I have just got my porky pa smoker going, loaded with two bits of cured belly for streaky, and eight fillets of trout.I cured the fish for six hours in the recommended sugar and salt mix, after which it had lost a fair bit of fluid.As I am very busy the rest of the week I just dried the fillets well before hanging them in the smoker, so they haven't had time to form a pellicle.How important is this pellicle, what does it do?
Hope I don't find out the hard way !