Maybe I could help........

[MakoMatt]

It's been a few years, but I have smoked ten's of thousands of pounds of fish, as well as pickled them.

Back in 1982 my dad, my brother Mark, and I answered an ad in the NYT business opportunity section. A woman by the name of Ilana, (spelling) was looking for partners, capital, for a startup smoke fish company. She had an interesting story in that her family went back many generations, and had been the "official fish smokers" for the czars of Russia. She had immigrated from Russia to Israel, and then to the United States. Her recipes, and knowledge of smoking fish was extraordinary, and was able to produce smoked fish of the highest quality, it particular, Salmon.

So by 1983 we partnered with Ilana and her husband and formed the Royal Baltic Seafood Company. The location was Ditmas Ave., Brooklyn. From the start the business was a success, and the company was doing very well. Sales exceeded our expectations. After a few years we sold our end of the business with Ilana after disagreements concerning our market. We were interested in further developing the U.S. market, while they were more focused on the Brighton Beach Russian market. The local market was smoking fish for the Russians in the area. The demand there was for products that Americans did not know about, nor did they want. But it was a cash business. You would smoke the fish, deliver it to local stores, they would pay you cash. Ilana loved that and couldn't quite get her mind around 30-60 billing which most of of our customers wanted on the domestic market side, i.e., the big hotel chains, delicacy stores, including Balducci's, Zabars, etc. etc. Royal Baltic is still in business today, although Ilana I understand sold the business to someone else. The never made it big, and from what I've heard they still focus on the Brighton Beach Russian market.

So, in any event, if I can be of any help with questions, etc., feel free to ask away.

 

[BennyV]

It's been a few years, but I have smoked ten's of thousands of pounds of fish, as well as pickled them.

Back in 1982 my dad, my brother Mark, and I answered an ad in the NYT business opportunity section. A woman by the name of Ilana, (spelling) was looking for partners, capital, for a startup smoke fish company. She had an interesting story in that her family went back many generations, and had been the "official fish smokers" for the czars of Russia. She had immigrated from Russia to Israel, and then to the United States. Her recipes, and knowledge of smoking fish was extraordinary, and was able to produce smoked fish of the highest quality, it particular, Salmon.

So by 1983 we partnered with Ilana and her husband and formed the Royal Baltic Seafood Company. The location was Ditmas Ave., Brooklyn. From the start the business was a success, and the company was doing very well. Sales exceeded our expectations. After a few years we sold our end of the business with Ilana after disagreements concerning our market. We were interested in further developing the U.S. market, while they were more focused on the Brighton Beach Russian market. The local market was smoking fish for the Russians in the area. The demand there was for products that Americans did not know about, nor did they want. But it was a cash business. You would smoke the fish, deliver it to local stores, they would pay you cash. Ilana loved that and couldn't quite get her mind around 30-60 billing which most of of our customers wanted on the domestic market side, i.e., the big hotel chains, delicacy stores, including Balducci's, Zabars, etc. etc. Royal Baltic is still in business today, although Ilana I understand sold the business to someone else. The never made it big, and from what I've heard they still focus on the Brighton Beach Russian market.

So, in any event, if I can be of any help with questions, etc., feel free to ask away.

Great story

 

[cany]

Very cool Matt

 

[jpd]

I believe you got out just in time! Right click and open private/incognito if the paywall gets you....

Consumers Are Told to Avoid Fish From Brooklyn Company

 

[MakoMatt]

Yes, I was aware of the problems they had and it didn’t surprise me. Ilana knew how to smoke fish, not operate or run a business.

 

[218 nontypical]

Yes, I was aware of the problems they had and it didn’t surprise me. Ilana knew how to smoke fish, not operate or run a business.

I am smoking some Canadian bacon right now in Kings Park. Can you smell it?

 

[218 nontypical]

I am smoking some Canadian bacon right now in Kings Park. Can you smell it?

I just cut a big limb off of my apple tree if anyone needs a log to chunk up for themselves

 

[218 nontypical]

I just cut a big limb off of my apple tree if anyone needs a log to chunk up for themselves

Done

 

[cany]

Done

Looks great what did you use?

 

[218 nontypical]

Looks great what did you use?

I use a pork loin(not tenderloin). About a 12 inch piece split lengthwise. Brine for 6 days then smoke

 

[Fishing Nerd]

Here's a crazy question, not sure if you Matt or anyone else has tried to smoke a porgy.

I'm a sucker for smoked fish. Any blue cocktail sized or up goes directly into a dry brine for a few hours then into a smoker where I hit it with 150F and a mix of pellets (usually 50/50 hickory and alder or pecan). The dog and I both love it, and when I whip it up into a dip it usually moves pretty quickly throughout the house.

I've done this with salmon, bass, herring - but never tried a porgy. I've also never done anything bigger than a herring as a whole fish. Any tricks in particular I should look out for? I'm guessing porgy fillets are too small to smoke as fillets, but not sure if I can effectively smoke the fish whole given it's profile.

 

[cany]

I love smoked porgy I get a whole lotta fillets and smoke them

 

[Fishing Nerd]

I love smoked porgy I get a whole lotta fillets and smoke them

I thought about that too - do you do them skin on or off?

I know most people frown on the types of fish I love (I'm Greek, it's the Mediterranean blood) - I don't throw away anything except spider crabs, and that's only because I haven't found the right recipe yet. Porgy is one of my favorites; I release all but one or two stripers a year because I'd rather catch them than eat them, but the porgy is a staple - ceviche, on the grill, fish tacos (for the bigger chops early in the season in particular). Never smoked one though. Next to the sea robbin, probably the most versatile fish.

 

[cany]

Skin off and brine/smoke like any other fish

 

[JackPrintMD]

Now im F n Hungry.

LL

 

[MakoMatt]

I have never smoked a Porgy, but would think it to be an excellent choice to try.

First off, only whole fish that were going to be pickled or smoked were put into a brine. Anything that was a fillet to be smoked was handled differently. They were first salted overnight. The salt to use is Top Flake Extra Coarse. There was a business in Brooklyn years ago, may still be there I don't know. Maybe it was Brown's Salt, I'm not sure it has been quite a few years. He had about 100 different types of salt. We would purchased skid loads of approx. 50lb bags of this salt. You can find Top Flake Extra Coarse Salt on line in much smaller quantities.

If you are going to use a fillet, leave the skin on. It will be much easier to slice, and "more professional" looking finished product.

Fillet should be lightly rinsed, and gently patted dry. Put a liberal amount of salt over the fillet, and leave in the refrigerator overnight uncovered. 12 plus hours. After it has been salted, it needs to be rinsed off as gently as possible. In addition to rinsing, or while you are rinsing, the fillet needs to be patted ever so gently. We used a dry grass imported from Israel, called "Fah-la" or something like that. You're never going to find it so I would suggest using soft paper towels. We had a hose hooked up to the faucet and with just a very small amount of water coming out of the hose would allow the water to run over the fillet, not pour down on it. While this was happening you would gently pat the fillet with the "Fah-la" grass which would help extricate the salts. When this processed is finish, the fillets would air dry with fans blowing on them for a couple hours. They were then ready to be put into the smoker. For Salmon, it was a cold smoke approx. 27 degrees C. They then sat in the smoker for approx. 12 hours. Alder is the wood to use.

Ill get back later with my recommendations for smoking a whole Porgy. That would be a hot smoke process similar to the way Chub's and Whitefish are smoked.