Ran out of Salmon!

[wade]

I went to the freezer on New Years Day only to find to my horror that I had completely run out of Salmon. Yesterday after checking Waitrose, Tesco and Asda (in that order!) I found that Asda still had Salmon on offer so I bought up what they had left at our local store. Only 3 sides unfortunately and they were not very big however any port in a storm... They also had Trout on offer and so a also grabbed half a dozen on them too.

Salmon Sides.jpg

• wade
• Jan 5, 2014

Trout.jpg

• wade
• Jan 5, 2014

Filleted, pin boned and portioned

Salmon Steaks.jpg

• wade
• Jan 5, 2014

Trout Fillets.jpg

• wade
• Jan 5, 2014

In the cure - Salmon for 3 hours and Trout 2 hours. I usually cure for 2 hours and 1 hour respectively with fine salt however I am currently trying some Dead Sea coarse salt which seems to need a little longer.

Salmon Curing.jpg

• wade
• Jan 5, 2014

IMAG0740.jpg

• wade
• Jan 5, 2014

In the smoker

Salmon Smoker.jpg

• wade
• Jan 5, 2014

Trout Smoker.jpg

• wade
• Jan 5, 2014

Start up the smoke generator

Smoke Starting.jpg

• wade
• Jan 5, 2014

We are now smoking as I am writing this  

Smoking.jpg

• wade
• Jan 5, 2014

It will be ready in the morning.

Just a tide-over batch until I can get up to Billingsgate market in the next couple of weeks.

 

[kc5tpy]

Looking good Wade.  Disaster averted.  Almost like finding you have no salt in the pantry or there is not an onion in the house.  Just totally unacceptable.  

  Keep Smokin!

Danny

 

[wade]

Wow - With the strong winds and rain last night it was a struggle keeping the pellets smoking. The fish got about 2 hours smoke but they are back in the fridge now and we will go for another try tonight.

 

[jockaneezer]

Hi Wade, is there any particular reason why you smoke overnight, other than you're not around through the day ? You're right about this weather, I'm finding it hard enough to get the dogs walked between showers and I daren't take them through the woods with these high winds.

Graeme

 

[wade]

Hi Graeme

I would like to tell you that it is because the serene influence of a new moon being caressed by the soft psychic rays of a waning Venus adds to the pure qualities of the smoke...

... however I cant. It is actually purely practical. The smoke generator will usually produce about 15 hours of good quality smoke so smoking during the day is not a problem, however because I effectively pre-smoke my fish as as if it were going to be traditional smoked salmon I like to keep the temperatures as consistently low as possible. This is easier to to do at night in the summer and I just get into the habit in the winter. If the temperatures look to fall near freezing though I have several large sheets of bubble wrap that go round the smoker.

The other reason is so that I don't annoy the neighbours too much. As I do a lot of smoking I do not like to create smoke during the day when they may need to put out washing and that way I preempt the possibility of them complaining. I hot smoke enough ribs and brisket though during the day at weekends that I do not want to push my luck during the week and the odd donation of some salmon, bacon or cheese to them also helps.

 

[wade]

The really strong wind has dropped and so it is back in the smoker now.

 

[smokin monkey]

Hi Wade, looks like the rain and winds have stopped!

The Salmon and Trout look good, only wish fish liked me!

Once my smoker is up and running the wife will be in her element, she loves Salmon and all types of fish.

I know what you mean about smoking and neighbours.

Where did you get the smoker maze from?

Steve

 

[wade]

I made it a couple of years ago out of some perforated stainless steel sheet. I was trying to get an AMNPS but they were not available here in the UK at that time. This has changed now and you can get them directly through Todd's site. They certainly work well though I think mine is a little larger than the standard one on his site. I did try to use the ProQ for a while but it was not man enough for the job and the Smoke Daddy generator that I imported kept clogging up and going out. Out of all the smoke generators I have tried I don't think you can beat the AMNPS type.

From Todd's site it will cost you $75 including shipping to the UK and taxes (£46). The ProQ from Amazon in the UK will cost you £35 including shipping and despite what it looks like in the photos it is actually quite small. The extra £12 is worth every penny as the AMNPS is much more reliable, more forgiving and produces far more smoke for longer. 

http://www.amazenproducts.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=AMNPS5X8

It is OK Todd you can pay me my commission later 

 LOL

 

[wade]

Last night was much better and the smoking was completed.

The smoked trout

Trout Smoked.jpg

• wade
• Jan 7, 2014

Trout Vac Pac.jpg

• wade
• Jan 7, 2014

Tail samples of the Salmon cooked. The main fillets were all vac packed and frozen

Salmon Cooked.jpg

• wade
• Jan 7, 2014

The smell and taste were divine. When will we be able to add scratch-and-sniff to the forum posts?

 

[kc5tpy]

Well THANKS a lot for that mate.  I am not a smoked fish person, but the missus LOVES it.  Now I am getting it in the neck.  

 "When are you going to finish your smoker so you can smoke some fish for me"  

       She's right.  Work commitments leading into Christmas had me working all the hours I could stay awake for.  Guest it's time to pull the finger out and get 'er done.

GREAT looking fish.  Something looking that good I just might have to change my mind about smoked fish.  Great post and "how to".  Thanks for posting.  Keep Smokin!

Danny