THE PRESERVATION OF FISH BY SMOKING AND DRYING 411 



3 days. The total time required is from 4 to 6 days, depending largely on weather 

 conditions; longer time is necessary when the atmosphere is damp. Temperatures 

 should be maintained below 80° F (26.7° C); this is especially important if the 

 herring are on the oily side. 



After smoking, the bloaters are graded for size: medium, large, and extra large. 

 Packing is done by count instead of by weight. Wooden boxes holding 25 or 50 

 fish are used, with the box sizes varying for the several grades. Smoked bloaters 

 will keep for a limited time without refrigeration; but, since they are susceptible 

 to mold growth, extended storage should be at temperatures below 32° F (0° C). 

 In the United States the principal bloater markets are in the foreign sections of the 

 larger cities. 



Cold-Smoking (Light Salt Cure). Only fresh or frozen fish are used for this 

 type of cure and just a light brining is used prior to smoking, mostly for flavoring 

 purposes. There is some coagulation of the surface proteins from this preliminary 

 brining, but the preservative eff^ect is meager. It is therefore essential that the 

 raw materials be of excellent quality and strictly fresh. The finished products are all 

 highly perishable and storage must be imder refrigeration below the freezing point. 



Finnan Haddies. This process, which accounts for one of the major smoke in- 

 dustries in Europe, especially in Scotland, originated in Findon, Scotland. Had- 

 dock is, of course, the principal species smoked in this manner. Recently other 

 species of the cod family, such as true cod and pollock, have been utilized. The 

 process used in the United States is similar to that used in Europe, except that a 

 slightly heavier cure results due to longer smoking and salting. 



Only medium-sized or large fish are used. They are dressed when received 

 from the vessels. The fish are split from the belly side along the backbone so that 

 they will lay open in a single piece. The backbone is not removed. The split 

 fish are washed well and scrubbed to remove the dark belly lining. Brining is light, 

 2 to 2/2 hours in 60° Sal. brine being sufficient. In order to reduce the shrinkage 

 and smoking time some curers dip the fish in a dye solution before smoking. The 

 food dye, tartrazine, is commonly used and the solution made by adding 2 ounces 

 of the dye powder to 10 gallons of water. 



After draining, the fish are hung by their napes from special sticks, having pro- 

 jecting nails on 2 sides to hold the fish flattened out while being smoked. Three 

 fish are usually suspended on each side of the stick. When they are placed in the 

 smoke oven, drying fires are built with all ventilators open. In 6 to 8 hours the 

 surface moisture is evaporated and a light pellicle has developed. The ventilators 

 are then closed and the fish are subjected to smoking fires for an additional 6 to 

 8 hours. The temperature should be held below 90° F (32.2° C) to produce the 

 best results. 



Packing is usually in 15-pound boxes, with the fish being graded for size and 

 the number per box being stenciled on the outside. Since both the brining and 

 smoking are light, finnan haddies are highly perishable. Shipping and storage 

 should be below 32° F (0° C). 



Smoked Fillets. These are produced from a variety of fresh fish, large cod, 

 haddock, pollock, ling cod, etc. being the most common. The process used is es- 

 sentially the same in all cases. 



The fish should be fresh and in good condition. Each fish is skinned and boned 

 and cut into 2 fillets, which are then brined for U2 to 2 hours in 50 to 60° Sal. 



