Smoked Kokanee Salmon Fillets

[dubob]

Here's an item that I think I've finally gotten down right – smoking kokanee salmon fillets.  I've been playing with the brine recipe for about a year and I think it's good to go from here on out.  I like salmon to be on the sweet side when it comes to eating and that's why I've been playing with the brine solution.  Here is what I finally found works for me.

Soak in the following brine solution for at least 12 hours at refrigerator temperatures.  Use a stainless steel or wooden grate over the top of the meat to hold it completely under the brine.  Stir fish a few times during the brining process.

1 gallon cold water
10 oz Teriyaki sauce
5 oz orange juice
1/3 cup pickling salt
2 cups brown sugar
2 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp cayenne pepper (optional)

This batch was brined for about 26 hours.  Then they were ready for the glazing process.

Rinse in cold, fresh water and dry off with paper towels.  Place fish pieces in a single layer on racks and ensure the pieces do not touch each other.  Dry in a cool, shady place until a hard pellicle forms.  Fish will have a tough, shiny coat and will be slightly tacky to the touch.  A fan can help speed the drying process.  Don't let the fish spoil from warm temperatures.  Turn the fish over 2 - 3 times during the glazing process to ensure more complete glazing.  It is during the glazing process that you can sprinkle on certain spices such as brown sugar, pepper, and/or visual enhancers such as parsley.  I'm partial to brown sugar myself.

Smoke using the following Bradley guidelines:

100° - 120° for 1 – 2 hours (I went 2 with this batch)
140° for 2 – 4 hours (I went 3 with this batch)
175° for 1 – 2 hours (I went 2 with this batch)

I leave the SG on for the first 2 hours and I like alder for salmon.  I also rotated the racks every hour or so.  Use the longer times given for thicker/higher oil content fish.  As a general rule, the higher the temperature you use or the longer you hot smoke, the more the oil cooks out of the meat and the meat becomes dryer/tougher in the process.

Here are some pictures of the final product.  You can see some brown sugar residue along the edges on a couple of fillets where I sprinkled a little heavy.  You can also see where the chef had to taste the product to make sure it is ready to consume.  And trust me when I tell you – it's every bit as good tasting as it looks. :)