Smoked salmon

DrEgg

Planning to smoke a salmon fillet today for breakfast tomorrow morning. Any advice?[p]I have: 1 large egg, 1 plate setter, TV close to the deck, cooler of beer.[p]Thanks in advance. Go Dawgs![p]DrEgg in Atlanta.

BarbieQ

DrEgg,
I have used the method below quite a few times with excellent results. I took 2 big fillets to a party this week and everyone thought it was the best they had ever had. Looks harder than it is--the cooler of beer will definitely help. Good luck with it!

BarbieQ

DrEgg,
Sorry--guess I don't quite have this link thing down yet.
http://www.3men.com/threemen1.htm
[ul][li]3 men fish smoking method[/ul]

DrEgg

BarbieQ,[p]Thanks for the link. I was planning to cure the salmon in sugar/salt mix, then smoke. Do you think brining is better? Or does it matter?[p]Thanks again.[p]DrEgg

BarbieQ

DrEgg,
I believe that both accomplish the same thing, though I have yet to try curing with the dry sugar/salt mix. I have read of others here who have done so with good results. For myself, I was concerned with getting the mixture to cure the fish evenly and so I used the brine method. I was trying to duplicate the awesome brown sugar smoked salmon I used to get in Algoma, Wisconsin and succeeded with this method. One day I'll probably try the dry method as well.

DrEgg

BarbieQ,[p]I'm now curing with brownsugar/salt/pepper mix. Will let you know how it turns out. Thanks again for the input.

Unknown

DrEgg,
Here is a Dry method that we used in a Southern Pride Competition, and was published in Sunset mag in July, and will be part of the BBQ America series with Ricke Brown this fall on PBS.[p]Cardogs’ Salmon[p]
3 lb. filet of salmon - boned (preferably Sockeye or King)[p]Dry rub:
1 C light brown or turbinado sugar
1 C non-iodized salt
3 T granulated garlic
3 T granulated onion
1 T dill weed
1 T summer savory
2 t tarragon[p]Finishing rub:
¼ C light brown or turbinado sugar
1 T granulated garlic
1 T granulated onion
1 t summer savory
1 t tarragon[p]Buy a fresh salmon filet, sockeye or king if available. Bone the filet using tweezers or needle nose pliers. Do not remove the skin. Place in a glass or stainless steel pan.[p]Mix all ingredients and pack on the flesh side of the filet. Let the filet rest for 2 hours in the refrigerator. Rinse the filet in cool clean water to remove the dry rub and pat dry. Allow to dry for about 30 minutes, until the flesh becomes tacky.
Heat a grill to medium to medium-high. Sprinkle finishing rub on the filet (twice what you would use as if you were heavy salt and peppering). Cook with the lid closed to 145 to 155*F measured in the center of the thickest part filet. [p]We recommend using a wood to produce smoke while cooking. On a charcoal grill, just sprinkle a few wood chips on the coals. On a gas grill, place wood chips in a pouch made of aluminum foil. Poke holes in the top of the pouch and place it on the hottest spot under the grill. Alder is our wood of choice, but fruitwoods are a wonderful substitute.
You can also cook at lower pit temps and get more smoke the filet.
Jim

BarbieQ

Jim Minion,
Thanks for posting this--I did see it in Sunset, and it's good to know it's a keeper! I'm going give it a try next time I do salmon, even though it's hard to imagine anything being better than my usual.[p]Regards,
Barb

Unknown

BarbieQ,
One of the nicer things about salmon is the fact it can be
handled in a variety ways.
Jim