Smoked Striper?

[S-Journey]

Has anyone ever made smoked striper? I've been thinking of making some but I don't really know the routine. I know you need to make a "sally syrup"(thats what they called it in Alaska, not sure what it's called here) out of sugar and water, then soak the fish.

How long does the fish need to soak in the sally syrup?
How long should it be smoked for?
Anything else I need to know?

Any help would be greatly apprechated--

Thanks in advance....

[MakoMike]

I've done it more than once. What it tastes like depends on the marinade (what you called sally syrup) and what kind of wood you use in your smoker. I use a marinade made of white wine, soy sauce, spices and sugar. The taste will also vary depending on how long you marinade the fish. I like to let it soak overnight. Once you take it out of the marinade you have to dry it lightly with a paper towel just dabbed against it and then let it dry a little. It'll form what's called a pellicule <SP?> which is kinf a rind of the dries marinade. Then you can stick it in the smoker. Depending on the heat of the smoker it will take a while before it done. Hope that helps.

[zacs]

I would add a little salt to your mixture. Then smoke it up just like a salmon side. Skin on.
_Z_

[MakoMike]

Zacs,
I find that the soy sauce usually adds all the salt you might want.

[The Dad Fisherman]

But it should work for striper. It not mine but should work

Cut filleted fish into serving size pieces.

In a large bowl mix the following:
1 quart water
1 cup bourbon
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup canning salt
A number of turns on the pepper grinder of fresh ground black pepper
(This batch will cure about 3 silvers.)

Marinate the fish for at least 4 hours and preferably overnight in refrigerator.

Give the pieces a quick rinse, place on drying racks and grind fresh ground pepper over pieces then air dry for about an hour until tacky.

Smoke fish for 6 to 12 hours depending on atmospheric conditions (wind, humidity & temp.) and depending on how dry you like your smoked fish.
I prefer a somewhat "juicier" smoke, so 6 to 8 hours usually does it.

Separating each rack of fish with a rack covered with aluminum foil helps keep the drippings from above landing on the fish below. I am kind of partial to using apple chips as a smoking material, but experimenting with different woods might give a taste that is preferable to others.
I am partial to bourbon flavor, but if your favorite happens to be scotch I am sure that would work just as well (my recipe is pretty much "borrowed" from a Scotch Smoked salmon recipe). I also have added other ingredients such as onions, garlic, and various spices and they work quite well and give different tastes. Don't be afraid to experiment!

[S-Journey]

Cool, thanks a bunch for the help!

Been dying to try some out just didn't want to mess up the fish:-)

So should I leave the skin on and do whole fillets or skin and cut into pieces?

[ragfly]

Leave the skin on. I have a friend that smokes striper all the time and he says it keeps them from drying out and holds the fish together. He does scale them first.

[zacs]

MakoMike, i didn't mean to add salt to your recipe. That would definately be too salty with the soy sauce. I meant for him to add salt to his syrup.

And definately Skin on.

_Z_

[Backbeach Jake]

Smoked Striper? Yessir!! I smoke all species with teriyaki marinade over mesquite smoke. Weird, but that's what they eat in Heaven!

[S-Journey]

Nice, thanks all...

Need to go get a couple of nice fish tonight for the smoker tomorrow:-)

[Mr. Sandman]

Do it all the time. You will have to experiment to get it the way you like it. The temp inside the smoker is important as well as the brine, the lenth of time you brine it and the wood and how long.

Lots of good advice in the above posts. Try a small load, and then try it again.

I thought I smoked alot but I have a friend here who is constantly smoking something fishy. He keeps is simple....really simple. He goes to BJ's or Cosco and get a GIANT container of teriaki sause. When he cleans the fish, he puts it in a plastic zip loc bag and insets fillets, fills bag with sauce. In the next day or two or three, he smokes.
IMO he has some great smokes and some not so great smokes. he is inconsistant but it is simple.

Basically, brines (used to cure the fish) are mainly sugar and salt and spices. You have to get a good brine. Then you have to find the right amount of time it brine it...too long and it is too salty too short and it doesn't smoke right. (you will see what I mean when you do it)

I would start with a standard bluefish bine and brine it for about 4 hours. then take it out and let it air dry on a rack for about 4 hours...it will get a shiny glaze to it. Then smoke for about 6 hours @ 140 deg with a maple or alder wood. That should get you close. There are lots of knobs to turn on this hobby to get it perfect.
have fun..

[S-Journey]

Well I made up a batch of smoked striper last night and must say that it is the best damn fish I've ever tasted. I used a bit of info from all of your posts and came up with a taste that was just out of this world.

Thanks again!

[redlite]

You wanna smoke some up for me? I can drop off some good poundage tonite. Gotta drop some off to my friends parents in Borewell this evenin.

[S-Journey]

Sure thing Redlite, drop it off and I will get it started!