Bradley Smoked Wild Alaskan Salmon

[tsquared]

Johnk5555--Don't apply smoke the whole time--it will be too smokey. I usually do 2 to 2 1/2 hours of smoke--the rest is just cooking/drying.
I'm putting in 8 racks of strips this AM.
T2

[Kummok]

I only smoke for 3.5 hours, (because of the size of meat I make),  and I apply smoke the entire time...but that's just me...Like T2, most salmon smokers I know don't smoke for the last hour.

[KudaMuda]

N00b here.  I gave a rather nice fillet to a friend of mine earlier in the week to smoke.  He followed your recipe Kummok.  It hasn't rested much yet but I cracked into a pack for my office and just had my first taste.  After a few bites I went online and bought a Bradley.  Fantastic recipe.  Thank you for posting.

[Kummok]

Wow...ThanX!...great compliment to the recipe, Bradley, AND your friend! Welcome to the wonderful world of Bradley smokers!!

[drewsky]

Should I be SMOKING constantly, or smoke for half of the cooking time? (how many bisquettes??)
Thanx - Drewsky(rookie)

[Kummok]

See posts above....if you're smoking my way, (all smoke ~ all the time), it's 10 pucks for the 3.5 hours....again, it depends upon the size of the meat you're smoking; whole fillets will take a bit longer. If you're smoking just the first couple hours, 6-7 pucks (@ 20 min/puck). The great thing about salmon is that even your first attempt will be delicious, then you modify to your own tastes from there! Smoke on!!

[Carter]

Hey Drewsky,

You should be smoking constantly.

Oh, you mean the salmon. ;D

I smoke using Kummok's method, but shorten the smoke time to 1 hour and 20 minutes (4 pucks).

Good luck and enjoy.

Carter

[Patsplace]

Do you use the recipe exactly? Including the Garlic? I like Garlic in salads but wonder whether it dominates when used for salmon smoking?

I've got a few Sockeye and quite a bit of Spring Salmon (Canadian for King Salmon) that I'm going to be smoking but as I've never done my own, I'm just checking on the recipe.

Smoked some Bear sausage and a Bear ham today and it turned out great!!

Thanks,
Pat

[time2smoke]

First Time smoking in my DBS, so I got some salmon from a friend. Used Kummok recipe. I think I did a couple things wrong
                                   1. I let the fish stay in the brine for 14 hours, but I think I rushed the pellicle process, it was out in the garage with a                   fan blowing on it for about 3 hours.
                                   2. I think that the meat was really thick, a lot thicker than what I have seen stores sell. I followed the steps for smoking, 120F, 140F, 175F, and used the longer time in each step, total time 8 hours. I checked the fish after 8 hours and it was still a little raw. So I let it cook for another 4 hours at 180f.

So At 0023 I pulled the fish out, took a sample, and to my delight it was great. Gave some to my neighbor to get feed back, he liked it. I wonder how much better this would have tasted if I did it right. It's still good  :D
   

[Habanero Smoker]

Hi time2smoke;

Welcome to the forum.

The length of cooking time depends on many factors that are related to those that slow the smoker's recovery time. The sooner the cabinet comes up to the ideal cooking time the less time it will take to fully cook the salmon to the texture you like. On the other hand if you have a large load, or wrong vent setting or if it is windy, or if you open the door too frequently, and any combination that will add additional time to your smoke/cook.

The most important factor is the finished product.  :)

[Smokeville]

Hello all;

Regarding the smoke time, I usually let it roll the entire time the fish are in the smoker since my cuts are fairly large. The type of wood will also make a difference. I've mostly used Alder, but I think Maple is even better. With the last two batches I've used Oak -- which I'm told is common for fish in Europe -- and the results are wonderful. It has a more distinctively smoke taste than Alder, but certainly not overpowering.

One thing I have experimented with lately is cutting the entire belly off the full fillet. The fat content must be 25% higher than the rest of the fish, and it's a real delight.

Rich

[Kummok]

...One thing I have experimented with lately is cutting the entire belly off the full fillet. The fat content must be 25% higher than the rest of the fish, and it's a real delight.
Rich

CAUTION, Rich...you are now approaching Nirvana!!  The fat belly is the best part of the best food in the world....brine a little longer, pellicle a little longer, smoke a bit longer...we call it 'salmon bacon'!

Note to TimeToSmoke:
You've just experienced the two best rules of salmon smoking; #1. No matter how much you THINK you did wrong, it will still taste GREAT!, so #2. Just go ahead and smoke it!  ;)

[Smokeville]

Hi Kummok;

I just started a thread on Belly.... Next time I will try what you suggest. The belly seems to be a lot like Sablefish in the way it should be prepped and smoked.

It truly is wonderful. I've also been putting lemon/pepper spice on as it forms the pellicle....

Rich

[banff_springs]

I made this yesterday and was VERY IMPRESSED with the results.  Many people have compared it to candied salmon.  Only few differences I made was, it soaked in the brine (made exactly as per instructions) for 36-hrs (by accident) and I used Maple chips using the cooking method stated.  WOW...have we ever got a winner here.  Wife has now given me permission to spend her entire paycheque to go purchase more salmon and do the same..:D.  Wish I had access to fresh (not farmed) salmon but, considering I am land-locked,..I'll take what I can get....I have a feeling peeps are going to start pounding down my door.....pic's of finished product to follow.



A HUGE Thanks to everyone in this forum that was a silent "partner" in helping me do my first batch of salmon successfully. 

See you on the flip-side..

[smokinvalley]

I want to do your recipe to the tee but my salmon doesn't have the skin on it. I bought two slabs of Salmon that are Atlantic farm raised they are each 1.5 lbs and without skin. Should i leave the slabs intact or can I cut them into 2" pieces like you do? Will they be OK right on the SS Rack that came with the smoker or should I lay them on Cedar Planks and smoke them on that?
         I also have 1 10lb picnic pork roast and one baby back that I plan to smoke at the same time to utilize the open space in the smoker. I'm planning on keeping the Salmon on the top so nothing from the pork drips on the salmon. I also know that the 3.5 hours required for the Salmon won't be nearly enough time for the roast. so once the Salmon is done I can up the temperature and finish the roast.

Thanks
Clare