oddlycalm Posted March 4, 2010 Report Share Posted March 4, 2010 Thanks for the pics T Rex. Nice boat and some of the nicest water in the world to fish in. Vancouver Island and the straits is like having the keys to the kingdom. I'm in Portland and I've been a frequent visitor over the years. Having a good ceramic makes it a complete win. I've done everything from grilling prawns in mine to smoking salmon. Karla, an old timer down here on the Oregon coast ((Karla's Seafood), shared her rather unique dry cure method for smoking fish. It's one that got her recognized as one of the best in the world over the years. oc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amphoran Posted March 4, 2010 Report Share Posted March 4, 2010 And can you share it? Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oddlycalm Posted March 8, 2010 Report Share Posted March 8, 2010 When Karla Steinhauser arrived on the Oregon coast back in the early 1960's the only people doing any smoking were a few guys smoking bacon and sausage using traditional dry cure methods. She used a basic sugar, salt and Morton Tenderquick dry cure recipe to good effect on everything. My take is that it dries the outside of the fish a bit as opposed to brine and leaves it with more of a pellicle after drying and a firmer texture after smoking. Karla used a lot of (white) sugar which also helps provide some level of carmelization flavor. After curing wash with warm water, drain and refrigerate. I have approx. 30 pages of notes on curing times for every species and piece size of fish as well as her smoking temperatures for each. I have another 10 pages of notes on prep and different cut shapes all with illustrations by Karla. Cure times are far shorter than I have seen from anyone using brine. For white fish with low fat content 7-15 minutes is typical depending on piece size. For salmon the times range from 1hr for a small coho to 2hrs from a 15-20lb. filet. She cut her fish down after curing. The hardest aspect to duplicate is that in her large smokehouse with a remote fire pit she used green vine maple in addition to dry alder wood. I'd never put green wood of any type into my K for fear of imparting a bitter off flavor that would never go away nor would I advise others to do so. In addition to 37yrs of smoking experience Karla had 50yrs of seafood care experience and she had very specific idea about when fish should be fileted. She would always refrigerate fish overnight prior to cutting them down to give the blood time to coagulate and the flesh to relax. The way I have used this information was to form a basis for my own method. I am 100 miles from the coast and I don't own a walk-in cooler or a large smoker with a remote fire box. I do however use dry cure rather than brine though mine has some black pepper and spices in it. I don't use green smoke wood but I also don't use kiln dried furniture scraps or wood with bark on it. oc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oddlycalm Posted March 8, 2010 Report Share Posted March 8, 2010 Here's the complete recipe for Karla's incredible smoked oysters for one gallon of medium size oysters. 1) Place oysters and their juice in a large kettle with 1.5" water. Bring to a boil for 2-3 minutes and remove from heat. Let stand in covered pot for 10 minutes. 2) Pour oysters into large collander and let cool until lukewarm. 3) Put two handfuls of dry fish cure (3 parts sugar to one part non-iodized salt) and a half handful of brown sugar into a large bowl and mix. 4) Place cooled oyster into bowl with cure and mix gently being careful not to break up oysters. 5) Put oysters back in colander and let stand for 7 minutes. 6) Rinse out bowl and fill with warm water. 7) Pour oyster back into bowl and rinse off cure. Rinse the colander to get any remaining cure off. 8 Gently wash the oysters in the bowl while running warm water in until the cure is washed off and transfer back to colander to drain. 9) Let the oysters drain for 15 minutes and they will be ready to smoke. 10) Smoke at low temperature for 20 minutes. I use a hot plate and keep the dome temp below 140F. Remember, they are already cooked so your just trying to get some smoke on them. 11) Use a vacuum sealer to pack 4-6 oyster per bag and keep refrigerated up to 2wks. Do no freeze. These oysters are very rich but it's hard to stop eating them so be careful... oc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amphoran Posted March 9, 2010 Report Share Posted March 9, 2010 OC, THANK YOU! I'm in Seattle, and will give them a try next time I go to the fisherman's terminal. Cheers, Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oddlycalm Posted March 10, 2010 Report Share Posted March 10, 2010 Here is some smoked chinook that I smoked just prior to vacuum bagging. The white schmutz on the surface is due to not getting the fish dry enough prior to smoking. It doesn't effect the flavor, just the appearance. The fish really needs to be completely dry and form a shiny pellicle membrane on the surface. Overnight in the fridge is the best way to accomplish that. I tried to get by with a couple hours on the counter with a fan this time and won't try that again. oc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primeats Posted March 10, 2010 Report Share Posted March 10, 2010 OC, that salmon looks terrific! Very similar to the salmon I smoke at the store. I also use a dry cure for about 1 hour or so and then wash it off before smoking. I see the white stuff on top of our fish from time to time as well, usually means I have overcrowded the smokehouse and as you stated hasn't dried properly to form the pellicle. I will be trying the method for the oysters very soon! I