A friend of mine gave me a bunch of fresh salmon from Lake Ontario to smoke. Only problem is that he skinned it. How can i smoke it on seafood racks without it sticking and falling apart? Parchment paper, foil.....? Any ideas?
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How about parchment paper sprayed with Pam? You could also poke some holes in it if you want to let more smoke get to the bottom side.
Mudgie
Mudgie
It depends on what you want to call "Smoked Salmon"
There's table ready salmon with a little smoke tast, but that can be done on a grill. Most folks call it "Grilled fresh salmon". It won't fall apart if your carefull on the flip over.
Then there's "true" smoked salmon. Most of the moisture is removed and cooked to complete doneness (is that a good word?) But doneness is a matter of choice.
Any way True smoked salmon requires a brine. It's not flipped over in the smoker and it will hold together with or without the skin. In fact the skin won't stay on after about an hour of smoking.
Where's a basic sweet brine you can try.
Smoked Candy
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup salt
2 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp onion powder
2 tbsp pepper
Cut fish into no bigger than 6"x4"
Mix all ingredance into bowl .Place fish into mix coating all .Place fish skin side down in a 2ndglass bowl (the bigger the better).Layering the fish till done.
The fish will start to emulsify so don�t fill to the top. Cover with plastic wrap and put in frig for 2 days rotating fish from top to bottom after 1 day. After 2 days rinse the fish slightly and shake off water put on smoker rack. Let sit for at least a 1/2hr. Preheat smoker then place fish in for 6 to8+ hr depending on thickness using HICKORY or your preferred smoking chips. Fish should look caramel in color when done.
There's table ready salmon with a little smoke tast, but that can be done on a grill. Most folks call it "Grilled fresh salmon". It won't fall apart if your carefull on the flip over.
Then there's "true" smoked salmon. Most of the moisture is removed and cooked to complete doneness (is that a good word?) But doneness is a matter of choice.
Any way True smoked salmon requires a brine. It's not flipped over in the smoker and it will hold together with or without the skin. In fact the skin won't stay on after about an hour of smoking.
Where's a basic sweet brine you can try.
Smoked Candy
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup salt
2 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp onion powder
2 tbsp pepper
Cut fish into no bigger than 6"x4"
Mix all ingredance into bowl .Place fish into mix coating all .Place fish skin side down in a 2ndglass bowl (the bigger the better).Layering the fish till done.
The fish will start to emulsify so don�t fill to the top. Cover with plastic wrap and put in frig for 2 days rotating fish from top to bottom after 1 day. After 2 days rinse the fish slightly and shake off water put on smoker rack. Let sit for at least a 1/2hr. Preheat smoker then place fish in for 6 to8+ hr depending on thickness using HICKORY or your preferred smoking chips. Fish should look caramel in color when done.
Dmerrell....don't worry about the fact that the salmon is skinned, It's better that way in my opinion. If you follow Andi's recipe in the seafood archives you will achieve great results. It's Idiot proof...I can attest to that! The most important part of the whole procedure is to let the pellicle form dry to the touch. I don't even use my seafood rack most of the time, just the regular oven rack lightly sprayed with Pam and I have never had a filet stick. I use a total of 4 oz. of wood....I like hickory and apple. Here's my old standby from Andi:
-Andi's dry brine for 12 hrs in refrig.
-rinse well in cold water & dry with paper towel
-allow pellicle to start to form for 3hrs and then brush filet with maple syrup
- allow filet to dry for three more hours or until dry to the touch
Smoke at 150 degrees for four hours.
If you plan to serve the Salmon hot, cook to an internal of 145, if serving cold, take it to 150.
Hope this helps....
Bill
-Andi's dry brine for 12 hrs in refrig.
-rinse well in cold water & dry with paper towel
-allow pellicle to start to form for 3hrs and then brush filet with maple syrup
- allow filet to dry for three more hours or until dry to the touch
Smoke at 150 degrees for four hours.
If you plan to serve the Salmon hot, cook to an internal of 145, if serving cold, take it to 150.
Hope this helps....
Bill
Thanks all....I have done plenty of salmon and lake trout , but always left skin on. Didn't know how it might act naked.......
Call me crazy, but I pick up the bulk salmon packs from Costco, massive filets of farmed salmon, no skin, brine them overnight and spray the racks with Pam or other non stick...cook them in my Smokette at 190 deg. for 3 hours, then glaze them with a brushing of huckleberry honey mixed with some brown sugar for another half hour...never dry always juicy and GONE as soon as I open it for friends. No sticking issues ever, unless you overcook an end or something.