SconnieQ
New member
Did a little variety fish smoking. I used the same cure for all. 4 parts brown sugar to 1 part kosher salt. Generously packed around fish for 12 hours (actually ended up being more like 18 hours). Rinsed and dried on rack in fridge overnight. Probed the thickest salmon filet, and smoked all with Sugar Maple chips until interior temperature of salmon was 133.
Salmon: good as usual. This just turns out good every time. Have done this many times before.
Sablefish (Black Cod): Let's just get one thing straight right off the bat. This is not cod. It is not even remotely related to any species of cod. Black Cod is a nickname given to this fish by fisherman, because it kind of looked like a cod, and it's skin is black. It is properly referred to as Sablefish. That being said, you will often find this on restaurant menus as Black Cod or Butterfish. (Don't even get me started on Butterfish. Butterfish is an entirely different species.) Now that we have that out of the way, Sablefish is in my top two of all-time favorite fish (the other being Chilean Sea Bass). It sets the bar by which all fish should be judged. Fatty, and rich in flavor, with a lightly flaky texture. And the skin is great. Smoked Sablefish is probably the most popular smoked fish in Alaska besides smoked Salmon. I buy my Sablefish filets from Alaska, sent overnight on dry ice. I had a couple tail pieces in the 10 pound order, so I thought they'd be good to smoke. They actually turned out a bit mushy. The taste was great though, fatty, rich, but I probably should have given them a different brine or dry cure recipe and time than the other fish. My cure time might have broken down the flesh too much. Also, I think these could have been smoked/cooked to 140. I ended up cooking them in the oven later, and the texture was much better, but I think I would only cure them for a few hours next time, due to the more delicate texture, flavor, and thinness of the tail sections. The salt/sugar flavor was a bit strong.
Chilean Sea Bass: I have never smoked this. I don't even know if anyone smokes it. I didn't bother to check. I had a bag of frozen filets from Costco, and thought, why not try to smoke a couple pieces? OMG, this is the most unbelievable smoked fish I've ever had! It is so succulent, juicy fat separates every flake! It's like the most tender and juicy fish-bacon you've ever had (but without the chew of bacon). If anything, I could have cooked it just a touch longer. When the salmon was 133, the Chilean Sea Bass, being kind of thick pieces, was probably in the upper 120s, a texture I like, but just slightly shy of flaking all the way to the middle. I think it could have gone to an internal temp of 135 or just a touch more, just to optimize the flake to fat experience. I later cooked it a bit more in the oven, and it was perfect.
What I have learned is that if you are a Costco member, get a bag of the Chilean Sea Bass filets, and try smoking them. Kirkland Signature Wild Chilean Sea Bass is certified sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).
Salmon: good as usual. This just turns out good every time. Have done this many times before.
Sablefish (Black Cod): Let's just get one thing straight right off the bat. This is not cod. It is not even remotely related to any species of cod. Black Cod is a nickname given to this fish by fisherman, because it kind of looked like a cod, and it's skin is black. It is properly referred to as Sablefish. That being said, you will often find this on restaurant menus as Black Cod or Butterfish. (Don't even get me started on Butterfish. Butterfish is an entirely different species.) Now that we have that out of the way, Sablefish is in my top two of all-time favorite fish (the other being Chilean Sea Bass). It sets the bar by which all fish should be judged. Fatty, and rich in flavor, with a lightly flaky texture. And the skin is great. Smoked Sablefish is probably the most popular smoked fish in Alaska besides smoked Salmon. I buy my Sablefish filets from Alaska, sent overnight on dry ice. I had a couple tail pieces in the 10 pound order, so I thought they'd be good to smoke. They actually turned out a bit mushy. The taste was great though, fatty, rich, but I probably should have given them a different brine or dry cure recipe and time than the other fish. My cure time might have broken down the flesh too much. Also, I think these could have been smoked/cooked to 140. I ended up cooking them in the oven later, and the texture was much better, but I think I would only cure them for a few hours next time, due to the more delicate texture, flavor, and thinness of the tail sections. The salt/sugar flavor was a bit strong.
Chilean Sea Bass: I have never smoked this. I don't even know if anyone smokes it. I didn't bother to check. I had a bag of frozen filets from Costco, and thought, why not try to smoke a couple pieces? OMG, this is the most unbelievable smoked fish I've ever had! It is so succulent, juicy fat separates every flake! It's like the most tender and juicy fish-bacon you've ever had (but without the chew of bacon). If anything, I could have cooked it just a touch longer. When the salmon was 133, the Chilean Sea Bass, being kind of thick pieces, was probably in the upper 120s, a texture I like, but just slightly shy of flaking all the way to the middle. I think it could have gone to an internal temp of 135 or just a touch more, just to optimize the flake to fat experience. I later cooked it a bit more in the oven, and it was perfect.
What I have learned is that if you are a Costco member, get a bag of the Chilean Sea Bass filets, and try smoking them. Kirkland Signature Wild Chilean Sea Bass is certified sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).
