Fish Smoking Procedures for Forced Convection Smokehouses revised May 23, 2001 by Kenneth S. Hilderbrand, Jr. Seafood Processing Specialist Oregon State University Extension Sea Grant Program Hatfield Marine Science Center Newport, Oregon 97365 Oregon State University Extension Service Sea Grant ORESU-I-01-001 This publication can be downloaded from: http://seagrant.orst.edu/sgpubs/onlinepubs/i01001.pdf 2 Table of Contents Table of Contents ..........................................................................................................................................2 Table of Figures ............................................................................................................................................3 List of Tables.................................................................................................................................................3 DISCLAIMER: TRADE NAMES ................................................................................................................4 REGULATIONS AND TERMINOLOGY ...................................................................................................4 INFORMATION SOURCES ........................................................................................................................6 SMOKED FOOD PRESERVATION AND CHANGING PRACTICES......................................................6 SMOKED FISH PRESERVATION..............................................................................................................7 Salt Affects Smoked Fish Preservation....................................................................................................10 Brine Strength Affects Salt in Smoked Fish ............................................................................................11 Brining Time Affects Salt in Smoked Fish..............................................................................................12 Thickness of Piece Affects Salt in Smoked Fish .....................................................................................12 Ratio of Brine to Fish Affects Salt in Smoked Fish.................................................................................13 Temperature Affects Salt in Smoked Fish ...............................................................................................13 Texture Affects Salt in Smoked Fish.......................................................................................................13 Fat Content Affects Salt in Smoked Fish.................................................................................................13 Species Affects Salt in Smoked Fish .......................................................................................................13 Fish Quality Affects Salt in Smoked Fish................................................................................................13 SMOKEHOUSE PERFORMANCE ...........................................................................................................14 Drying Step..............................................................................................................................................14 Heat Affects Drying Step.....................................................................................................................14 Relative Humidity Affects Drying Step...............................................................................................14 Air Velocity Affects Drying Step ........................................................................................................14 Air Exchange Affects Drying Step ......................................................................................................15 Fish Flesh Characteristics Affects Drying Step ...................................................................................15 Flesh Thickness Affects Drying Step...................................................................................................15 Heating Step ............................................................................................................................................15 Air Velocity Affects Heating Step.......................................................................................................15 Air Temperature Affects Heating Step ................................................................................................15 Relative Humidity Affects Heating Step..............................................................................................15 Smoking Step...........................................................................................................................................16 FISH SMOKING PROCEDURES..............................................................................................................17 Time\Temperature Smoking Cycles ........................................................................................................17 Step 1. Surface Drying.........................................................................................................................18 Step 2. Smoking...................................................................................................................................18 Step 3. Product Drying ........................................................................................................................18 Step 4. Heating/Cooking (hot smoke only)..........................................................................................18 Step 5. Cooling....................................................................................................................................18 EXAMPLES OF SMOKED FISH TIME - TEMPERATURE CYCLES. ..................................................18 Smoking Cycles in Theory ......................................................................................................................19 Smoking Cycles In Practice.....................................................................................................................19 DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF PROCEDURES ...................................................................................22 Yellowfin Tuna........................................................................................................................................22 Butchering, Brining, and Loading .......................................................................................................22 Surface Drying.....................................................................................................................................22 Smoking...............................................................................................................................................22 Drying..................................................................................................................................................23 Cooling................................................................................................................................................24 Kingfish...................................................................................................................................................24 Chinook Salmon ......................................................................................................................................24 Chum Salmon ..........................................................................................................................................28 Smoking Chum Salmon For Canning ..................................................................................................31 Smoking Coho Salmon Belly Flaps.........................................................................................................32 3 SMOKING SHELLFISH ............................................................................................................................33 OVEN TEMPERATURE CONTROLLER OVERSHOOT........................................................................34 COLD SMOKED YELLOWFIN TUNA ....................................................................................................34 QUALITY AND FOOD SAFETY..............................................................................................................35 REFRIGERATION AND SANITATION...................................................................................................36 RAW MATERIAL QUALITY....................................................................................................................36 PACKAGING AND STORAGE.................................................................................................................37 SMOKEHOUSE ECONOMICS AND FINANCIAL ANALYSIS .............................................................38 Yield and Economics...............................................................................................................................38 Production, Cost, and Financial Analysis................................................................................................39 SALT AND MOISTURE ANALYSIS PROCEDURES.............................................................................39 Summary of Equipment Needed..............................................................................................................40 FISH SMOKING MATHEMATICS...........................................................................................................40