Help with cold smoked salmon.

[thirdeye]

Skin still on? That's a plus sometimes.

 

[Gonna Smoke]

Skin still on? That's a plus sometimes.

Yes, skin still on. I've read a lot on here about smoking it, including your tutorial, and that seems to be a plus.

 

[ahakohda]

Skin is helping when you cutting your cold smoked fish. Helps to handle hot smoked.

When I do cold smoked salmon I simple cure it as gravlox minus dill. When its ready and formed pelicle I apply alder smoke with no heat to desirable level. Usually not too much. Just a hint of smoke. You need colder temperatures for that process. Using dust instead of pellets also helps.

As of hot smoked salmon the golden rule is not to have white stuff leaking out. If its leaking out your temps were too high.
Start with 120F for 2 hours, Go up to 135F for another two hours anf finish with 175F for one hour

 

[SmokinAl]

Well I get my salmon from Sam’s or I like to get sushi grade from WildForkFoods. When you say cold smoked salmon, to me that means lox. Here is a lox recipe that I have followed for years with great success. Many of the guys on here use it too.

HOMEMADE LOX WITH RECIPE & STEPS, PLENTY OF Q-VIEW

I have made lox following bbally's instructions several times over the last year or so. I grew up on lox & cream cheese with a slice of onion on a good bagel. This was a weekly event at our house. Over the years I have tried lox many times & I can honestly say I have never had lox as good as...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

Al

 

[ahakohda]

I gotta tell you that adding ice to a smoker can be counter productive and ruin your smoking process.
Moisture from ice inside warm smoker will condensate and cover you salmon with droplets. I don't need to explain you the outcome of smoke on top of moist fish.....Ask me how I know......

Best way is to do it when its not hot outside, and with little bit of pellets or even better with dust.

 

[thirdeye]

I gotta tell you that adding ice to a smoker can be counter productive and ruin your smoking process.
Moisture from ice inside warm smoker will condensate and cover you salmon with droplets. I don't need to explain you the outcome of smoke on top of moist fish.....Ask me how I know......

Best way is to do it when its not hot outside, and with little bit of pellets or even better with dust.

I think "can be counter productive" is the key phrase here. When you add ice to a smoker to cool down the smoke.... you have to maximize the airflow, for example blocking the door or lid open, AND reduce the amount of smoke, and these two things help to eliminate condensation. Before sawdust smoke generators, I used a tray of ice when smoking butter and cheese, and with good ventilation I never had an issue with condensation. That said, I live at 5400' elevation in the Rockies and our relative humidity is very low. My statements could literally be all wet if I lived at sea level.