The Best Brine For Smoking
Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Saltwater Fishing
Forum Name: The Kitchen - Seafood Recipes
Forum Description: Share your favourite seafood recipes here
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=35062
Printed Date: 31 May 2026 at 9:57am
Topic: The Best Brine For Smoking
Posted By: makoman350
Subject: The Best Brine For Smoking
Date Posted: 29 Nov 2008 at 10:23pm
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Hi All, any suggestions of a good Brine for smoking fish ???? ------------- Mount it once Mount it right www.facebook.com/#!/pages/ART-of-FISH-Marine-Taxidermy/232098110191788 |
Replies:
Posted By: bazza
Date Posted: 30 Nov 2008 at 7:35am
Hot or cold smoking?
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makoman350 wrote:Posted By: MR D
Date Posted: 30 Nov 2008 at 9:08am
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this is what I use 1/2 cup sugar (white or brown) 1/2 sea salt NON-iodized 1 l water Adjust the quantities to suit the amount of fish you have just keep the proportions the same. I leave it over night in the brine in the fridge then rinse it off then pop the fish back in the fridge on some old tea towels to dry off and develop a tackie skin. then its into my smoker. Sometimes I add some maple syrup and lemon pepper just before placing it the smoker. My smoker is a little chief and usually takes about 5 hrs for a batch of fish. Its neither a hot or cold smoker but someware in between. |
Posted By: Wizard
Date Posted: 30 Nov 2008 at 3:05pm
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1 1/2 C Brown Sugar 1 C NON-iodized salt 5 L water 1 t Thyme Dissolve in 500ml boiling water, add the dry thyme, add the rest of the cold water. |
Posted By: rocko
Date Posted: 30 Nov 2008 at 9:28pm
same as wizards.... allso add between half and a cup of soy sauce with a table spoon of Worcester sauce ( cut back the cold water to compensate ) be sure to soak for at least 4hours...over night is better.. then leave to surface dry,,or pat the fish dry with paper towel to remove excess moisture...light garnish with sprinkle of parsley flakes finishes off nicelyfish will turn a nice golden colour/puff up and remain juicy and tender... fish pictured is snapper and gurnard manuka smoked over very mild heat for aprox 4 1/2hours |
Posted By: Lethal
Date Posted: 30 Nov 2008 at 10:55pm
ever tried it with nothing... fish taste even better.......  |
Posted By: biggear
Date Posted: 01 Dec 2008 at 6:31am
| Our brine is the4 same, but lately we have been adding a little golden syrup and chilli sauce just before we put it in. |
Posted By: Catchelot
Date Posted: 01 Dec 2012 at 10:14pm
Done several like this on my Box Brownee on the bbq with the burners on low with kingis flap/wing and backbones and Kahawai and 15 - 20 min smoke  But I have two big arse kahawai to smoke so I must try the brine recipe.  Or are there some new brines and recipes to learn?  ------------- "The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever." - Jacques Cousteau |
Posted By: PJay
Date Posted: 01 Dec 2012 at 10:17pm
Yup, 4 kingfish wings smoked in the hot smoker this arvo, just like that. Wonderful. ------------- PJ |
Posted By: Fishing Addiction
Date Posted: 01 Dec 2012 at 10:25pm
| the smoke i did today is 1/2 cup brown sugard, 1/2 cup salt, tablespoon malt vinegar and bit of sweet chilli with about 4 cups water. brine for 4 hours then smoke |
Posted By: Uncle
Date Posted: 01 Dec 2012 at 10:46pm
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Yesterday, I purchased, yes, purchased some salmon from the supermarket to test the new smoke generator that I'd attached to the old Brinkman. First time I've spent $'s on fish in a while but it had to be done. The slab on the left was smothered with sea salt & brown sugar & left in the fridge. The slab on the right was put into a brine mix, sea salt/water & left to soak for a couple of hours. In both cases, I used a fork to "stab" holes in the flesh first. Next step was to drain both samples, then I placed them in front of an oscillating fan for a couple of hours. That dried them nicely & made the flesh just right for smoking. I fired up the smoke machine for an hour, then added the bowl of hot charcoal for another couple of hours. Then came the taste test... Aunty couldn't tell the difference but said both were "nice" So much for going to all the trouble.  Next time, I'll add some chilli sauce to one or t'other~~that should help to differentiate   |
Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 01 Dec 2012 at 10:57pm
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Dont be mean to Auntie.... I've often wondered about some smoke recipes, just how much the taste varies with the different mixtures. |
Posted By: No Fear
Date Posted: 02 Dec 2012 at 9:04am
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smoking brine,,well this is what i do,bear with me,,, --------------  ---top secret-------------two kgs of bacon brine from butcher,yes bacon brine desolved in hot water 1 pkt of lemon pepper, little box 2 sliced lemons couple bay leaves few pepper corns 1 cup sea salt,flaked 1 cup brown suger 1/2 fill chilly bin with cold water and ice packs, then i fillet fish and soak fillets over night up to 24 hrs ,drain then air dry and before i put in smoke house i spinkle a mix of brown suger,lemon pepper,black pepper and sea salt on them and the finale one is to trickle maple syurp over them ,and into smoke house,i normally do a cold smoke over night then a bit of heat in it to the end,or i just hot smoke it ,eather way works well.depends on ya time frame. if u try this, the fish come out of brine slightly red in colour,dont wory,its fine, and people have told me that its pritty close to prefect,,,,enjoy.
