PDA

View Full Version : Canning Kokes



SuperD
03-04-2009, 02:25 PM
Does anyone here can? I'm thinking about investing in a pressure cooker / canner and trying my hand at canning my fish. In addition to my trip to the Gorge, I'm going to Alaska in July and figured I have a lot to practice with. Interested in hearing your techniques.

Fallriverguy
03-04-2009, 02:53 PM
I have not tried it yet but have known several people that can Kokanee and they say it is fantastic.

SuperD
03-04-2009, 02:59 PM
I have not tried it yet but have known several people that can Kokanee and they say it is fantastic.

I've tasted it and it is better than "fantastic." It sounds like a lot of work but everything good is.

bobco
03-04-2009, 03:06 PM
Ive been canning for a few years. nice to have in the middle of winter for a salmon dip or salmon pattys. Just be carefull and follow directions that come with the canner. the canner I have will do I think 7-8 pint jars, a decent 4 year old koke will take a whole jar. when I know I'm going to can the salmon I skin them at the lake, the silver skinner thing of a bob with a knob on the side does a good job. In alaska you are probably going to get larger salmon, not sure how that will work out canninng them. When I have gone to alaska we vaccum packed and froze them, most place will rent you locker space for a freezer box, once deep froozen they make the journey home fine.

SilverBullets
03-04-2009, 07:06 PM
I've heard you shouldn't use a pressure cooker on a ceramic stove top. Anyone have experience with this?

SilverBullets
03-05-2009, 12:07 PM
I've heard you shouldn't use a pressure cooker on a ceramic stove top. Anyone have experience with this?

Also, how much time are you looking at to do around 20 small koks?

SuperD
03-05-2009, 12:27 PM
Also, how much time are you looking at to do around 20 small koks?

SB, regarding the ceramic top, I'd consult the range manufacturer to get a better answer. A ceramic top would not effect the canners performance. If you can boil water on ceramic, you can generate enough het to can.

20 small kokes would likely be a full day effort. The actual "in canner" time is 100 minutes plus cool down. Depending on the size of your canner, you might be looking at 2 batches.

bobco
03-05-2009, 12:45 PM
SB, regarding the ceramic top, I'd consult the range manufacturer to get a better answer. A ceramic top would not effect the canners performance. If you can boil water on ceramic, you can generate enough het to can.

20 small kokes would likely be a full day effort. The actual "in canner" time is 100 minutes plus cool down. Depending on the size of your canner, you might be looking at 2 batches.
I agree probably 2 batchs and cool down is considerable and you don't want to rush the cool down. I think the ceramic is a no no also.

Kokanee Slow
03-09-2009, 05:32 PM
I believe the problem with a ceramic stove top is the weight of the canner. Looking at canning/smoking recipes on "I Fish.net" many were using larger pressure cookers which tended to weigh 18 or more pounds (when they are empty). It appeared there was a danger with breaking the stove top.

I was doing some research and considering acquiring a pressure cooker/canner (one of the All American models) that would handle a good load of jars, but they all weigh too much (I have a ceramic stove top also).

Not sure I want to also invest in an outdoor stove burner large enough to handle the weight of a decent sized pressure cooker.

Steve

SilverBullets
03-09-2009, 11:38 PM
I believe the problem with a ceramic stove top is the weight of the canner. Looking at canning/smoking recipes on "I Fish.net" many were using larger pressure cookers which tended to weigh 18 or more pounds (when they are empty). It appeared there was a danger with breaking the stove top.

I was doing some research and considering acquiring a pressure cooker/canner (one of the All American models) that would handle a good load of jars, but they all weigh too much (I have a ceramic stove top also).

Not sure I want to also invest in an outdoor stove burner large enough to handle the weight of a decent sized pressure cooker.

Steve

After researching this a couple years ago, that's pretty much where I left off with the canning idea too. I'll just keep smoking and try out different brine's for now.thumbsup

SuperD
04-25-2009, 03:40 PM
I put yesterday's kokes in the brine this morning and tomorrow will be my first batch of canned kokes. Since I've never done it before, I'll be trying less than a full batch so that if I screw up, I didn't waste so much. I guess I'll need to find some honest taste testers to give me the feedback. I'll try to post some shots tomorrow after the first batch is complete.

