8 replies to this topic

[Brian Cross]

I Have tried to smoke kippers on my outdoor smoker but they don't taste as good as the Scottish or Craster kippers i use a fish caught here in abundance called Herring (not the same as our herring) but can't get the brine right any help out there ..

[Malcolm Robinson]

Brian,
I thought you only used brine as a cheat, like pink lint ham?
As far as I know you just split the fish and hang them in the smoker?

[Monsta®]

Malcolm Robinson, on 19 October 2009 - 11:59 AM, said:

Brian,
I thought you only used brine as a cheat, like pink lint ham?
As far as I know you just split the fish and hang them in the smoker?

the thing is you need the right sort of wood chippings dont think Eucalypts, acacias or Kurrajongs produce the right flavour for craster kippers

[Brian Cross]

Monsta®, on 19 October 2009 - 01:59 PM, said:

the thing is you need the right sort of wood chippings dont think Eucalypts, acacias or Kurrajongs produce the right flavour for craster kippers

Non of the above wood chippings i use American oak usually.....i wonder what sort of wood chips they use at craster or seahouses.......

[Monsta®]

Brian Cross, on 20 October 2009 - 03:33 AM, said:

Non of the above wood chippings i use American oak usually.....i wonder what sort of wood chips they use at craster or seahouses.......

english oak i think but its a top secret technique and nobody wamt to let on!

[Brian Cross]

Monsta®, on 20 October 2009 - 11:48 AM, said:

english oak i think but its a top secret technique and nobody wamt to let on!

Use your unique powers of persuasion Monsta infiltrate a kipper factory and find out their secrets.........

[Cympil]

Brian Cross, on 20 October 2009 - 10:00 PM, said:

Use your unique powers of persuasion Monsta infiltrate a kipper factory and find out their secrets.........

According to this blog the herring are placed in a brine solution of plain salt and water for a predetermined length of time depending on their size and, lastly, they are hung on tenter hooks and placed in the cavernous smokehouses. Fires are placed under the rows of herring made of whitewood shavings and oak sawdust and these smoulder away for up to 16 hours before the kippers are ready.

[Monsta®]

Brian Cross, on 20 October 2009 - 10:00 PM, said:

Use your unique powers of persuasion Monsta infiltrate a kipper factory and find out their secrets.........

doubt i'll be going to craster any time soon! but read this its full of rubbish diagrams and interesting facts, like kippers are only golden because there soaked in a brine bath before smoking! and i thought it was because of the smoke.

[Brian Cross]

Monsta®, on 21 October 2009 - 02:05 PM, said:

doubt i'll be going to craster any time soon! but read this its full of rubbish diagrams and interesting facts, like kippers are only golden because there soaked in a brine bath before smoking! and i thought it was because of the smoke.

I knew they were brined with suminck