Andi, tell me about salmon!

Morning, Donna! Couldn't answer this yesterday...had company.

A Red is a Sockeye Salmon. It is a bright red meat, and fairly oily. This is The Queen of Salmon, and a money fish. It is the most sought after species. I'm sending pictures soon of some Red fillets I'm smoking today. They range from 6-9 lbs.

The King Salmon, or Chinook, is the Big Guy. They can get in the 90 lbs. range. The meat is not as red as Reds but it is delicious. I didn't get any King this year! WAH!!!

Silvers are what are running and being caught now. They are a beautiful fish and fairly oily. Great for smoking and eating! Fun to catch, too. When we get back from hunting, I will be smoking Silvers only.

The Black Sheep are Humpies and Dogs, or Pinks and Chums. Pretty well disdained by restaurants, the Chums are prized by the Japanese for their eggs. This is REALLY big money. Pinks are mild and sweet. Alaskans love our Humpies! We can them fresh and use like tuna. I also can them in garlic sauce and sometimes a very light smoke. A pantry staple; we put in cream sauce with peas and over toast for breakfast! Throw in some hard-boiled eggs and you have a hearty winter breakfast.

The season is almost over. You can buy fresh salmon, in season, from a few reputable sources, but you will pay out the nose. Copper River Salmon is world famous for quality and some Southeast Alaska Troll-caught Salmon have mail-order for top quality fish. I also broker fish in the Spring and early Summer, and then in the Fall for silvers. We can talk if you'd like. My prices are the lowest, cuz I do it out of a desire to spread the word about Wild Salmon vs dogfood-raised no-nutrition farmed freaks of nature. Serious!

Does this tell you anything you wanted to know?

And now...Thunder Road is going thru my head!!!!!

For you Andi, Donna & Tom,

Check this out. Words & Audio:

Thunder Road

Looking forward to the photos, Andi.

Smokin'

Andi,

Thanks! This is what I wanted to know. And I would love to buy some salmon next spring. Better yet, I would like to come to your house to eat.

I think we are off to a great start on Salmon 101. Eh, Smokin'?

(And thanks for that link to Thunder Road, now I won't be able to get it out of my head all day. LOL)

Donna

Smokin! Donna! I just got set up to take photos of the process and I put film in this rinky-dink camera, and it is not good enough for my lighting situation. What a piece of s**t! We are gonna go to town and pick up one of those Disposables made for this lighting. Is that gonna be OK? The one I have doesn't even have a flash. You can tell this family hasn't taken many pics in awhile! Anyway, we are leaving in about half an hour. Try and let me know, ok?

Andi, make it easy on yourself, if it's disposable ya got, it will work. The key will be having a flash. Might take a couple of times to get the kinks worked out, but we'll get it done yet.

Smokin'

p.s. make sure you check on the Thunder Road link.

Thanks! I'm out the door...

Try www.pikeplacefish.com for fresh sea food. They are located in the Seattle area, and they do mail order

Well, now Thunder Road is really in my head, Okie! LOL! To top it off, Russ broke out his 12-string last night and sang it for me!

I have pics going! I sure hope they come out. Probably more than you ever wanted to know, but you can pick and choose if they are acceptable. Please send back the nude pictures of me...HA! And, I included my upstairs spice cupboard, after seeing the other guys on here! Just for grins.

think we are off to a great start on Salmon 101. Eh, Smokin'? "

Is there a book in the works ? I would be interested in buying one or hearing from others who have had success with smoking salmon .

Hello fellow Cookshack owners . I got my Smokette II last month and will be smoking tomorrow morning for the first time . I have been browsing this forum for receipts . If my fish turns out good I will let you all know . If not I will lie . Just kidding . dawhale

Hi All , Well I just finished my first batch of Salmon . Excellent ! I found this recipe online so I have to guess it is alright to share ( post here ) .I soaked my salmon for 24 hours and smoked it at 200 degrees for 1 1/2 hrs .
I did make one big mistake . This being my first time I forgot to put a try under the CS . Now I have a big clean-up . I think I will pick up a chicken on the way home and pop it in the CS . Hey this is fun !

Zesty Ol' Faithful

1 tsp of garlic powder
3 cloves of garlic (sliced thin)
1cup soy sauce
1/2 cup of Worcestershire sauce
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup non- iodized salt
2 cups water in a large bowl.
For about a 20lb to 25lb salmon or to taste.
I like a strong smoked taste so I use about 1 1/2 cups of water for a 20lb fish and then If you like a zesty hot flavor add some hot sauce of your choice.
But once again it's up to your taste.
But, I feel for smoking fish, alder Is the best wood flavor you can use
Dissolve ingredients together in the large bowl, load in salmon or fish and cover.
Refrigerate 3 to 5 hours. Rinse in cold water- (pat dry) and sprinkle lightly with course black pepper.


Paul Schroeter Portland, OR

Paul...copy and paste your two posts up to the forum. Wanna talk salmon? I CAN TALK SALMON! I put up the BEST this side of the Mississippi, and since the salmon on their side sucks, I AM THE ONE! LOLOLOL!

