# Brined Bluefish....My first try



## flash (Sep 16, 2007)

Thought I would try and smoke some bluefish again, but this time try the brining method that so many of you talk about. I have always held off from brining due to my high BP and salt issues. Got a brining recipe from one of my fishing buddies here in Florida and he told me to just brine for 4 hours instead of over night.
 Brine consisted of:

water, kosher salt, brown sugar, worchester sauce, white vinegar, black pepper, chili powder, bay leaves and some Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce.

After pulling the fish from the brine I was to strain the marinade and smear some of the concoction over the fish.








My wife loved the smoked potatoes from one of my prior smokes, so once again, we spiced up some baking potatoes to go in the smoker along with the fish.







Decided to go with the ECB again, since I did not need much room. 







Noticed I finally, after around 28 years, removed the legs from this smoker and set it up on concrete blocks. This allows easier access to the fire pan.







After about an hour and a half. Things were looking good. Foiled up the potatoes and spritzed the fish with a 50/50 mix of canola oil and lemon juice. Notice the oven temp gauge.....I finally got one so I could check the temp gauge on the ECB.  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





 Man, it was off by 65 degrees. 







Wife likes her smoked fish done alittle longer than most. Normally with my old method, I would go almost 3 1/2 hours. Took these 3 and probably could have cut back another 1/2 hour from that. Not sure if it was the brine effect or more than likely, the temp issue with the ECB. It does run hotter than my GOSM model. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	











Now isn't this a mix. My wife had caught a keeper Mangrove (Grey) snapper that was legal size. We had not had one in ages, back to our Key West trip days. So we had to fry it up. We also had some chicken wings that needed to be done......also a back up in case I messed up with the Bluefish and they turned out too salty.

Salt was never an issue, not salty tasting at all. I do want alittle more heat though. So will try throwing some Everglades heat seasonings onto the bluefish as it hits the smoker.....that will crank it up for sure.


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## walking dude (Sep 16, 2007)

Damn.........looking GOOD

how do you do the potatoes.......KNOWING my momma will want to know

and the wings......inquiring minds WANT to know

Wd


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## hawgheaven (Sep 16, 2007)

Thanks for the Q-view Flash, it all looks great, especially the Bluefish!

I happen to love Bluefish, but the wife isn't too crazy about them. The last ones I did, I skinned and cut the "mud vien" out of the fillets, brined them overnight, rinsed them well. I then mixed up some flour and creole seasoning in a ziploc bag, shook them around and fried them in my big iron skillet... very tasty and the wife even ate some!

Alot of people don't like Blues... I guess they just ain't had it cooked right!


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## walking dude (Sep 16, 2007)

pardon my ignorance......and i will do a head thump will you tell me......wondering why i ddin't remember it

Whats a blue.......tuna?


wd


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## blackhawk19 (Sep 16, 2007)

You ought to be ashamed cooking with a crippled ECB, he needs to be in a nursing home telling all the Langs what it used to be like back in the day


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## walking dude (Sep 16, 2007)

hey now........i got two of those exact models........plus the gourmet version.....

be nice..........LOLOLOL

Wd


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## blackhawk19 (Sep 16, 2007)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluefish


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## walking dude (Sep 16, 2007)

ahhhhhh....snapper.......okay........told ya, i would do a head thump......hehehehe


Wd


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## flash (Sep 16, 2007)

The potatoes are suppose to be rubbed with lard or bacon grease, but I opt for just butter. Puncher with fork several times. Make a mixture of spices including Paprika, salt, pepper, sage, parsley, garlic and sugar. After greasing up the potato roll it in mixture.  Smoke for 1 to 1 1/2 hours at around 225, then wrap in foil. I find they are usually done in 2 to 2 1/2 hours depending size.
 You can leave them in foil till end or pull them out for 15 minutes to dry up the skin (which I readily consume).

Bluefish, have a mean set of choppers. Ours in Florida do not get all that big, maybe 14 to 20 inches. Here is a NC coastal one.








The wings were already lemon peppered spiced from store. I sprayed PAM in a bottom of a deep dish aluminum pan and threw them on the gas grill for around 30 to 40 minutes, then out of the pan onto the grates for around 10 to 15 to crisp them up some more. Thats it.


