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Smoked Salmon/Temp Swings

FM Former Member
I know there are alot of posts regarding temp swings and no need to worry. However, with smoking fish, it seems more of a concern to me because I don't want the fish to "cook", just slow smoke. I caught a 20 lbs. King Salmon a week or two ago so decided I would go ahead and try my first fish smoke on my new 55. After searching the net and the forum for numerous recipes, I combined different ones and ended up cutting my fillets into 1 1/2 pieces. I did a dry brine with 4 cups of dark brown sugar, 1 cup of non-iodized sea salt, 5 tsp garlic powder, 5 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tbsp white pepper, and 1/2 tbsp cayenne pepper. Packed them and stacked them in large ceramic bowls. Covered and let them sit in the fridge for 6 hours. Pulled them out and rinsed brine off in cold water and pat dry. Put them on the CS racks in kitchen which were held up with soup cans and air dried with a fan. After 6 hours, the pellicle was nice. Put 4 oz of apple chunks in and smoked at 160 for 4 hours. Added another 1 1/2 oz of apple and finished at a total of 6-7 hours. I like a lighter smoke, not real hard and they turned out very good. Moist inside. I vacuum sealed them and gave most of them away to friends. Everyone loved them. So I feel good about my first smoke. I did use my Maverick to keep an eye on the smoker temp and had some concerns. First off, when the smoke really started to smoke, the smoker temp got up to 220. I actually opened the door to let it cool off several times. I know in reading posts that swings should be expected but with fish, it is important not to actually bake the salmon. Friends are telling me I should soak the wood. Are the chunks of wood I'm using actually flaming up? I used chunks, not chips. Does anyone have any suggestions on soaking vs. not soaking and chunks vs. chips. Next time I think I will start the smoke at 125 and see if that keeps it from getting up in the 200 plus range. Thanks!
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FM Former Member
FlatOut, are you wanting to cold smoke the salmon? If so, I'm sure others who have done cold smoking can respond and give you tips.

If you want it fully cooked and smoked, there's no reason to cook salmon "low and slow" like you would with a tougher cut of meat.

Here's what works great for me: I get fresh skinless (skin-on fillets will stink up your house and smoker more) salmon fillets from Sam's Club, and unlike others in this forum, I don't brine them because I don't like the saltiness of brined salmon.

I don't use marinades or rub on salmon, neither, because I think salmon has a very strong taste on its own, and I don't like lots of strong flavors competing against each other.

I then use the end of a tablespoon to scoop out the fat, which is the gray section that usually goes down the middle of each fillet.

I put 3 oz. of apple wood (if you like a light smoke taste, use less) in the smoker for one 3-4 lb. fillet, and preheat the smoker at 250* until the smoke starts up.

You can keep the smoker at 250* and put the salmon in and cook it until the salmon reaches 155* internal (takes a little over an hour), and it'll taste great but you'll find that all your wood hasn't burned in that short of time. So to maximize the smoke, I set the smoker to 225* so it'll take a little longer, the wood will burn down a little more, and the salmon will absorb more smoke.

Also, I try to use wood chips or thinner cuts of wood chunks so they'll burn up faster, which you want to happen when the smoke time is only 1-2 hours.

Anyway, for those of you who don't like the saltiness that a brine adds, try the steps above and it'll turn out great.
FM Former Member
Flatout.

Are you using a CS? If so, listen to the forum not your friends. We don't soak the wood because we're not burning it for heat, we're smoking and with only a chunk or two, you need them to smoke.

You're hot smoking salmon, so the temp swings aren't an issue. I've been known to smoke them at a hotter setting, but they don't take on much smoke.

We dry brine and wet brine and like both of those methods.

Not sure what you mean by "start at 125" if you're trying to achieve more smoke, what I would do is get the smoker started, wait until the smoke starts coming out and then add to salmon.

You can also use pellets or something else like sawdust to get more smoke.

Also consider the wood you're using, apple is pretty light. Try the same method with a hickory and you'll see a difference. If you want it heavier, use a heavier flavored wood.
FM Former Member
Thanks for the replies! In reference to "start at 125", I just mean setting the smoker at 125 degrees as opposed to higher like I did last time. I'm not smoking any salmon that weighs under 20 lbs. and I'm smoking it within a day after I catch it. I'm out through the Golden Gate usually every Saturday and Sunday fishing for salmon with my wife and friends on our boat. Hard for me not to brine it as I'm trying to get that pellicle formed to absorb the smoke flavor and preserve the fish. I'll experiment with and without brine and with different woods and temps and let you all know how it goes. I just need to stop thinking about the temp swings and let the CS do it's job. Thanks again! <*)))))><

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