More cold smoked salmon.

[manxman]

There are several good recipes for cold smoked salmon on the forum and recipe site. Here is another recipe that works very well for me.

It is based on a recipe by Mark Hix on the Bradley Smoker UK site, he uses his BS to produce smoked salmon commercially for sale in Selfridge's and other outlets.

Ingredients:

Salmon:  buy the best you can afford / get your hands on. However I have just made a batch using Tesco half price Easter Special farmed whole salmon which turned out great. Curing times are for whole sides off fish in the 7 - 8 lb size range.

Salt:  this recipe uses food grade rock salt.

http://www.goodnessdirect.co.uk/cgi-local/frameset/detail/650247_The_Salt_Seller_Fine_Pink_Himalayan_Salt_in_a_Bag_1kg.html

Sugar:  unrefined dark brown molasses sugar.

http://www.goodnessdirect.co.uk/cgi-local/frameset/detail/320294_Billington_s_Unrefined_Molasses_Cane_Sugar__500g.html

Method:

1.  In a non metallic container mix salt and sugar together in the ratio 80:20, this is best done by hand to break up the lumps in the sugar. Amount depends on how many side you are curing, I used approx 6lbs salt to 1.5lbs sugar for 4 salmon sides.
2.  To cure the fillets choose a non metallic container that is slightly bigger than the sides to be cured, they can be stacked on top of one another.
3.  Sprinkle a thin layer of the salt / sugar mix into the container and lay the salmon sides in skin side down.
4.  Rub cure thoroughly into the salmon and pack them in the mix, further sides can be added on top placing them skin side up then skin side down alternately on top of the initial layer. I stacked mine 2+2.
5.  Once the fish is thoroughly coated and packed in the cure cover the top of the cure with plastic wrap / cling film.
6.  Put a moderately heavy weight on top of the cure / fish, use something heavy enough to give firm downward pressure but not heavy enough to crush the salmon!  ::)
7.  Cure for 12 hours, keeping in a cool dry area.

Cure mix post 12 hours cure with cling film and weights removed:



8.  Thoroughly rinse salmon sides in running cold water to remove the cure.... do not soak them in water.
9.  Pat dry with kitchen roll and leave to dry for a minimum of a couple of hours in a cool dry area, preferable with some air flow.
10. Place fillets in Bradley Smoker, cold smoke at less than 80F for approximately 5 -  6 hours depending on personal choice. On this occasion I used half oak half apple pucks.

BS ready to go, sides have been cut in half to fit in racks:



Cold smoke set-up:



11. Remove salmon from BS and place in fridge for around 24 hours to settle.
12. Slice and vacuum seal.

The final product:



Favourite way to eat at the moment is either with scrambled eggs, mixed with cream cheese or as is. I am not a fan of adding lemon juice but that's just me!  ::)

[Habanero Smoker]

Looks good. I may give this a try. It quicker then Spyguy's method and it will be interesting to compare the two.

[RAF128]

That looks really good.   I want to try it but first I'll have to head to the bank and take out a morgage  ???so I can pay the prices they want for Salmon around here  :o

[manxman]

It quicker then Spyguy's method and it will be interesting to compare the two.

Must admit I have never tried Spyguy's method but it would be interesting if someone did compare the two. I have given a few packs out to family and friends to try and initial feedback has been favourable.  ;)

pay the prices they want for Salmon around here

I normally wait until someone has salmon on special offer, prices are just silly even for farmed salmon at the moment. The ones I picked up were around £10 / $15 for a whole 7 - 8 lb fish which was half normal price.  :)

[RAF128]

I normally wait until someone has salmon on special offer, prices are just silly even for farmed salmon at the moment. The ones I picked up were around £10 / $15 for a whole 7 - 8 lb fish which was half normal price.  :)

I have to admit that I haven't looked lately but when I have looked, that 7 - 8 lb fish was close to $ 50.    Keep in mind we're at least 1000 miles from an ocean.

[Habanero Smoker]

I forgot to mentions that I like your setup. When I get around to building mine, it will be very similar.

[manxman]

I forgot to mentions that I like your setup. When I get around to building mine, it will be very similar.

Thanks Habs, it has withstood the winter gales which was the main thing!!  ;) :D

[alanwyatt]

Hi.  I too have used Mark Hix recipe and really like it.  I have only had my BS for a few weeks so am very much a novice.  I'd like to ask couple of questions please if you don't mind.  I too used Tesco's Easter Special salmon.  Do you freeze it after smoking and packing?  Also, you seem to have a neat vac-packing system.  Can you recommend a supplier of suitable equipment please?
Regards

Alan

[manxman]

Hi Alan

Do you freeze it after smoking and packing

I have never tried freezing it as it is normally eaten within a week of packing but it should freeze OK.

Also, you seem to have a neat vac-packing system.

I originally used a Foodsaver which was OK but when that packed up I went for a vacuum sealer that doubled sealed made by an Italian company called Trespade. The model I have (Venus) has been upgraded but the supplier sell a couple of different models.

I would recommend:

http://www.weschenfelder.co.uk/

They also supply the vacuum bags but the gold card inserts I use were bought from another catering company, can't remember the name offhand but if you are interested I can probably find it?  ;)

Hope this helps.

[alanwyatt]

Thanks for that.  I'll try the link and see how I get on.
Alan

[iceman]

Great looking fish Manx! I have frozen cold smoked salmon and it turns out just fine. Thaw it in the refer still vacum sealed and it thaws out just like it was never frozen. DO NOT refreeze once it is thawed though. It ruins the fish.  ;)

[manxman]

Bump ............. for anyone interested here in the UK, Tesco have whole salmon on half price offer at the moment.

They also have the Billingtons unrefined molasses sugar and Tidmans rock salt in stock. I bought two whole salmon today and they have just started their 12 hour cure.  :)

[webbo]

I hate to tell you all this, but, I live near the Fraser River in British Columbia.  The Department of Fisheries estimates that 34 million sockeye salmon will return to the river system this year to spawn.  I can currently buy whole not cleaned sockeye for $2.50 lb. (Cleaned $3.00 lb.) from fishermen 3 blocks from my house.  A neighbour caught his limit (2 a day)from a boat in two hours!

[tsquared]

Beautiful setup Manx!! That puts my rickety old Little Chief smoker box that I use for my cold smoke chamber to shame! It has been getting a work out this summer, though. As Webbo says, it has been a fishing season of plenty this year. A local farmer that I buy a side of pork from phoned me the other day to tell me that I could expect 90 lbs of pork in a week or so. I went down and opened up the freezer and kind of scratched my head about where I was going to find the room--too many sockeye!
T2

[manxman]

I can currently buy whole not cleaned sockeye for $2.50 lb. (Cleaned $3.00 lb.) from fishermen 3 blocks from my house.  A neighbour caught his limit (2 a day)from a boat in two hours!

I went down and opened up the freezer and kind of scratched my head about where I was going to find the room--too many sockeye!

:'( :'( :'(  didn't know whether to laugh or cry when I read this!!

Happy for you guys but I was still paying £5 per kg (approx 3.5 USD per lb) for whole cleaned farmed salmon in the 8lb region but beggars can't be choosers and it is the only salmon I have access too ....... most wild salmon have been fished out around these parts hence the  :'( 

Still, I don't know any better and the farmed stuff turns out nice enough although the flesh is rather "mushy" to start with....... can only dream and listen to the people here on the forum who have access to the wild stuff!!  ;) :)

Beautiful setup Manx!!

Thanks T2, it does allow me to smoke whatever the weather although since that pic was taken I have replaced all the shed fittings with stainless steel as I only live 200 yds from the sea and anything else corrodes in the salt air!