Page 1 of 1

Salmon was cheap

PostPosted: June 9th, 2015, 4:28 pm
by Yoder_Herb
Come on folks, I know that you are all cooking. Post up the pictures, brag a bit, make us jealous, make us wish we were your neighbors and friends...

Salmon was cheap by the case at Sam's club last week, so we bought a 36 pound case.
IMG_0159.JPG


We cut the fillets in half, rinsed it off and dry brined it.
IMG_0160.JPG


After about 3 hours in the brine, we rinsed it off.
IMG_0161.JPG

IMG_0162.JPG


Then let it sit to air dry and form a pellicle.
IMG_0163.JPG


Then lightly sprinkled some spices on it all.
IMG_0164.JPG

IMG_0165.JPG


Put it all on the YS1500 to smoke at 200 degrees.
IMG_0168.JPG


Here is the end result. There were the first two pieces to hit 145 and be taken off the cooker. The rest are all very close as well. Thanks for looking, and can't wait to see what you post up.
IMG_0179.JPG


Ready for the freezer.
IMG_0181.JPG

IMG_0182.JPG

Re: Salmon was cheap

PostPosted: June 9th, 2015, 5:16 pm
by Yoder_Herb
As a side note, I thought I would illustrate why the YS1500 is the optimum smoker.

I have the smoker set to 200 degrees as my cooking temp. It is varying by a few degrees up and down, but this is normal and expected. It a wood fire after all.
IMG_0173.JPG


Here is the upper left analog dial gauge on the YS1500 while cooking salmon. Why isn't it showing the same temperature as the digital display, because it is NOT reading grate temperatures. It is showing the temperature within a few inches of the body of the cooker. The analog temp gauges only protrude into the cooker a few inches, so you can't expect them to read the grate temperatures.
IMG_0174.JPG


Here is the lower right analog dial gauge on the YS1500. Again, same statements apply as above.
IMG_0175.JPG


Now, given my conditions, the amount of food in the cooker, the ambient temperature, humidity and wind, were the gauges reading like this without my intervention? No they weren't. I needed to make some adjustments to the YS1500 to get the gauges this close to each other, given all of the "things" that affect the cooker as I stated.

Here is where I ended up setting the HMS damper plate.
IMG_0176.JPG


Here is where I ended up setting the chimney damper. (NEVER close the chimney damper more than 50%)
IMG_0177.JPG


I wanted to share the versatility of the YS1500, and give some examples of how it allows for the variables that affect the cooking process.

Re: Salmon was cheap

PostPosted: June 9th, 2015, 5:30 pm
by Yoder_Kirby
You're making me hungy, Herb. :x :evil:

Re: Salmon was cheap

PostPosted: June 9th, 2015, 5:33 pm
by Yoder_Herb
I will take finished pictures after I take it all off the cooker...and NO I am not challenging you to a picture taking contest! But cooking, you betcha!

Re: Salmon was cheap

PostPosted: June 9th, 2015, 7:31 pm
by Yoder_Kirby
That would be fun. It would be even more fun to compare the food, but I'm sure you have the edge.

Re: Salmon was cheap

PostPosted: June 9th, 2015, 11:10 pm
by Yoder_Herb
Yoder_Kirby wrote:That would be fun. It would be even more fun to compare the food, but I'm sure you have the edge.


I wouldn't go that far...

Re: Salmon was cheap

PostPosted: June 10th, 2015, 12:27 am
by TcircleT
Ok, this is something I have to do.

Re: Salmon was cheap

PostPosted: June 10th, 2015, 7:23 am
by njsmoker
Hey Herb,

Thanks so much for giving us a play by play. I love the details and step by step. You're gonna be eating salmon for a while my friend. Looks damn tasty. I'm thinking a nice rice pialf, maybe dirty rice, steamed broccoli and white wine. Dammit, now I'm hungry. A job well done.

Re: Salmon was cheap

PostPosted: June 10th, 2015, 10:21 am
by Yoder_Naomi
This is making me very, very hungry.

Re: Salmon was cheap

PostPosted: June 10th, 2015, 8:13 pm
by inthemudd
Looks good.

Re: Salmon was cheap

PostPosted: July 23rd, 2015, 6:59 pm
by jzzmusician
Herb,

For us old guys that either forgot or can't find the info, please explain what happens when you close the smoke stack. I'm guessing that with the firebox open a bit the left side would be hotter.

I ask because with the recent hot weather we've been having my grate temp is 20 degrees hotter on the left side than the left.

Thanks in advance,

Bob

(YS 1500)

Re: Salmon was cheap

PostPosted: July 23rd, 2015, 8:09 pm
by Yoder_Herb
To begin with, I would leave the chimney damper wide open, and open the HMS damper about an inch and a half. This will bleed off some of the heat from under the plate and send it up and to the chimney.

If you do not have the reinforced burn grate, it is imperative that you make sure that the burn grate fits as tightly as possible in the firebox before each cook. Not doing this can also cause heat to build up on the left side, as the angle and force of the airflow is changed, which can cause a buildup of heat on the left side.

Re: Salmon was cheap

PostPosted: July 24th, 2015, 9:43 pm
by jzzmusician
Herb,

Thank you for your quick reply. You're a real asset here. I'll give it a shot and that makes perfect sense. (and I've got the reinforced grate)

regards,

bob