Gimme your start to finish smoked salmon recipe and technque!

BuddyC

I've never done smoked salmon but about to give it a try. Please give me your best brine recipe and smoking technique. I need to know how long to brine, best wood type, smoking time and temp, all that and whatever else you gave give advice on. Btw, I do have cedar planks. Also, I'm thinking of throwing on some bacon wrapped scallops... any advice on that and seasonings?

JohnEggGio

I've never brined.  On a sheet of hdaf, I typically slather with mayo, then hit it with salt, pepper, and sometimes a sprinkling of brown sugar.  Cook raised to the felt line, indirect about 300-325 for 45 minutes.  Smoke with apple and hickory, maybe cherry.  I use a cookie sheet to slide it on/off.  The skin will stick to the foil, and the meat is very easily removed.  I like my fish fully cooked, so some might give it less time/temp.

vb4677

Here's my process - still a favorite!
https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1198868/sub-200f-salmon-smoke#latest

alaskanassasin

Alder.

smbishop

This is the one I follow:

https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1214913/smoked-sockeye-salmon-my-way-pic-heavy

Battleborn

350-400, grate on the fire ring. 30-45 minutes on a cedar plank until the white goo starts coming out of the fish. Seasoned with DP Raging River.

Rtrdeng

This is probably too late for your cook, maybe for a future cook. For 2 salmon fillets about 1 - 1 1/2" thick and 8 oz. each, I make a sauce of 1/2 stick unsalted butter, 2 Tbs molasses, 2 Tbs orange juice and 1 1/2 Tbs of Chile powder. Heat the butter and add the other incrediants. Heat a little longer to thicken slightly, then cool some. Coat skinless side of salmon with sauce, then refrigerate. Do this at least twice about 1/2 hour before placing on egg skin side down. Cook indirect raised at felt line directly on a well oiled grid at 325 - 350 until IT is 145, about 45 minutes. I use a chunk of applewood about the size of a golf ball (we like a mild smoke flavor). Plate the salmon, add remainder of sauce on the fillets with a sprinkle of sea salt. Enjoy. My wife says it melts in your mouth. 

Wolfpack

Try naked whiz’s recipe- every time i have gone to the effort, it disappears in a hurry. 

onpoint456

Here are my notes. Not salmon, but steelhead. FWIW, I would have followed the same steps for salmon.

Approximately 5lbs of Steelhead dry brined for 18 hours with:

• 1/2 cup of brown sugar
• 6 Tbls of kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp of ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp of white pepper

Put the fish on when the dome read 165°. Once the fish was on, the dome was at 126°. Let it slowly rise to 200° over 3.5 hours.

Smoke temp: 150°-200°

Smoke time: 4 hours

Internal temp: 145°-155°

Wood: Apple

The key with salmon is to not cook too fast/hot. When done hot and fast coagulated protein called albumin will weep out and pool on top of the meat. It is harmless just unappetizing to look at.

Also, after brining, I rinsed the fish and let it dry in the fridge for several hours.

Bellavista52

Try the Ina Garten Hot Smoked Salmon!  I make this on Christmas Day and everyone loves it!  

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/hot-smoked-salmon-2314483