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

[SmokinAl]

Al Great write up! Glad to see you did the step by step BBailies doesn't show the steps any more. POINTS
Richie

Thanks Richie,
I changed BBallys recipe some, mostly the time frames for the drying periods, & keeping the lox covered during the drying times. It seemed to make a much more tender end product.
Al

 

[73saint]

I have always followed this recipe with 5lbs of salmon, but today I picked up half of that (2.5) in wild sockeye salmon. I know Als recipe says cut the cure in half for less fish, but what about the pickling salt bath and the regular salt that goes into the dry cure mix? Should I cut those as well? Or just plan to soak longer?

 

[73saint]

I have always followed this recipe with 5lbs of salmon, but today I picked up half of that (2.5) in wild sockeye salmon. I know Als recipe says cut the cure in half for less fish, but what about the pickling salt bath and the regular salt that goes into the dry cure mix? Should I cut those as well? Or just plan to soak longer?

I just went back to the store and got enough to make a 5lb batch. All good, sorry to drag up an old thread for nada...

 

[SmokinAl]

I have always followed this recipe with 5lbs of salmon, but today I picked up half of that (2.5) in wild sockeye salmon. I know Als recipe says cut the cure in half for less fish, but what about the pickling salt bath and the regular salt that goes into the dry cure mix? Should I cut those as well? Or just plan to soak longer?

You would cut all the ingredients in half if you would have only used 2 1/2 pounds of salmon. But no need to do that now!
Al

 

[Mario Trettenero]

You would cut all the ingredients in half if you would have only used 2 1/2 pounds of salmon. But no need to do that now!
Al

Hey Al,

Quick question for you - have you ever vacuum sealed frozen unsliced Lox then slice it after freezing for an extended period of time?

I have 30 lbs of King salmon I'm about to create Lox with and I’m going to use your recipe - thanks

I cold smoke a lot of kings every year and I’ll cut and trim the fillets into half pound pieces, vacuum seal them then freeze them. I’ll pull, thaw and slice them as required - could I use this for the Lox?

 

[cmayna]

Not speaking for Al, but that is the way I do my smoked lox. Cold smoke & freeze. When ready to eat, thaw and then slice.

 

[Mario Trettenero]

Not speaking for Al, but that is the way I do my smoked lox. Cold smoke & freeze. When ready to eat, thaw and then slice.

Thank you, makes sense I think it would store a lot fresher leaving each piece intact then slicing when desired. I know it works well for my cold smoke process but everybody does it a bit different and at the end of the day that’s ok.

 

[SmokinAl]

Hey Al,

Quick question for you - have you ever vacuum sealed frozen unsliced Lox then slice it after freezing for an extended period of time?

I have 30 lbs of King salmon I'm about to create Lox with and I’m going to use your recipe - thanks

I cold smoke a lot of kings every year and I’ll cut and trim the fillets into half pound pieces, vacuum seal them then freeze them. I’ll pull, thaw and slice them as required - could I use this for the Lox?

Not speaking for Al, but that is the way I do my smoked lox. Cold smoke & freeze. When ready to eat, thaw and then slice.

Thank you, makes sense I think it would store a lot fresher leaving each piece intact then slicing when desired. I know it works well for my cold smoke process but everybody does it a bit different and at the end of the day that’s ok.

Well if Craig says it works, then I would say it works. Personally for me I just slice it all at once, bag it in 6 oz. portions & freeze it. After it's frozen I vacuum the bags. This way the fish won't get crushed. Also when you thaw it out just prick a few holes in the plastic or when it thaws it will vacuum up tight around the lox. I think if I was making that much lox I would freeze it in pieces & then thaw & slice when ready to eat. It's hard enough to slice 5 lbs., can't imagine standing there and slicing 30#.
Al

 

[Mario Trettenero]

Well if Craig says it works, then I would say it works. Personally for me I just slice it all at once, bag it in 6 oz. portions & freeze it. After it's frozen I vacuum the bags. This way the fish won't get crushed. Also when you thaw it out just prick a few holes in the plastic or when it thaws it will vacuum up tight around the lox. I think if I was making that much lox I would freeze it in pieces & then thaw & slice when ready to eat. It's hard enough to slice 5 lbs., can't imagine standing there and slicing 30#.
Al

Thanks Al - very much appreciated

Mario

 

[SmokinAl]

Thanks Al - very much appreciated

Mario

No problem. Let me know how your lox turns out & if you think there Is a difference in the flavor between slicing first & then freezing, versus cutting into chunks & Freezing, then thawing & slicing. I’m thinking that since the fish is intact it would retain. More of the moisture. So if you slice it then after thawing it out it would taste fresher than if it was sliced frozen &and thawed. Gonna have to look into this. Keep me posted!
Al

 

[Mario Trettenero]

No problem. Let me know how your lox turns out & if you think there Is a difference in the flavor between slicing first & then freezing, versus cutting into chunks & Freezing, then thawing & slicing. I’m thinking that since the fish is intact it would retain. More of the moisture. So if you slice it then after thawing it out it would taste fresher than if it was sliced frozen &and thawed. Gonna have to look into this. Keep me posted!
Al

Will do - thanks

 

[Smoking Allowed]

Saving for later since I'm not sure how to bookmark this.

 

[cmayna]

Saving for later since I'm not sure how to bookmark this.

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[cmayna]

To SmokinAl and all, I've recently been cold smoking a bunch of Albacore and first sliced it before I froze it. I then tried smoking and freezing it. Then thaw out and slice. Much more oilier and tastier this way.