Help Please

[Fluff]

I have just purchased a smoke generator and fitted it to my own wooden box 5 feet upright x 2 feet x 2 feet. I am smoking 2 salmon fillets for the first time I need some urgent advice !!!

They have been smoking for 2 hours, there is plenty of smoke getting around them. I do not have any type of thermostat fitted as I thought cold smokers didn't need them. (When I open the door there is no heat at all just smoke)

I have checked the salmon twice and they just look the same as when I put them in. Does cold smoke cook them in any way or does it just cure them?

How would I hot smoke if I wanted to?

[whitetailfan]

Smoking will help to some extent, but you needed to brine the fish first to cure it.  Some use rock salt and spices, I personally use tenderquik on my cold smoked salmon.

If you have done nothing to prepare the salmon before you started smoking, it is my recommendation that you oven bake the fish after you are done and cook it.  Then spend some time reading the forum under the fish topic, there are some good recipes and tips there.

I answered the rest and some other questions you had on your thread in the smoke generator topic.


<font color="green">whitetailfan</font id="green">
"Nice Rack"
Lethbridge, AB

[JJC]

Welcome, Fluff!  WTF and others have already given you good advice.

Are you from Swansea MA or Swansea Wales?

John
Newton MA

[Fluff]

Thanks whitetailfan for the advice, I hadn't done anything in the brining dept. I will have to have another go but I think a whole(2 whole fillets) smoked salmon for christmas is a bit too optermistic.

And JJC I am from Swansea Wales

[whitetailfan]

I don't think so...
Kummok's hot smoke recipe calls for a 12 hour brine, so you could overnight that, get your pellicle next morning and smoke that day.  Weekend project.  See his recipe here&gt;&gt; Kummok Salmon

I do a cold smoke recipe that is very simple and my friends and family seem to love it (or at least they're good at lying[:I])  Check it out here&gt;&gt; Whitetailfan Simple Cold Smoked Salmon Another weekend project.  I cure overnight and then the freshening and pellicle takes the most time the next day.  The smoke is only 2 hrs.

Best of Luck


<font color="green">whitetailfan</font id="green">
"Nice Rack"
Lethbridge, AB