First try @ Smoking Salmon

EggHead in Smyrna · September 2011

'm planning on smoking some salmon over the weekend now that we are into my favorite time of year.....football and weather nice enough to enjoy my patio and BGE here in the southeast. I found a few brine recipes but still have a couple of questions. Do I use my platesetter and if so up or down? Apple or Alder chips - have read about people using both. Target temp 180-200? How do I get my temp to stay below 200? From what I can read I believe I need to start with a smaller fire than usual. I think that may be the reason I typically can not keep my egg under 250-275. Do I use a pan with water like I have read in some recipes? Any expert Salmon smokers are grealty appreciated! Thanks, E the egghead!

Eggspert · September 2011

I would cook it on a raised grid direct at 350 on a soaked cedar plank. Season with whatever u like. I like ragging river from Dizzy pig with maple syrup and butter.

Grregger · September 2011

I've had good luck smoking brined salmon at 200-220. Haven't been able to get below 200 on the basic set up, but results have been so good that I have seen no reason to make any extra effort to go any lower. In fact, less effort seems to work best, as I get the lowest temps closest to 200 when I let the ash build up.

I do one or two layers, one layer on a cedar plank atop fire bricks, and another planked salmon above the first on a raised grid.
I think that my setup may equate to using a placesetter with legs up. Good luck!

Squeezy · September 2011

First of all ... I think cedar stinks and has no place in the BBQ world ... IMHO!

I have had great results just sprinkling with salt, low-n-slow 225º indirect for 1½ hrs skin side down.

Dizzy Pig rubs and a little maple syrup adds another lovely dimension.

Coach Danny · September 2011

I've had a lot of luck smoking salmon. I brine it for 24-36 hours, then let it dry in the fridge till it forms a nice pellicle which is what "grabs" the smoke. You then smoke it at 160-175 for six to eight hours or until you get an internal temp around 135. The key, of course, to all of this is building a small fire using only a couple handfuls of charcoal. Bring the temp up slowly, otherwise you'll never get it back down. I like to use red alder (not regular alder that is sold everywhere) as it has a high sugar content. One chunk will go a long way. For more info, go to www.justsmokedsalmon.com. Ton of info and recipes that you can adapt to the BGE. Good luck!

SMITTYtheSMOKER · September 2011

If you can somehow configure a small fire to run at 100 degrees for 4-5 hours, this would be the best smoking conditions I feel. Not easy but there are ideas here (small fires/soldering guns and sawdust) that could lead to the desired results.

Venting smoke from one cooker to another is one way to get smoke without temps.

Squeezy · September 2011

I've had a lot of luck smoking salmon. I brine it for 24-36 hours, then let it dry in the fridge till it forms a nice pellicle which is what "grabs" the smoke. You then smoke it at 160-175 for six to eight hours or until you get an internal temp around 135. The key, of course, to all of this is building a small fire using only a couple handfuls of charcoal. Bring the temp up slowly, otherwise you'll never get it back down. I like to use red alder (not regular alder that is sold everywhere) as it has a high sugar content. One chunk will go a long way. For more info, go to www.justsmokedsalmon.com. Ton of info and recipes that you can adapt to the BGE. Good luck!

I didn't know you could 'cold' smoke at that high a temp. I'd like to try that. Where I live, regular alder is not all that common, never even heard or red alder until now. I'd like to try sugar maple ... what do you think?

EggHead in Smyrna · September 2011

Thanks for all the advice.....my biggest concern was keeping the temp under 200 which I did by making a very small fire (10 - 15 pieces of lump) and just added charcoal twice to keep fire going. The temp stayed between 175-190 most of the time so was amazed I could keep my egg that low....like others have said...once its over that hard to bring it down. both vents were opened just a sliver. Used regular alder chips and added chips twice when I added charcoal. Salmon turned out great! Best thing I have ever done on the egg to date! Can't wait to try again.

Thanks again!

EGGARY · September 2011

If you want to see a really interesting set-up, go the Greeneggers.com website and check out Ripnem's set up.

He did this with a ham but I think this could be done for salmon as well. He used a Large EGG and a Small EGG.

LeoHat2 · September 2011

If you want to see a really interesting set-up, go the Greeneggers.com website and check out Ripnem's set up.
He did this with a ham but I think this could be done for salmon as well. He used a Large EGG and a Small EGG.

Which one of those has the meat and which one provides the smoke?

SMITTYtheSMOKER · September 2011

You need a little fire and a large cooking surface, Mini for small fire and large for bigger cooking surface. You see the smoke coming out the bottom vent of the large?

SMITTYtheSMOKER · September 2011

...but it works.

EggHead in Smyrna · October 2011

I smoked my second salmon and it was even better!

I actually made a smaller lump pile and kept the temp at about 155 so anyone that says you cannot hold the egg at these low temps is wrong. You just need a real small pile of lump to start and don't lose it as you bring the temp up to 150-155ish!

Happy Smoking!

Ripnem · October 2011

Tweev,

The only thing around here that is inefficient and stupid is the nasty case of diarrhea of the mouth you seem to have again. Everyone knew it was only time. It won't be long before it's just you and the crickets.

FYI- to the rest of the fine folks around here, I burned through almost 8 pounds of lump in the small egg (holding 200º-250º) while keeping the large under 85º for 38 hours. So with the cure and lump, I'm all of maybe 8 bucks deep to smoke a fresh ham.

Tweev tips should be avoided like the plague

;) ;)

MCR · October 2011

Ripmen + 1

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