can't get enough of them( my wife can't eat them anymore due to an acquired violent physical reaction, she's satisfied with the residual effect ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oddlycalm Posted March 10, 2010 Report Share Posted March 10, 2010 Access to the highest quality seafood is my limiting factor. Unless you live near the water and fish yourself like T Rex does (sigh...) the opportunities are diminished. One of Karla's "secrets" was to only smoked what we might refer to as shashimi grade fish, and I only have access to that level of product at certain time of the year at the farmers market or from the shop that sells me Wagyu beef and Kurabuta pork. I don't bother with salmon harvested from the rivers by the native tribes as they have used up much of their fat content on their journey up river and result in an inferior result. Good luck with the oysters. oc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T Rex Posted March 10, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2010 Hey Oddlycalm, you wouldn't have much luck finding "Wagyu beef and Kurabuta pork" where I live....... You know what they say about the grass being greener...... You will never be disappointed with the standard you have set for Seafood! T Rex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oddlycalm Posted March 30, 2010 Report Share Posted March 30, 2010 If you get to where you need some wagyu beef or kurobuta pork you can always have it sent in. If you ever find yourself in Portland it can be had at Dave's Uptown Meats. http://secure.abfoodsusa.com/ABCommerce/products.0;jsessionid=159977d5b022b094b3cad650f53a At first blush it looks silly expensive but if you ignore the steaks and prime cuts it comes a bit more into focus. The 1/2 pound burgers are outstanding as is the pork collar, pork belly, beef zabuton and pork loin pack. There are only a few producers and the SNF coop is the largest. The biggest advantage of having it here local is not having to buy so much at one time. oc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primeats Posted March 31, 2010 Report Share Posted March 31, 2010 Snake River's Products are top notch! Used them many times! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T Rex Posted April 17, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2010 Prawing April 16, 2010 Well, I went out yesterday and soaked the Prawn traps for around three hours....... Some of the spoils.... I ended up with 14 lbs. of tails for my efforts, my buddy took home around the same. He was having a BBQ for his co-workers so I sent him home with the larger ones....... Some of mine before vacuum sealing and freezing T Rex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conodo12 Posted April 17, 2010 Report Share Posted April 17, 2010 So, I heard earlier that if I lived right next to the water I would get tired of being able to go prawning, crabbing, fishing etc. Let's take a moment and examine that statement - I love my wife so I married her - that's working out! I love beer so I bought a kegerator - that's working out! I love great smoked/'bbq/rotis food so I bought a KK - that's working out! I'm starting to think that if I lived next to the water where I could fish, crab, prawn, just float and drink beer - Then I would by a boat and everything would work out too!!! Call me crazy, but I don't think I would get tired of it! Nice haul T-Rex! I am quite jealous! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firemonkey Posted April 18, 2010 Report Share Posted April 18, 2010 I'm with you, Conodo. And hell, if any of that other stuff stopped working out you could even LIVE on the boat, float, and drink beer perpetually! Its like my bicycle, it came from the factory (just like all of the ohters in this brand for the last couple of decades) with a small discrete emblem under the clear coat that says "Man's Best Friend". Interpret that as you would like I think KK needs a similar emblem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primeats Posted April 18, 2010 Report Share Posted April 18, 2010 If there were a first annual KK convention,now I know where it would be held! VERY nice T Rex! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T Rex Posted June 30, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2010 Just got back from lauching the Striper Sniper on the West coast of Vancouver Island, Tofino.......... Pics and cook to follow....... T Rex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T Rex Posted July 2, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2010 Just got back from lauching the Striper Sniper on the West coast of Vancouver Island, Tofino.......... Pics and cook to follow....... T Rex Well, the first couple of cooks were imaginary....... Salmon once and halibut another time.......... I was planning a cook for this weekend however I believe Mrs. T is in a horse show........ 4 hours on the chuck.... I didn't take any more fish pics as it was raining like crazy the second day. Overall we got into 3 hali, 7 salmon and a bunch of bottom fish.... T Rex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oddlycalm Posted July 2, 2010 Report Share Posted July 2, 2010 Nice, Tofino and the Pacific Rim of the island absolutely amazing. Most people have no idea anything like that exists in North America. We stayed at the Wickaninnish Inn a few years back and I would have killed to have a boat like yours while I was there. Even better would have been to have a KK cooker. oc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duk Posted July 2, 2010 Report Share Posted July 2, 2010 T Rex I am I allowed to say " I'm jealous " nice catch!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
