Hot Smoked Salmon?

[RiversideSm0ker]

So I really want to give this a try this year. Anybody feel like they have a really solid method, spice, wood type that really would be a great way for me to get my feet wet with this kind of cook?

G

 

[Silverado]

I have been hot smoking salmon for many, many years. That is if we are talking about the same thing. My go to is 2 large salmon fillets, sliced width wise to about 3 inches wide. Marinate over night in teriyaki (I use to use Yoshidas. But my wife make it better). Preheat smoker to 170 or 180 and add your salmon. I usually ad smoke for about 3 hours. Total cook time 5 to 6 hours. To check for done take a piece out and bend it. If it flakes all the way to the skin it’s done. I have used many different types of wood and I honestly can’t tell the difference neither does my wife. It’s all delicious. I hope this is what you are looking for. Jack

 

[cmayna]

My "hot" smoked Salmon is more like warm smoked. Temp starting at 125 and ending at 145. My brine is very simple dry brine of brown sugar with non iodized salt (4/1 ratio). Smoke for 3-5 hours depending on size of the pieces.

You will find lots of recipes here. Good luck.

 

[TXBBQinAZ]

I usually smoke at 225 for an hour or two until it is to 145 or so. If I have enough time, I like to make a brine for it using water, maple syrup, brown sugar, salt and a little orange zest. Let the salmon sit for a few hour before putting it on the smoker and add a touch of maple syrup when the salmon is close to pulling.

Nothing like a fresh piece of salmon off the smoker!

Stephen

 

[forktender]

I have a killer Squaw candy recipe if that interests you.

My "hot" smoked Salmon is more like warm smoked. Temp starting at 125 and ending at 145. My brine is very simple dry brine of brown sugar with non iodized salt (4/1 ratio). Smoke for 3-5 hours depending on size of the pieces.

You will find lots of recipes here. Good luck.

Mine basic recipe when I'm not making squaw candy is very similar I use 3/4 cup fine seas salt, 4 cups of dark brown sugar.

I dry brine it for 4 hours then rinse it off, pat dry, put it on racks then either put it refer overnight or fan dry it for 4-6 hours. Then I smoke it over a mixture of apple and cherry wood at the lowest temp your smoker will go for the first hour or two then bump the temp up to 160-170 degrees until it reaches the doneness that you want it to be. I like my smoked salmon drier than most, so I smoke it 6 hours or more. I only use one big handful of apple and the same with cherry, so two handfuls of the fine ground chips of dust.

If it's a big fish 20lbs of larger I slice it into 1/2''-3/4'' slices with the grain some people call the long slices Indian strips. I brush a mixture of real maple syrup every two hours with the last coating applied around the 4hr mark than I sprinkle them with coarse black pepper. The fish is done when it starts to flake but I like it drier, so I let it roll for another hour after it starts to flake. I don't use any cure #1 because it won't be shelf stable even if you do. It keeps in the refer for 10-14 days in a ziplock bag or 2 yrs plus if you vacuum seal and freeze it. Or you can Can it and it will last for many years if you're into that.

Best of luck to you.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Dan

 

[thirdeye]

Dry cured and smoked trout, steelhead or salmon has been one of my signature dishes for more years than I can count on both hands and feet. It's actually really easy. Here is my full write-up on dry curing and smoking.

SEAFOOD - Dry Cure for Salmon, Trout or Steelhead

Revised 1-13-2022 Cured fish has been prepared for centuries as a means of food preservation. Because of refrigeration and our knowledge ...

playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com

 

[SmokinAl]

Well I guess I do it differently than you guys. I coat it in EVOO and dust it with Cajun seasoning, put it in a zip lock bag for a few hours then into the smoker running at 225. It only takes about 45 minutes to get flaky, just before it gets done I put a few pats of butter on top, better to be undercooked than over cooked, I took the IT one time & it was about 140. Absolutely melts in your mouth. As a matter of fact I just keep an eye on it cause the thinner pieces get done sooner & I pull them off & we usually end up just standing at the smoker eating the small pieces until the main piece is done. One of our favorite meals. I use the trimmed parts off the filet‘s that I buy for lox for the hot smoked salmon. BTW I buy sushi grade salmon from WildForkFoods, Quality is superb.
Al

 

[nchapelheel]

I use a wet brine for 3 hours on the salmon. After that, I rinse them, dry with towels and put Jeff's original
rub on all sides of the fish. Then into the refrigerator overnight to form a pellicle.
The next day, I move them from the refrigerator to the pellet grill with the AMZN pellet tube loaded with
hickory pellets for an hour. Then cook at 150 for one hour, then up the temp to 200. after raising the temp,
I check each piece with the instant read thermometer. Each piece is pulled when it gets to 145.
Wonderful stuff.

 

[RiversideSm0ker]

So many great ideas and so much awesome advice. Thanks to everyone. I am very excited to give this a try. I'm pretty sure I am going to go with the dry cure process before smoking. Hopefully, I can give this a try in a week or so.

