Sugarfree Brine......even possible??

I've been looking at all sorts of recipes for smoking brines and can't find one without brown sugar, honey or white sugar. I can't eat sugar, so could I just take the sugar out? Or do I need to find some kind of substitute like splenda or something? What does the sugar do as far as taste? :shrug: :shrug: :shrug:

Any suggestions would be appreciated
Thanks
Jasog :flowered:

How about a sugar free juice? Apple or cranberry?

Are you saying you can't eat sugar because you are diabetic by chance?

Not to pry, but if that is the reason you shouldn't worry about it. Trust me, I have been one for 37 years. I can give you more information either here or in a PM if you would like.

Sugar is essential in the flavoring of smoked meats. You can smoke a meat with just salt, but you will be disapointed in it's flavor and texture.

Splenda or other substitutes will not work...

Hogmaster, have you tried Splenda?

LA

So, as long as a person rinses the sugar stuff off before smoking there isn't a problem??? How much of the sugar absorbes into the fish? Is it sort of like how the alcohol in wine cooks out?
I know I'm asking a lot of goofy questions, but I just don't want to get all screwed up.

I am on a diet and use Splenda. I am not sure how it would work. But I would guess that most of the sugar goes out with the water anyways. Plus, how much smoked fish do you eat at one time any way? Maybe look at the nutritional information on a package of commercially smoked fish. That should give you an idea of how much you would need to cut back somewhere else!! I would hate to go through life without eating smoked salmon! :noway:

Here's the deal:

Carbohydrates raise blood sugar in diabetics. Raw sugar is the purest form of carbohydrate, and as such diabetics have been traditionally told to avoid sweets and sugar (and things like fruit juices) since it causes a surge in blood sugar.

But, as time has gone on, researchers have found that the sugar consumed can be significantly slowed with the combination of protien and fat in the meal. This is an important distinction.

In the case of smoked salmon, yes, washing the brine off the surface prior to smoking washes away most of the sugar in the first place. But the sugar/salt/brine that penetrates the fish and gives it its awesome flavor is present with a much larger quantity of natural protiens and fats from the fish itself.

It causes a much slower digestive process to occur. There is something called a "Hypoglycemic Index" that scientists have used to measure the absorbsion of foods. It suprises many people to find that eating a baked potato, which is really a fairly simple carbohydrate, will raise blood sugar in type I diabetics much faster than a Snickers bar! Why? Same reason. The candy bar has lots of chocolate (fat) and nuts (protien and fat) in addition to the sugar. Interestingly, a Snickers bar is not recommended for raising blood sugar from those suffering from hypoglcemia due to an insulin overdose, but is recommended for those suffering from hypoglcemia if they aren't diabetic, because it will slowly raise the blood sugar.

I am a type I diabetic, meaning I have to take insulin all the time. I can assure you that there aren't blood sugar spikes associated with me eating smoked salmon, and that I merely count a piece of smoked salmon as somewhere between 5 and 10 carbs, depending on the size.

Bon apetite'!!!

Oh, and note that since carbs have 4 cal/gram, that means that sugar is a whopping total of 20 - 40 calories for a couple of hunks of smoked salmon. The salmon itself has about 200 calories, for those on diets.

I have to admit I have never tried Splenda on fish brine, but I have real doubts that it would mix well...

Jasog,

I tried some smoked Co-Ho that Salmon Loser did, he used Splenda instead of sugar, it came out "oh so good!" You couldn't tell the difference. You can drop him a line for the brine recipe.

Aufish101

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OK, glad to know Splenda works!

I still wouldn't worry about it, myself.

But here, thanks to Fishisabonus, is a simply awesome recipe!

The basic salt brown sugar brine is great too, but this one is the best I personally have ever tasted.

Again, don't fret about the not washing the brine off this recipe as it is a "dry brine" anyway. Count for the carbs and/or calories in your meal plan...



Do not rinse the brine off the fish.

2 c brown sugar
1/3 cup non-iodized salt
1 T garlic salt
1 T onion salt
1 T celery salt
1 T dry mustard
2 T pepper

I roll them in the dry mix, put them in Tupperware in the frig for about 24
hours. I take them out of the frig and put them on the smoker racks. Do not
rinse the fish. It kinda glazes over in about an hour. Then go ahead and
smoke them.


BTW, non-iodized salt is crucial for smoking...

Josog

All you have to do is.

1/3 cup splenda
2/3 cup Kosher salt
mix together in some warm water I never measure the water just so it covers the fish.
soak for 8 hours in fridge. then put on paper towels and pat dry. Do not rinse the fish.
Then smoke to your liking, some times I put some course pepper on just before I smoke.

aufish101 if only I could put more salmon in the boat I could smoke more of them but then I would have to change my monker.

SL

Hey check it out, pack your fish in rock salt for 15 or 20 minutes, then rinse and put it in the smoker! Thats it! It's great that way, and quick too!

-KooK

If canning, I just smoke unbrined salmon or steelhead, while packing jars I always sample "you just cant help it" tasted great, I can smoked fish this way for diabetic family members, they love it. :smile:

Great stuff from Hogmaster. :bowdown:

You could use Splenda......but why? For all the reasons Hogmaster cited above, a diabetic shouldn't be concerned about raising their blood sugar levels due to eating smoked fish brined with sugar.

I eat fish brined with sugar all the time.......with no problems raising the old blood sugar.