Whole Salmon

I would fillet it off the bone and try this which I cut and pasted from a post I did a couple weeks ago. Works great and is very easy for salmon. Thanks to someone on this forum a year or two ago for the method of 'brining'


All you have to do is cover the fillets with rock salt for an hour (in the refrigerator), rinse thoroughly, and hot smoke. They can be dried to form a pellicle to make them look better before smoking, but I seldom do that. I smoke till done and have fresh smoked trout / salmon in 3 to 4 hours from putting into the Cookshack. This method pulls a lot of moisture from the meat and results in a nice firm end product. I do it skin on and when done slide a spatula between the meat and skin to seperate. So easy it is worth a try, and once you do you won't go back to the old long soak method.

Honey-Cured Smoked Salmon Brine
� 1 quart water
� 1/2 cup salt
� 3/4 cup honey
� 1/4 cup golden rum
� 1/4 cup lemon juice
� 10 cloves
� 10 allspice berries
� 1 bay leaf
� 1 large fillet of salmon
Combine all the ingredients besides the salmon to make the brine.
Place the salmon, skin side up, in a non-reactive dish and cover with brining liquid. Allow fish to brine for 2 hours.
Rinse the salmon in fresh water and pat dry with paper towels.
Place salmon on a drying rack (or grill rack that you will use to smoke the salmon on) and allow to air dry for about 1 hour. (After one hour you will notice the fish has a glazed film on it. This is called the Pellicle which is a normal and desired result of the brining process). When the fish is sticky to the touch it is ready. Smoke fish for about 2 hours at 200 F. Use your favorite wood chips or chunks when smoking, I used cherry and it turned out great.

I had a fresh salmon over-nighted from Alaska and this is the recipe I followed....worked out great!!

dan

Smoked Salmon with Honey, Dill & Mustard Dressing
Serves 4

Preparation and cooking time - under 30 minutes

Ingredients 300g / 11oz Sliced Smoked Salmon
� pint mayonnaise
2 tbsp clear honey
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
� oz fresh dill, chopped

Mixed salad leaves

Method:
Cut the Smoked Salmon into strips. Mix the Mayonnaise, honey, mustard and Dill together until well blended, thinning with a little olive oil if necessary. Take the mixed salad leaves and gently toss them with the Smoked Salmon and the dressing until well mixed. Garnish with a sprig of fresh dill and serve.

made this too!!!!

dan