Watch: “Yukon Man” Stan Zuray on How to make Smoked Fish Strips
Russ Chastain 07.28.17
In this video from Stan Zuray of the TV show “Yukon Men,” he shows viewers how to prepare and preserve strips of fish “Yukon river style.”
Starting with a king salmon fillet, Stan deftly removes the ribs and then pins the fillet to his cutting board before slicing the meat into thin strips, which remain attached to one another via the skin near the tail and belly.
Viewers of the show know that Alaskans often rely on fish to feed their dogs, but this king (or Chinook) salmon is “people food” (except for the scraps).
After slicing, the strips go into a bucket of brine for a few minutes, then onto the drying rack.
After Stan seemingly wraps it up, he comes back with some helpful advice to make sure the strips dry properly, especially in damp weather. And if you keep watching, you get some more good cutting tips.
He never does get to the actual smoking process, but that’s usually pretty straightforward.