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I just got a new computer after my older one gave up the ghost, and this is the first chance I have had to post a picture and some info on my first use of the cold-smoke kit in my Smokette. Wink

The kit arrived with bent edges, although it was securly packed. This shows up in my picture. Cookshack replaced it with an unbent unit. They were supposed to send me a prepaid mailer to send the bent unit back, but did not do so (Attention Stuart or Donna!).

The fish was smoked about a month ago.

The unit came with a recipe for cold-smoked salmon which basically called for the following:
Rub 2-2.5# Salmon filet (skin on) with 1/2 cup maple syrup and leave uncovered in frig for 4 hours.
Cover with rock salt and cure in frig for 8 hours.
Rinse under cold water for 1 hour
Pat Dry and smoke for 20 minutes at 100 degrees with the smoke barrier in unit and a pan of ice cubes above it (shown in my picture). Turn off unit and smoke for 1 hour.
I used apple wood- 2 ounces. Lots of smoke came out of the Smokette during the cook.

I covered the lox with canola oil for 2 hours, took it out of the oil and it was ready to eat.

The result was great- not exactly like Scottish smoked salmon, but excellent for a first attempt. A friend that I gave some to said it was as good as Nova lox!

Smokin and Andi- what do you think? Has anyone else had experience with cold-smoking salmon? Big Grin

Please check post below dated April 25, 2002 by Terry@cookshack which includes several images of the CS cold-smoking process.
Original Post

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Hey, Bobster, I've cold-smoked salmon all my life until Smokette. What do ya need to know? I believe I am very proud of you! The only diff is we hang the sides, if we even do sides. We tend to make strips and hang, or my way is about a 4-oz. piece at a time spaced on the racks. That's my kipper. Razzer
Andi-

How do you "cure" the salmon before cold-smoking it. what do you use to flavor the filet? In other words, what is your recipe for cold-smoked salmon.

How long will it keep?

Do you oil the fish after cold-smoking.

What kind of wood do you use?

I wonder if salmon suspended on a rib hook would work? The piece would have to be cut to fit the Smokette with the smoke barrier and ice pan in it.
Andi-

Gravlox, the Scandinavian type, is cured with salt/sugar and dill (and gin or wiskey or what have you). I have made this many times and it is great. No smoking is involved in making this. This is almost the same process as preparing salmon for a cold smoke, but I think that Gravlox is cured for a longer time (24-48 hours). This extracts a lot of water from the filet.

The cold-smoking does not kipper the fish flesh or set it in any way. It actually comes out soft, almost translucent and with a slightly sweet and mild smoke flavor. With the ice cubes above the smoke barrier, and the heat set on 100 degrees, my guess is that the fish never gets over 50 degrees in the chamber that is formed- but the smoke swirls around it for an hour and 20 minutes. When I took out the pictured salmon it was cold to the touch. This process is sort of what I call Nova-lox or like a Scottish smoked salmon.
Here is a link to a site that describes in general terms the different smoking processes that I think we are talking about. Some of this can get to be confusing.

web page

To me, the biggest difference is in the texture of the flesh, and degree of smoky flavor. The Nova style is soft, mildly smoky flavored and easy to slice. The kippered fish is firm flaky and has robust flavor. It is difficult to slice. Wink
BQ: I think your method of covering the fish with oil for awhile is interesting as hell. I have never heard of this. Does the fish soak up the oil? I have brushed oil on fish just before serving for presentation, but not as a processing process. Tell me what it does for the fish? Smiler
Andi-

I think the oil adds to the time that the fish will last in the frig without freezing it- from a few days without oil, to 6-7 days with it. I need to research this aspect more for my own interest, as well as yours. Some questions I have are about other types of oils that can be used, whether to leave it in a moderate amount of oil until serving, whether to freeze it with a lot of oil, etc? What are your thoughts?

BTW, the recipe for cold-smoked lox is in the CS recipe section in a more complete form than what I posted in this thread(not the forum recipe section) with another recipe for cold-smoked salmon that I have not tried that looks like it could be adapted to the Smokette.

Terry has been kind enough to post some pictures of the Smokette used for cold-smoking in this thread. They were lost when Photopoint went into cyberspace, and we have cooperatively ressurected them. Thanks, Terry!

Boy, girl, is it ever getting hot here in Tampa! We are almost in the summer doldrums here.
Hello every one:
I have finally found what I have been looking for, for many years; all this wealth of information provided on the different "Cookshack" forums about BBQ and especially about salmon smoking.
I am fairly new at this wonderful hobby, and I had many questions, but after spending many hours going through the forums I have found most of the answers.
I have used several type of smokers while attempting to produce some decent BBQ and smoked salmon and the results have been anywhere from total "cremation" to "not too bad". Now, I am looking forward to purchasing a "Cookshack" smoker which I believe would be the answer for what I am trying to accomplish, and in reading the different messages of the "Cookshack" owners perhaps I should concentrate on the model 50s for "Cold smoking"??
Any suggestions from any one would be most welcome, and thanks to all for such great forums.
Mike
Hello every one, and thank you for the encouraging words Bobby Que.
Everything that I read about true "Cold Smoking" state that this techniques requires many hours and even days of smoking.
I am familiar with the time limits for the "Cookshack" smokers while using the "Cold smoking" kit and my question is: with the model 50, would I be able to repeat the "On" and "off" procedure as many time as necessary to achieve the long "Cold Smoking" time required? Please forgive the "dumb" question but I am truly interested in this "Cold Smoking" technique. Up to now I have smoked my salmons using a "Luhr Jensen" and a "Cameroun" stove top smoker. It does a good job for "Hot smoking" but a long way from what I am looking for. And, without a mean of controlling the temperature, it takes a lot of work, therefore one of the reasons the "Cookshack" appeals to me.
Thanks for your help regarding may question.
Cap10mike-

Are you expecting to get results in the 50 like one might in a true cold smoke setup, or even like the cold smokers in Scotland?

If so, you may find the 50 a little less than expected. You can get a 90+ degree smoke with the baffle in place, and ice cubes above it and produce a nice lox-like product. I am not sure what you mean by off and on in your post above.
Thank you Bobby Que,
By "On" and "Off", I was referring to the "20 minutes on" followed by the "1 hour off" limitation when using the "Cold Smoking" kit. I seem to remember reading that somewhere.
I was just curious how many time you can perform this procedure without damaging the smoker or the kit.
As you can tell, I am not up to speed regarding the different types of smoking.
Your help is most appreciated.

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