My smoked salmon fillet recipe/process

[sqwib]

Dou you put water in the water pan, and do you soak the wood chips?
Can mesquite be used?

 

[downstatesmoker]

With lighter meats like fish and poultry I would stay away from Mesquite. Mesquite is a very heavy flavor that can easily overwhelm anything you are smoking. Beef tends to be the only meat that stands up well to heavier smoke, and even that is easy to overdo.

 

[alaskansmokesignals]

Yes, I agree with DS. Mesquite, Hickory, and other heavier smokes like beef, and fish likes milder - my choices here in order are apple, cherry, or alder.

With my recipe don't soak too long or it'll be too salty for most ppl.

I do a variety of types here (some saltier than others) and use the more salty ones in quiche, salmon dip, and the like. And the less salty ones to just eat straight.

I try to get by on one one very large smoke per year for this (more than 100 pounds) and vacuum pack up portion sized pkgs for the year's use. And if I run out I can thaw some vacuum packed fillets and smoke more, but I prefer not to usually because wintertime smoking here can be challenging.

 

[sqwib]

As you can see I still have a few questions



Is brining meant to cure the meat and how long should I brine a blue


This is for about 3-4 lbs of filet blue ½” – ¾” thick

How long do I smoke the Blue

How long do I cook the blue with no smoke

I have heard that fish can be oversmoked quite quickly

So I would thaw the Blue
Brine it for 1.5 hours (1 cup salt to 7 cups water) should I add additional flavor/spices to the brine?

Should I use ice in the brine or put it in the refrigerator?

Remove from brine, pat dry and season (suggestions for seasoning )


Smoker
Preheat smoker add cherry wood, get hot enough to start wood smoking or use atorch?

Smoke filets scale/skin side down
Set temp at preferably 150 degrees
Only USE smoke for about ½ hour?

Finish the Blue with no smoke for?

Hours
After the smoked blue is removed do I put lemon juice on it or do I do that before I add the spices, after it is patted dry.

Do I add water to the water pan

I have a gosm smoker that is propane with an additional control valve on the hose for lower temp s, but still have a hard time keeping it at about 120 degrees, should I use an electrical hot plate instead.
Would a hot plate be better for low temp smokes?

I need to get this right the first time, my Dad is coming over for thanksgiving and I want to surprise him…all he has been talking about the last few months, is the smoked mackerel he used to make, we all loved it. So you can see my dilemma, I really don’t want to disappoint the man. Plus he hold s fish sacred, if I mess up a piece of blue, I will never live it down

Thanks for everyone's help