I need to start from scratch with cold smoked salmon

[stone5674]

I have been utterly amazed at some of the recipes and procedures I have read here! I, however, need some guidance from the very beginning and most of what I find is very accomplished things for me to strive for.

If I have gathered correctly you must first brine the salmon, followed by drying it, and then curing it before cold smoking?

I get the brining and the chemical process, I certainly understand why you would dry it, but I am a little unclear on the curing process?

How long do you cold smoke it?

And is it like cheese where you want to vacuum seal it and let it rest?

 

[SmokinAl]

Are you trying to make lox?
If so I think this will guide you thru the process.

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

 

[stone5674]

I am trying to learn how to cold smoke salmon, I understand that Lox is a different process?

 

[cmayna]

For my cold smoked Salmon, I dry brine for 8 hours, then wet brine for another 8 hours. Then rinse and fridge dry for 5 hours, followed by room dry for 3 hours and THEN smoke for 3+ hours.

Lox is typically not smoked. If you google "smoked salmon vs Lox" , you will get an ear full of different opinions.

 

[tallbm]

I have been utterly amazed at some of the recipes and procedures I have read here! I, however, need some guidance from the very beginning and most of what I find is very accomplished things for me to strive for.

If I have gathered correctly you must first brine the salmon, followed by drying it, and then curing it before cold smoking?

I get the brining and the chemical process, I certainly understand why you would dry it, but I am a little unclear on the curing process?

How long do you cold smoke it?

And is it like cheese where you want to vacuum seal it and let it rest?

Cold smoked salmon vs Lox, I'm not gonna dive into that. If you want cured/brined salmon that you cold smoke much of this is all the same :)

I do something very similar to what SmokinAl posted in his thread.

Where I deviate is that I use a % of salt, sugar, white pepper, and cure #1 all based on the weight of the meat. This keeps me from having to soak so makes things a little faster for me.

In short I dry cure/brine with salt, sugar, white pepper, cure#1 and zest (orange and/or lemon).
When curing time is done (cure penetrates at like 1/4 inch a day and I wait until its cured through the thickness of the fish), I rinse it off and pat dry and let dry 36-48hrs in the fridge
Then I cold smoke making sure the smoker does not get over 70F temp. I live in Texas so it takes me some effort even on a 40F day to keep the smoker under 70F limit. I use foil trays with ice in them in the smoker to keep temp down.

I apply Alder smoke for 4 hours and then that's it.
Slice at an angle, vac seal, and freeze until eaten.

Here is my last attempt where I tried some things and worked on refining the approach. It has plenty of notes. In this attempt I used True Orange and True Lime instead of zest and it showed promise, I just need to increase the amounts.

Salmon Lox While Trying Some New Things

With the cold front that came through I got a jump on it and prepped a little over 12.5 pounds of Salmon for Lox!!!! I live in Texas so I have to JUMP and move as quickly and efficiently as possible to take advantage of temps that get low enough for long enough allowing me a window to cold smoke...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

Enjoy :)

 

[Wurstmeister]

THANK YOU ALL !!!!! Outstanding guidance gentlemen. Now I can answer Mrs. Wurst on what I plan to do with the odd 10#s or so of salmon I have individually packed in the freezer! I'll let ya'll know how it turns out and I'll ask Mrs. Wurst to take the photos.

 

[Brian11B]

THANK YOU ALL !!!!! Outstanding guidance gentlemen. Now I can answer Mrs. Wurst on what I plan to do with the odd 10#s or so of salmon I have individually packed in the freezer! I'll let ya'll know how it turns out and I'll ask Mrs. Wurst to take the photos.

How did it go? I am very interested in this process.

 

[Wurstmeister]

How did it go? I am very interested in this process.

My friend, I'm thankful for your interest. However, I'm red faced and sad to report it wasn't a go. Seems Mrs. Wurst had a better idea (dang, sounds like a 60s Ford commercial). When the family came up from Bluffton, SC that weekend, she decided to have a "simple" meal. So she made salmon salad from 3 pieces of the salmon (very good I must say) along with my smoked mac & cheese. Afterwards, she gave" my son 5 pieces of salmon to take home to make the salad for the grandkids, who devoured hers?! (Never argue with a ND German farmgirl!) She gave me the remaining 2 pieces which I made using "in foil" recipe. Friday is my provision run to the Chef Store, salmon is top on the list. And before Mrs. Wurst gets hold of MY 5#s I'll start the LOX recipe and she can do what ever with "her" 5#s. [famous last words I know!]. So keep on the watch next week for continuing saga of the Wurst LOX experiment?! LOL!!

 

[Brian11B]

My friend, I'm thankful for your interest. However, I'm red faced and sad to report it wasn't a go. Seems Mrs. Wurst had a better idea (dang, sounds like a 60s Ford commercial). When the family came up from Bluffton, SC that weekend, she decided to have a "simple" meal. So she made salmon salad from 3 pieces of the salmon (very good I must say) along with my smoked mac & cheese. Afterwards, she gave" my son 5 pieces of salmon to take home to make the salad for the grandkids, who devoured hers?! (Never argue with a ND German farmgirl!) She gave me the remaining 2 pieces which I made using "in foil" recipe. Friday is my provision run to the Chef Store, salmon is top on the list. And before Mrs. Wurst gets hold of MY 5#s I'll start the LOX recipe and she can do what ever with "her" 5#s. [famous last words I know!]. So keep on the watch next week for continuing saga of the Wurst LOX experiment?! LOL!!

You know what they say... Happy wife, happy life.