How to Prepare Fatty Fish for Smoking

It is important to salt your choice of salmon or steelhead to retard bacterial growth. 

use a 2-1 brown sugar to kosher salt ratio for thin fillets. thick fillets (1/2" or greater) can take a 1-1 sugar salt ratio. add to the dry brine whatever you like. i like to add dill, cayenne, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and chipotle powder. sift it until well blended. 

use a couple layers of food service wrap in alternating directions. 

layer your fillets with dry brine.

then wrap tightly, and then wrap in food service foil. 

put in fridge, turning twice a day for two days. after 48 give or take, rinse the fillets, pat 'em dry and place on wire racks in front of a fan for two or three hours. this will develop the pellicle. 

don't skip this step or you'll have mushy smoked fish. 

this is what your fish should look like prior to smoking. dry, but moist and shiny. 

smoke your fish with indirect heat with hickory, oak or pecan at less than 140 degrees. a couple hours should be plenty, depending on thickness. 

and don't forget to have clean surfaces, clean hands and clean utinsils AT EVERY STEP in this process. although this isn't technically cold smoking, it's close enough. and the fish is at dangerous temps for long times. i've never had anyone complaining of gastro problems in the many steelhead/salmon smokes because i'm a clean freak when it comes to handling and preparing the fish. you should be a clean freak, too. 

special thanks to alton brown and @ribguy. 

Still Swimming

There's this post by @ReformedBroker that should motivate you to get your ass out of bed and become the most valuable member of your organization.

While I'm waiting for the apocalypse, I'm going to continue making my pastrami.

The brisket is still corning; fat side down. She will dry brine and smoke fat side up. Another day or two in the pool. Then 24-48 hours debrining. Then 48-96 hours dry brining. Then a short slow 4-6 hour live oak smoke.

Refrigerate for a day or two.

Steam up to temp in steamer rack. Hand cut slices.

[what i'm hoping for in my pastrami voyage]

An Attempt at Pastrami

I have a 13 pound brisket swimming in a nitrite enhanced brine. With the help of my SIL (a Bolner who grew up in a full service butcher shop), I separated the point from the flat. And then put together the dry ingredients.

Then I threw them in the pool, where they have been soaking since Sunday.

The point will be corned beef. The flat will be further processed into pastrami...another three to four day wait time. I don't have a lot of patience. But on this on single thing, I am out to prove that The Granary's concept of pastrami is wildly off base, and is just another misguided hipster attempt at relevance.

I'm only four days into this experiment, with at least another ten day's worth of anticipation. But I'm keeping copious notes.

[i should add that i am adept at wet and dry brining, as well as smoking a variety of brined flesh, including salmon and trout]