Smoked Salmon

Peggy

Fellow Eggers, would one of you eggspert eggers send me your favorite smoked salmon recipes that result in a lox like salty texture. I would be eager to try a cold smoked method as well. I have two very nice filets that came all the way from Alaska. I would really value your help on this one. Thanks much! Peggy

PVS

I love smoking salmon with Alder chips.

PorkBone

I'm pretty sure you need to cold smoke to get the lox like result. I saw on you-tube somebody using a soldering iron and an old tin can to cold smoke.

Roger

WADoug

Check out the Naked Whiz site. There is a reciepe for smoking a salmon. Haven't tried it but I have a lot of regard for the Naked Whiz's contributions.

http://www.nakedwhiz.com/smokedsalmon.htm

NWFLyGuy

Peggy,

I have smoked over 100 lbs of salmon over the last week since I have so many people asking for it. Several people have told me this is the best smoked salmon they have ever had. It does not result in lox, but is still pretty good. Here is how I do it.

Dry brine recipe

2 c. dark brown sugar
1/2 c. coarse kosher salt (NO Iodide or it might taste metallic.)
5-6 cloves of fresh minced garlic

Cut the salmon into whatever sized chunks you want. Cover each chuck thorougly with the dry brine and stack them in a non-metalic container, meat side to meat side. Use LOTS of the brine. This brine recipe should be the right amount for the fish you have. Cover and refridgerate for about 6 hours.

Next, rinse the salmon thorougly and set it out to dry on a rack. Let it dry for 1-2 hours. This forms a skin that will keep more moisture in.

Now you are ready to smoke. I smoked mine with the grill between 160-180 until the meat reached about 140. If you do it to this temp it will not result in lox. If you want lox, you need a much cooler temp with lots of smoke. I would also find a brine with a lot less sugar for lox.

Best of luck!!

Doug

Peggy

Hey NWFLYguy...this is good stuff. Couple of questions. Are you using Alder? How long are you smoking the filets? What is your grill set-up (direct/indirect).

Thank you! I am pleased with the responses. Since I am no longer popular in the forum, I often get ignored:)

James MB

This probably way too late for you but...
For that lox texture you will have to cold smoke and that's a different topic.
Curing with a simple salt / sugar (I add a little dill) dry cure for a couple of hours will transform it.
I like to smoke it from there. I don't use the complicated rub but TVWB is good for times and temps TVWB Salmon link this transforms cheap salmon into something special. I hope the link works!

Peggy

Not too late at all my friend. Thank you. The linked worked too.

Kind regards,

Peggy

NWFLyGuy

Sorry for the late response here.

I smoke it indirect using only Alder. Fortunately, I live next to an alder grove so I just go cut down a sapling and put big chunks on the grill. I get a constant smoke that way for about 2 1/2 hours. I also have a grill extender if I am smoking a big load. It seems to smoke and heat it all very consistently.

If you don't have access to big chunks, small chunks work fine, just use a lot of them.

I have a batch on right now. The fish has been on for about an hour at about 160. I just looked at it and it resembles lox. I just like mine more done and a little more smokey so I am going to leave it on longer.

I hope this helps! Best of luck!

Unknown

Peggy:
Soooo....Why is it that you are, or think you are, no longer popular? I'm at a lose on this one!
Granted, I may have missed something along the way, but for the most part I seem to think / feel that most everybody is pretty EZ going here.

Spuds