Hot Smoking ~ Almost Lost It

[thirdeye]

https://i.imgur.com/lzXfiWv.jpg

Our spring/summer has been wet and cool, in fact I have not even watered my lawn this year. This week however has warmed into the high 80's and yesterday while smoking some steelhead I had the Big Chief set-up on a concrete patio and in direct sunlight. My fish smoking times are usually 3.5 to 5 hours, but only 2.5 hours in when I temped this batch is was 140° which is my target temp. Saved it in the nick of time.

[BuffettFan]

Fish looks perfect!

I saw my uncovered, flat black ECB hit over 200* sitting in the sun last year.
No fire going, BTW.
Wonder what the Q would taste like coming out of that thing? :laugh:

Hmmm. Solar powered smokers. My Million dollar idea!

[Stingerhook]

Good looking save .

[Hoss]

It looks GREAT! I sure am glad you decided to check the temp when you did!

[thirdeye]

Me too. :wink:

[Titch]

Brined?

[mcyork28]

Looks great, love smokes steelhead.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

[HogGrog]

Thanks for the reminder to try your recipe, looks outstanding!

[thirdeye]

Brined?

I lay down about 1/4" or so of a dry cure onto a piece of plastic wrap. The fillet then goes meat down onto the cure, and sealed in plastic. In the next hour or so the cure draws out enough liquid to make a syrup. By the end of the curing cycle the cure is almost all dissolved. I rinse the fillets, pat dry, add cracked pepper and roasted garlic powder, then leave in the fridge (uncovered) for at least 8 hours. Then they are hot smoked to 140°-145° (higher if you want a drier product. HERE (http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/1995/02/seafood-dry-cure-for-salmon-trout-or.html) is the step-by-step with tons of photos.

And this is how moist it can be when pulled off at 140°

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v377/thirdeye2/Barbecue%2012/DSC00304a.jpg

[4ever3]

Beautiful fish!

Sweet Opie too!

[thirdeye]

Beautiful fish!

Sweet Opie too!

Thanks for the kind words. It's really funny but I always plan on gifting some of my bounty to friends and after sampling my first bite I regret not smoking more. This batch I got greedy and kept three pieces and gifted the tail.

[Titch]

Thanks mate:thumb: