Using A Jerky Dryer for Smoking Fish & Uneven Smoke

[smokingDoug]

Hello All,

I need some advice on smoking fish.  I just completed smoking a batch Jerky Dryer on two racks. The image below shows how the fish on the bottom rack was darker and drier than the fish on the top rack.  For this smoke I used the amazing smoker with sawdust.  The first hour the temp was 100 degrees and the rest of the smoke was a 170 degrees.  Should I alternate the racks during the smoke?

Also I use the Jerky Dryer during the smoke.  I understand it help dry the fish.  Was I using it correctly?

Appreciate any input and suggest.  BTW the first turned out great on both racks. Just one drier than the other.

Doug

 

[old sarge]

Welcome Doug to the forum. As for smoking fish and using the jerky dryer you will have to wait for others to come along who have the experience your are looking for. I do strictly pork and beef.

 

[azbohunter]

You did exactly as I do only I start at 100 2 hours, 120 2 hours 140 2 hours then 170 till fish reaches internal temp of 145 or as firm as you like it. I use the AMNPS and Alder dust and Jerky Dryer. I do not rotate racks.

 

[smokingDoug]

Thanks, for the input.  I was just wonder why the bottom rack fish was drier and darker than the top rack.  Since I was using the Amazing smoker, I did not include the smoking assembly that came with the unit.  I use it next time, maybe it help dissipates the heat better.

Thanks Again,

Doug

 

[NDKoze]

I have a feeling that the Jerky Dryer was pulling too much air through the smoker, and may have even ignited your sawdust which made the A-MAZE-N smoker burn a little too hot, thus the color difference on your bottom shelf fish.

What positioning did you have your racks? Do you have the add-on Side-Rail assembly with the extra shelves (useful for low height items like Jerky/fish)? I love the this new side rail assembly because it lets me get my items closer to the top of the smoker where the heat levels are more stable.

If the bottom rack was too close to the bottom of the smoker, that would be the cause in my opinion.

When cold smoking, I always put my racks as high in the smoker as I can and I usually place a couple of 38" to 1/2" sticks of plywood under the Jerky Dryer to reduce the amount of air flow that the Jerky Dryer pulls through the smoker.

Another example, of why I think this may be causing the problem is that our standard recommendation for smoking Jerky is to smoke without the dryer for the first couple of hours (in other words during the main smoking phase), because the Jerky Dryer pulls too much air and could start the wood on fire.

Hopefully this helps.

 

[smokingDoug]

Thanks for the input. I tried another smoked and raised the racks higher.  Much better.

 

[azbohunter]

I just did a small batch of Kokanee yesterday using the same method. Fish is great....I only use the highest rack settings, if I have 4 racks I put the thicker pieces on the lower racks and I might even rotate them part way through. Yesterday only did two racks and used two highest positions.

 

[Jhrol2862]

Did you also use the jerky dryer?  Doesn’t the fish get too dry with the jerky dryer?

 

[azbohunter]

I always use the jerky dryer/fan. I don't think it dries the fish out or that I lose the smoke flavor. I use the Amazin-pellet smoker and Alder saw dust on fish and if I fill the tray I will have smoke for around 6 hours with the fan running. I typical smoke for me with fish is around 6 1/2 to 7 hours.