Any advice on salmon

1chaos52 · Jul 22, 2008

Have been away from the smoker for the last few weeks due to work travel and the like, but now I am home for a while and ready to go again.

I managed to get myself some nice salmon fillets and was thinking they might taste good smoked. I have never tried to smoke salmon before (or any other fish for that matter) and am looking for any advice or recipes you guys might be able to give me.

I think I will be doing this on Friday or Sunday, but not Saturday as I will be attending the New England BBQ Championships up in Vermont. Good Q and Harpoon beers for the day, sound like heaven doesn't it????

My plan is to do some sort of brine for 4-6 hours, then get it onto the smoker with some hickory and alder. On it's lowest setting, my GOSM will do under 200*, but I am not sure what the time or temp should be or any indicators on when it will be done.

Any advice, ingredients, comments, or witty banter is always welcome. I have read the other posts and have some pretty good ideas, just wondering if there is any other advice or anything that is not in any of the posts. And, I should actually be able to provide Q-View since I finally once again have a working camera.

seboke · Jul 22, 2008

I'm no salmon expert by any means, but the only two salmon smokes I have under my belt curled my toes. Here's links to those, and you can find many more in the fish fourm.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ad.php?t=20195
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ad.php?t=17980

Good luck, you'll be glad ya tried smoking salmon!

cinnamonkc · Jul 22, 2008

Are you trying to a cold smoke (to create the kind of salmon you put on a bagel) or do you want to have salmon for dinner?

blacklab · Jul 22, 2008

1chaos52
No expert here either, but this is what I do. Brine fish 24hrs rise and pat dry. Preheat smoker 225 to 250 my wood of choice is alder somtimes I'll add some apple to the mix. Smoke until the internal temp is 155 remove and crack another beer. Hard to beat fresh smoked salmon and beer

.

1chaos52 · Jul 22, 2008

Not trying for lox, no, just looking to do a dinner. Don't think I have the necessary equipment at this point for cold smoking.

Seboke, had seen that first link but not the second one. Thanks for the info.

Blacklab, sounds like you don't use a lower temp like I have heard other people use. Any issues with drying out or anything? I have a therm to use and all, but about how long does the smoke take at 225 - 250? And brining for 24 hours? Would think that would make it a bit too salty, but again do not know since I have never tried it.

Thanks for the info guys, please, keep it coming.

erain · Jul 22, 2008

give this one a try on the weber with indirect heat and wood on coals for smoke, alder,apple,cherry, all good woods for this..

I use a weber kettle to make this so depending what you use you will have to make cooking adj per your unit. If using a kettle you can pretty much use this and follow to a tee and have perfect results time after time. Here goes:

Rum Soaked Salmon

Salmon fillet, 2-4 lbs (or bigger, increase ingred and cooking as needed) I leave skin on
1 C dark rum (I am not a rum fan but I use Appleton estates)
1 C packed brown sugar, dark
Â½ C salt, kosher or sea (a coarse grain. Not table salt)
2 T freshly ground black pepper
1 T ground coriander

Clean fillet and blot dry, in glass baking dish lay fillet. Add rum and cover with plastic wrap and frig it. You want this to marinate in the rum for half hour or so, turning several times, have skin side down aprox 2/3 the time so it will have a chance to pull some rum thru skin.

While fish is marinating, you can make rub. Take rest of ingred and in a bowl mix with fingers, breaking any lumps in brown sugar and mix well.

When done marinating fish drain fish and blot dry with paper towels, wipe out baking dish. Put 1/3 of the rub mix in pan and spread into shape of fillet, lay fillet skin side down on top of this and then cover fillet with remaining mix, kind of make a cast around it. Cover with wrap and frig it for 4-6 hours, I usually let mine go the full 6 as I like the salt/sugar the fish pulls in. when done you will notice some liquid in the pan, this is juices which have been pulled from the fillet.

When done curing, rinse fillet well under cold water, blot dry with paper towels again. Now to the smoker/grill, as I said this is a hot smoke and I make an indirect setup with coals on each side with a drip pan in center. On top of these coals place some small pieces of wood of choice. With salmon I use almost exclusively apple, alder wood is also excellent. Something mild so as to not overpower the natural flavor of the fish. You should end up with a med to med-hi heat. Oil grate and when you have smoke from wood happening put fillet skin side down on grate. Cover and smoke cook for about 20 min(usually comes out perfect). To ck for done press on fillet and it should feel firm and if pushed a little harder should flake. You should end up with a nice mahogany colored fillet which still is moist inside. I let I rest for 10-15 min and serve. Put on a platter with a spatula or spatulas and just slide portions off from the skin to plate. It is great served right from the smoke or even if you happen to have some left you can have it cold.

heapomeat · Jul 22, 2008

My advice for salmon?, troll a herring cut plug behind a dodger/flasher about 40-50 foot deep, a white/green squid works too.

Don't set the hook too soon, let it come back for a second bite if not hooked on the first.

There are tons of good tips on the forum here, the "Search" button is your friend.

cinnamonkc · Jul 22, 2008

I put on apple wood for about 2 hours at 225. Skin down, a little olive oil and a sprinkle of rub. Last one I didn't even brine becasue I bought it on the way home.

Last time I did one, my son said it was the best thing he had ever had.

blacklab · Jul 22, 2008

1chaos52

If you keep your eyes on your temps and product drying out won't be to much of an issue. As for how long to smoke depends. How thick and how much fish, what temps are you smoking at,and the conditions out side. Your best bet is to use a internal temp gauge and your eyes those are your best tools. Rinsing the fish helps remove the saltyness. G L

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Any advice on salmon

1chaos52

Smoke Blower

seboke

Master of the Pit

cinnamonkc

Smoking Fanatic

blacklab

Master of the Pit

1chaos52

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erain

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heapomeat

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cinnamonkc

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blacklab

Master of the Pit

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