Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Eating and Drinking => Cooking, Storing and Preserving => Topic started by: Bodger on August 21, 2008, 16:28

Title: I've started smoking
Post by: Bodger on August 21, 2008, 16:28
Tonight  ! So watch this space.
Title: I've started smoking
Post by: SpudtheBinx on August 21, 2008, 17:00
Nice, I would love a smoker. Theres a few plans online but I dont have the space at present to build one.
Title: I've started smoking
Post by: Aunt Sally on August 21, 2008, 19:09
Hot/cold, fish/meat/cheese

Come on Bodger, what you up to  :!:
Title: I've started smoking
Post by: Bodger on August 21, 2008, 20:50
My old mate ' Blind Pugh' from across the fields had a bit of a Beano today off the rocks at the bottom of the golf course. He caught this lot and only finished early because he couldn't carry anymore. Well done Noel   :D  


(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/kcooper2006/2008/m9.jpg)


He brought them to our place to be hot smoked overnight in the smoker that flatiron somehow managed to bring over on the plane. He only went and took it on to the plane as  hand luggage. :lol:  This was a few years ago when he visited us from NYS in the good old US of A.

First of all, 'Rare One' , thats Pughs wife and our Martin have to set about gutting the catch. For some reason, I've always been taught to leave the heads on.


(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/kcooper2006/2008/m5.jpg)


They soon made quick work of the job.  :lol:


(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/kcooper2006/2008/m1-1.jpg)


(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/kcooper2006/2008/m2-1.jpg)


Now its time to prepare the smoker. The first task, is to soak sufficient oak shavings in a bucket of water.


(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/kcooper2006/2008/m3-1.jpg)


A fire is prepared using charcoal in a fire box. This will form the base of the smoker when its set up. Young Rob bravely puts a match to it.  :lol:


(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/kcooper2006/2008/m4.jpg)


(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/kcooper2006/2008/m6.jpg)


This is a water bowl that fits just above the fire box. In this way, the food is not only smoked but is steamed as well. In this way, any food cooked in it, is kept nice and moist.


(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/kcooper2006/2008/m7.jpg)


When the fire is lit slightly better than shown in this picture, the fire is banked down with handfuls of the soaked shavings and the fire closed down to smoulder.


(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/kcooper2006/2008/m10.jpg)


Here's the smoker with most of its constituent parts.


(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/kcooper2006/2008/m4.jpg)


Time to get cracking and put it together.  :D


(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/kcooper2006/2008/m8.jpg)


The water pan is put into the main body of the smoker and in turn, the body is put onto the fire box which is now smoking nicely. The mackerel are then placed on the racks and the racks placed above the fire and the water pan. There are two layers of mackerel in this smoker and on this occasion, we managed to fit in 34 fish.


(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/kcooper2006/2008/m12.jpg)


(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/kcooper2006/2008/m11.jpg)


and now the lid is put on. I still don't know how flatiron got this through customs, it must have looked very bomb like.  :lol:


(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/kcooper2006/2008/m13.jpg)


All i've got to do now, is to keep nipping out to check that the soaked shavings havent burnt through and that the fire remains nicely closed up.


Touch wood, in the morning i should be greeted with two racks of nicely smoked golden mackerel.

Pictures of that in the morning.  :D
Title: I've started smoking
Post by: Aunt Sally on August 21, 2008, 21:00
That brilliant Bodger.  How long do they store for or do they have to be even fairly quickly
Title: I've started smoking
Post by: Bodger on August 21, 2008, 21:06
They are not cured like they would be if they were cold smoked and so, their shelf life is the same as any other cooked fish.
Title: I've started smoking
Post by: wighty on August 21, 2008, 21:12
The mackeral catch off Sandown Pier at the moment is surpassing all other years and we have 18 in the freezer.  I can be tempted to 'swap' your paint requirements for a mackeral or two.   I also do 'swaps' for paint for lobsters ( I have three frozen).
Title: I've started smoking
Post by: Bodger on August 21, 2008, 21:18
We had BBQ'd mackerel just after we'd set the smoker going. They were my first of the year and the first always taste the best. :D
Title: I've started smoking
Post by: wighty on August 21, 2008, 21:22
wrapped in silver foil and a knob or two of butter, I'm dribbbling. Why do chefs have to do  'hoity toity, arty, farty' (sorry can't put it any better),  plain and simple is the best way.
Title: I've started smoking
Post by: Aunt Sally on August 21, 2008, 21:33
Quote from: "Bodger"
They are not cured like they would be if they were cold smoked and so, their shelf life is the same as any other cooked fish.

