Smoked Wasabi Teriyaki Salmon

[Neocrunch]

3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon Tender Quick
.5 teaspoon wasabi powder
.5 teaspoon ginger powder

Packed it on, put it in a ziplock and let it sit in the fridge for 4 hours.  After washing off the brine I put it in another ziplock back with 3/4 cup of teriyaki sauce and another .5 teaspoon of wasabi powder.  Put it back in the fridge for 2 hours.  Then I took it out and put it straight on a rack to dry for an hour.  Once the outside had a nice tacky glaze I put it in the smoker.
2 hours of alder smoke at 120
2 hours at 145
30 minutes at 175 + 30 minutes with alder at 175 (I just reached in and slid that second-to-last puck onto the burner)

This was the first time I've smoked salmon.  Wow.  Just WOW.  The outside was tasty and pleasantly tough.  The inside melted in my mouth like butta.  I could taste the wasabi but it wasn't spicy at all; it just had that distinct wasabi taste.  I'll add a lot more next time as well as some more ginger.  I'll also add some fresh-squeezed orange juice to the teriyaki next time... or squeeze some over the salmon halfway through the smoke.  Regardless, this was a winner.  My wife even did a little dance on her way back to the kitchen to get seconds.  We're looking forward to having salmon salad sandwiches for lunch tomorrow.
http://youtu.be/X2BI5luUROs
  ;D

(The smoked shrimp in the background didn't turn out so well...  Too chewy)

[Keymaster]

That looks like a match made in heaven, Nice work !

[Silvergrizz]

Very intriguing, that's on my bucket list of things to try now.


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[Habanero Smoker]

It looks like an interesting recipe, but I don't understand why you used 1 teaspoon of Tender Quick. You could have left it out. That small amount is not going to add protection either, flavor or color.

[KyNola]

It looks like an interesting recipe, but I don't understand why you used 1 teaspoon of Tender Quick. You could have left it out. That small amount is not going to add protection either, flavor or color.

I thought the same thing Habs.  The MTQ added nothing and didn't really serve a purpose.

[Neocrunch]

It looks like an interesting recipe, but I don't understand why you used 1 teaspoon of Tender Quick. You could have left it out. That small amount is not going to add protection either, flavor or color.

Um... Because I don't know what I'm doing, that's why!  Seriously though, how much should I have added?  Or should I have added any? 

Edit:  Nevermind.  I found this thread and it answered my question: http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=30485.0

I should have looked at it BEFORE making my salmon.  Oh well, it tasted great and we lived to tell about it.  I'll do it right next time.

[Habanero Smoker]

The thread that you have a link to doesn't answer your question.

You don't need TQ or nitrites, unless you are looking to add color and/or flavor. If you use a dry brine TQ is used at a rate of 1 tablespoon per pound. I don't know how much fish you were curing but when you mix a teaspoon of TQ with 4 tablespoons of sugar, even if you measured right, most of the TQ may not come in contact with the meat.

By the way you smoked/cooked; probably the salt in the teriyaki sauce may be enough; depending on the brand. Generally when someone dry brines fish, they often use a 50/50 mixture of salt and sugar; sometimes more sugar then salt. It is best to read a few recipes, to see how others brine their fish.