# Smoked Salmon Bellys and Collars



## cmayna (Jul 15, 2019)

I decided to get off my backside and create a new post with another Smoked Salmon thread.  I've started to accumulate too many Salmon (Chinook) belly and collar pieces in my Salmon freezer and since the wife and I are going out the Golden Gate this Wednesday, thought some smoked Salmon belly and collars pieces would be fun to share, especially for them die hard fishing dudes.  Giving bags of this stuff to my fellow fishing buddies is very rewarding. 

Before I freeze these kind of pieces, I usually trim off the Pectoral fin off the collar and sometimes the pelvic fin off of the belly strips if the fins are too big.

In a simple 4/1 ratio of dark brown sugar / non iodized salt. Brining for 7
hours.  Room dry for 2+ hours, smoked low and slow for 4+ hours, using Alder first, finishing with apple....pellets that is.







Mr. Masterbuilt ready to do his magic once again.  Modifying this box was the best thing I have done.  It now runs so perfectly and is very consistent and reliable.  The mailbox mod makes changing or refreshing pellets so easy and doesn't affect the temp of the smoker.










After the smoke, cooling down........






This tray is mainly small belly pieces






Collars on the right and very thick belly pieces on the left.  If you've never had smoked bellies, OMG!!


----------



## uncle rick (Jul 15, 2019)

whoa, those are some of the best parts of a fish.. usually overlooked by most everyone, those look great, looking forward to your follow up !!., my old mes 30 is dead, so I  picked up a masterbuilt 230 gas job, and in the process if doing some mods to make it work for smoking fish


----------



## cmayna (Jul 15, 2019)

Thanks uncle rick.  For me, using a gasser does not allow me to smoke at low temps such as 125, 135, etc.  Hopefully you can find a way to make it happen.


----------



## uncle rick (Jul 15, 2019)

im gonna try using an old amps tray I have and try to set it on top of a cast iron fry pan which i set on top of the useless factory chip tray, along with chocking the propane back with a needle valve, life is an experiment..


----------



## jcam222 (Jul 15, 2019)

Looks yummy. Have never done belly or collars of fish. What are collars?


----------



## daveomak (Jul 16, 2019)

Try cutting down the heat by using a needle valve on the propane line...   Modifying the burner one of several ways to reduce the flame..


----------



## cmayna (Jul 16, 2019)

jcam222,
Collars are the curved bone directly behind the head.  1 each side.  This is what the pectoral fin is connected to.


----------



## pushok2018 (Jul 16, 2019)

Like for your Beautiful looking bellys and coralls! Yummy! Usually (when I can get them from my local chinese supermarket) I cold smoke salmon bellys and love them. I brine them with salt and brown sugar only...  Looking at your masterpiece I want to try "low & slow" cooking method. What do you think is a best low temp for cooking? Not lower then 125 and not higher then 135? Thank you.


----------



## cmayna (Jul 16, 2019)

In this case, my definition of low and slow is 125 for first hour, 135 for 2nd hour, 140 for 3rd + hour.


----------



## pushok2018 (Jul 16, 2019)

Thank you, Craig.


----------



## Bearcarver (Jul 16, 2019)

It's about time you post one of your Awesome Salmon Posts!! Been Awhile!
Nice Job, Craig!
Like.

Bear


----------



## cmayna (Jul 16, 2019)

Bearcarver said:


> It's about time you post one of your Awesome Salmon Posts!! Been Awhile!
> Nice Job, Craig!
> Like.
> 
> Bear


Thanks Bear


----------



## petersaban (Jul 24, 2019)

Cmayna 
Great post. Can you explain to me how you did the mailbox mod? Pics would really help, thats how my brain works. Thanks


----------



## yankee2bbq (Jul 24, 2019)

Great job! Looks good!


----------



## cmayna (Jul 24, 2019)

petersaban,
If you do a forum search using MES40 as subject and then enter my name, you will find tons of threads I did starting around Dec of 2015 and then heavy during 2016 with a bunch of mod I did on my MES40 smoker, with the mailbox being one of the better mods.

But to answer your current questions I got an aluminum mailbox and put holes on it's floor and door for venting.   I put a 4" hole in the back and ran aluminum tubing starting from 4" and going down to 2" so the 2" piece can be inserted into the chip loader hole on the side of the smoker.   I did add wooden legs to raise the mailbox up off the ground to improve venting.

Craig


----------

