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Smoking Process. Two types. Cold Smoke and Hot Smoke.
The predominant smoking process for meats, poultry and fish in the U.S. and in most of the world, is known as Cold Smoking. This smoking process uses a lower temperature with close control of humidity, and is accomplished in large factory built smoke ovens which generate electric heat and use a small wood chip box to generate the desired smoke flavor. Some smokers do not use chips, but simply add liquid smoke to the brine solution, prior to cooking.
Mrs. Peters uses the old world traditional ?hot smoke? process. Our smoke oven was built into our concrete block building in 1958. It is an open rack system, with the actual fire built daily, in the pit below the racks. The fish fillets are laid on the racks and the smoke and heat has a chance to encircle all sides of the fillet and ensures an even curing process. The temperature is low at first and is gradually increased by adding additional wood, until the center of the fish reaches the temperature that will guarantee the curing process, and then the fire is slowly reduced. Our smoke process alone lasts 8-10 hours each day. However the entire process from whole fish to the finished smoked product takes a minimum of three days. We can produce, on average, 500 pounds of net smoked fish each day in our smoke ovens using the open rack configuration. We use a special wood, found locally. Our finished product has a golden brown surface color which is brought about by using special salt and a special salting method, the special wood, and the gradual increases and decreases in temperature.
Our smoked fish fillets are well known for their mild smoke flavor, which is a result of this hot smoked process, and is not easily duplicated. Mrs. Peters taught our family the art of hot smoking and our family has not changed anything significant. We have installed stainless steel racks for easier removal of the fish and for an improved cleaning process. |
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