Salmon Question - Cooked or Smoked?

Run a search for Jim Minion or Cardogs salmon.

I use it a lot and it has been picked up by forums and magazines around the country.

The salt cured can be dinner items.

Naturally ,you'd cure less and more lightly.

They are typically hot smoked to a lower internal temp.

BBQ_...,

I did a couple of sides with Cardogs like Tom said. They were great for dinner. The only thing I might do diiferently next time would be to go easier on the rub. The fillets came out a bit moister (the topping, not the salmon) than I like. I ended up brushing some of it off before I served it.

LOL

BBQ_Rod-

If you are referring to cold-smoking salmon after brining it, as in making lox, the product is often an appetizer (or served with bagels/cream cheese, etc.) Salmon done in this manner has a soft, semi-opaque texture and appearance, and can be sliced easilly to serve.

To approximate a "cold" smoke in the CS, you need to use a baffle (CS makes them) and put ice cubes above it to get the low temp for this process.

The salmon can be "hot" smoked with or without a brining. Then, the use of the product is more amenable to a dinner plate or your imagination. The flesh of the fish is firm and flaky, and it is very difficult to slice.

We do lots of salmon at tailgaters and dinner.

We like to put the fillet on foil to make removing much easier. Put a little olive oil or butter underneath the fish, sprinkle with garlic salt, lay some butter on top, a few slices of lemon and some baby dill. We cook on the pit, WSM or FE at approx 225-240 for about an hour or a little more depending on the thickness of the fish.

Remove when done, put some fresh dill on the fish for apperance and enjoy. Real easy and tastes wonderful. Use apple, cherry or alder if you have it. We use oak in the big pit and that is good also.

Tom - you mentioned a lower internal temp; what do you recommend?

Hook - I checked out Cardogs recipe and will give it a try. It looks like a lot of folks have had success with that recipe.

duck - thanks for the info - that's pretty close to an normal home oven recipe I have, except the temperature is a little lower and the cook time is a little longer (which is what you'd expect in a CS!)

This has validated some of my thoughts!

Thanks

Have any of you tried cedar or alder planked salmon? It'd done on a grill, but you get a lot of the wood taste in the salmon, as it's cooked directly on the plank. It could also be done in a smoker, you'd just get more of the wood flavor. It also makes a great presentation.

I'd watch out for smoking with cedar. Alder could be good, tho.

Listen to tjr.

Jim minion gave a good explanation about why not to use cedar to smoke.

Your smoke woods will give more than enough smoke to drown any fish.

The planks make a nice restaurant presentation,with the flames.

I have grilled on cedar. Skin down. No strong cedar taste.
Just got my first smoker.
Has anyone used the Cookshack recipes
Looking for great recipies for smoked salmon and lox? I use only wild Kings (red & white), and Wild silvers. Much more oil than farm or Atlantic. Want to keep the flavor of the oil, so do not want to dry out.
Thanks

rookie1....check out the seafood archives on this forum. If you can't find what you're looking for there I'd be amazed. Also, out of curiosity, where are you finding wild Kings & Silvers in Las Vegas? I hear it's been a long time since there was a salmon run there.
CB

I've BBQ's tons (hyperboly.. actually, hundreds of pounds) of this stuff but not tried smoking as an entree. I think what I would do is to do a light smoke and pull the salmon when the flesh flakes.. no longer. Also, I'd do nothing other than coating with real mayo. That may sound strange.. but it is good.. even for straight BBQ'ing.

I haven't given this much thought but will as soon as I start getting fresh salmon.. What I'd consider is to do a light smoke, maybe even a cold smoke.. then transfer to the Weber, brush with mayo and Q till done.

I believe the way I'll do this is to sandwich the salmon between to of the CS grates and tie with wire. Do the light smoke and transfer to the Weber. Q for about 15 minutes and flip it for another 10-15 minutes.. till it flakes. Remove the wire ties and carefully separate the fish from the grate(s).

The other thing would be to simply offset Q it on the grill.. I know this is a sin to consider in a CS forum.. but a little smokebox on the Q works wonders.

For salmon, as with many fishes.. be sure to remove the dark red meat on the sides.. unless you are one of the few that likes the strong oily flavor. Get a very sharp fillet knife and remove at a low angle.

Part of my favorite is pulling the salmon "jerky" off the grill (the part that sticks to the grill when you're finished)

Bill

Bill,
I don't think the mayonnaise sounds strange. I met a man who swore by thousand island dressing on salmon, wrapped in foil and smoked. Also, Jack was doing a chicken presentation when he was in culinary school. They ran out of whatever type sauce they were using, and the chef in charge had them substitute mayonnaise and chicken drippings for the sauce. I'm sure they added something else, but no one knew the difference. In fact, they got a standing ovation!
Peggy

I cut slabs 2-3 inches wide; brine them for 1-2 hours with a heavy dose of apple juice, the usual salt/spices- no nitrates. Pat dry, and let them sit in the fridge on a rack with no cover for as long as you can: 4-12 hours, until the flesh is tacky. (I like to put a few peppercorns and onion/garlic flakes from the brine on top, and let them dry down on the top of the fish- squeeze them in paper towels to remove the bring and quicken dry-down). After dry-down, add some dill, tarragon or whatever you like on top. apply olive oil to the skin side liberally and pam spray the rack or you'll lose the skin.

smoke to internal temp of about 140F with 1 0z apple or hickory (a little stronger) (about 1 hr 15 min at 225F, and finish them on the grill for a minute or 2 just to get grill marks and crisp the edges... awesome main entree!!

then I vac-pack the extras in the tilia food saver good for about 2 weeks in the fridge. It is very good cold with crackers, in smoked salmon salad sandwiches, or grilled up again.

To grill after vac-pacing- I put them --sealed in the bag--in real warm/hot water first to get them warm internally, then grill a couple of minutes, so they don't dry out....\\

zacher

About that mayo on chicken,many use it as they do mustard on butts.

Big Bib Gibson's also has a prize winning white sauce which is used on pulled chicken in north AL