Apple Vodka Salmon

[Habanero Smoker]

I don't have a love for salmon, but seeing so many suggestions on this board on how to prepare and smoke salmon, I thought I would give it a try. The following is my version of Sugar-and-Spice Brined Salmon that is in S&S. I should warn you that for some reason the salmon stuck to the racks, and I used the jerky racks and sprayed them with Pam. Fortunately, I smoked salmon with the skin, so the skin stuck to the racks and I was able to take the meat off in solid pieces.

Another suggestion, since you do not rinsed the brine off in this recipe, you may want to reduce the amount of salt. I had used three tablespoons, and although it was not overly salty, it was a bit more salt then I would have liked. My brother, who hates salmon, enjoyed this batch. If you can't find Maple Syrup Granules, I feel you can substitute brown sugar and get a similar taste.

Caution: there are several Old Bay products out there; the product I used was McCormick Old Bay Seafood One-Step Shrimp & Crab Boil Spicy Blend. The following link will show you what Old Bay blend I am referring to http://www.mccormick.com/productdetail.cfm?id=6218 . One other caution, I suggest you use Vincent Van Gogh Wild Appel Vodka; not all flavored vodkas are equal.

1½  – 2 lbs.   Salmon fillet with skin, cut into 1 ½ inch wide strips
¾ C.              Apple Flavored Vodka (Vincent Van Gogh Wild Appel)
1/3 C.              Maple Syrup Granules (or brown sugar)
3 TBS.            Kosher or Sea Salt
2 TBS.            OLD BAY Seafood One-Step Spicy Blend

Slightly crush the whole spice seeds in the Old Bay seasoning. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well, ensure that all salt and maple granules (or brown sugar) are dissolved. Place cut up fish in a plastic Ziploc bag, pour mixture over the fish and refrigerate 2 - 8 hours. Place salmon skin side down, on a jerky tray that has be sprayed with Pam. The more spices that are clinging to the fish, the better the flavor will be. I used 4 apple pucks, and smoke at 160 degrees, until the salmon temperature was at 140 degrees.

                                          Hope you will enjoy

<font color="red">I made an error when I originally posted this recipe. It should be 1/3 cup of Maple granules, not 1/4 cup, as first posted.</font id="red">

[BigSmoker]

MallardWacker posted this link for maple sugar a while back
http://www.maplesyrupvermont.com/
Dizzy Pig BBQ also makes a rub called Ragin' River that has Maple Sugar in it.  It was made for salmon.
Sounds like good salmon recipe.  Wish I could get some fresh here instead of farm raised[:(].

Jeff
www.bbqshopping.com
Some say BBQ is in your blood, if thats true my blood must be BBQ sauce.

[Chez Bubba]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by BigSmoker</i>
<br />Wish I could get some fresh here instead of farm raised[:(].<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
You technically can.[;)] Open the wallet & cancel your kid's college fund![:(!] I'm in the same boat.

It really is amazing the difference in taste!

Kirk

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

[psdubl07]

This recipe sounds like the goods, I'm gonna try it this weekend.
I'm lucky enough to live in the great NW and have plenty of fresh salmon available to me.
So far I've done cured Sockeye w/ Hickory and it was amazing, the Hickory was not too strong.  And brined Silver a la Kummok's recipe w/ Alder, also very good.
I was able to find the Van Gogh Apple vodka so I'm gonna give this a shot w/ either Apple wood, or a Apple/Alder mix.

[Habanero Smoker]

The hardest part of this recipe is staying away from the vodka. This is one of the smoothest vodka's I have ever tasted.

Just a note, you may want to cut down on the salt. I found it a bit salty, but I shared some with other people, who thought it was fine.

[psdubl07]

Haaaa, I bet!  I found myself wanting to open it last night just to taste it! [:p]
Good tip on the salt.  I found the Sockeye just a bit salty, but everyone else was drooling over how good it was. (It was good I must admit)  So I may cut it back a bit.

[psdubl07]

Hab, just curious.  The only salmon recipes I see in S&S are Kingly Salmon and Jamaican Jerked Salmon.  Where is the Sugar and Spice recipe?

[Habanero Smoker]

It's printed in their 2003 revised addition on page 214. Their revised version of Smoke & Spice has 100 additional recipes; which now includes five salmon recipes.

[Habanero Smoker]

Here is the Sugar and Spice Brined Salmon recipe from S&S. I copied it as published by the Jamison's, but I did not use their cooking method. I did not mop, and smoked at a lower temperature; 160 degrees F.

Sugar and Spice Brined Salmon
3/4 C. Vodka
1/3 C. Brown Sugar
3 Tbs. Coarse salt, either  kosher or sea salt
2 Tbs. Mixed pickling spice, bruised
2 tsp. Dill seeds, bruised

1 ½ pounds salmon fillet
Large bunch of fresh dill (optional)

<font color="red"><i>Bruising the spices means to almost-but not quite—crush the whole spice seeds or pods. By pressing on the spices with a pestle or the side of a knife, you release the natural oils, making the seasonings more flavorful</i>.</font id="red">

1-   At least 2 hours and up to 8 hours before you plan to smoke the fish, combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Place salmon in a plastic bag or shallow dish, pour the marinade over it, and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour. Leave it longer to intensify the seasoning.
2-   Prepare the smoker for barbecuing, bringing the temperature to 180 to 200 degrees F.
3-   Remove the salmon from the refrigerator, and drain it, reserving the marinade if you plan to baste the fish. Leave any clinging spices on the surface of the salmon. Let the fish sit uncovered at room temperature for 15-20 minutes.
4-   If you are using the marinade as a mop, stir the brine together with 1 cup of water in a small saucepan and boil vigorously for a few minutes.
5-   Transfer the salmon to the smoker, skin side down. Cook for 45 to 55 minutes, mopping it after 10 and 30 minutes in a wood-burning pit, or as appropriate for you style of smoker. Have a large spatula and platter ready for taking the salmon off the smoker, since it will be fragile when done. We prefer to serve the salmon with some of the whole spices clinging to it. The fish can be eaten immediately or refrigerated and later served chilled. If you are using fresh dill, arrange ti on a serving platter. Top the dill with the salmon, and serve.

[psdubl07]

Hab, thanks for posting the recipe.  I asked for S&S for x-mas, the copy I have now, which is borrowed from a friend, must be the older version.

I did the Apple Vodka salmon w/ Apple wood this weekend.  Probably the most unique flavor out of all the recipes I've tried so far.  I think taste-wise, my faves are still Kummok's, and the simple cure recipe that you can watch the video of on the homepage. (I mix all the cure ingredients though, then apply.)  But you're right about the vodka being smooth and yummy! [:p]
I'm still trying to decide whether I like Hickory or Alder better for the wood.  Surprisingly, the Hickory is not overpowering like I thought it may be, and IMO, not significantly different than Alder (on salmon) once brined or cured.

[Habanero Smoker]

How much salt did you use?

As for the vodka, I like to keep it in the refrigerator, and drink it straight - ice cold.[^]