Smoked Goldeye

[Dogfish]

Oddly enough, except for wiki, there's no information on the internet about "Winnipeg" Smoked Goldeye. This isn't Winnipeg, but the goldeye reaches from the Yukon down into Ohio and is more or less constant east of the Rockies into the northern few states. Uncured, it is the most mushy, greasy, boney fish known to man and most people will tell you it's a fun to catch trash fish. Cured and smoked I am not exaggerating when I say the closest comparison I've eaten is sablefish/blackcod; I was stunned at how good it is. Very rich, beautiful flake, and the bones stay on the skeleton really well.

Cure: 1.5 kilo coarse salt and .5 kilo brown sugar in 23 litres of water tossed in a cooler with 32 fish and brined for about 40 hours.

Smoke: Debarked willow.

Either form the pellicle by drying beforehand or run the smoker a bit cool (50 C) with good ventilation until they dry out. Then seal off and smoke heavy for two hours at about 80 C.

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[wheels]

I've not heard of smoking with willow before, in fact some sources say not to. Are your willows the same as the tree I'm acquainted with?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willow

Is is good for smoking?

Phil

[Dogfish]

I use what I like to call 'diamond' willow but research shows 'diamond' to just be a willow that's had canker.

However, the First Nations and others will use basket willow, which looks a lot like your coppiced willows. The most important thing is to have no bark on the wood, which is easiest achieved by simply burning a big chunk for a while until the bark is gone. Mine was all burnt off by a grass fire. Peel off a piece of young bark and chew it and you'll see the importance.

With the weeping willow, it certainly smells right when green; it's got that nice acrid smell. Only way to know is to try though but I think it would be good. I've used pussy willow and it was good.

[wheels]

Many thanks

Phil