01-04-2015, 05:20 AM
Part two. Too hard to make a call right now. Ate too many out of the first batch... lol Didn't even eat dinner tonight and when the oldest daughter found out I had been "sneaking" one here and there out in the garage I got in trouble.
Anywoo... The second batch was brined in the same mix, etc but sat in it longer. 18 hours verse the first batch and 14 hours. Plus it was dusted with the brown sugar powder I mentioned above. Smoking temp/time was as listed above but once the timer stopped the smoker heat element at 4 hours I unplugged it, closed the vent and left them in it for another hour as it cooled down. So a pinch more time in the heat as it cooled down.
Appearance wise they are darker but expected with the sugar on top. They are not as dark as the picture denotes and to me look more "smoked". But... I am betting the first batch would appeal more to the average peep. If one cares about "appearance". Since these are mine and for me I care less. Just noting it.
Though I was totally stuffed, taking a nibble here and there I like the second batch better. Really hard to tell the difference. One has to get a good bite with the area the brown sugar directly contacted. If one eats just the white you wouldn't know the difference. The brown sugar powdering does make a positive difference. Madi ate a small amount of each and really didn't seem to notice much. In the end she said she liked the second batch a pinch better but dunno if she really did based on her own or based on me and just wanting to say one or the other. She ate dinner and a little desert so no better off tummy stuffed wise than me.
With that said... I "think" I like the more traditional way of preparing Stripers for smoking. Coating them with the ingredients one desires, putting them on cookie sheets and into the fridge overnight verse a brine. To me the brine didn't make them salty enough. I say this as I am typing with fat fingers denoting too much salt intake. lol (Brine is easier, less messy, etc since all is tossed into one container and just sits as is verse dealing with cookie sheets, sprinkling on the ingredients, etc.)
I might change my mind tomorrow with a fresh mind and empty stomach... To be seen.
Kinda kicking my tail for not doing both methods for a trial. I only do this a couple times a year so kinda hard to totally remember exactly how it tasted the last time I smoked Stripers, etc to compare.
![[Image: LakeMead_01-02-15_018.jpg]](http://www.outlawrc.com/stuff/fishing/LakeMead_01-02-15_018.jpg)
Tom
[signature]
Anywoo... The second batch was brined in the same mix, etc but sat in it longer. 18 hours verse the first batch and 14 hours. Plus it was dusted with the brown sugar powder I mentioned above. Smoking temp/time was as listed above but once the timer stopped the smoker heat element at 4 hours I unplugged it, closed the vent and left them in it for another hour as it cooled down. So a pinch more time in the heat as it cooled down.
Appearance wise they are darker but expected with the sugar on top. They are not as dark as the picture denotes and to me look more "smoked". But... I am betting the first batch would appeal more to the average peep. If one cares about "appearance". Since these are mine and for me I care less. Just noting it.
Though I was totally stuffed, taking a nibble here and there I like the second batch better. Really hard to tell the difference. One has to get a good bite with the area the brown sugar directly contacted. If one eats just the white you wouldn't know the difference. The brown sugar powdering does make a positive difference. Madi ate a small amount of each and really didn't seem to notice much. In the end she said she liked the second batch a pinch better but dunno if she really did based on her own or based on me and just wanting to say one or the other. She ate dinner and a little desert so no better off tummy stuffed wise than me.
With that said... I "think" I like the more traditional way of preparing Stripers for smoking. Coating them with the ingredients one desires, putting them on cookie sheets and into the fridge overnight verse a brine. To me the brine didn't make them salty enough. I say this as I am typing with fat fingers denoting too much salt intake. lol (Brine is easier, less messy, etc since all is tossed into one container and just sits as is verse dealing with cookie sheets, sprinkling on the ingredients, etc.)
I might change my mind tomorrow with a fresh mind and empty stomach... To be seen.
Kinda kicking my tail for not doing both methods for a trial. I only do this a couple times a year so kinda hard to totally remember exactly how it tasted the last time I smoked Stripers, etc to compare.
Tom
[signature]