Quick Cooking Salmon

[surfer69]

Just picked up a cheap fresh 2kg whole salmon.
I don't particularly want to freeze it and I haven't got any of the fixings for brining it. I'm still very new to all this and I've only smoked meat so far.
I'd love to cook and eat it today. Has anyone any tips for Hot smoking without brining, or is this possible at all ?

Thanks in advance !!!

[Quarlow]

Well surfer you can smoke your fish and then cook it on the BBQ or in the oven. It won't really be like smoked salmon, more like BBQ salmon with a nice smokey flavour. The thing with the brine is it draws the moisture out of the fish to allow it to be dried for preserving. At this point you could not brine it enough to do smoked salmon for today. It takes 18 to 24 hours to properly brine it. If you look up "kummok's" smoked salmon recipe at this link
http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?t=105
he brines his way in 12 hrs. My way of brining takes longer but I do whole slab and start with a dry brine which becomes liquid as the moisture comes out. All you really need to brine is some brown sugar and course salt. You can add spices and flavourings to it but a simple brine to start might be best then you can adjust to what might suite your tastes. I would suggest just for this time to filet the salmon, give it a little rub with some oil and smoke it for say 2 hrs and then let it cook till done. I have never done this but it maybe even cooked in that amount of time. I do alot of smoked salmon but it is always brined. You may get someone answering you with better help that might have cooked a fish in their bradley. Oh yeah and welcome to the forum. If you have any other questions just ask someone will be along shortly to answer them. And remember to keep that vent open 1/2 to 3/4 open and wide open for poultry.

[squirtthecat]

I haven't tried it either, but I recall someone (KyNola, perhaps??)  saying to oil it, sprinkle on some rub, and put it in the Bradley at 220* for an hour of heat/smoke..

[surfer69]

Yeah !! next time I'll be more prepared !! I've been salivating at kummok's rec all morning.

I'm gonna rub it and give it a little smoke and cook until it's done or maybe finish it of on the BBQ, and see what happens !!
Will report back and let u guys know!!

Thanks

Surfer

[KyNola]

Surfer,
STC has it right.  Put some oil and your favorite rub on it and into the smoker at 220-250.  Apply an hour or so of smoke.  I have gone longer with the smoke.  You can finish in the Bradley or swap to your house oven or grill.  Most likely you will see the fat begin to gather on the top of the salmon but you can wipe it right off.

Enjoy!

KyNola

[Quarlow]

You will enjoy the salmon this way to, of course I love salmon and could eat it 5 times a week. Hear is some pics of my last salmon smoke and I am getting ready to do another 30 lbs.


If you are interested in how I do mine I would be glad to explain it.

[surfer69]

After all the advice, I decided against it. It was dark,late and very cold. sucuumbed to the hob inside !!!
I've gone down the brining route with the rest of the fish and I'm waiting for some replies on wether I can freeze the brined fish before smoking. I over estimated the amount of time I'll have tomorrow night. I probably should have waited.

I'd be interested in your recipies, as I obviously have less time than I actually think I have.

People think I'm mad here in the UK, smoking & BBQing in the dead of winter.....
Maybe they have a point !!

[Quarlow]

No your alright even tough you have an adiction. I have been out in the snow somking and BBQ'ing. My eas indian neighbours all use to look look at me like I was crazy too but then they were having a block party and as all my neighbours are EI's I waltzed right out there with a BBQed salmon and some smoked salmon and they all were reluctant to try it. So I found the nastiest spiciest thing they had and dove right in(I payed for that for 2 days) but then I guess they figured if I could try theirs they would try mine. Well that salmon didn't last to long and I had to thaw more smoked salmon out. Now they think I am a guru of the BBQ world(albiet a crazy one) and even one of the younger guys has bought a BBQ too. As far as brining, freezing and then smoking, I don't think I would do that. I would just freeze it and when you are ready to smoke it thaw it out. We actually don't like to use fresh for the smoker, we always freeze it first then thaw it to smoke.

[Quarlow]

I have posted my dry brine method if you are interested.http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=13281.0