In Search of Kippered Salmon Recipe

[bellevueduck]

Had some kippered salmon from Otto's Smokehouse in Portland Oregon over the holidays. Was the best smoked salmon I've ever tasted. Nice Light bark light smoke on the outside and tender moist on the inside.

Since I can't drive weekly to Portland to buy their stuff I'd like to start using my Traeger to smoke salmon.

Have been studying hot smoking methods for fish. Alton Brown does a good job explaining the dry rub before smoke. Looks simple for the rub but I'm a bit unclear about the process.

Any fish experts out there that can guide me to a good link or discussion on hot smoked
salmon

Resources I've studied
http://www.sausagemania.com/kippermania.html

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/smoked-salmon-recipe-1938429




Also called “baked salmon,” kippered salmon is an appetizing classic. The special hot-smoking process imparts an incredibly moist texture and rich flavor. Try kippered salmon along with any of our cold-smoked salmon for two totally different, though equally delicious, experiences.

 

[mds51]

Although this recipe is not really a Kippered Fish but it works for me when I need a Smoked Fish fix. I use whole trout or even Catfish or other white meat fish work. Salmon would work but would be a little stronger flavor.
Brine = 2 gallons of Water
1 Cup Kosher Salt
1 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Oranges Quartered
2 Lemons Quartered
Several Sprigs of Fresh Thyme
Mix all the ingredients in room temperature water and stir well to dissolve the Salt and Sugar. Place the whole fish in the brine and refrigerate for at least four hours and even over night. Rinse and dry the fish and let sit on racks in he refrigerator for four to six hours to form a Pellicle. Smoke for three to four hours at 150 degrees using Alder or Apple wood. I use the AMNPS with Alder Pellets in my MES 40 and after four hours the fish are a nice golden color. I then refrigerate the fish over night and vacuum seal them or eat them by sautéing them with onions in a little Olive Oil. the bones pull out completely and you have two lovely moist and lightly smoked fillets.
Enjoy
mds51

 

[bellevueduck]

Brine four to six hours to form a Pellicle.

Thank you for your reply. That's what Alton Brown was talking about in his video on how to do it.

that's the concept I was missing.... I then need to dry them after brining to get the pellicle before I put in the smoker.

I'll work on this with your instructions and put up some pics in a few days

 

[mds51]

Just to clarify the brining does not form the Pellicle as your title states. After brining you rinse and dry the fish and then put them on racks in the refrigerator for four to six hours or even overnight to form a Pellicle. The Pellicle is a film or tacky layer that promotes smoke penetration as I have learned from this forum. I think you have it right but the title concerned me a little. The results I get are similar to what the Jewish Delis sell as smoked white fish and have a very mild smoked delicate flavor.
mds51

 

[bellevueduck]

OK....appreciate it...
will study the videos again but I believe I get it.

 

[daveomak]

I form the pellicle in front of a fan...... there are many ways to do it... My buddy used to put the fish in the back of his pickup and drive around for several hours....

 

[gmc2003]

I heard of kippered herring, but never salmon. Sounds good if you do make sure to post up the process and results.

Chris

 

[bellevueduck]

I know where Omak is..........been to Lake Chelan many times.
I will try some pieces of the Silvers and Cohos I have frozen over the next few days with
diff brine methods.

Kippered Salmon all over western Oregon and Washington...

 

[bellevueduck]

Coho Salmon is in the brine now
turned it skinside up because the brine was just barely over the salmon
got recipe from this link, good explanation of the whole process and was the right sized recipe
https://honest-food.net/how-to-smoke-salmon-recipe/
1 quart cool water
1/3 kosher salt
1 cup of brown sugar

Plan is to brine it for 8 hours. dry it out, put in fridge to dry out till tomorrow AM
and then smoke it tomorrow AM.

 

[bellevueduck]

Took Salmon out of the brine and put it in the fridge on a rack overnight.

It's dry and cold to touch but can't tell if there is a pellicle... perhaps it's
a bit sticky.

Any suggestions what to do next.
would like to put it on the smoker in a few hours.

 

[daveomak]

This salmon has a pellicle formed... If you can get the light to reflect from the meat, I'd say you have a good pellicle...

 

[bellevueduck]

Hi Omak Dave
Got it... my salmon is not sticky but it's shiny... looks similar to your picture.

 

[daveomak]

FWIW, next batch think about adding cure#1 to the brine... Many fishes have been found to contain the botulism bacteria... Salmon, according to the USDA, up to 200 Ppm is fine.. That equals ~1.4 grams per pound... in a brine, that weight should include the brine and fish weight added together...

 

[bellevueduck]

OK another question.
Will try a combo of alder and cherry or apple. Any thoughts on this?

Lowest setting in my Traeger Silverton is smoke mode which is 150-180.. Will be using that unless recommenced otherwise.

 

[bellevueduck]

you got me what is cure#1 is that a product?

 

[daveomak]

Alder is perfect for salmon... Apple may be good also... I do not like cherry so I don't use it... I only use Alder and maple on fish...
Cure#1 is a generic name for salt and sodium nitrite mix for the prevention of botulism... the nitrite concentration is 6.25% in pure salt... Different meats call for different amounts of cure#1.. 6.25% is the rate in the U.S.A... other countries demand other concentrations of nitrite... This curing stuff can be complex and not taken lightly...
I recommend using a grams scale, 0-100 grams, for all your recipe needs... use it for weighing spices, herbs, cure etc... your recipes will be repeatable...
Can you open the lid on your pellet grill to reduce the temperature ?? Add ice ... Use a frozen pop jug or something... If the white fat starts oozing from the fish fillet, you are losing flavor and moisture... It's a definite no-no for perfect kippered salmon.....

Kippered with a brown sugar and rum glaze... Moist... awesome...

 

[daveomak]

Here's a list of Amazon's cure #1 stuff...

Search Cure#1 on Amazon.... I can't get this link stuff to work....

I'm still a dummy and getting dumber as I get older....

 

[bellevueduck]

It's on the grill. Alder for now and will mix with apple.
I have a wedge in the opening to have it around 150.

It's a bit pale looking(compared to your beauties) and no rum around here...
How about vermouth/brown sugar or burbon/brownsugar....

 

[daveomak]

Bourbon Brown sugar would be my choice... Use very little bourbon... you want the sugar/bourbon mix to be THICK so it stays in place....

 

[bellevueduck]

Here are the 2 hour stats
Grill temp is at 160
IT of Salmon is 95
learning curve on the burbon/brown sugar mix.... but brushing it every 30 minutes
fish looks darker in color but nowhere near your pics.
So far no white albumin on top