Smoked Salmon

[TedBull]

i normally do 2 to 3 pans of smoke. so 4 to 5 hours. if you cover with a box that has a vent it will help cook it faster because it keeps more heat in longer and smoke as well

Thanks for the info, I am going to let it sit in the brine tonight, tomorrow, tomorrow night, and then smoke on sunday.

Well I did up a batch of OJ/Soy Sauce fish, and another with the brown sugar molasses brine. The oJ one came out a lot less brine and more fish, it was more subtle, smoky with a hint of citrus. The molasses one hasn't been smoked yet. I did a dry brine with brown sugar, salt and lots of garlic powder and onion powder and rubbed it with crack black pepper and honey while smoking. Turned out really good. I also did an experiment and smoked one batch of fish with pan of cherry and a pan of hickory, which turned out bacony and fantasticly smoky. I totally nailed the baconed smoked salmon, without adding bacon. It's friggin GOOD! Hahaha, if that's what you like. Bacon is one of my favorite foods besides steak and fish.

I love bacon, Sounds good. You mind sharing your recipe for the "Bacon Smoked Salmon"?

[natetreat]

I just used hickory to smoke it instead of alder. Same brines that are in this thread.

[MarkFromSea]

Ive made a couple more batches of "candy" the last couple days. Its so freakin good.

I'm still drooling over those pictures of the honey glaze! I'll have to give that one a try. I'll be on a tug the next few days for a trial trip. LOL So much to do, so little time. I'll hit some more pinks when I return and try the molasses and honey for my next smoke.

[MarkFromSea]

I just used hickory to smoke it instead of alder. Same brines that are in this thread.

Drop alder altogether if you like the smoke, use apple, alder is good for BBQ and soft smoke flavor. Hickory is stronger of course,,,,, years ago I decided AGAINST mesquite for any fish ever again. LOL YUCK!(if I recall correctly)

[Mike Carey]

what a great thread, I only just looked at it. I'm going to use some of these ideas my next batch. thanks everyone!

[chefjake99]

Another batch of pink salmon candy.

[natetreat]

Ive made a couple more batches of "candy" the last couple days. Its so freakin good.

I'm still drooling over those pictures of the honey glaze! I'll have to give that one a try. I'll be on a tug the next few days for a trial trip. LOL So much to do, so little time. I'll hit some more pinks when I return and try the molasses and honey for my next smoke.

I did the honey molasses glaze for my last batch. It turned out YUMMY! It's a little sticky, but super good. Thanks chefjake!

[chefjake99]

how do you guys like you fish. dry or moist. i like mine drier

Curado-

Depends on what I'm doing with it. Generally speaking though drier but not jerkey.

[hewesfisher]

Another batch of pink salmon candy.

That looks familiar...






My wet brine recipe from the Bradley recipe book (AKA "Peter's Fish Smokin' Wet Brine"):

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup non-iodized salt (we use canning salt)
2 cups soy sauce
24 oz white wine
32 oz apple juice
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp hot sauce (we use Tabasco)

We've modified it a bit, and the addition of 1 cup of honey to the brine makes what i consider a big difference. I let my fillets/chunks soak in the brine for 48 hours making sure to stir them at least once every 12 hours. This recipe is so good, I can't bring myself to try a dry version.

With a full smoker load, smoke time is 3 - 3 1/2 hours. Cook time runs 6 - 8 hours depending on how thick the fillets are with cook temp at 135° - 140°. Batch pictured was my first with alder, I now alternate alder and cherry bisquettes for a nice blended flavor. Yummy!

Final product never lasts long no matter where I take it.

[natetreat]

Sheesh, this is awesome. All these recipes sound so good. So many different ways to do it. I haven't used the same recipe once yet, and I've done a LOT of smoking. I think I'll do a taste test comparison when I'm all done. Well, when I have quite a few done. I've done two cards worth of fish so far! Hahaha! Everyone loves my salmon.

[knotabassturd]

Yep smoked salmon is certainly one of my favorite ways to eat it. A fresh-caught filleted coho an hour or two off the water on the open alder fire is pretty darn good too. Just straight salmon fillet with a little sourdough or french bread and balsamic vinegar. Maybe some thin asparagus for side dish and a beer or three:cheers: . Ah, if it's camping maybe 4 or 5 good micros...

Chefjake's stuff looks darn good. Wish I could cut down on the fat curdling on surface with my pinks. I'll try the thinner pieces and brushing them off but last batch it still happened and brushing it off often started to tear the fish a little bit cuz the fish was still moist.

[natetreat]

Supposedly the fat escapes in the heat. The pellicle dry time and a cooler temperature is supposed to combine to seal in as much fat as possible. I've had it happen on and off too. I'm troubleshooting it now. Although when it's warm off the smoker, the fat tastes like a delicious sauce! Hahaha. But I guess it can be unappetizing too. When I know more I'll let you know.

[dicinu]

Since I am new to Smoking Fish I used this my method


Not sure where I got it from but it seems to be the one my family and friends like best.

amount to Dry/wet brine depends on amount of fish

3 cups Brown sugar
1/2 cups non Ion salt
2 table spoons garlic powder
1 table spoon onion powder
6 total 1/2 turns 3 back and 3 forth of the fresh cracked pepper shaker


mix together dry and rub each Fillet both sides (I De-skin my Fillets and cut in 3 portions) I then Layer on top of each other and let sit in the fridge for min of 12 hours.... then the Dry Rub will turn into a Syrup... I then add a Cup of White cooking wine and let sit for another 12 hours....I coat med/heavy each side of the fish!

I rinse lightly add fresh Cracked Pepper during the room temp drying process and then Smoke I smoke mine 10-12 hours depending on the thinkness of the portions.

wood I used thus far is Alder & Hickory combo mosly Alder chips and Chunks and a hand full of Hickory chunks... I need to get more Apple and also some others to test out.

I like my Smoked salmon on the dry side as I will place in a ziplock to regain the moisture for an hour on the counter then place in the Fridge to cool....

I save the dry portions of the rub in a container for later use! so I do not waste it!

[TedBull]

How are you guys storing you smoked salmon when its done? Ziplock a vacume sealed? Fridge or freezer? And how long does it keep?

[Bodofish]

Vac pac all the way. If handled correctly it will last a year in the freezer. If you have a stand alone freezer that doesn't get opened often you could push it past that. Clean, clean, clean, and time and temp is how you keep it fresh for a long time.

[TedBull]

Vac pac all the way. If handled correctly it will last a year in the freezer. If you have a stand alone freezer that doesn't get opened often you could push it past that. Clean, clean, clean, and time and temp is how you keep it fresh for a long time.

OK, thanks. Going to have to try and borrow my neighbors vac sealer, the one I want to buy is out of my range right now.

I just put my fish back in the smoker to get it even drier. Worst case- how long would it keep zip locked in the fridge? I only have a couple pounds worth dry so far and should be able to eat it up pretty quick, just curious.

[Bodofish]

That's kind of like asking how long before a cut gets infected. Real dry should last a few weeks.

[TedBull]

That's kind of like asking how long before a cut gets infected. Real dry should last a few weeks.

Got it. Thanks.

[ResQ]

dark brown sugar
kosher salt
garlic
cracked pepper
and crushed red peppers on the bottom rack pieces.

[knotabassturd]

MMMmmmm, I love dropping in to look at the pics on this thread. Thanx for the help on curdling bodofish! I got it reduced some (still have some too but probably in part from the heat put out in the Brinkmann and all the wood chips I throw at it- I'll work on it).


hewesfisher- the white wine sounds very interesting. Are you going with a real dry white or any particular type? I want to try that in the brine one of these days. :chef: