Bradley Smoked Wild Alaskan Salmon

Kummok · February 01, 2004, 02:07:10 AM

OK, some of you have been asking for this "recipe" and I promised to post it, so ENJOY!.....(Let me know your own results!)
RC

Excellent BRADLEY Smoked Alaskan Salmon
(A Spin-off from Bob Kitchen's Incredible Recipe)

Step 1: PREPARE FISH
Filet salmon. Leave skin on. REMOVE ALL BONES (Very important for excellence!)

Step 2: UNIFORM STRIPS
Cut meat into uniform strips, 3/8 to 1/2" wide and 3-6" long, OR as long as your smoker racks can handle......the key here is to get uniform thickness cuts for uniform brining and smoking. The length is important only as far as your own packaging preferences. The strips will have a tendency to fall or sag through the larger grid racks.........I've switched to a small grid (1/2") non-stick coated rack from WWW.ChezBubba.com and now have no problem with meat falling through

Step 3: BRINING
Soak in your own brine recipe for 12 hours at refrigerator temps (I use an Igloo type ice chest with about a gallon of ice thrown in). For more complete brining throughout, place a stainless steel or wooden grate over the top of the meat to hold it under the brine. Stir fish a few times during the brining process. The following brine recipe is included to get you started, but you are encouraged to experiment with your own salt/sugar, maple, honey, peppers, seasonings to develop your own. (My apologies to our metricated friends)
1 gallon cold water
1 quart teriyaki OR soy sauce
1 cup pickling salt
2 Lbs brown sugar
2 Tbsp garlic powder
3 Tbsp cayenne pepper
Step 4: GLAZING
Place fish in a single layer on drying racks and ensure that the pieces DON'T 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. (Winter time tip! Dry 12-36 hours in a cold place such as an unheated garage, but DON'T allow to freeze) In the summer temps, it can typically take 3-4 hours for the fish to "glaze". A fan can help speed the drying process. DON'T let the fish spoil from warm temps! 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 (e.g. cayenne pepper) and/or visual enhancers (e.g. parsley flakes).

Step 5: SMOKING
Smoke using the following Bradley Smoking guideline:
100°-120°F for 1-2 hours, then increase to
140° for 2-4 hours, then increase to
175° for 1-2 hours to finish

Use the longer times given for thicker/higher oil content fish. As a general rule, the higher temp you use or the longer you hot smoke, the more the meat cooks the oils out, HOWEVER, the meat becomes dryer/tougher in the process. I've "accidently" left meat (silver salmon) at the 140-150°F range for up to 8 hours and it still turned out great. I personally believe that you'd have to try REAL hard to make a batch of smoke salmon unpalatable by over smoking/cooking. If you get white "boogers" on the meat, you're cooking too high/too fast.

EAT & ENJOY!![:D]

Kummok @ Homer, AK USA

Chez Bubba · February 02, 2004, 02:46:55 AM

[crowd noise on]Clap, clap, clap, applause, hurrahs, major applause, standing ovation [crowd noise off]

If I could, I would sticky this to remain at the top of the fish forum page forever.

My wife & I love sushi and had grown resigned to the fact that salmon cooked in any way shape or form wasn't as good as raw. I've caught & smoked plenty of them in the past and have apparently been doing it wrong.

I've tasted Kummok's salmon and it is EXCELLENT! I'll admit to being a novice in the area, but I don't believe anyone can produce a superior recipe to what he has posted. Bring it on Emeril, BAM this!

http://www.chezbubba.com

Kummok · February 03, 2004, 04:50:48 AM

WHICH WOOD?WHICH WOOD?WHICH WOOD?WHICH WOOD?WHICH WOOD?WHICH WOOD?

I forgot to mention that I've only used alder, cherry, and apple pucks with this recipe so far............

[:I] Thanks for the applause, Kirk! (Wait until you try the King Salmon "bacon"!!.....A delicacy.....it's the fattest part of the salmon, the belly. It smokes for 24-36 hours....it's a developed taste, kinda like sushi)[:p]

Kummok @ Homer, AK USA

Chez Bubba · February 04, 2004, 02:33:47 AM

I hope this is a promise, not a statement of relativity![:D]

BTW, one more post & you gain a star.

http://www.chezbubba.com

Kummok · February 05, 2004, 04:00:58 AM

I'll either save some for you! BTW, I just noticed the new star....just call me Jr. ![:D]

Kummok @ Homer, AK USA

Cold Smoke · March 09, 2004, 04:43:44 PM

FANTASTIC!![:D]

I smoked a batch of salmon this weekend using Kummok's recipe and it turned out delicious! I had never smoked salmon before but I followed the recipe exactly (I used teriyaki)and it worked out great. I had a big filet of Atlantic salmon (skinless)and 8 alder bisquettes. I've added salmon as a regular item on my shopping list. Store bought- no choice in the matter.

If I were to make a large batch- would it be freezer friendly? Would it retain it's flavor and texture once thawed?

Give this one a try- you'll be a believer!

Cold Smoke

Kummok · March 21, 2004, 02:57:18 AM

Sorry for looooong delay CS....I've been away again and just got back to the forum.

To answer your Freezing? question......ABSOLUTELY!! Freeze it and it just gets better. I actually prefer the salmon AFTER it's been frozen several months than I do fresh out of the smoker....the smoke flavor just seems to permeate the meat along with the oils and make it more moist than when it's fresh outta the Bradley.

I vacumn seal it in the 'FoodSaver' brand sealer available from Costco, although due to volumesmoked, I'm considering seriously, a commercial size sealer this summer....I want new trolling reels though and the dang sealers run $2-3K, so they might have to wait another winter! [:D] Dang....answering you made me go dig out some smoked red salmon from the freezer....getting down to a few pounds left, but the Kings are coming back in force lately. Had a King Derby today and I hear that there were 250+ boats registered and at least 22 fish caught by mid morning......[:D]
RC

Kummok @ Homer, AK USA

Cold Smoke · March 23, 2004, 07:00:52 PM

Welcome back Kummok! You hadn't been around for a while and I was starting to think you were dragged into the drink by a monster halibut or something...

Your recipe is awesome! I'm glad to hear I can freeze it and still have the same great (or even better as you mentioned) taste! Not sure how it'll ever make it to the freezer before getting all mopped up. I recently picked up a piece of supposedly smoked salmon from a nearby fish market- EEEWWWWW!!!- I think they brined/dyed the stuff in iodine or tainted nuclear waste sludge or something- it kinda looked like smoked salmon but compared to the stuff I made- worlds apart. That will be the last time I BUY anything smoked. A moment of weakness- had a hankering for that great smoked salmon taste. Only homemade stuff from now on for me.

Is it real important to leave the skin on?- the Atlantic salmon I can get now is skinless (as well as boneless). Have you ever done pink salmon? That seems to be available a lot these days and cheaper $$ than the Atlantic variety.

Cold Smoke

Chez Bubba · March 24, 2004, 12:03:41 AM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Chez Bubba
 If I could, I would sticky this to remain at the top of the fish forum page forever.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Now I can![:D][:D][:D][8D]

http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?

Kummok · March 24, 2004, 06:35:18 AM

CS:
Really pleased to hear that your fish turned out the way you like it!

"To skin or not to skin?!?!" I honestly think that this is a matter of personal preference for most of the salmon. I find that it does seem to help hold the meat together when processing, especially when using the small uniform size strips I smoke, but I don't think it's REALLY necessary........EXCEPT with Kings!! In their case, I believe that the skin helps retain the oils that make the meat so moist and permeates the smoke flavor better when packaged.

When smoking large fillets, which I hardly ever do except for special gift packages, having the skin off makes for a better presentation and is easier to serve for guests to eat. I don't smoke whole fillets that often because it takes a special "small" size fish ("Jack salmon") and I don't catch those as often, (And if you believe THAT....!!) [;)][;)][:D]

Kummok @ Homer, AK USA

Curtis Jackson · April 01, 2004, 11:27:10 PM

Kummok, this looks great, and the way you cut the strips is exactly the way I've seen it done in the Pacific Northwest, and by a local guy in Half Moon Bay. He also smokes his own unagi -- anyone ever tried to do that? Anyway, a few quick questions, if you have a moment:

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Leave skin on.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Do you scale them? I am also going to FoodSaver mine, and I don't want random loose scales getting on the meat as the strips get vacuum-sucked.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">1 gallon cold water etc.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I can figure this out, but just to give me a head start, about how many pounds of filet will this marinate?

