# Wet brine time?



## bill ace 350 (Sep 4, 2019)

What is the longest you can leave filets in a wet brine?

I caught two 20 plus pound Chinooks yesterday, and want to experiment.

used a modified Pops Brine.

1 gal of water
1 tbsp cure #1
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp sea salt
1 cup Dale's marinade
1 tsp garlic powder 

the thickest filets are 3 inches.

Does fish cure faster or slower than meat?

Want it cured so I can cold smoke, then bring to temperature.

Appreciate any tips.


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## browneyesvictim (Sep 4, 2019)

Well Ace... I'm not going to pretend to know a definite answer for you but I can give you my opinion. First of all... Congrats on your 'nookies! Those should be tasty for sure. I don't wet brine salmon anymore but prefer dry brines particularly for smoked salmon. And when I do it only takes an "overnight" to get the flavor I want, and I am smoking to internal temps. When I have gone longer than 2 days I found the balance was off and the brown sugar and saltiness took over the fish. Wet brining should be no different. I don't think there would be any harm or a safety issue for going longer- even for several weeks- in that brine, but I will venture to say the flavors and quality you are expecting will likely be less than desired.

Generally speaking- and for most other meats the penetration rate for brine is about 5 to 7 days per inch of thickness. My experience leads me to believe fish requires something less than this rate but I have never seen a different rate rule for fish.

Having said all of this... Since you said you are going to "bring to temperature", your margins of safety are well within kosher.


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## bill ace 350 (Sep 4, 2019)

browneyesvictim said:


> Well Ace... I'm not going to pretend to know a definite answer for you but I can give you my opinion. First of all... Congrats on your 'nookies! Those should be tasty for sure. I don't wet brine salmon anymore but prefer dry brines particularly for smoked salmon. And when I do it only takes an "overnight" to get the flavor I want, and I am smoking to internal temps. When I have gone longer than 2 days I found the balance was off and the brown sugar and saltiness took over the fish. Wet brining should be no different. I don't think there would be any harm or a safety issue for going longer- even for several weeks- in that brine, but I will venture to say the flavors and quality you are expecting will likely be less than desired.
> 
> Generally speaking- and for most other meats the penetration rate for brine is about 5 to 7 days per inch of thickness. My experience leads me to believe fish requires something less than this rate but I have never seen a different rate rule for fish.
> 
> Having said all of this... Since you said you are going to "bring to temperature", your margins of safety are well within kosher.



Appreciate the feedback.
Thanks for the quick response


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## fivetricks (Sep 4, 2019)

If it's a pure cure question you're asking then assume the following formula

Cure will generally penetrate flesh at a rate of 1/4" per 24 hours. Adding a day or two is usually in your best interest. Best to be a bit over than a bit under.

So if you have some 3" filets that you don't plan on injecting then that would be 12 days. HOWEVER, I don't know if there is a quicker rate of absorbtion in the less dense muscle fiber of fish, especially wild caught. 

That's something that someone smarter will have to chime in on


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## bill ace 350 (Sep 4, 2019)

fivetricks said:


> If it's a pure cure question you're asking then assume the following formula
> 
> Cure will generally penetrate flesh at a rate of 1/4" per 24 hours. Adding a day or two is usually in your best interest. Best to be a bit over than a bit under.
> 
> ...



Thanks. 

was interested if fish curing times differed from animal. 

Also, wonder how a long cure affects the texture of fish....


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## fivetricks (Sep 4, 2019)

Well long cured fish is commonly made into lox of you've ever had that


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## bill ace 350 (Sep 4, 2019)

I've seen so many recipes for cold smoking fish without the use of cure #1 that I'm thoroughly confused.


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## browneyesvictim (Sep 4, 2019)

Don't feel guilty about that. You are not alone. Its been done for centuries without using cure. But apparently the bylaws here on SMF require only strict adherence to USDA guidelines.


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