Lox?

Unknown · December 2004

I would like to smoke a salmon and am looking for good recipes.[p]thanks

djm5x9 · December 2004

Gugshie:[p]Below is a site that explains how to make lox.[p]If you want to smoke some salmon and do not want to go through all the trouble required for lox, a simple brine of salt and brown sugar and a low smoke works for me. I smoke it at 150º in a preheated smoker for several hours till done. The time required depends on the thickness of the filets.[p]If you make lox or simply smoke filets as described above in a ceramic cooker, you have to use a very small fire and occasionally feed it a piece of lump or two along with your chips or small chunks of smoking wood. Having the fish on an elevated grid with a pan of ice below will help you maintain the desired dome temperature. You will have to use something like a polder for monitoring the required lower dome temperatures.[p]I think the best method for smoking with ceramic cookers is to use a tandem method where the dome of a fire cooker feeds the cooking cooker via some flexible duct. This set up allows for greater smoke and temperature control. Maybe others will post pictures of this set up.
[ul][li]Lox . . .[/ul]

Unknown · December 2004

djm5x9,
Thanks

Unknown · December 2004

djm5x9, you seem to be extra knowledgeable about salmon, what other ways have you cooked it on the ceramic? and what about that stuff that's vac sealed in thicker pieces that says it's "smoked salmon" if you tried to duplicate that would you need to do as you mentioned above and keep the temp at 150? I know that at one time I was all set to rig up my large and small like you refered to , but the about that time some post showed up that said it didn't work too good...I dunno, just know I like Lox and Smoked Salmon.

Chef Arnoldi · December 2004

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<p />Gugshie, i used the method shown by Djm5x9.
For smoking i utilzed my mini BGE as shown - aluminum dryer hose secured with foil to the top, aking a low fire to make smoke with soaked applewood chips. The salmon was layed on a cooling rack on top of an oven tray that has been wrapped loosely around it, and allowing the vent hose to come in at one end and a hole 3" approx on the opposite end for venting.

djm5x9 · December 2004

Chet:[p]I think the tandem method will work better on mild days so the second cooker does not have to overcome colder temperatures. Making a smoke box like Chef Arnoldi did might be an easier way to control the temperature, plus, you could always add a control vent in the flex duct.[p]If you really want to smoke fish, you may want to look at Luhr Jensen's Big Chief smokers.

thirdeye · December 2004

<p />Gugshie, This is not cold smoked like lox, but it is easy. Thanks djm5x9 for the tip about using iced water in the drip pan! I'm giving that a try. Here is my dry cure recipe:[p]1 cup kosher salt, 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped, 2 cups firmly packed brown sugar,
1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon ground white pepper, ½ teaspoon pulverized bay leaf[p]On a cutting board, sprinkle a little of the salt onto the chopped garlic, and mash to a paste with the point of a knife. In a small bowl, combine the garlic mixture with the remaining salt, the sugar, ginger, pepper and bay leaf. Mix this very well. Sprinkle about 1/4” or more of dry cure into the bottom of a glass baking dish (don’t use metal). Place the fillets, skin side up, on top of the dry cure. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate about 8 hours. The moisture and oils in the fish will liquefy the dry cure and make a syrup which will cure the fish. After curing, rinse the fish very well under cold running water, rubbing gently to remove the syrup. Blot dry with paper towels and put on racks to air dry until tacky, at least 2 or 3 hours. (Salmon can be seasoned with rub, crushed black pepper or whole green and red peppercorns if you like) Brush or spray a light coat of olive oil or Pam on the skin side of the fish and on your rack. Build a small fire and use a water pan below the fish. Place fish in smoker with the skin side on the rack and smoke at 160 –200 degrees for 2 to 3 hours, using equal parts of alder wood and apple wood chips. Check once or so to make sure the skin is not sticking to the rack. (spray skin side with oil if it starts to stick) Switch to cherry wood and maple wood for 1 or 2 hours. This will give the salmon a nice red color. Smoke until fish flakes easily (about 150° internal). Serve hot or chilled. This will keep in the fridge for 4 or 5 days, but it very seldom lasts that long.
[p][p][p]

djm5x9 · December 2004

thirdeye:[p]You are most welcome. To expand on the pan of ice, I freeze blocks ice in plastic containers ahead of time for this purpose. I place them in a glass pan sized to protect the fish (or cheese when I smoke cheese) and infill any voids with standard icemaker cubes. Careful, you do not want the melted volume to over flow the pan. Also, depending on the outside temperature, length of cook, and your fire control skills you may have to refresh the ice one or more times.[p]By the way, that is a picture perfect filet of salmon!

thirdeye · December 2004

djm5x9,
AHHH...like a little ice skating rink, brilliant. One of the things I appreciate about this board are the helpful and knowledgeable folks who offer their ideas and advice, simple or complex, without passing judgment. And those pictures.....it's like reading a cookbook. Happy new year to all!

Lox?

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