﻿ix,d,i Seale: Fish and Fishery Products 7 



fish require less smoking, export fish more. These baskets retail 

 for 60 centavos each. 



If the fish are placed at a distance from the fire so that the 

 temperature is never above 26°. 7 C, the product is called "cold 

 smoked," but if the fish are hung very near the fire and are more 

 or less cooked it is called "hot smoked." The latter method 

 requires only about two hours, but the product will keep but a 

 very short time. 



The "cold smoked" is the better product. The smoking may 

 last from a few hours to two or three weeks, depending upon 

 the product desired. Hardwood or hardwood sawdust makes 

 the best smoke, but I have succeeded in making a very good prod- 

 uct by using half-dry and green coconut husks. 



I have conducted a number of experiments in smoking fish, 

 using the following, all of which are very common in the Phil- 

 ippines : Barracuda, sea bass, mullets, cavalla, snappers, and 

 porgies. The fish were thoroughly cleaned and washed, and the 

 backbones removed. Some of the larger ones were cut in strips. 

 They were put in strong brine for one day, allowed to drain and 

 dry two days in the sun and wind, and then transferred to the 

 smokehouse and smoked slowly for fourteen days, after which 

 they were placed in the sun for half a day. Finally, they were 

 wrapped in oilpaper and were sealed in tin boxes. After nine 

 months in Manila, these fish were eaten and pronounced excellent. 



A very appetizing fish product was made by cutting the flesh 

 of large fish in rather small strips, which were placed in brine 

 for one hour and transferred to spiced vinegar for three days, 

 then sundried and slow smoked nine days. When wrapped in 

 oilpaper and packed in tin boxes, these kept in good condition 

 in Manila for four months. The following is an abstract of a 

 method which the United States Bureau of Fisheries 3 recom- 

 mends for preparing a choice fish product for warm climates : 



The fish, after being smoked, are cooled and placed in layers in wooden 

 barrels. Between each layer of fish a layer of dry salt is placed in the 

 proportion of about 6 pounds of salt to 100 pounds of fish. The barrels, 

 after being filled, are kept in a cool place until the fish have become com- 

 pletely hard, which will require from three to fifteen days, depending upon 

 the kind and size of the fish. The barrels are then filled with brine and 

 closed by a tight-fitting cover. * The brine must be carefully prepared in 

 the following manner: Filtered water is boiled with salt to a saturated 

 solution, cooled, skimmed, and as much drawn off as appears fully clear 

 and fine. If the brine is not carefully prepared, the fish will not keep for 



3 Bull. U. S. Fish. Comm. (1898), 18, 477. 



