Quoting Kurt Weiske to Sean Dennis <=-

Sean Dennis wrote to Kurt Weiske <=-

A large percentage of the problem is that most of the active users of
this echo use a particular BBS that is having difficulty with its
Fidonet feed right now.

That would explain what feels like a drop in message traffic across
the board, no pun intended.

Based on who I've seen here in the past two days, I think the
problems have been resolved.

Another Manitoba specialty: Smoked Goldeye.

Goldeye and Mooneye are lesser known, small, white fleshed fish
found in the interior of North America between the Appalachian and
the rocky Mountains north to the rivers flowing into James Bay and
in the lower Mackenzie River drainage system south to the Missouri
Ohio and Mississippi basins. They are quite prevalent in Manitoba
where they are fished commercially in the larger lakes. Their flesh
is soft and unpalatable fresh but excellent smoked. Historically
Natives smoked them over willow fires but today oak is used
commercially.

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06

Title: The Goldeye
Categories: Fish, Info, Brine, Smoked, Canadian
Yield: 4 servings

Goldeye

When smoke-cured it is sold as Winnipeg goldeye and commands a
high price. The goldeye (Hiodon alosoides) and the mooneye make up
the mooneye family of fishes. The two species look much alike and
are found only in fresh waters of North America. Both provide fine
sport for anglers but because of superior flesh qualities, only
the goldeye is sought by commercial fishermen.

The goldeye is a small fish averaging about 450 g in weight and 30.5
cm in length. Its body is deep in proportion to its length and is
covered with large, loose scales. Dark blue to blue-green over the
back, it is silvery on the sides and white over the belly. Beneath
its short, bluntly rounded snout is a small mouth containing many
sharp teeth on jaws and tongue. As its name indicates, its eyes are
gold-coloured. Curiously enough, they reflect light as do the eyes of
a cat. The colour of its eyes and the position of its anal fin, which
begins further forward than the dorsal fin, distinguish it from its
relative the mooneye.

Goldeye are found in both Canadian and American waters. In Canada
their main area of distribution extends from western Ontario to the
Rocky mountains and north to Great Slave Lake. Throughout their
geographical range, they are most often found in warm, silty sections
of large rivers and in shallow lakes connected to them.

Lake Winnipeg was once the largest producer of these fish, but
stocks there were almost wiped out in the twenties as a result of
overfishing. Today the main goldeye fishery is centred in the
North and South Saskatchewan River. Commercial fishermen use
gillnets. Anglers use light tackle with wet or dry flies, small
spinners, or natural bait.

When fresh, the flesh of the goldeye is soft and unpalatable.
However, it was noticed as early as 1890 that smoking it as the
native Indians did greatly improved its flavour. As a smoked
product it rapidly escalated in popularity, with demand exceeding
supply since 1930.

Now, as in the past, goldeye processing is done almost exclusively
in the City of Winnipeg. The fish are gutted, lightly brined, dyed
an orange-red colour, then smoked over oak fires. They are
marketed as whole, processed fish.

From: The Freshwater Fish marketing Corporation

MMMMM

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06

Title: Home Smoked Goldeye
Categories: Smoked, Fish, Info, Jw
Yield: 1 Info file

Goldeye

I have not tried smoking goldeye [I live north of their natural
range] but I do know that the main source of commercially smoked
goldeye, the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation in Winnipeg, use a
light brine, dye the fillets an orange-red colour, then cold smoke
over oak fires.

I would try a Scotch smoke: light brine, dry, cold smoke, "polish",
sweat and refrigerate. Based on other white fleshed, low-medium fat
fish I would try:

Skin on boned fillets; score the skin.

Use only pure pickling salt as it has no impurities or additives to
toughen or discolor fish.

Use either a plain brine or a sugar-spice brine.

Plain brine: 4 1/2 c salt per gallon of water, cooled to 60 deg F.

Salt-sugar-spice brine: 4 1/2 c pickling salt and 1 1/2 c white or
brown sugar to 1 gallon qt water. Add 10 bay leaves, 1/2 tb mace, 2
tsp pepper and 1 tb juniper berries. Adjust amounts or add other
spices to taste. Simmer the spices in the brine 45 min. Strain the
brine through a cloth, discard spices and cool the brine to 60 F or
less.

Brine 1 to 2 hours depending on size. When done the flesh will be firm
enough for slicing and feel like the lean part of a slab of bacon when
pressed between the thumb and forefinger.

After brining, place the fish pieces skin side down so they can
drain. Tilt the drain trays so that the brine runs off the fish to
prevent salt deposit build up on the fish.

Cure 12 hours at a temp below 65 F.

Spit them through the eyes with a stiff, heavy wire and hold the
belly open with match sticks.

Dry at 90 deg F for 1-2 hours [forced draft] or 12 hr or more [natural
draft].

Then smoke for 1 1/2 hrs [forced] or 3 hrs or more [natural]. Use oak
if possible.

These times are just a guide; each fish is different.

Polish: Give the fish a moderate burst of heat [100 deg f] for 15 min
to bring the oil to the surface.

Weight Loss Guide: From salting and smoking/drying should run around
20%

Sweating: For fish that are still not firm enough, sweat the smoked
fish by leaving in a cool place 24 hrs. Moisture will come to the
surface. Then continue drying in the smoker.

Refrigerate: Difficult fish improve by letting the fish condition a
few days in the refrigerator unwrapped before slicing.

Storage: Cool the fish before wrapping. Even at 85 the fish will
sweat if wrapped before cooling and spoil quickly. Use within a week.
Freeze any surplus as Scotch smoked fish is still perishable.

Adapted from Jack Whelan's trout smoking specs.

MMMMM


Cheers

Jim


... Almost every culture smokes something.

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