Bduck
04-25-2009, 04:55 PM
I put yesterday's kokes in the brine this morning and tomorrow will be my first batch of canned kokes. Since I've never done it before, I'll be trying less than a full batch so that if I screw up, I didn't waste so much. I guess I'll need to find some honest taste testers to give me the feedback. I'll try to post some shots tomorrow after the first batch is complete.
It might be better with bacon!!! laugh hyst

SuperD
04-25-2009, 06:01 PM
It might be better with bacon!!! laugh hyst

Roger, I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about. ;)

SuperD
04-27-2009, 10:49 AM
I tried my hand at canning some fresh kokanee salmon that I caught this weekend. Since it was my first try at canning anything, I expected to make a few mistakes and didn't disappoint myself. But for the most part, everything was good.

I brined the fish for 24 hours in a marinade of 1/2 soy sauce and 1/2 apricot juice with a couple cloves of minced garlic. I then smoked the fish for about an hour and a half at 220 degrees.

Fish after being smoked:
http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/5295/kokes2.jpg

Meat being peeled for jars:
http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/8131/kokes3.jpg

I added a 1/4 tsp of canning salt and a couple pinches of additional spices to each jar before stuffing jars and putting in the canner for 100 minutes at 11 - 12 lbs of pressure.
http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/4821/kokes5.jpg

After allowing the proper cool down, I found I had a couple jars that didn't seal because I over filled them and didn't allow enough room for expansion. So I'll have to watch that in the next batch. We ate the non sealed jars last night and they were delicious.
http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/4995/kokes6.jpg

SuperD
05-16-2009, 02:05 PM
I smoked 18 nice Kokanee this morning and filled 37, half pint jars for the canner. I'm experimenting with a couple new recipes, one a friend told me about and the other I'm just making up. The first I'm calling "Wetback Red" and it has 1/2 tsp of salt, 1 TBSP salsa, 1 TBSP bottled water, 2 nacho sized jalepeno slices and 1/2 a bay leaf.

The second, my made up version, is 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp of dill weed and 1 TBSP of bottled water.

Kokanee Wizard
05-17-2009, 05:51 PM
Sounds interesting. How did you like the two recipies?

SuperD
05-18-2009, 12:04 PM
I liked the jalapeno and salsa the best. It turns out that the canning process, i.e. long exposure to high heat takes the flavors out of most spices. The jalapeno batch for example, had great flavor but didn't exhibit any heat. The dill batch was good but really didn't detect the dill flavor. After consulting a canning expert, I was told that most spices would be better realized by adding to the fish after canning / when it is served.

Cariboospeed
06-22-2009, 10:09 PM
Just about to fire up the pressure cooker now.

I uses to have a big cooker and can salmon and whatever else I could catch or kill regularly..years ago. Going to try something a little different this time. I want to take a few already smoked fish smush them up and add some mayo and chopped up pickles just like my favorite sandwich spread, and can them like that.

Steve079
06-22-2009, 11:30 PM
I think the heat may make the mayo separate, some of that stuff is probably best done after. What you can do, though, is smoke them, can them, then, take the smoked kokes, mix them up like you described, but seal them in a vacuum sealer. Use the bulk quart roll, make a tiny bag, and put enough of your mix in there for a sandwich, or on the bagels. Just cut a corner off, and squeeze it out. Keep it buried in the ice, until your ready to use it. If you don't use it, then freeze it for another time. It's da bomb.

Cariboospeed
06-23-2009, 09:25 PM
I consulted Mom and she said the same thing, the mayo will go weird, and pickles would go mushy. So I canned up 8 half pint jars last night, just the way they were smoked, and they turned out very good. When I smoked them I made some funky brines and put bits of garlic on some, bacon strips on some and bits of onion on others. There's lots of flavour in them.

SuperD
06-28-2009, 11:21 AM
Having just returned from the Gorge, I've got lots of canning stock now. Some of the other guys from the trip want to learn so we'll have a canning party in the next few weeks.

Kokanee Wizard
06-28-2009, 09:26 PM
Some of the other guys from the trip want to learn so we'll have a canning party in the next few weeks.

I had the same thing happen to me, but when I told them it took all day they said they'd just let me do it.

Steve079
06-28-2009, 10:02 PM
It's a lot of work, but it's spread out pretty nice. It's all prep, wait, prep, wait. Like they say, many hands make light work.
What I think would be cool, is to taste all the different results. Once you had enough people that had the method down, everybody could can, and then swap batches. That would really cut the learning curve.

Cariboospeed
06-30-2009, 05:04 AM
Like any other hobby, you do it because you enjoy it. A buddy and I just got back from the lake with our limits (5 each) at 10pm. Got them all cleaned, and split, and a bunch more thawed, and all soaking in brine tonight. I'll get them in the smoker tomorrow, and canned tomorrow night.

