Wahoo Dry Cure & Cold Smoke?

[Tatoosh]

I am looking to do a gravlax style dry cure for local fresh caught Wahoo and then a cold smoke with cherry or maple pellets. My initial plan, once I get the ingredients assembled, is to cure the Wahoo in a refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours (overnight) - then rinse off, dry, and allow to form a pellicle in the refrigerator and smoke the next day.

I am looking at 2 hours of cold smoke, though I will likely do a bracket of smokes to find the one that works best. I see a lot of info on brine curing and occasionally some info on adding Cure #1 in a brine. I never see anything for that in a dry cure. Is that something to avoid?

My only other concern are parasites since this is fresh caught fish. I do not have a commercial freezer that can take the fish down to -35F. That is part of my interest in using Cure #1 though I realize it is primarily for stopping botulism, another worthy attribute.

I am purchasing "Curing and Smoking Fish" shortly. So forgive me if the info is there, just waiting for payday to make the purchase. I expect to turn the processed Wahoo into a paste using cream cheese or similar substance.

Oh, and I ma located in the Philippines so getting everything assembled includes a very slow boat delivery system.

[redzed]

Mabuhay Tatoosh! Tough questions about the fish. I'm only familiar with smoking salmon, but I have heard that smoked wahoo is delicious. A lot of info on smoking fish, brining and dry curing is here http://www.meatsandsausages.com/fish/processing/curing

You don't need to take freeze fish at a temp of -35F to kill parasites. I believe that the temp is -5F or -20Cs. And if you are going to make a spread or dip with the fish, why not hot smoke it? It will kill all pathogens and still make a nice dish? Stan Marianski also has a section on safety and a ton of recipes in the above link.

Do you live around Baguio City? I've been to the Philippines a couple of times. Have a buddy who has a business in Makati.

[Tatoosh]

Mabuhay Redzed! Yes, I am in Baguio City. It is a bit polluted and the gridlock during rush hour is secondary only to Manila. But I love the place dearly. Cool breezes, good schools (by Philippine standards), and the frequent rain storms that remind me of Oregon make me feel quite at home here.

I hear you about hot smoking and I will try that but I want to see if I can keep the texture of the flesh unchanged with cold smoking. I'm pretty flexible in terms of procedure; I'm just looking for the best flavor and texture I can get.

The paste is sort of an "after thought" - so I will try the cure and cold smoke - try it straight. Then progress to the paste version. I need to get a recording freezer thermometer. I have a small chest freezer but I don't think it is cold enough. Thanks for the advice. I do appreciate it!