I'm on me way with me knife and fork 8)
Title: I've started smoking
Post by: Bodger on August 21, 2008, 21:39
I'm making the rabbit pate recipe tomorrow night but because of the inclement weather, I substituting the rabbit with rather boney Maran cockerels. :D
Title: I've started smoking
Post by: Bodger on August 22, 2008, 08:09
After a full nights smoking, here's the finished result


(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/kcooper2006/2008/m7-1.jpg)


Its a shame you can't have any. :lol:
Title: I've started smoking
Post by: Aunt Sally on August 22, 2008, 09:43
Bodger  :!:

Answer the door bell  :!:   I'm on the step  :lol:

They look delicious  8)
Title: I've started smoking
Post by: Bodger on August 22, 2008, 10:13
I've just checked and you aren't there :cry:  You keep on building me up and then let me down. :lol:
Title: I've started smoking
Post by: compostqueen on August 22, 2008, 10:20
Wow :!:  Marvellous looking grub there. Makes me hungry just reading about. They are beautiful fish aren't they. Gorgeous markings

So, mackerel pate, mackerel on toast, mackerel and chips ........  :D
Title: I've started smoking
Post by: Bodger on August 22, 2008, 10:27
All of those. :D

I've had this smoker for about seven years now and although its looking a bit worse for wear, its still functional. The nice thing, is that now I know the basics, I feel confident that when it does eventually go kaput, I will be able to self build a replacement.  

I've mentioned this on here before, but every year we do a whole turkey on it.
Title: I've started smoking
Post by: compostqueen on August 22, 2008, 10:34
smoked turkey and chicken is fantastic.  We have a local smokehouse and his stuff is always in demand  :D

Hugh FW built a smoker and I know on his programmes they visited a bloke who smoked everything and he had a right Heath Robinson contraption.  James Martin smokes stuff in the bamboo steamer so there are lots of ways to smoke yer dinner  :D   Your one looks a bit like a barbecue so I suppose you could rig something up similar to that
Title: I've started smoking
Post by: Aunt Sally on August 22, 2008, 11:19
Quote from: "Bodger"
I've just checked and you aren't there :cry:  You keep on building me up and then let me down. :lol:


Fickle wooden doll  :roll:
Title: I've started smoking
Post by: Aunt Sally on August 22, 2008, 11:22
We have our trout cold smoked, have you ever thought of building a cold smoker Bodger  :?:
Title: I've started smoking
Post by: Bodger on August 22, 2008, 12:00
I started a thread on here about making one but much to my shame, I havent gotten around to it. As soon as the holiday season finishes here, I'll be on to it.
Its a really simple idea and pretty cheap to do. :D
Title: I've started smoking
Post by: Aunt Sally on August 22, 2008, 17:19
I think it's simpler than hot smoking bodger !
Title: I've started smoking
Post by: Kate and her Ducks on August 22, 2008, 17:49
I am very jealous, those fish look fantastic! Love fresh fish but amazingly living in near the sea in Liverpool most local fishmongers fish comes from miles away, the east coast seems to be the closest!
Title: I've started smoking
Post by: Yabba on August 22, 2008, 18:27
Quote from: "Kate and her Ducks"
I am very jealous, those fish look fantastic! Love fresh fish but amazingly living in near the sea in Liverpool most local fishmongers fish comes from miles away, the east coast seems to be the closest!


Same here, fleetwood used to be cool, but now it's a ( almost ) just another "imported" fish market :(

Mind you, I find that all mackerel ( smoked or not ) taste really dodo .... if you'd like to attempt to change my opinion you can send the parcel to ...... :roll: ... god loves a trier huh?

¥
Title: Re: I've started smoking
Post by: rainie on March 18, 2011, 07:40
What a lovely thread and very interesting.  ;)
Title: Re: I've started smoking
Post by: GrannieAnnie on March 18, 2011, 08:31
It is getting a bit old now rainie, and Bodger left us to concentrate on his own forum, but he is still going strong out there in cyber world!

Joyfull gave me a little smoker last year, but must admit I haven't had the nerve to try it yet.  Must get it out in the summer and have a go!