Somewhere in there gotta mow the lawn...

And ya that's a good idea Steve. Even if ya mailed off a single pint jar, and the recipe, it would be interesting.

MMDON
07-03-2009, 09:49 PM
I thought I'd post my fish canning recipe to add something to the thread.

Don’s Fish Canning Recipe

16-Large Mouth Pint Jars, Lids and Rings
8 to 10-lbs Fish Filets or Skinned and Chopped Fish, Bone In
2-Tbs Bottled Water Per Pint
1/8-tsp. Canning Salt (Do not over salt)
½-tsp Lemon Pepper
Pinch Dill
Pinch Garlic Powder
1-Tbs Catalina Dressing
1-Yellow Chili Pepper
3-Quarts Hot Water
1-Tbs. Vinegar (Add to water bath)

Wash up to 16 jars and rings and new lids. Place on clean towel.
Add bottom rack to pressure cooker with 3 quarts hot water.
Add 1-tablespoon vinegar to cooker to prevent jar staining.
Add water, salt, lemon pepper, dill, garlic, and Catalina to jars and mix.
Defrost fish and cut up with kitchen shears in 2” pieces.
Loosely pack fish in jars to one inch of lid to allow seasoning to move.
Add one yellow chili pepper.
Center lids and place rings on bottles, firmly finger tight.
First row of bottles must be placed on a rack in the pressure cooker.
2nd row of bottles should be offset from first row for even heating.
Secure pressure cooker lid with out pressure valve weight.
When steam is flowing freely from pressure valve add weight.
The above step will allow pop up pressure valve to rise and lock
Bring Pressure Cooker to 13 Pounds And Maintain Constant 13 Pound Pressure For 100 Minutes. Cooker Must Be Checked Every Few Minutes, As The Pressure Will Change With Interior Bottle Heat.

Total canning times will vary with amounts and experience.
Allow: 30 Minutes Thaw Time For Fish
30 Minutes Bottling Time
30 Minutes To Pressure Up Canner
100 Minutes Cooking Time
60 Minutes Cool Down Time (Do Not Open Lid Or
Disturb Canner Valves During Cool Down Period.)
8 Hrs. For 2 Batches

Steve079
07-04-2009, 11:18 AM
thanks for posting the details of your recipe, somehow I missed that you don't smoke your fish first. I'm going to try a batch your way, and see how it turns out. I did some trout, the first time I tried canning without smoking first, and really liked it.

MMDON
07-05-2009, 12:28 PM
Let us know how the unsmoked ones turn out!

MMM

onlychild
03-31-2010, 09:20 PM
Dave try this I run two cookers that hold 14 pints ea.(stacked) skin fillets and cube about 1in. squares dont worrie about the bones they disolve pace as much fish in a jar as you can I use the bottom of a plastic cup to smash it in leave about 1in. from the top for the other ingredientis now I buy onions the same size as the jar mouth one slice of onion 1/4" thick 1/2teaspoon ground garlic ( PRE-GROUND IN THE BOTTLE) a good shaking of JONNIES SEASONING SALT a good shake of (HOT SHOT) ground pepper mix 5 slices of canned jalapeno not fresh more heat in the canned and better flavor two tlbs. V-8 hot and spicy make sure rim of jar is clean for a good seal place lids in boiling h2o just a couple min.then put on jar with rings place in cooker if you live in an area with hard water put about 2 cups of vinegar in the water all this does is keeps your jars from turning foggy fill canner with water until at level of top jar seal lid and cook at 15lbs. (350appx) depends on you canner for 1hr. 45min. after cooking LET SET AND COOL once canner has cooled enough open lid and remove jars with canning thongs they will still be boiling inside jar let cool press on lid if it pops it didnt seal and must be put in the frige other wise I mark the date on the lid and put jars back into the box and down to the basement I also do 1/2 pints that are my hot same receipe except I add 1/2teaspoon fresh chopped habaneros this adds I think the right amount of heat to go with my fav. cervesa also leave the juice in the 1/2 pints and pour fish over brick of cream cheese with crackers the pints when done drain off juice chop pickel and onion /mayo this is the best tuna (kokaneefish) sand. you will ever have ENJOY

SuperD
04-01-2010, 12:53 PM
Art,
That sounds very close to my Wetback Red recipe.
Ingredients per pint jar, half for 1/2 pints:
1/2 tsp canning salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 pinches red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp salsa (marinara sauce can also be used but name changes to Dago Red)
4 slices jalapenos
1/4 bay leaf