Cajun-spiced Smoked Steelhead

annjamaican

I feel so proud of myself for smoking steelhead on the egg. I brined for 18 hours in a fairly weak brine of salt, sugar, garlic powder, dehydrated onion, whole peppercorns and whole allspice. Removed from brine, pat dry and rubbed with Slap Ya Mama's white pepper cajun seasoning, demerara sugar, garlic powder and a little more salt. It started off at around 200 but I managed to achieve and maintain 170 for seven hours. It's delicious. I'll use the same method with salmon in the future. The piece I cut into was only after 4 hours, I just couldn't resist.



ConvEGGtor/plate setter was used, I wrapped some alder chips in foil to start with then added a few more handfuls throughout the cook.



What I neglected to do was dry the fish long enough to achieve the sheen the more experienced among you boast of.



The finished product.



I snuck this piece four hours into the cook.



Vacuum sealing for delayed gratification.

annjamaican

I did leave the fish outside the brine, on a rack in the refrigerator for around 6 hours. That dried it somewhat but not completely. I also refrigerated the soaked chips to help keep things cooler to begin with and extend their 'smokability'. 

I got some albumin, perhaps because I cut the fish after the brine. There was none on the surface exposed to the brine, just the sides along which I had cut. 

nolaegghead

Looks great!  Love smoked fish.

saluki2007

Looks great.  Awesome photos too.

annjamaican

Thanks guys. I whipped out the good camera yesterday but now I can't find the batteries.