Smoked fish

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Q 1.
	Is the red herring a distinct kind of fish?
Q 2.
	When I visited Florida we fished for reef fishes with pieces of mullet. When I returned home a friend asked me if I had eaten any smoked mullet. Is this fish edible? I thought it was only used for bait.
Q 3.
	How are fish smoked?
Q 4.
	What is Finnan Haddie and how did that name originate?
Q 5.
	Is it necessary to keep smoked fish in the refrigerator?
Q 6.
	I am interested in smoking mullet. I would like to know how long to soak mullet in brine and what the brine should consist of. I have little trouble with spoilage but much trouble with mildew.
Q 7.
	How are fish smoked for retail sale and consumption? What type bags or package should be used and how should they be sealed?
Q 8.
	Can you provide information on precautions to take in preparing smoked herring?


_{-- a n s w e r s a b o u t S m o k e d f i s h --}
	Q&A 1.	Is the red herring a distinct kind of fish?
	No, the term refers to ordinary herring, (Clupea) which has been dried and cured in a manner that imparts a dark color to the flesh. In the preparation of "red herring" the fish is first gutted and the gills removed. Then the fish is packed in salt for a period of about 5 days, which cures and removes excess moisture from the flesh. After this, the herring is smoked for a period of ten days over a slow hardwood fire. Since the herring is quite a small fish, usually under a foot in length, large numbers of them are cured at a time.
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	Q&A 2.	When I visited Florida we fished for reef fishes with pieces of mullet. When I returned home a friend asked me if I had eaten any smoked mullet. Is this fish edible? I thought it was only used for bait. Detroit, Michigan
	While the mullet is commonly used for bait because of its widespread availability, by far the largest part of the mullet caught in Florida is eaten. Over 30 million pounds are caught in Florida annually. This delicious fish is preferred by many people to such fish as pompano, mackerel, snapper and sea trout. Mullet is not well known north of the Carolinas, Georgia, Florida and Tennessee, since most of the mullet caught in Florida are shipped fresh to these areas, with few being shipped beyond these points. However, mullet is becoming more popular with people who have eaten them fresh, frozen and especially smoked.
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	Q&A 3.	How are fish smoked? Milwaukee, Wisconsin
	The smoking process of fish involves the combination of salting and drying, and the characteristic smoke flavor depends upon the degree to which either of these processes is used. Smoking is employed largely for the preservation of herrings, but whiting, cod, king, haddock, catfish and mackerel are also preserved in this manner. Both hot and cold smoke curing are used. The type of wood used for the hot smoke is of special importance. Hard woods with less oil and resins which might taint the fish are preferred.
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	Q&A 4.	What is Finnan Haddie and how did that name originate? Miami, Florida
	Finnan Haddie is smoked haddock. The smoking of haddock dates back at least to the eighteenth century and was originated at the town of Findon in Scotland. The product was first known as Findon Haddocks but later through usage became Findon Haddies and then Finnan Haddie.
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	Q&A 5.	Is it necessary to keep smoked fish in the refrigerator? Orange, New Jersey
	If the fish has been smoked by the process known as "hot smoking," it will keep for a time (approximately 10 days) at room temperature. Some of the practices of the so-called "mild-smoking" or "cold smoking" do not provide sufficient preservation, and it is better to store these fish in the refrigerator.
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	Q&A 6.	I am interested in smoking mullet. I would like to know how long to soak mullet in brine and what the brine should consist of. I have little trouble with spoilage but much trouble with mildew. Fort Pierce, Florida
	Fish should be soaked in brine from one half to three hours depending on the size of the fish. The brine should be from 33 to 36% salt concentration. Mold will be reduced by proper packaging; any film that is water and oxygen proof should be suitable for wrapping. The storage of smoked fish products in refrigeration is recommended; generally the curing process is not a complete preservation and smoked fish is therefore perishable.
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	Q&A 7.	How are fish smoked for retail sale and consumption? What type bags or package should be used and how should they be sealed? Key West, Florida
	In smoking fish, two general methods are used, cold smoking and hot smoking. The products obtained are different and both are equally good. Cold smoking is done at low temperatures, less than 100 degrees, generally 80 or 90 degrees Fahrenheit. For an extended period of preservation, the fish must be smoked for several days, up to two weeks. The usual practice is to cure the fish only partially and store it under refrigeration. Hot smoking is done at temperatures between 150 and 250 degrees. The fish are placed closer to the fire and are cooked and cured in three to four hours. Hot smoking arrests deterioration by actually cooking the products and the only chance of spoilage is by recontamination after curing. The most common type of spoilage in cold smoked fish is that caused by mold. To prevent or reduce this damage a myostatic agent, such as sorbic acid or sodium sorbate, can be used. Proper packaging in airtight plastic bags is also helpful. A good cellophane or cellophane-polyethylene film can be used. It is important to select a film that does not allow air to go through. A publication on the subject, "Curing of Fishery Products," by Norman D. Jarvis, Research Report No. 18, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is available from Superintendent of Documents, Washington 25, D.C., price 75 cents.
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	Q&A 8.	Can you provide information on precautions to take in preparing smoked herring? Key Biscayne, Florida
	Simple common-sense procedures must be used in preparing all smoked fish. Otherwise, food poisoning (even lethal) may result, according to Bulletin SG66, Smoking Fish at Home - Safely by Kenneth S. Hilderbrand, Jr. One essential requirement is that, within six to eight hours after starting the 12-hour smoking cycle, the fish must be heated to 180 degrees Fahrenheit internal temperature and maintained at this temperature for 30 minutes to inhibit bacterial growth and kill parasites. The internal temperature of the largest piece of fish should be checked with a meat thermometer. If the smokehouse cannot provide the 200 degrees Fahrenheit to 225 degrees Fahrenheit oven temperatures necessary to achieve the vital internal temperature of 180 degrees Fahrenheit, the fish must be transferred to the kitchen oven during the cycle for 30 minutes. The second essential requirement is that, when smoked, the fish must have at least 3 1/2-percent WPS (water phase salt), which means that the moisture remaining after smoking has a salt content of 3 1/2 percent. Without chemical analysis, it is hard to be certain that 3 1/2-percent WPS has been achieved, but a final product that has a definite, but not unpleasant, salt flavor probably has achieved it. Different species of fishes require different preparation techniques. Herring are headed and gutted. After thorough cleaning, the gutted herring should be salted in a brine that is 1 part table salt to 7 parts water for 30 minutes (large or oily fish will require more time). The herring should then be rinsed, air dried, and smoked.
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	Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science Library University of Miami, FL USA 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, Florida 33149 Phone: 305 421 4060 Fax: 305 421 9306 E-mail: libcirc@rsmas.miami.edu		go to the top