Should I take the scales/skin off before curing/cold smoking salmon?

New2Q · February 2014

About to start my 1st attempt at cold-smoking salmon with my Amaze-N-Smoker. Planing on curing 24-36 hours (until firm), letting dry in fridge until pellicle forms, then smoking an hour and a half. My stupid question is should I remove the skin before curing or smoking or just leave it on until I slice to eat? I figured if I removed the skin then move of the salmon gets exposed to the cure and smoke. That might change timing?

Charlesmaneri · February 2014

I just did a Salmon filet I cured it in kosher salt and brown sugar in the fridge for48 hours left the skin and scales on cold smoked for about 6 hours with Jack Daniels smoke pellets and I have to say at 1st taste when I took it out of the egg it was a bit too smokey but after resting in the fridge for 24 hours it was the best Salmon(Lox) I have ever eaten

New2Q · February 2014

Thanks Charles. Seems like curing time and smoking time have quite a bit of variability. I suppose once you achieve the proper level of cure for safety that the rest is about individual taste. Good to know that you left the skin on though.

Little Steven · February 2014

Leaving the skin on will help you slice it thin. Cut the first few pices best you can and then put a thumb on the skin and slice to the skin.

New2Q · February 2014

Thanks Little Steven. I assume it's best to also cut on as much of a bias as possible?

Little Steven · February 2014

Yes

Wolfpack · February 2014

Would appreciate a detailed post when u make this one- I just got my ANS too and this will likely be my first cook with it too

New2Q · February 2014

Wolfpack, I just started the cure. Here's the steps I've followed so far along with what I have planned.

First off, the pre-steps. I bought 1 1/2 pound of Chilean farm-raised salmon because it was cheap (well, cheap for salmon, it was still $14..99 a lbs.). I figured I might as well try it out on something a little cheaper in case I mess it up. Also, I already have applewood pellets for the ANS so that's what I'll be using even though most people seem to prefer maple or even oak for salmon smoking.

Part 1 - The Cure

2/3 cup kosher salt mixed well with 1/3 cup brown sugar.

Pull out a long piece (2 feet) of saran wrap.

About 4 inches from the end apply a liberal amount of cure to the saran wrap a little bigger than the bottom of the salmon.

Put the salmon, skin-side down, on the salt/sugar on the saran wrap.

Pour a liberal amount of the salt/sugar cure on the top of the salmon being sure to only lightly pat down the cure instead of pressing it in.

Once the salmon is completely covered with cure take the 4" end of the saran wrap and pull it over the salmon.

Then take the remaining long end of the saran wrap and wrap it around the fish tightly.

Put paper towels in the bottom of a glass baking dish.

Put a spacer on top of the paper towel (I used the styrofoam tray that the fish came home from the store in but I turned it upside down, this keep the salmon away from the moisture that will come out of the salmon and get absorbed by the paper towels).

Then put weight (3, 4, or 5 pounds) on top of the salmon - I have a house brick that I've wrapped in aluminum foil on top of the salmon.

Stash in fridge for 36 hours (some go longer, up to 48 hours but I'm trying it at 36 hours).

The remaining steps are just what I have planned and may be adjusted.

Part 2 - The Pellicle

Remove the salmon from the fridge.

Unwrap the salmon.

Thoroughly wash the salmon on both sides.

Wash it again for good measure.

Pat dry with paper towels.

Put a cooling rack on top of a sheet pan.

Put the salmon on the cooling rack and put in fridge to dry and form the pellicle (tacky surface made from proteins pulled to the surface of the fish by the cure and an excellent substrate to grab hold of the smoke).

I'm planning on 12 hours in the fridge but will go longer if the salmon doesn't feel sticky enough.

Part 3 - The Smoke

Load up the ANS and light it up (several other posts deal with the process well).

After it's going blow out the fire (if any still exists) in the pellets of the ANS.

Place the ANS in the bottom of the Egg being sure that no charcoal is present.

Place the salmon on the rack and smoke for 1 1/2 hours (some smoke for longer...up to 6 hours or more but I'm shooting for 1 1/2 hours for this first attempt).

After 1 1/2 hours pull the salmon.

Place the salmon in a vacuum sealed back or ziplock bag with all the air sucked out if you don't have a vacuum sealer.

Wait 12 hours and slice the salmon as thinly as possible on a steep bias.

Place salmon on bagel with some cream cheese, onion and capers.

Enjoy.

Wolfpack · February 2014

Awesome- thanks

New2Q · February 2014

OK, here's the salmon post-cure. It's lost quite a bit of moisture and has firmed up. It's also a good bit darker. This is the rack and pan that I'll be putting in the fridge to let the pellicle form.

Hopefully by late tonight I can smoke it and vacuum seal it and have it with bagels, cream cheese, red onions and capers for breakfast tomorrow morning.

smokesniffer · February 2014

+1 on leaving the skin on.

Little Steven · February 2014

smokesniffer said:

+1 on leaving the skin on.

Dude, do you have a recipe for squaw candy?

DMW · February 2014

No need to vacuum seal it. Wrap it in parchment paper/butcher paper to absorb additional moisture that seeps and put it in a large zip lock.

New2Q · February 2014

OK, here's the salmon after 8 hours in the fridge. It was slightly tacky - could have gone longer but I was in a hurry.

Next I fired up the ANS with my propane torch and let it burn for 5 minutes. After blowing out the ANS I put it in the bottom of my Egg, put the platesetter on, put a pan of ice on the platesetter, added the grid and threw the salmon on.

Since I had the ANS fired up and loaded with 2 hours of pellets I went ahead and threw on some white cheddar, fontina and emmentaler

After 2 hours I pulled the salmon and cheese, wrapped the salmon in parchment paper and place in a zip-lock in the fridge. I put the cheese in vacuum sealed bags and am stowing in the fridge for a week.

I'll post some pictures of it sliced up on bagels tomorrow.

.

New2Q · February 2014

OK, the final installment of this story. I got up this morning and while my wife went to get bagels I slices up the smoked salmon.

And the pièce de résistance, the cream cheese, lox, onions and capers.

New2Q · February 2014

Well, OK, one more comment. It was delicious! Much better than any store-bought smoked salmon I've ever had. If home-made bacon is this much better than store-bought bacon that has to be next on the list for the ANS.

Little Steven · February 2014

Looks amazing! I could use some of that after being up most of the night.

New2Q · February 2014

Thanks Little Steven - I'd send some to you but I don't know how well it would survive the trip.

Sorry to hear you were up most of the night. That's rarely a good thing.

Little Steven · February 2014

It was a good thing, I slept til 2:30 and got up cause I didn't want to miss the final. I've got some andouille sausage on the egg now cold smoking and will have Canadian bacon on there in a couple of days but I have some wild caught BC coho in the freezer that I'll cure for next week.

New2Q · February 2014

Ahhhh, you wanted to watch the final live. Congrats on the game. The way Canada was playing I thought it'd be tough for Sweden. I really don't think the Canadian stars are more talented than the American, Swedish or Finnish stars but the way they can come together and play as a team with almost no practice together is amazing. The Canadians really deserved the gold.

Should I take the scales/skin off before curing/cold smoking salmon?

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