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## walking dude (Sep 16, 2007)

Damn.......good looking........ah..........blue fish..........

thankx for sharing







Wd


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## blackhawk19 (Sep 16, 2007)

OK wheres the fish


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## blackhawk19 (Sep 16, 2007)

I have one too, but it's not crippled with no legs


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## deejaydebi (Sep 17, 2007)

Nice smoke Flash but I gotta tell ya .... I don't thik to many of the brothers are going to notice your big fish


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## smokin for life (Sep 17, 2007)

Flash, I did a few blues a couple of weeks ago,so I was really interested in how yours turned out. Then you had to add the pic. of the N.C. one and now I could care less about the fish. THANKS PAL!!!!!  lol.


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## flash (Sep 17, 2007)

Thanks guys and gals. Yeah, that is a nice "fish" isn't it. Wish my wif...er, my bluefish, looked as nice as that one.


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## q3131a (Sep 19, 2007)

Flash,

Did you put the fish under a fan after brining to develop the pellicle?

Good looking smoke. Try brining for 12 hours or so.


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## flash (Sep 19, 2007)

Mike, I did have a fan blowing on the fish.....but only a ceiling fan just above them. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





   Not sure if that was good enough or if we let go long enough? They did appear to have a shiney appearance, although they still could have been damp from the water rinse.
 As to brining for longer, due to salt issues, I only went with 4 and did not seem overly salty. Next time I will go to 6 and increase till I feel it is too much. Right now, my wife still prefers them the old wife I did them, with no bringing. I want to try again, but get alittle more heat on them and will spice them somemore before the smoke.


----------



## nolabel7 (Sep 19, 2007)

So, if one wanted to smoke salmon, would you use the same techniques as the blue fish? Brine or not; would you raise the temp substantially, and finally, would you foil them or half foil them to keep them from drying out?


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## flash (Sep 20, 2007)

No salmon down here. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





   Darn it. i would do a search and just type in Salmon. Salmonclubber should have some fine post on the subject.


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## q3131a (Oct 30, 2007)

Flash,

Are the macs hitting in CK? I am fresh out of fish for smokin.


----------



## flash (Sep 16, 2007)

Thought I would try and smoke some bluefish again, but this time try the brining method that so many of you talk about. I have always held off from brining due to my high BP and salt issues. Got a brining recipe from one of my fishing buddies here in Florida and he told me to just brine for 4 hours instead of over night.
 Brine consisted of:

water, kosher salt, brown sugar, worchester sauce, white vinegar, black pepper, chili powder, bay leaves and some Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce.

After pulling the fish from the brine I was to strain the marinade and smear some of the concoction over the fish.








My wife loved the smoked potatoes from one of my prior smokes, so once again, we spiced up some baking potatoes to go in the smoker along with the fish.







Decided to go with the ECB again, since I did not need much room. 







Noticed I finally, after around 28 years, removed the legs from this smoker and set it up on concrete blocks. This allows easier access to the fire pan.







After about an hour and a half. Things were looking good. Foiled up the potatoes and spritzed the fish with a 50/50 mix of canola oil and lemon juice. Notice the oven temp gauge.....I finally got one so I could check the temp gauge on the ECB.  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





 Man, it was off by 65 degrees. 







Wife likes her smoked fish done alittle longer than most. Normally with my old method, I would go almost 3 1/2 hours. Took these 3 and probably could have cut back another 1/2 hour from that. Not sure if it was the brine effect or more than likely, the temp issue with the ECB. It does run hotter than my GOSM model. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	











Now isn't this a mix. My wife had caught a keeper Mangrove (Grey) snapper that was legal size. We had not had one in ages, back to our Key West trip days. So we had to fry it up. We also had some chicken wings that needed to be done......also a back up in case I messed up with the Bluefish and they turned out too salty.

Salt was never an issue, not salty tasting at all. I do want alittle more heat though. So will try throwing some Everglades heat seasonings onto the bluefish as it hits the smoker.....that will crank it up for sure.


----------



## walking dude (Sep 16, 2007)

Damn.........looking GOOD

how do you do the potatoes.......KNOWING my momma will want to know

and the wings......inquiring minds WANT to know

Wd


----------



## hawgheaven (Sep 16, 2007)

Thanks for the Q-view Flash, it all looks great, especially the Bluefish!

