Since making my first Pastrami, I have been bitten by the curing bug. I now have another brisket in the fridge (one week in) as well as a pork belly, for bacon. Well, that takes some time, so Friday, while at Sams, I thought, now I can make SmokinAl's Lox recipe(https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/homemade-lox-with-recipe-steps-plenty-of-q-view.106029/)! I've been dying to try it and they have pretty good salmon here at Sams.
Started out with my two filets, trimmed the belly and tail.
In the saltwater bath for 30 minutes. I have one gallon of water and two cups of pickeling salt. I'm not a science whiz, but I noticed something cool while this unfolded. In adding ice to the bath, trying to get the solution under 40 degrees, the salmon floated to the top. I actually used the ice cubes to get the fish fully submerged. Was quite the challenge. Now hold on to that thought...
Out of the salt bath, rinsed and dried off (I cut the brown out after the smoke, found that to be much easier. Just made two angled cuts down the length of the bloodline on each side and it was gone-pecan)
Now for the cure mix. (**I should note the two filets were a little over 5 lbs before trim, right at 5 after trim). 1 tsp cure # 1, 1&1/2 cups of kosher salt, 1&1/2 cups raw sugar & 2 tbsps of white pepper. Mix it all up well, and dredge filets, completely cover with all mixture and into a container, covered w/ a chopping block. Added to that, a gallon ziplock full of ice to weigh everything down. Cover the container and into the fridge for two days...
Fast forward 48 hours. Now I take the salmon out of the mixture, rinse it off well and then soak for 90 minutes.
Remember that thought I told you to hold onto? Well, how bout that, the fish doesn't float any more...went right to the bottom. That cure mix must've done it's job and brought all that liquid out of the fish (Or that's what my not-too-scientific-self thinks is why it floated earlier lol).
I knew the fish was going to be smoked Monday night, and sliced up early Wednesday morning. So on my way home from work yesterday, I stopped at a local Jewish deli & bought some everything bagels.
They are some of the best bagels I've ever had!! Stein's Deli on Magazine street if you are ever in the neighborhood...
I didn't take any pics of the fish on the smoker. Had some personal issues to tend to Monday so it was late before I started, and it smoked from 10pm until 2 am while I slept (I set an alarm). I own a Lang, and I love it. But if you asked me what my next most favorite bbq/smoking tool is, it would have to be my Amazen smokers. I have the 12" tube and the sawdust maze, and love them both. If you don't own one, just go ahead and do yourself a favor and buy one (or all of em) BECAUSE IF YOU OWN IT YOU WILL LOVE IT. Such a great product, and the owners are just super to deal with. I used both my maze and my tube, filled with pitmaster's choice pellets and dust, and they worked perfectly. I put them in the firebox and open all the vents. Nothing else to do except take in all the wonderful smoke those suckers produce!! At 2 am my alarm went off, I went downstairs and checked my salmon. Everything was perfect, tube was on it's last little bit, as was the maze (I lit both sides). Those two tools just make me happy every time I use them!!!!
I took a quick pick of the salmon before putting it (& myself) to bed. In 24 hours or so, I'll slice it up!
OK, I woke up this morning and sliced up one of the filets, and will do the other when I get home tonight. It came out great! We absolutely love lox and it's so expensive down south!! This will be a regular item in the Fenasci household from now on!!
Special thanks to SmokinAl for leading the way with a FANTASTIC lox recipe and tutorial!
Hope yall enjoy as much as we did, and are, and will....
Started out with my two filets, trimmed the belly and tail.
In the saltwater bath for 30 minutes. I have one gallon of water and two cups of pickeling salt. I'm not a science whiz, but I noticed something cool while this unfolded. In adding ice to the bath, trying to get the solution under 40 degrees, the salmon floated to the top. I actually used the ice cubes to get the fish fully submerged. Was quite the challenge. Now hold on to that thought...
Out of the salt bath, rinsed and dried off (I cut the brown out after the smoke, found that to be much easier. Just made two angled cuts down the length of the bloodline on each side and it was gone-pecan)
Now for the cure mix. (**I should note the two filets were a little over 5 lbs before trim, right at 5 after trim). 1 tsp cure # 1, 1&1/2 cups of kosher salt, 1&1/2 cups raw sugar & 2 tbsps of white pepper. Mix it all up well, and dredge filets, completely cover with all mixture and into a container, covered w/ a chopping block. Added to that, a gallon ziplock full of ice to weigh everything down. Cover the container and into the fridge for two days...
Fast forward 48 hours. Now I take the salmon out of the mixture, rinse it off well and then soak for 90 minutes.
Remember that thought I told you to hold onto? Well, how bout that, the fish doesn't float any more...went right to the bottom. That cure mix must've done it's job and brought all that liquid out of the fish (Or that's what my not-too-scientific-self thinks is why it floated earlier lol).
I knew the fish was going to be smoked Monday night, and sliced up early Wednesday morning. So on my way home from work yesterday, I stopped at a local Jewish deli & bought some everything bagels.
They are some of the best bagels I've ever had!! Stein's Deli on Magazine street if you are ever in the neighborhood...
I didn't take any pics of the fish on the smoker. Had some personal issues to tend to Monday so it was late before I started, and it smoked from 10pm until 2 am while I slept (I set an alarm). I own a Lang, and I love it. But if you asked me what my next most favorite bbq/smoking tool is, it would have to be my Amazen smokers. I have the 12" tube and the sawdust maze, and love them both. If you don't own one, just go ahead and do yourself a favor and buy one (or all of em) BECAUSE IF YOU OWN IT YOU WILL LOVE IT. Such a great product, and the owners are just super to deal with. I used both my maze and my tube, filled with pitmaster's choice pellets and dust, and they worked perfectly. I put them in the firebox and open all the vents. Nothing else to do except take in all the wonderful smoke those suckers produce!! At 2 am my alarm went off, I went downstairs and checked my salmon. Everything was perfect, tube was on it's last little bit, as was the maze (I lit both sides). Those two tools just make me happy every time I use them!!!!
I took a quick pick of the salmon before putting it (& myself) to bed. In 24 hours or so, I'll slice it up!
OK, I woke up this morning and sliced up one of the filets, and will do the other when I get home tonight. It came out great! We absolutely love lox and it's so expensive down south!! This will be a regular item in the Fenasci household from now on!!
Special thanks to SmokinAl for leading the way with a FANTASTIC lox recipe and tutorial!
Hope yall enjoy as much as we did, and are, and will....
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