1st Time Smoking salmon, help please

Do you want to cold or hot smoke?

Google Bill Vice of cookshack video on smoking salmon. Very imformative.

Oops brain fart, ignore my previous post. That was for jerky. For salmon google 'salmon university' has very informative section on dry brining for six hours then rinse lightly and dry until pellicates form. Then coat salmon with maple syurp and set smoker at 200 deg and smoke until salmon reaches 140 deg.

G Que offers a fine method of hot smoking.

Cold smoking involves smoke but no heat, or VERY little heat. You could try the open door and the lowest heat setting needed to provide smoke. The other option is a smoke device. amazeproducts.com sells several types. Ignite the chips or pellets and you'll get smoke.

In either case, place the salmon on top rack and a pan of ice just below.

Iowahawks77, Look to Cookshack for a couple of good recipes.

Karen's smoked salmon http://www.cookshack.com/store...Karens-Smoked-Salmon or

Cookshack smoked lox. http://www.cookshack.com/store...Cookshack-Smoked-Lox.

One's hot smoked, the other cold smoked. Both are delicious. The hot smoked salmon makes a delectable spread.

I've tried them both and came out with good results just from the directions given- no modifications.

I like to use apple or maple for smoke.

Good luck.

If you can find it, use alder for salmon. Gives it a really mild smoke flavor. I agree with previous poster--Karen's smoked salmon recipe is really simple and hard to beat! Let us know how it goes.

Does anyone have a copy of Fast Eddy's salmon recipe? Found a couple of links to it on the forum, but they all lead nowhere.

Another recipe that sounds pretty good is this one that Pags cooked: Cardogs Salmon.

I've done both methods and found that the Salmon University method is the most simple method because you're only using three ingredients. Also you can mix up a large batch and it will keep awhile. The only important part is to use previous frozen fish.

quote:

Originally posted by G Que:
... For salmon google 'salmon university' has very informative section on dry brining for six hours then rinse lightly and dry until pellicates form...

Pretty big site. It's okay to post a link to the specific recipe.

Is this it?
http://www.salmonuniversity.co...tss_basic_steps.html

I've done Fast Eddy's, Cardog's, and Karen's recipes...all produce an excellent product.
No matter which recipe you use, brining adds flavor. And air drying the salmon to develop a pellicle improves the result...eliminates the salmon fat from oozing out of salmon (unsitely).

Here's Cardog's recipe with the pellicle development.

I smoke salmon frequently for dinner. My family's favorite is to coat with citrus grill seasoning by Tones. And simply throw in the smoker, use Alder wood, smoke at 250°, until the salmon reaches 150 degrees internal temperature. Pull it out and eat it up for dinner. Depending on the thickness of the filet, it takes approximately 45 minutes to an hour. Pretty simple.

We do the same here but I usually make a mixture of melted butter with onion, lemon and lime juice and pour over it. Smoke at 225 for about an hour and half (from cold smoker) and serve. It's the only way my wife likes salmon.

Yes SmokinOakie, that's the site.

Thank You very much... I appreciate all your feedback and help. greatly apprecaited.

I'm at this moment smoking 3 nice big Scottish salmon fillets about 1 lb. each. No brine overnight, no pellicle, no nothing. Sprinkle garlic pepper liberally on them, smoke with 3 oz. Hickory at 240 for 1 1/2 hour. Restaurant quality that friends/family can't get enough of. The easiest, most delicious salmon ever.

I accidentally bought a large skinless salmon filet yesterday. When using a dry brine, like the Salmon University recipe, would you shorten the brining time if the salmon is skinless? It seems to me that if the brine can penetrate the salmon flesh from the top and bottom, then it would take less time. Maybe four hours instead of six hours?

G Que, do I really need to use previously frozen fish with the Salmon University recipe? I do plan on getting it up to a safe internal temperature in the smoker, and the recipe mentions using fresh salmon.

I would go with 6 hrs of dry brine but the recipe states that you have to use previously frozen salmon. When you freeze the fish somehow the texture would change somehow therefore I would recommend freezing it first.

quote:

Originally posted by Budge:
... do I really need to use previously frozen fish with the Salmon University recipe? I do plan on getting it up to a safe internal temperature in the smoker, and the recipe mentions using fresh salmon.

Out normal way we recommend when we're not sure? Try it both ways. Frozen and fresh. Your methods and then your taste buds will be the final deciders.

quote:

Originally posted by JRH:
I'm at this moment smoking 3 nice big Scottish salmon fillets about 1 lb. each. No brine overnight, no pellicle, no nothing. Sprinkle garlic pepper liberally on them, smoke with 3 oz. Hickory at 240 for 1 1/2 hour. Restaurant quality that friends/family can't get enough of. The easiest, most delicious salmon ever.

This method would fall into the "hot smoked" salmon technique.

Brining (wet or dry) and pellicle formation are employed for cold smoked salmon...typically sliced thin and found in Deli's and restaurant appetizer menus. I love 'em both.