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Smoke using the following Bradley Smoking guideline:
100°-120°F for 1-2 hours
140° for 2-4 hours
175° for 1-2 hours<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I was never clear on this, either. In one place the Bradley folks say that salmon can be smoked in 2 hours. Then they give as their recipe something that takes 4-8 hours. Do you smoke at the above temps/times sequentially in that order, or are those 3 choices for different outcomes?

Thank you for any help/advice. Now if only the salmon season would start here. I need fresh wild salmon, not that farmed raised-in-warm-water Atlantic stuff from CostCo with no omega-3s in it.

Curtis Jackson
[email protected]

Kummok · April 02, 2004, 05:10:39 AM

Glad to help CJ! To answer you questions.....

[?] "Do you scale them?"
[:0] ABSOLUTELY YES!! They get scaled when I first clean and fillet the fish. I HATE scales in the meat as much as I hate bones in it! [xx(]

[?] (Re: 1 Gallon of cold water) "I can figure this out, but just to give me a head start, about how many pounds of filet will this marinate?"
[:I] I still don't use scales to weigh anything so my best guess is about 8-10 Bradley racks of strips per gallon. It's easy and quick to mix up so I put the fish strips in the Igloo first, then mix brine until it's all covered. Then I put a weighted grid on top of the meat to keep it all under the brine, mixing it up every so often.

[?] (Re: Bradley's temp/times) "I was never clear on this, either. In one place the Bradley folks say that salmon can be smoked in 2 hours. Then they give as their recipe something that takes 4-8 hours. Do you smoke at the above temps/times sequentially in that order, or are those 3 choices for different outcomes?"

[:o)] Yes, they are meant to be used sequentially in the order printed. I use a version of these temp/times, adjusting each as I remember to check the guage/clock [:0] E.G., if I see the temp is rising slower than I want, I go longer, if rising too fast - less time. I also vary these temp/times according to the fish.....e.g. silvers are shorter cause they tend to be less oily, where kings [:p] , (my personal favorite), go longer and slightly hotter. I don't think I've EVER hit each and every temp time EXACTLY as Bradley gives, but I aim for them with each batch....they're a good guideline. If you tend to be OCD about smoking, they are a pretty reliable objective to use until you get your own rythym....[;)]

Hope this helps! [:D][8D]

Kummok @ Homer, AK USA

Curtis Jackson · April 07, 2004, 06:17:15 AM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Kummok
 Glad to help CJ! To answer you questions.....<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Thank you, Kummok. Very helpful.

And smoking is one thing that I'm definitely not OCD about, and I tend to do the same things you do (i.e., if it is heating up too slowly, smoke it longer, etc.).

I can't *wait* to get my hands on some good fresh wild salmon now. Thanks again! I'll let you all know how it turns out.

Curtis Jackson
[email protected]

Angelo · May 16, 2004, 04:39:45 AM

Hi my name is Angelo, and im a greenhorn to the art of smoking. I just finished my first batch in my new Bradley smoker. It turned out ok but its not what I was aiming for. I hope someone will answer my question. The recepe calls for 4 to 6 hrs of smoking time? it should say 4 to 6 hrs at a tempature, and x amount of minutes of smoke. how many briqutes do some of you use in a typical salmon recepe?

Thankyou for any information
Angelo

Fuzzybear · May 16, 2004, 03:44:38 PM

Angelo, first, welcome aboard!

Next: Amount of smoke is a huge variable - some like a lot and other's don't so that's a preference thing and you'll have to decide how much smoke flavor you like.

I typically will smoke salmon between 170 and 180 degrees, maybe lower with smoke the entire time...(1 1/2 to 2 hours)

Note that if you get that white milky stuff on your fish, you are cooking to fast at to high a temp...just a note....

"A mans got to know his limitations"
Glendora, CA - USA!