# Dryin Fish



## OldCootHillbilly (Jul 9, 2010)

So yall caught a mess a fish, but, electricity be a thin a the past so no ice box, ya ain't got time ta can it. What ya gonna do? Dry it!

First thin ya gotta do is catch the fish, this simply won't work without em!

2nd. clean the fish, remove the head an gills cause they hold lots a moisture an can start ta rot sooner (upta yall, ya can leave em if ya wanna).

3rd. fer big fish, cut slits in the fillets so ya got more surface ta dry.

4th. use racks ta hang the fish over, these should be 3 foot er better offin the ground so critters can't get ta dinner an there be more air flow up there.

5th. hang the fish over the racks an let em dry. Ifin it be high humidity, yall might have ta bring em in durin the night so they don't get damp again.

Optional step 6. add smoke, it helps preserve the fish an dries em quicker. Just build a small hardwood smolderin fire under yer racks. Ta keep the smoke a bit closer ta yer fish ya can cut some leafy branchs an build ya sorta a teepee over yer rack. Now don't let yer fire get to big, just wan't it warm. Around 200° ta 250° will do just fine.

Fish dried like this lasts quite a spell.


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

Well Coot, I dry fish, have several buckets full, I brine it and dry it in the dehydrator, It cooks up pretty good.

I guess I'm gonna have to learn to do it your way one of these days.


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## pixieduster (Mar 28, 2012)

I'm likin it. All the fish we catch goes in the freezer. Tales up alota room and if power goes out we have to cook it all at once.









This catch took about 2 hours. More time to clean and freeze than to catch.


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## OldCootHillbilly (Jul 9, 2010)

Davarm said:


> Well Coot, I dry fish, have several buckets full, I brine it and dry it in the dehydrator, It cooks up pretty good.
> 
> I guess I'm gonna have to learn to do it your way one of these days.


Nothin wrong with doin er that way either. This just be another alternative, can be done in the middle a nowhere ifin need be.


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

OldCootHillbilly said:


> Nothin wrong with doin er that way either. This just be another alternative, can be done in the middle a nowhere ifin need be.


Salting does work ok as long as you have salt, might not always have it. Thats why I am going to learn to do it your way also.


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

Davarm said:


> Salting does work ok as long as you have salt, might not always have it. Thats why I am going to learn to do it your way also.


here's some of the major U.S. locations (there are many many MANY more with sufficient salt, that are considered non-viable due to current economics)










if you live near a source of salt water you can always evaporate some in metal cookie sheets, enough for personal use anyways


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

I dont live that far from Grand Saline, Tx., that is always an option but for me, Iwould have to get around the Dallas/Ft Worth area to get there. I need to make other plans, you have to have a death wish to do that even now!


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