I want to start vacuum packing my fillets and then freeze them. When I get enough for a monster run I want to thaw the fillets, brine and smoke. Then vacuum pack the smoked fish back up and re-freeze. Does anyone do it this way? Will it turn out good?

LT-

I have done this many times and had no issues at all.

I've done it that way too. Taste and consistency doesn't suffer unless they're pinks. In fact, I usually end up smoking up some older fillets that I find at the bottom of the freezer.

Freezing the fish prior to smoking is also suppose to kill the parasites that may be in your salmon. I use the chief to smoke so they don't get too hot so the freezing makes sure the parasites are killed.

Lead Thrower,
Most recently I have been freezing my cleaned fish whole (not fileted) then thawing and smoking or canning. I have found the skin does a great job of preventing freezer burn. I have done the same with filets, but meat is more prone to freezer burn. At any rate the end product (smoked fish) comes out great. I have also frozen smoked fish, but am less that thrilled with product after its been in the freezer.
JMS

Freeze the whole fish, thaw and then fillet. Works great. Don't wait a year or something though. Fish is one thing that does not get better with age.

Well, tonight I'm smoking up a 41ilb king I caught on the columbia river a few weeks back. So we will see how the frozen fish taste.

There is no problem smoking previously frozen salmon. Bbut I find that it needs less time in the brine.

I think it may have to do with freezing breaking down cell walls. I cut my brine time by about 1/3 if doing previously frozen fish.

I recomend not freezing Salmon after smoking it. I keep my vacuum packed smoked Salmon in the refidgerator (not the freezer) for up to a year with excellent results. I find that when you freeze smoked salmon it can radically change the taste and texture of the fish and also damage the oils.

Keep the fridge as cool as you can and your smoked fish will stay fresh for a very long time without freezing.