new to smoking

[Doghouse]

  Hello All, Just have a question on weather you need to remove the scales from Salmon prior to smoking??? Also can you smoke steaks instead of fillets??? I just smoked a Salmon and it turned out OK but somebody told me you should never leave the scales on??? It did not seem to create an issue that I am aware of? If you do remove the scales what is the best method??

[Habanero Smoker]

If I am smoking salmon, and the fish still has scales I leave them on. For smoked salmon I discard the skin anyway. If I am baking or pan frying I will them remove the scales.

[Doghouse]

   Thankyou for replying!!!  I smoked the Salmon with the skin on along with the scales.. When you say you remove the skin,  Is that before or after the salmon has been smoked???

[iceman]

   Thankyou for replying!!!  I smoked the Salmon with the skin on along with the scales.. When you say you remove the skin,  Is that before or after the salmon has been smoked???

Comes off after the smoke real easy Doghouse.

[Habanero Smoker]

Like Iceman says, it comes off after it has been smoked, and generally just before I get ready to serve it.

[tsquared]

Only time I take the scales off is when I am doing a dry salt/sugar cure for a cold smoked spring salmon. The fillets are so thick you have to scale the fish and then make diagonal slits in the skin to enable the salt and sugar to penetrate the thickest parts of the fillet. That way you get the firmness I like for my cold smoked salmon.
T2