Andi, The recipe was from another forum and composed by a Mr. Paul Schroeter. dawhale, that be me , used this recipe and smoked a batch of , yes , store bought Salmon . Them their Salmon do not show down here in So Cal waters much. I bought a Polder thermometer yesterday ( as recommended on this forum )and used it this morning. I do not think it was vary actuate. I ended up with an internal temperature of 170 degrees. I like my fish a little dryer so next time I may go for two hours. This smoker is the cats meow! I can see now my old smoker was a cold smoker because I could almost never dry out my product the way I wanted to. I would end up with my fish in the oven. My wife was not vary happy about that. It would smell up the whole house. It was ok by me but you know how them women folk are. I just got back from the store and picked up a whole chicken. Going to try it this afternoon. Yes I will put a tray under the smoker this time. Hey if you have more recipes or web related resources to view do not be afraid to pass them along. Thanks, Dale, a.k.a. dawhale

Yes, Dale, I know how them women can be...seeing as I am one! And the smell of fish smells like money to me!

I no like dried salmon (Squaw Candy)! I love a kipper and the CS is perfect for that! I pull my fish at 130. 155 is cooked all the way. After that, temp doesn't matter. That's when drying takes over.

Andi, I am happy with my most recent results with salmon. I would like to do a spicy batch next time. What product have you used and with what proportion for say the recipe I listed above? Is smoking with the skin side down the best? I have made tuna jerky before. Have you ever made salmon jerky? I am on a three-day dive trip next week and hope to get a halibut. They are small down here compared to Alaska. A nice one here is 25-30 #. Don�t laugh. I am off to work. Have a good one. Dale

We call those Chicken Halibut and they are preferred over the Barn Doors.

Salmon Jerky is the Lower 48 name for Squaw Candy. Yes, I've made tons of it, but only to sell or give away. I prefer Kippered. Samon "jerky" is rather difficult in the CS because it doesn't cold smoke. Rather, you have dried fish.

I use very little commercial seasoning for anything. With the exception of the CS Rubs, which I adore, I make my own. Look in the recipe archives for my Andi's Righteous Rub and give that a go. You can also heat up things with your brine. Be careful! Too much heat can cause a bitter undertone. Salmon is too delicate to overspice. I've used a little Habenero juice from the jar in my brine, and it was too hot! For me anyway. Another delicious one is Black Pepper Crusted Salmon. Get Lampong for that.

Always smoke skin-side down or you'll never get the fish out whole! Spray your racks and get the fish outta there while still hot. Lay on parchment or waxed paper to cool. No sticking! I slit the skin in 3-4 places, not the meat! Just the skin, to make the brine absorb better. Use a razor blade and use a vey quick motion and you'll get the hang of it.

Andi, I went scuba diving and bagged a 20 # halibut. I had it on a stringer and started back for the dive boat. Some where enroute it came off my stringer. I was bummed. The last one I got was three years ago. I was looking forward to eating half fresh and smoking the other half. Andi I would like to smoke some small, 1 #, Rainbow trout. Do you have brine for Trout? How long should I smoke them and at what temperature ? Thank you in advance, Dale, Valencia, Ca.

Narwhal: Good name, eh? Always wanted
to see one of them. Anyway, trout are what I call Flippy Fish. They are easy. Just do a quick brine in equal parts salt (non-iodized) and brown sugar. Rub on, leave for an hour, rinse. Dry, and then...what do you want? To eat for dinner? Then brush with a syrup made from brown sugar and oj or apple juice and smoke until your internal sez 130. So, set your smoker at a little above that and pour the smoke to her. Trout, depending on the size, take about a 1/2 hour to an hour for dinner fixin's at 200 degrees.

I can't really answer until you tell me your intentions.

Andi , I think the So Cal smog is clouding my brain . You said " smoke until your internal sez 130 ". Then you said " Trout, depending on the size, take about a 1/2 hour to an hour for dinner fixin's at 200 degrees." I understand the 130 degrees but I am confused about the 200 degree statement . I see you responded at about 3:00 am . Do you sleep up their in Alaska ? Was the sun still up ? Narwhal

Mornin' Narwhal! It was 3:A your time. Or CS time. I passed out at about 9:P last nite. Drunker than a One-Eyed Water Mocassin! Yahoo!

Low and slow may be the catch-phrase for briskets and butts, but not for trout. It takes so little time to cook, ya wanna blast it hard and fast with smoke. Fish is cooked at 130 degrees. If you want to make squaw candy, take it farther. 130 is dinner time.

Andi - I need Info.

Hi! I just got my Cookshack... it's on it's cure cycle just out of the box. I need your help... I have read about you and your salmon and I must say I am impressed!!! You are to salmon like I am to tuna! I am up to my ears in tuna. My husband is a sportboat captain and I am an avid angler so I have my freezer jugged plugged! I read somewhere where you can your salmon. I was thinking of doing this with some tuna. I know that salmon is more fatty and you probably don't need to add any oil. Right now I can tuna just in the raw, I always slab a piece a belly meat on top so it keeps the fish moist but I want to smoke it and then can it. How long do you can it for? I assume you are using a pressure cooker... my friend says 1-1/2 hours once up to 12 lbs. Can you let me know.

Thanks