G

 

[thirdeye]

Well I guess I do it differently than you guys. I coat it in EVOO and dust it with Cajun seasoning, put it in a zip lock bag for a few hours then into the smoker running at 225. It only takes about 45 minutes to get flaky, just before it gets done I put a few pats of butter on top, better to be undercooked than over cooked, I took the IT one time & it was about 140. Absolutely melts in your mouth. As a matter of fact I just keep an eye on it cause the thinner pieces get done sooner & I pull them off & we usually end up just standing at the smoker eating the small pieces until the main piece is done. One of our favorite meals. I use the trimmed parts off the filet‘s that I buy for lox for the hot smoked salmon. BTW I buy sushi grade salmon from WildForkFoods, Quality is superb.
Al

I think the difference is in the end result. And looking back at the OP's question.... maybe the question was not about 'cured' and hot smoked salmon, but about un-cured hot smoked salmon? The curing makes for a different texture and the smoking temp is somewhat low and the overall smoking time can be 5, 6 or more hours. Some people eat it hot, but many like myself let it chill for 12 to 24 hours and eat is chilled or at room temperature, ou used in a dip, or in a pasta dish.

Hot smoked un-cured (but seasoned) is totally different. Most do add seasonings, and eat it hot and some like me still enjoy leftovers the next day that are cold like on a bagel for breakfast. For my hot smoked un-cured salmon I cook it much like you do in the 225° to 250° range, raised direct, indirect or planked. I pull it just before it flakes and let it rest 5 minutes.

 

[BrianGSDTexoma]

View attachment 487748
View attachment 487749
View attachment 487750
Dry cured and smoked trout, steelhead or salmon has been one of my signature dishes for more years than I can count on both hands and feet. It's actually really easy. Here is my full write-up on dry curing and smoking.

SEAFOOD - Dry Cure for Salmon, Trout or Steelhead

Revised 1-13-2022 Cured fish has been prepared for centuries as a means of food preservation. Because of refrigeration and our knowledge ...

playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com

Do you not need to add cure if smoking that low of temperature?

 

[thirdeye]

Do you not need to add cure if smoking that low of temperature?

I don't add Cure #1, but I suppose you could. My normal curing times are from 4 to 7 hours depending on the thickness of the fillet, and I leave the skin-on whenever possible, so the curing is from one side only. That said, during this time, the salt does diffuse into the flesh, so I would think that Cure #1 would also penetrate the flesh. I would also think that even though the fillet is rinsed it gets an overnight rest.... so, would any salts and Cure #1 that had penetrated the flesh still be mobile and equalize throughout the full thickness? I think yes.

The reasons I don't add cure #1 is that the amount of my salt/sugar cure is not measured, it's an eyeball kind of thing. And, I control my smoking times to a maximum of 4 to 5 hours, shooting for a final internal temp is150°. My preferred smoker is my Big Chief and it runs about 175° +/-. Usually after 2.5 hours I'm in the 125°'s internal and getting some nice color, so I know the surface temp is over 140°. During the 4th hour my goal is to reach 140° internal and if that does not happen I transfer the fillets into my oven (using convection) and finish them to temp.

 

[BrianGSDTexoma]

I don't add Cure #1, but I suppose you could. My normal curing times are from 4 to 7 hours depending on the thickness of the fillet, and I leave the skin-on whenever possible, so the curing is from one side only. That said, during this time, the salt does diffuse into the flesh, so I would think that Cure #1 would also penetrate the flesh. I would also think that even though the fillet is rinsed it gets an overnight rest.... so, would any salts and Cure #1 that had penetrated the flesh still be mobile and equalize throughout the full thickness? I think yes.

The reasons I don't add cure #1 is that the amount of my salt/sugar cure is not measured, it's an eyeball kind of thing. And, I control my smoking times to a maximum of 4 to 5 hours, shooting for a final internal temp is150°. My preferred smoker is my Big Chief and it runs about 175° +/-. Usually after 2.5 hours I'm in the 125°'s internal and getting some nice color, so I know the surface temp is over 140°. During the 4th hour my goal is to reach 140° internal and if that does not happen I transfer the fillets into my oven (using convection) and finish them to temp.

Thanks for the reply. This be my first try dry cure fish. I normally do wet with cure. Salmon on sale this week and going to give it a try. Will e using the MES40 for this one which reminds me need to get some cherry dust ready.

 

[BrianGSDTexoma]

Never heard of cracked ginger? I use fresh all the time. Maybe I can dehydrate to make some? I just picked up Salmon. Brine this afternoon and smoke tomorrow afternoon. Think all I have to do is set smoker in sun and won't need no electricity it getting so hot now.

 

[thirdeye]

Never heard of cracked ginger? I use fresh all the time. Maybe I can dehydrate to make some? I just picked up Salmon. Brine this afternoon and smoke tomorrow afternoon. Think all I have to do is set smoker in sun and won't need no electricity it getting so hot now.

Cracked ginger has been dried and crushed into chunks. Much coarser than ground ginger and the pieces are very fragrant when they are ground. But if you like fresh ginger.... go for it. You would probably need less and I would mix into the salt the same way the recipe calls for garlic to be mixed with salt.

 

[BrianGSDTexoma]

View attachment 487748
View attachment 487749
View attachment 487750
Dry cured and smoked trout, steelhead or salmon has been one of my signature dishes for more years than I can count on both hands and feet. It's actually really easy. Here is my full write-up on dry curing and smoking.

SEAFOOD - Dry Cure for Salmon, Trout or Steelhead

Revised 1-13-2022 Cured fish has been prepared for centuries as a means of food preservation. Because of refrigeration and our knowledge ...

playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com

I think it time to move this up my list. Atlantic Salmon on sale for $5.99 lb. Not sure to get whole or half? Does this freeze well?