# More Sockeye...12-30...  MONEY....



## daveomak (Dec 30, 2015)

Yep....   Skipper brought Bride sockeye from Alaska....  Soooooo, since we been married 28 years today, I'm prepping the fish for New Years 'cause she wants it...    Imagine that...

This cure / brine is different....   I weighed the fish in at 1400 grams... decided to add 200 grams of water to keep it a little more moist.....  We'll see what happens...   Already about an extra 100 grams has been sucked out of the fish from the salt, sugar and cure etc...    I'm still using my "BATCH" cure where I add 18 grams of mix per pound (450 grams of fish and water)....

It will come out of the brine in the morning.... I'll rinse and dry it....   form the pellicle on wire racks in front of the fan, prior to the addition of Alder smoke in the dedicated fish smoker...  

Temps tomorrow supposed to be around 22...  Good thing I've modified this marvelous fish smoking machine with a ~1200 watt element... 













Totem Smoker.jpeg



__ daveomak
__ Dec 30, 2015





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SOCKEYE 12-31-15 2.jpg



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Thanks for looking....   BBL...


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## daveomak (Dec 31, 2015)

Got the fish rinsed and it's drying to form the pellicle....    Went out to put the Alder Pellets in the smoker to dry and it's  -2 deg. F...   A tad bit brisk this AM.........


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## nevrsummr (Dec 31, 2015)

Looking good Dave, can you take before and after pics to show pellicle? Not real sure what that is. Thanks


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## daveomak (Dec 31, 2015)

The pellicle is soluble proteins that you dry to a film on the fish...    It feels tacky but it is dry...    That seals in the moisture and fat, and keeps the fish moist as long as it is pretty much in one piece...  I just started going an extra step by dissolving brown sugar in rum...  try to make it thick... like a heavy, heavy syrup...  spread it on the fish and it seals the meat also....   I like it....  Below is a pic of the fish with the brown sugar glaze...  It has sat in front of the fan also to dry....   The brown sugar film is REALLY thin and adds a subtle flavor to the fish... barely noticeable..













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From a previous batch of fish...   The natural pellicle....   the fish absorbs smoke MUCH better....

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Pellicle NICE.jpg



__ daveomak
__ Dec 31, 2015


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## dirtsailor2003 (Dec 31, 2015)

And I thought 9 was cold! I have two fillets that are going in the smoker tomorrow, it's the season I guess.


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## nevrsummr (Dec 31, 2015)

That looks delicious!


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## daveomak (Dec 31, 2015)

dirtsailor2003 said:


> And I thought 9 was cold! I have two fillets that are going in the smoker tomorrow, it's the season I guess.


HEY !!!!   The Old Totem Smoker got all the way up to 180 with the big element.....

Those of us that live East of the Cascades are blessed with cold....  It's time to make some of Kevin's ''coffee adding liqueur"...   picked up a jug of Everclear last week for that specific purpose..


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## daveomak (Dec 31, 2015)

Another hour or so and this fish should be ready to eat.....  Smoker's cruising at about 175 ish...    Bride wants the fish a little more cooked than the last batch...... Sooooooooo, a little more cooked it will be....    Shooting for ~140 ish...  maybe 145.....

DONE !!!   Bride said 145 was perfect....  I'm out of trouble now....   for a minute or 2.....













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This stuff is_ AWESOME!!_













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## crazymoon (Dec 31, 2015)

DO, Nice looking salmon sir ! I'm  laughing at the old totem smoker, mine still sits idle in the garage and maybe I need the 1220 watt thrown into the old girl .


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## crankybuzzard (Dec 31, 2015)

Dave, I'm not a big salmon fan, but I'd try that!

I picked up a filet today to make cold smoked salmon for the bride and her mother.  Gonna get it started later in the cure process.


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## daveomak (Dec 31, 2015)

You and Dirt will have to thread your fish endeavors....


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## daveomak (Dec 31, 2015)

CrazyMoon said:


> DO, Nice looking salmon sir ! I'm  laughing at the old totem smoker, mine still sits idle in the garage and maybe I need the 1220 watt thrown into the old girl .


If you want to smoke in winter, it sure helps...   I tried it with the old element when we moved to the high desert and had to do something...   This works...   I've got a thread on the conversion on here somewhere.... 

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...r-element-for-colder-climates-and-hot-smoking


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## atomicsmoke (Dec 31, 2015)

Nice looking salmon Dave...like always.
Sockeye rocks. Big chief is best for this. I learned that here. And that's not BS.


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## daveomak (Dec 31, 2015)

If we keep this up, Big Chief will have a resurgence like the world has never seen.....    HAHAHAHAHAHA....


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## disco (Jan 1, 2016)

This is a work of art. I bow to the artist!

Point

Disco


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## daveomak (Jan 1, 2016)

Hey Dave.....  Thanks for lookin' in...   You are a man that knows how to please your southerly neighbor...  I've been lookin' in on your blog frequently...  looks like you have a good following...

Dave


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## disco (Jan 1, 2016)

DaveOmak said:


> Hey Dave.....  Thanks for lookin' in...   You are a man that knows how to please your southerly neighbor...  I've been lookin' in on your blog frequently...  looks like you have a good following...
> 
> Dave


Thanks for looking. I passed 100,000 views this year. Not much in the world of blogging but not bad for an old fat Canadian. Maybe you could do a guest post for me some day.


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## daveomak (Jan 1, 2016)

Only if I could be in one of your videos.....  Har har har......


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## disco (Jan 1, 2016)

DaveOmak said:


> Only if I could be in one of your videos.....  Har har har......


Can you say Action? I knew you could. Come on up. I'll chill the beer and set up the tripod.


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## daveomak (Jan 1, 2016)

How about a cardboard cut out....   I'm not sure if the current administration has me on some list or not....


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## redheelerdog (Jan 1, 2016)

Hi Dave, the Sockeye looks fabulous. Congratulations on 28 years, that is great, and make the fish just how the Mrs likes it, LOL!

The salmon always reminds me of when I lived over near Seattle, back in the 70's my brother taught me how to smoke salmon in my little chief smoker. - Good memories and good salmon.


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## disco (Jan 1, 2016)

Har! I have a couple of friends who were into organic recreational medicine in the sixties who can't get into the US. Strange because you guys are starting to legalize it.


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## daveomak (Jan 1, 2016)

Thanks Dog...  appreciate the comments....   Dave


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