I happen to love Bluefish, but the wife isn't too crazy about them. The last ones I did, I skinned and cut the "mud vien" out of the fillets, brined them overnight, rinsed them well. I then mixed up some flour and creole seasoning in a ziploc bag, shook them around and fried them in my big iron skillet... very tasty and the wife even ate some!

Alot of people don't like Blues... I guess they just ain't had it cooked right!


----------



## walking dude (Sep 16, 2007)

pardon my ignorance......and i will do a head thump will you tell me......wondering why i ddin't remember it

Whats a blue.......tuna?


wd


----------



## blackhawk19 (Sep 16, 2007)

You ought to be ashamed cooking with a crippled ECB, he needs to be in a nursing home telling all the Langs what it used to be like back in the day


----------



## walking dude (Sep 16, 2007)

hey now........i got two of those exact models........plus the gourmet version.....

be nice..........LOLOLOL

Wd


----------



## blackhawk19 (Sep 16, 2007)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluefish


----------



## walking dude (Sep 16, 2007)

ahhhhhh....snapper.......okay........told ya, i would do a head thump......hehehehe


Wd


----------



## flash (Sep 16, 2007)

The potatoes are suppose to be rubbed with lard or bacon grease, but I opt for just butter. Puncher with fork several times. Make a mixture of spices including Paprika, salt, pepper, sage, parsley, garlic and sugar. After greasing up the potato roll it in mixture.  Smoke for 1 to 1 1/2 hours at around 225, then wrap in foil. I find they are usually done in 2 to 2 1/2 hours depending size.
 You can leave them in foil till end or pull them out for 15 minutes to dry up the skin (which I readily consume).

Bluefish, have a mean set of choppers. Ours in Florida do not get all that big, maybe 14 to 20 inches. Here is a NC coastal one.








The wings were already lemon peppered spiced from store. I sprayed PAM in a bottom of a deep dish aluminum pan and threw them on the gas grill for around 30 to 40 minutes, then out of the pan onto the grates for around 10 to 15 to crisp them up some more. Thats it.


----------



## walking dude (Sep 16, 2007)

Damn.......good looking........ah..........blue fish..........

thankx for sharing







Wd


----------



## blackhawk19 (Sep 16, 2007)

OK wheres the fish


----------



## blackhawk19 (Sep 16, 2007)

I have one too, but it's not crippled with no legs


----------



## deejaydebi (Sep 17, 2007)

Nice smoke Flash but I gotta tell ya .... I don't thik to many of the brothers are going to notice your big fish


----------



## smokin for life (Sep 17, 2007)

Flash, I did a few blues a couple of weeks ago,so I was really interested in how yours turned out. Then you had to add the pic. of the N.C. one and now I could care less about the fish. THANKS PAL!!!!!  lol.


----------



## flash (Sep 17, 2007)

Thanks guys and gals. Yeah, that is a nice "fish" isn't it. Wish my wif...er, my bluefish, looked as nice as that one.


----------



## q3131a (Sep 19, 2007)

Flash,

Did you put the fish under a fan after brining to develop the pellicle?

Good looking smoke. Try brining for 12 hours or so.


----------



## flash (Sep 19, 2007)

Mike, I did have a fan blowing on the fish.....but only a ceiling fan just above them. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





   Not sure if that was good enough or if we let go long enough? They did appear to have a shiney appearance, although they still could have been damp from the water rinse.
 As to brining for longer, due to salt issues, I only went with 4 and did not seem overly salty. Next time I will go to 6 and increase till I feel it is too much. Right now, my wife still prefers them the old wife I did them, with no bringing. I want to try again, but get alittle more heat on them and will spice them somemore before the smoke.


----------



## nolabel7 (Sep 19, 2007)

So, if one wanted to smoke salmon, would you use the same techniques as the blue fish? Brine or not; would you raise the temp substantially, and finally, would you foil them or half foil them to keep them from drying out?


----------



## flash (Sep 20, 2007)

No salmon down here. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





   Darn it. i would do a search and just type in Salmon. Salmonclubber should have some fine post on the subject.


----------



## q3131a (Oct 30, 2007)

Flash,

Are the macs hitting in CK? I am fresh out of fish for smokin.


----------