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Posted By: Clifftastic
Date Posted: 03 Dec 2012 at 10:16am
| I reckon the simple sugar/salt brine is the best. Type of woodsmoke is something more to concentrate on and letting the fillets form that sticky pellicle by drying them out properly like Uncle did. Flavour can be easily adjusted after. |
Posted By: Seasider
Date Posted: 03 Dec 2012 at 10:45am
| We use this for all our fish from snaps to marlin, Rub rock salt and brown sugar into fish leave to stand for 1 hour then a very quick rinse off in fish bin of sea water, leave to dry for a hour then into smoker. |
Posted By: Unclejake
Date Posted: 05 Dec 2012 at 5:05pm
I like my fish moist so I don't brine anymore. The fact that it is way quicker and slightly cheaper not to brine is just a bonus.
My smoker is a traditional, wood fired, warm one. 3 & 1/2 hours would be an average smoke time.
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Posted By: Moggy
Date Posted: 05 Dec 2012 at 5:55pm
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what ever you use, use double the sugar to the salt. Salt should be sea salt, sugar brown If you like salt then by all means equal quantities – I find most people no longer like real salty food. add in cup of good dark rum or vodka if your so inclined.add in some all spice berries add in some juniper berries crushed place in plastic sealable container leave in fridge - fish 24 hours pork 5 to 7 days depending on size. Remove liquid leave to dry in fridge for 1 day - on rack is best smoke Brilliant - do my hams this way ever year, never failed. ------------- People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it! FISH FIGHT The Peoples Protest |
Posted By: Moggy
Date Posted: 05 Dec 2012 at 5:57pm
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I like my fish moist so I don't brine anymore. Cut the salt back and it won’t dry out, brining can add flavour for sure, depends on what else you add. ------------- People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it! FISH FIGHT The Peoples Protest |
Posted By: Bruce
Date Posted: 05 Dec 2012 at 9:03pm
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I'm with Lethal on this one. I cant get my head around why you have to put fish in brine prior to smoking especially if you are using fresh water. I usually prep my fish at sea. I cut them to smoke, sprinkle a generous amount of sea salt on them (surprising how much you can put on without them being salty) and leave them until I am ready to smoke them, sometimes up to 4-5 days in the chiller. Prior to smoking I rub them down with a paper towel and then sprinkle with my condiments and a bit more salt. I think that the fact that the only contact with water they have is sea water and not fresh makes a difference but that only my opinion and I stand to be corrected if I'm wrong. Dont be frightened to try different techniques/recipes etc, the results can be very satisfying and if you get it wrong then give the fish to someone you dont like and they will love you anyway lol |
Posted By: Brooook
Date Posted: 05 Dec 2012 at 9:24pm
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I was given a tip - rub salt into the fillets then hang on the clothes line overnight to drip dry. Flies won't touch it with the salt so no worries there. Smoke the next day. I did this and it was delicious. ------------- Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day.............Teach a man to fish and he will sit in a boat all day drinking beer, |
Posted By: Tipper
Date Posted: 05 Dec 2012 at 10:09pm
I'm with you Uncle, I have tried all ways, and have found smoking temps and times have a far greater effect than a few hours in a brine ------------- Please make sure you have the full 'witty' Plug-In installed on your Internet Browser, or the default 'half-witty' output may affect your profile |
Posted By: Moggy
Date Posted: 05 Dec 2012 at 10:10pm
Not wrong Bruce - the rubbing of salt is the same as brining
- but you take longer brining is quicker that’s all, and you can take a flavour
into the meat/fish better with brine. If they turn out to salty I make soup out of them – works a
treat and you can balance the salt with things like potato ------------- People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it! FISH FIGHT The Peoples Protest |