Smoked Eulachons

Steps

1. Wash the eulachons well under running water.
2. In a barrel, mix a brine solution of water and enough salt to make a potato float. A good ratio is 2 cups (2⅛ cups) coarse salt in 3 gallons (12 litres) water. Add the fish.
3. Soak for about ½–1 hour, or until the fish eyes turn white.
4. Hang the eulachons for smoking by threading on cedar sticks. Push the strip of red cedar in through the gills and out through the mouth. Usually 12–25 eulachons are put on each stick.
5. Hang the sticks from the rafters in a smokehouse, making sure the fish are not touching each other. There needs to be enough space between each rack and the fish so that the smoke is even.
6. Let the fish finish dripping, then start the smoking fire with alder wood.
7. Smoke the eulachon for 2–6 days. Smoke longer to make drier fish.