead, but I would remove them from the brine, give em a cold rinse then store in the fridge overnight should be no problem. I've done it with salmon and noticed no ill effects. When ready to smoke em ya probably know this but it's good to pat dry with paper towel and let em air dry for an hour or so to develop a pelicle.

Like to see some pics if ya can as things unfold. Happy Smokin' ! - Ed
 
Well, your the first to reply and I couldn't wait so I did take them out of the brine, patted them down then stuck them back in the fridge until the next day, over night.  I then did my typical seasoning (hunks of Garlic sliced and inserted in the meat + pepper, sea salt and basil)., Stuck them in the pre-heated smoker (Masterbuilt)  for 4 hours, one tray of apple wood.  Did something a little different this time;  I took a bottle of "Hard Apple Cider" and poured it into the drip/water tray during the entire 4 hours smoking time.  This may be the reason why the fish came out a little, not too much but a little moist than I and others in my family


like it, we seem to like it more dry....also I find that when I steak the fish rather than fillet they also come out more moist....but....still very good and tasty.....opinions welcomed.
 
Just curious here..... do you guys who eat Great Lakes fish keep your eyes on the fish advisories for pcb's? I can remember not too long ago that certain species with just a few servings could give you a lifetimes quota for pcb's.
 
Thanks for the compliments, wanted to go up today but I'm fighting a pretty bad head cold...oh well the seasons runs all winter and into early, early spring depending on the temps....as for geeroc's question, dealing with the PCB "Warnings".....My father (now passed) ran a Charter up Lake Erie (more of a hobby, he was retired) and I was the "First Mate"....actually I did most of the work but he had the license....:-)...........anyway, I was always asked about the PCB and other contaminant "Warnings" and I would answer like this:  "Most of the warnings are put out based on fish sampling done by the Fish and Game Agencies, (Dept. of Natural Resources here in Ohio) and those samples are based on both scale and some meat lab sampling reading.  So, if you consider that most of us, whether it's Walley, Perch or Steel Head don't eat the skin (proper filleting) and also that most of the contaminants are heavy metals which on the older, larger fish (which we keep)  have a tendency to settle in the lower belly portion of the fish, which we always cut away, the remaining contaminants are minuscule if any.  Add to the fact that we're not eating fish everyday the personal consumption is low.  Now before I get tons of replies on this subject let me also say that (by profession) I am a Private Environmental, Safety and Health Consultant, so I know a little about exposure, amount of exposure and TL (Threshold Limits), so again, I don't worry about the so called "Warnings"....wow, all this and I could have simply answered "No" to the question.   
 
 
Thanks for the compliments, wanted to go up today but I'm fighting a pretty bad head cold...oh well the seasons runs all winter and into early, early spring depending on the temps....as for geeroc's question, dealing with the PCB "Warnings".....My father (now passed) ran a Charter up Lake Erie (more of a hobby, he was retired) and I was the "First Mate"....actually I did most of the work but he had the license....:-)...........anyway, I was always asked about the PCB and other contaminant "Warnings" and I would answer like this:  "Most of the warnings are put out based on fish sampling done by the Fish and Game Agencies, (Dept. of Natural Resources here in Ohio) and those samples are based on both scale and some meat lab sampling reading.  So, if you consider that most of us, whether it's Walley, Perch or Steel Head don't eat the skin (proper filleting) and also that most of the contaminants are heavy metals which on the older, larger fish (which we keep)  have a tendency to settle in the lower belly portion of the fish, which we always cut away, the remaining contaminants are minuscule if any.  Add to the fact that we're not eating fish everyday the personal consumption is low.  Now before I get tons of replies on this subject let me also say that (by profession) I am a Private Environmental, Safety and Health Consultant, so I know a little about exposure, amount of exposure and TL (Threshold Limits), so again, I don't worry about the so called "Warnings"....wow, all this and I could have simply answered "No" to the question.

Thanks for the reply catchem.  I, too, am in the environmental field so it just happens to come across my mind when I see "Great Lakes".  When I was much younger I was doing a lot of fishing in Erie from the shores of Oswego and some folks would say you'd be dead in a week and others said they'd been eating fish from there all their lives.  Being young back then I knew I was going to live forever anyway so I enjoyed eating the catch.  Now, 30 years later and I'm still here I guess it wasn't all that bad, hey?  In either case I'll bet that there wasn't a scare they could throw at you that would ever have changed your mind about being a first mate on Dad's boat.  Must be some of your fondest memories. Thanks for the answer to an inquiring mind.  All the best to you.
 
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Some of my "Best Times" were spent on Lake Erie with my Dad - 17 years.  Name of our boat was "Tangled Lines" and for a good reason.  When your tolling up to 9 rods off the back, some with wire line and you get off course a little either via just poor piloting (I always blamed that on my Dad ;-0 ) or a swell, those lines can easily get tangled and not easy un-tangled, thus...."Tangled Lines".  We had some great catches, some great stories.  Sold the boat when my Dad passed, brothers didn't want to keep it going and at that time I wasn't in a position to buy them out and keep the cost up.  I truly miss being on the water.  I used to take the entire month of August off for vacation and stay on the boat. Keep telling myself I'm going to get another boat and put her up there but never get around to it.  So, I enjoy fishing for the Steelhead every year once they begin to run up the creeks which is usually right around late September through late April, again depending on the weather.  Oh well, enjoy the fish, don't worry about the so called contaminants and hey, have yourself a great cigar, nice glass of Crown and love life.  Just do everything in moderation, you'll be OK.
 
Great looking steaks Catchem. 
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