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Post by oldcoothillbilly on May 28, 2012 8:30:01 GMT -7
So yall caught a mess a fish, but, electricity be a thin a the past so no ice box, ya ain't got time ta can it. What ya gonna do? Dry it!
First thin ya gotta do is catch the fish, this simply won't work without em!
2nd. clean the fish, remove the head an gills cause they hold lots a moisture an can start ta rot sooner (upta yall, ya can leave em if ya wanna).
3rd. fer big fish, cut slits in the fillets so ya got more surface ta dry.
4th. use racks ta hang the fish over, these should be 3 foot er better offin the ground so critters can't get ta dinner an there be more air flow up there.
5th. hang the fish over the racks an let em dry. Ifin it be high humidity, yall might have ta bring em in durin the night so they don't get damp again.
Optional step 6. add smoke, it helps preserve the fish an dries em quicker. Just build a small hardwood smolderin fire under yer racks. Ta keep the smoke a bit closer ta yer fish ya can cut some leafy branchs an build ya sorta a teepee over yer rack. Now don't let yer fire get to big, just wan't it warm. Around 200° ta 250° will do just fine.
Fish dried like this lasts quite a spell.
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Post by cajunlady87 on May 28, 2012 9:06:45 GMT -7
It's a keeper Rev, thanks!
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Post by thywar on May 28, 2012 10:52:53 GMT -7
This makes me think I need to be looking for some racks at garage sales and flea markets. It would be nice not to have to make wooden racks to dry them on. Do you season yours or salt them when you dry them... like CL was talking about with shrimp? Great Tip though Rev.. appreciate it
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Post by oldcoothillbilly on May 28, 2012 10:56:51 GMT -7
I don't but yall could. The idear behind this bein so simple is cause in a situation, it can be a good way ta keep some meat without allota stuff.
But, now be a good time ta practice, sides, makes a perty tastey snack.
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Post by cajunlady87 on May 28, 2012 15:13:11 GMT -7
Okay Rev, I'm a bit slow. You mentioned removing the head and gills, then you mention filets. Then you mention placing them over racks to dry. Am I right in assuming we're fileting the fish and not leaving them whole as in removing the filets from the bones? Too, you mention dried fish makes great snacks. Can you embellish more on that please. Also some ideas of ways you have cooked the fish after it was dried. Thanks!
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Post by oldcoothillbilly on May 28, 2012 16:15:24 GMT -7
Okay Rev, I'm a bit slow. You mentioned removing the head and gills, then you mention filets. Then you mention placing them over racks to dry. Am I right in assuming we're fileting the fish and not leaving them whole as in removing the filets from the bones? Too, you mention dried fish makes great snacks. Can you embellish more on that please. Also some ideas of ways you have cooked the fish after it was dried. Thanks! Lots a times the head an gills was left, the fish bein gutted an split with the head actin sorta like a hinge. The fish was hung over the racks with the head in the middle. I don't like leavin the head cause it can start ta rot before the fish be dry. Another way a doin it is ta remove the head an gills but leave the tail as a hinge. What I do is gut the fish an take the head an gills off, an fillet em out just like ya was gonna cook em any other way, but, leave the skin on. The skin holds the meat tagether. Now lay the fish over the rack, the larger fish ya do the same way cept ya slice inta the meat but not the skin so the air gets ta more meat quicker. Smaller fish can be pinned tagether with a stick at the head end a the fillet, then hung over the rack. Even smaller fish can be just gutted an dried. We don't keep small fish, but in a shtf situation there gonna be fair game. As fer eatin, well after this yall perty much got fish jerky, which ain't bad all on its own. Ya can add it inta a sorta soup an rehydrate it er ya could steam it in some big leaves. Most the time it's just eatin like jerky which works out well on the trail. Hope that helps some.
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Post by cajunlady87 on May 28, 2012 16:21:22 GMT -7
Okay Rev, I'm a bit slow. You mentioned removing the head and gills, then you mention filets. Then you mention placing them over racks to dry. Am I right in assuming we're fileting the fish and not leaving them whole as in removing the filets from the bones? Too, you mention dried fish makes great snacks. Can you embellish more on that please. Also some ideas of ways you have cooked the fish after it was dried. Thanks! Lots a times the head an gills was left, the fish bein gutted an split with the head actin sorta like a hinge. The fish was hung over the racks with the head in the middle. I don't like leavin the head cause it can start ta rot before the fish be dry. Another way a doin it is ta remove the head an gills but leave the tail as a hinge. What I do is gut the fish an take the head an gills off, an fillet em out just like ya was gonna cook em any other way, but, leave the skin on. The skin holds the meat tagether. Now lay the fish over the rack, the larger fish ya do the same way cept ya slice inta the meat but not the skin so the air gets ta more meat quicker. Smaller fish can be pinned tagether with a stick at the head end a the fillet, then hung over the rack. Even smaller fish can be just gutted an dried. We don't keep small fish, but in a shtf situation there gonna be fair game. As fer eatin, well after this yall perty much got fish jerky, which ain't bad all on its own. Ya can add it inta a sorta soup an rehydrate it er ya could steam it in some big leaves. Most the time it's just eatin like jerky which works out well on the trail. Hope that helps some. Thankyou!
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Post by oldcoothillbilly on May 28, 2012 16:33:09 GMT -7
Here be one version: Ain't really no right er wrong way a doin it. Just what ya have at the time. Some people do em flat. I like hangin em cause they can drip an take up less space. Plus be easier ta make in the wilds.
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Post by cajunlady87 on May 28, 2012 16:53:24 GMT -7
Here be one version: Ain't really no right er wrong way a doin it. Just what ya have at the time. Some people do em flat. I like hangin em cause they can drip an take up less space. Plus be easier ta make in the wilds. Thanks again, that's kewl. I like visuals.
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Post by offtrail on May 28, 2012 17:22:24 GMT -7
Thanks OCH I liked your post. Can you dry any fish or some better then others?
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Post by oldcoothillbilly on May 28, 2012 18:03:40 GMT -7
Thanks OCH I liked your post. Can you dry any fish or some better then others? Most fresh water fish, cept Carp, I've been told they ain't safe ta eat lessin they been cooked. Smoke em an they be fine eatin after ya cut the mud strip out.
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Post by cajunlady87 on May 28, 2012 18:09:37 GMT -7
I'll bet smoked fish does make a tasty snack.
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Post by 720flysurvive on May 29, 2012 7:01:38 GMT -7
Love to smoke fish. My step father is klinit indain ( I know I mis-spelled that ) but boy o boy they could smoke some salamon. Pike is unbelievably good trout is basic IMO
Great post there
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Post by cajunlady87 on May 29, 2012 7:13:24 GMT -7
Love to smoke fish. My step father is klinit indain ( I know I mis-spelled that ) but boy o boy they could smoke some salamon. Pike is unbelievably good trout is basic IMO Great post there Do you season your fish before smoking, if so what are the seasonings and do you just rub them on the fish or marinade?
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Post by 720flysurvive on May 30, 2012 11:16:37 GMT -7
Opps sorry. I use many different seasonings. Lemonn pepper is my go to tho. Season salt is another. As far as the step dad he would just salt/Brown sugar and smoke. I've used honey too
Pike I just straight smoke it
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