OK, recently I have noticed some differences of opinion on smoked salmon. There have been two threads that I have been watching to see what happens popcorn in hand.
Both are dealing with smoking salmon but are based on two different preparations.
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/127170/hot-smoking-salmon-throwing-down-the-gauntlet
and
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/126282/salty-salmon
I decided to try both variations and see what I liked better. Here are my thoughts.
To start with the top link, the salmon is placed in a brine of 1 cup salt and 2 cups brown sugar per gallon of water, then brined for 90 minutes and smoked at 140 degrees until done which being a rookie I used IT of 140 degrees.
The second method details using a more ingredient heavy (1/2 cup salt, 2 cups sugar, pepper, garlic powder, bay leaves, cayenne, etc.) brine in only 1 quart of water. This method calls for a brine time of 16 to 24 hours.
Here is my fish.
I had approximately 5 pounds so I put half in each brine.
I weighted each batch down with a plate and set them in the fridge to brine.
Of course I took the one batch out at 90 minutes, rinse quickly, patted dry and placed on counter in front of the fan to form a pellicle. I smoked them using my MES 40 and my amnps with the Hickory Cherry Maple mix at 140 degrees until it hit 140. As you can see in the pic from the piece in the middle on the left I couldn't help from eating it before I got my camera ready. What you can't see from the pic is that there was already a piece gone that I ate!! It was very good!!
Here is a couple close ups.
Wife loved it and shared a little with the neighbors while I waited on the other batch to get done brining.
i removed the other brined batch, rinsed, patted dry and formed pellicle with a fan. They had brined about 18 hours.
I used the same smoking procedures and set up with this batch as the last one. As you can see from the picture below, I am still having small self control issues. This salmon was also very tasty!
Here are the close ups.
And the winner is.................
BOTH!
They are both really good. The longer brined salmon has a more salty taste. Both are very flavorful.
The wife and i did agree that we did not get too much of a different flavor from the more ingredient intense brine. The salt level was good in the shorter brined batch and the longer brined batch could turn some people off who don't like salt (I am not one of those people, but as I tell my wife, I have a sodium deficiency!)
For any future salmon though, I believe for the short brine time and less ingredients, I will definately be using the first method as it it less work and takes less time.
Thanks for reading!
Bigfish
Both are dealing with smoking salmon but are based on two different preparations.
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/127170/hot-smoking-salmon-throwing-down-the-gauntlet
and
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/126282/salty-salmon
I decided to try both variations and see what I liked better. Here are my thoughts.
To start with the top link, the salmon is placed in a brine of 1 cup salt and 2 cups brown sugar per gallon of water, then brined for 90 minutes and smoked at 140 degrees until done which being a rookie I used IT of 140 degrees.
The second method details using a more ingredient heavy (1/2 cup salt, 2 cups sugar, pepper, garlic powder, bay leaves, cayenne, etc.) brine in only 1 quart of water. This method calls for a brine time of 16 to 24 hours.
Here is my fish.
I had approximately 5 pounds so I put half in each brine.
I weighted each batch down with a plate and set them in the fridge to brine.
Of course I took the one batch out at 90 minutes, rinse quickly, patted dry and placed on counter in front of the fan to form a pellicle. I smoked them using my MES 40 and my amnps with the Hickory Cherry Maple mix at 140 degrees until it hit 140. As you can see in the pic from the piece in the middle on the left I couldn't help from eating it before I got my camera ready. What you can't see from the pic is that there was already a piece gone that I ate!! It was very good!!
Here is a couple close ups.
Wife loved it and shared a little with the neighbors while I waited on the other batch to get done brining.
i removed the other brined batch, rinsed, patted dry and formed pellicle with a fan. They had brined about 18 hours.
I used the same smoking procedures and set up with this batch as the last one. As you can see from the picture below, I am still having small self control issues. This salmon was also very tasty!
Here are the close ups.
And the winner is.................
BOTH!
They are both really good. The longer brined salmon has a more salty taste. Both are very flavorful.
The wife and i did agree that we did not get too much of a different flavor from the more ingredient intense brine. The salt level was good in the shorter brined batch and the longer brined batch could turn some people off who don't like salt (I am not one of those people, but as I tell my wife, I have a sodium deficiency!)
For any future salmon though, I believe for the short brine time and less ingredients, I will definately be using the first method as it it less work and takes less time.
Thanks for reading!
Bigfish
