Cold Smoked Salmon Session

[manxman]

I'm envious tsquared, as Hunky and Manx will probably agree, salmon is still quite expensive on this side of the pond (wild variety),

Yes, I definately agree and the last time I did get hold of some wild Alaskan salmon on special at the local supermarket it tasted like it had been fixed in formalin.. YUK!  I bet even the cats in Alaska had rejected it which is why it was sent across the pond for suckers like me to buy!!   ;) :-[

Bet you guys keep the good stuff yourselves, I know I would.  ;) ;) :D :D

[DocZ]

Hi Hunkydory, I'm also a newbie to the BDS and this forum. I still have to figure out the pic loading thing.
Ditto's on the beautiful product! Are the recipe details on this forum? For example, how much time smoking at what temp and what is the total time in the box? is there any time spent tempering the product? Thanks for any links and/or feedback. <`))>><

[Hunkydory]

Hi DocZ,

Welcome to the BS and the forum, they are a great bunch.  I am a complete learner, I got my BS for Christmas last year from my wife (she didn't know about it  ;D) My recipe comes from a very simple UK book called "Preserved"....but it seems to work.

This evening I have been enjoying what the US contingent seem to call "adult beverages", so it's best if I post the recipe tomorrow....but if you are are sober, or close to it, may I suggest making an 80% brine - 500 g salt (I use sea salt), 100 g sugar (not a dark one, white or as near as possible), 2.5 litres of water, cook it up until dissolved (if you are lucky, I always have some stuff left in the bottom), and then let it cool in the fridge.....oh, you may be from the US in which case my g's and litres may mean nearly nothing.......but I hope not.

Recipe tomoorow

Hunky

[tsquared]

Manx--I don't mind smoking my neighbor's fish but I also have a freezer full of my own. Love to be on the water catching salmon and crab. I do realize how lucky we are to be able to do that. Smoking salmon is what first brought me to purchase a bradley and then to this site. The folks here are the ones that convinced me there is a world of smoking beyond fish!  :P
T2

[Toker]

Hi there i have a question about cold smoking salmon pls, my mother came yesterday and she gave me about 6 pounds of it and it was frozen, my question after cold smoking it and brinened of course can i refreeze it or not? thx.

[West Coast Kansan]

I have refrozen without problems for years.  I will usually freese it at least until it is hard and then vac pack.  The prefreeze will keep it from being squished by the vac packer.  I dont know how long it keeps in zip locks...

[Toker]

thx i forgot to say it but i wanted to do axactly the way you said. But before freezing it should i waite a couple a days to make sure that the smoke penetrated inside the fish or not? usually do it for meat.

[iceman]

thx i forgot to say it but i wanted to do axactly the way you said. But before freezing it should i waite a couple a days to make sure that the smoke penetrated inside the fish or not? usually do it for meat.

Fish usually takes the smoke in very fast. I let mine cool down then into the fridge overnight covered then vac pak it the next morning.
A light freeze before sealing like WCK says works great. With zip locks you get ice crystals on the fish to easily so I shy away from freezing fish in them. It seems I get nicks in the bag that lets air in forming the ice crystals and it will ruin the fish if you don't catch it soon enough.

[EnglishGuy]

Hey Hunkydory, love the photo of the OBS under the umbrellas. It looks SOOOO much like my setup sometimes. A few old fishing umbrellas are always on hand when I'm smoking.  ;D

[Curious Aardvark]

Hi all - I'm new to this particular forum. But certainly not new to cold smoking salmon.

I'm curious as to why you used a brine instead of a dry cure ?
Also why the emphasis on white sugar ? I always use muscavado as the flavour really adds something to the fish.
My dry cure mix is simply 3:1:1 sea salt:brown sugar:dry dill tips.

cover the salmon with the cure, leave in the fridge overnight. Pour off the liquid in the morning, pat dry with kitchen roll and leave the salmon in the fridge for a few hours to dry.
Smoke with a the cardboard cold box (the colder the bradley the better) for about 4 hours.
It's just so much better than anything you can buy it shouldn't be legal.

I didn't have my vac packer when I did the last four sides of salmon - so I wrap them in clingfilm and freeze them. works really well.

I have never found the type of bisquette to make the slightest difference in flavour or taste.
I think I'm using apple at the moment. But honestly it doesn't seem to matter.

My next experiment is hot smoking with the bradley. Had it about 18 months now and never used it hot.
I had to replace the starter button with a proper switch (just out of warranty wouldn't you believe) but other than that (handy having a mate who's an industrial electrician) I'm really happy with it.

Here's a tip for using your smoked salmon. cut it into cubes about 1 inch square, marinade in a little balsamic vinegar and honey (equal amounts - you just need enough to coat the cubes) for a couple of hours. Thread 3-4 bits on individual bamboo skewers and bbq for minute or so a side on a hot bbq (yeah yeah for you americans I mean grill, for the rest of the world I mean bbq - happy lol)

As only someone who smokes whole sides of salmon can generally make theses your friends will be amazed. And they are just superb.
Guarenteed to get people talking about your bbqs. :-)

[Habanero Smoker]

Hi Aardvark;

Welcome to the forum.

You may enjoy some of these salmon recipes that are posted on  the recipe site; you can find those same recipes on this forum also if you use the search feature.

Salmon Recipes

[Gizmo]

Welcome Curious Aardvark,
Just to make sure I understand correctly on the dry dill tips, is that just dry dill weed as we would call it in the states?