Smoking - What am I doing wrong

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Steps Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Feb 2015 at 12:08pm
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Titanium
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Steps does it matter where you put the water tray in the smoker
I dont know, have not experimented with location, just if have it in or not.
Not having it in there is no way to get lower temps for colder smoking
Mine is a couple cm.. above the cake tin U use for the smoking chips, and just under the racks.
I estimate approx 2 to 3 cups of water lasts about 5 to 7 hrs


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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Big Manly Yaka Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Feb 2015 at 1:37pm
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Cheers, hopefully I get something this weekend to experiment with. My cold smoking I don't usually have any heat at all, just smoke for 5-6 hours then turn the heat on (80-90degs) for another hour. My smoke comes from one of those UFO smoke generators attached to the side of the box, it blows pretty much cold smoke.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote tas-tackle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Feb 2015 at 3:41pm
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Titanium
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I use a large bowl enamel above the burner box in my Kiwi Smoker.. line with tin foil , it is then easier to clean as fish fat drops to the bottom from the racks above and into the bowl. ..Yes the water does get quite hot but i believe using a water tray helps keep the fish moist..  Even tho im using the hot box in the unit..  I have a smoke cannon i use for the first and last hour of a 4 hour session..

http://www.tas-tackle.co.nz
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote lingee Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Feb 2015 at 4:46pm
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Hi there if you donot salt the fish it will keep a lot more moist. flavour if u like. pepper and lemon mix nice or add your own mix . i donot salt fish first. it dries the meat out with hot smoke.moist is best, and it lasts well.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Steps Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Mar 2015 at 10:02am
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Titanium
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i do not salt fish first. it dries the meat out with hot smoke.moist is best, and it lasts well.

My son hot smokes, was asking him about what he does and he made that sort comment also.. as to lasting, he recons treat hot smoking like ordinary cooked food.. chicken.....
Where as cold smoking as we do lasts in the fridge for at least near on 2 weeks 
He hot smokes fillets with skin on, other wise drys a little to much.
We cold smoke skinned, the thinner fillets pulled early, and still moist... I hate 'jerkied' fish....beef / chicken etc thats good .
Have tried cold smoke not salting.. no significance difference in moisture but the end result looses texture and flavour a bit bland.

The amount of salting, and sugar, experiment with...same with things like chilli , rum, molasses....
make small changes and end u with a very nice product that suits yourselves.
We started with manuka, 1/2 tea cup salt, 1/2 cup brown sugar, marinate fillets in the fridge for 2 hrs....tried rubbing in over night methods... even white sugar lol...

And as to rubbing salt in or marinate for a few hrs.....We prefer the marinate method .. its quicker easier and more versatile with more control over the salt taste in particular....

At the end of the day there is no 'right' receipy/ method other than the basics of salting and sugar.
In saying that have tried some 'proud' home smokes, including some of our experiments..and they vary from a polite ...'yes ok' to spit it out...

Which is why if u want comments ask "what do u think would improve it"   NOT "do u like it"

Every question has 2 answers...and far too many ppl ask a question and u know damn well they cant accept one of the answers...so why the hell do they ask the question in the 1st bloody place?
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Gavoon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Mar 2015 at 9:45am
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Hey Hemp I have had the same issue as you.
I have been hot smoking trout for years and never had a problem until recently the smoked fish was ruined buy an acrid taste on the surface of the fish. I did find some holes in the base of my old smoker and as it was on it's last legs I bifft it out and god a new one. I cleaned the new one, gave it a good burn before using it, smoked some trout and guess what....no bloody good, same result.
 
I have put it down to the sawdust I used, got it from the Wharehouse. Next step is to clean the smoker, get some different sawdust, catch a trout and try it again.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Godders Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 May 2015 at 4:39pm
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Originally posted by Bull Bull wrote:


Have had that issue with a new hot smoker before. Had a real chemical bitter taste.
 
Having successfully used hot smokers for years I had no idea what the problem was. I ended problem shooting it down to one of two things. I was either getting a burnt meths taste or the metal was coated in chemicals from being built in China.
 
I went to putting it on the BBQ instead of using meths and secondly I put it in a BBQ full bore for a while to burn off any residual chemicals. Seemed to fix the problem.
 
Manuka may make it slightly bitter but not tI had trouble smoking ko the point of ruining the fish.


The bbq method works great.alsomainading in teriyaki sauce from kokkoman for a few hours is very nice.Teriyaki is soy sauce with brown sugar and ginger and wine.and maybe dont spread the chips evenly but have a mound in the middle.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Steps Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 May 2015 at 5:09pm
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Titanium
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Steps does it matter where you put the water tray in the smoker to help with the moisture and temp?

Not critical.. but definitely between the smoking chips and the fish/ food above
from top of the burner to bottom of the cake tinm that holds the chips is 50mm   messed with that a little +/-  10 to 15mm... found that reasonbly ideal
Cake tin is 50mm deep
Cake tin to water tray is about 30mm above the top of the cake tin...30 mm is a good height to check / lift lid enough see what is left...
From top of water tray to 1st rack is 80mm....And racks about 80mm apart. except between the top 2 which are 60mm apart
Distance between racks could go to 60mm nps BUT keep in mind what u MAYBE smoking in the future.. thick marlin or king fillets, a chicken...
When ever I smoke, I fill the smoker.. if not enough fish I top up with sausages, and/or beef jerky, and/ or marinated chicken drumsticks  or lamb chops...been thinking abut a bit nice pork belly sometime.
So consider distance between racks...maybe vary between racks?
I think closing up as u get closer to the top would be best... going on how my close racks up there work with different stuff.

I recon a smoker  should be the same as a garden pond, a garden even a fish tank in the house... basic rule of thumb, figure out how big u want, then to make it 'look right' work as wish... increase by 1/3
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Kandrew Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 May 2015 at 8:02pm
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Titanium
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Originally posted by Big Manly Yaka Big Manly Yaka wrote:

Cheers, hopefully I get something this weekend to experiment with. My cold smoking I don't usually have any heat at all, just smoke for 5-6 hours then turn the heat on (80-90degs) for another hour. My smoke comes from one of those UFO smoke generators attached to the side of the box, it blows pretty much cold smoke.


Mate I've got a UFO on a steel smoking cabinet. Do you find you have to take the UFO off and clean it after every smoke?
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