Paul Herbert, "Snook," cuts the fish he caught in his wheel - Part 2 of 2
Friday, July 30, 2010 at 11:05AM 
The fish that Paul Herbert, "Snook" caught in his fishwheel have been put on the cutting table, directly in front of his smokehouse.
Snook has sharpened his knife. He feels the edge. It is smooth and sharp, ready to slice through salmon flesh.
Just as he learned to do as a boy while living with his grandmother, Belle Herbert, Snook cuts his fish. He works swiftly and expertly.
He fillets a salmon, leaving the two halves connected at the tail.
He cuts the end off at an angle, to create a shape that will facilitate the drying process.
Pushing down hard, Snook runs the knife over the cut fish in a way that will squeeze out the blood. Too much blood left behind could ruin the meat.
Snook makes angle cuts through the flesh at regular intervals.
Each cut leaves a clean strip of white on the inside of the skin. This will allow the skin to stretch so that the segments of cut meat are separated through the drying and smoking process.
Applying considerable pressure, Snook runs the knife over the salmon skin to begin the stretching process.
He soaks the cut fish in brine for a spell.
After the fish soak, Snook places them on a rack where they will hang briefly.
As they hang, he stretches the skin some more. He wants to be certain that segments that he has cut do not come in contact with each other, as this could cause them to spoil.
After the fish hang for a spell on the outside rack, Snook transfers them into his smokehouse.
The fish that Paul has cut hang in the smoke.
Snook had been a little worried that the big red king might have been too far along on its spawning journey, but when he cut into it, he found that the flesh was still good. He will cut this one up into sections for freezing.
He places the cuts sections in a large bowl for washing.
His wife Alma washes the cut sections.
Snook had also cut salmon strips, which he will now transfer from the outside rack into the smokehouse. Yellow jacket hornets gather around, hoping to get a share.
Harold Frost who had come from Old Crow, Yukon Territory, to play his fiddle at the Gwich'in Gathering stops by. Alma gives him a box of salmon that she had jarred the day before to put in his boat and take home with him.
Reader Comments (11)
great pictures and interesting....smoked salmon is the best
Fascinating! I've never seen it done that way. Love this post!
Great tutorial on cutting/smoking salmon. And I'll betcha he had all fish cleaned and hung in less time than it took you to post the photos and words. I watched fellows filet bass in northern Minnesota. They made it look so simple and they were indeed fast!
His fish cutting and preparation is perfect!
It's amazing what you can learn here! I have a question. Are the strips of salmon canned in jars after they are smoked? ( Oops, is that the next part?)
I was just going to ask if the cuts were canned or frozen. Mocha beat me to it. I enjoyed your pictures I have never had smoked salmon. I think I'll pop into talk to Snook and Alma...
beautiful essay, bill! I'll send it along to some salmon-eating friends of mine to look at. also, as you may know, smoked salmon is a favorite with us Jews. we call it lox...and if it's not real salty we call it nova lox. we eat it w/bagels and cream cheese, one of the great pleasure of life.
this was so interesting. i have never heard or seen salmon smoked this way. fascinating! i am surprised that there were not a dozen or so cats wanting to help out.
Thanks, everybody, and as to that question...
no, jarring salmon is a totally separate process than smoking.
A very interesting article. I was initially drawn to it because of the fisherman's name. He and I almost share the exact same name. I would be very interested to sit and talk with Herb but doubt to have the opportunity.
Hi!!
I´m from Peru and i found this tecnic very interesting, I just would like to know what kind of wood do you use to smoked the salmon, how long do you have to do it and does the room has to be complety close while smoking?
I would really apreciate you answer,
Thank you!!!