SpyGuy Lox Questions

[canadiansmoker]

I was planning on trying Spyguy's lox recipe and had a few questions.

His recipe instructions are for a fish of 10-12 pounds before filleting it. I'm not sure what the weight of his fillets would be for a fish that size. I have 2 sockeye fillets weighing close to 2 pounds each that I am going to use for the lox. I am wondering if I should still keep my fillets in the dry brine for the 7-8 hours per the recipe, or should I shorten that time at all? Is there a way I can check the fish during the dry brine to see if it should come out earlier?

Another question, do you cut off the small, thin portion of the fillet near the tail and not make lox out of it since it is so thin and would probably dry out?

What is the purpose of cold smoking the lox after the dry and wet brine? I assume it is just for flavor and serves no other purpose, but I could be wrong. Does it help to dry out the fish some more after the wet brine and so it is now a necessary step?

Sorry for all the questions but I want to make sure I don't ruin the sockeye since it wasn't cheap.

Stephen

[KyNola]

While I have not made the recipe you are referring to, I have made gravlox many times.  Yes, leave the filets in the dry brine as prescribed but don't go beyond the 7-8 hour mark.  Most lox I have made required being in the dry cure for a couple of days but there was no wet brine afterwards.

I would cut the thin end of the tail off as it will have a tendency to become tougher than the other.

The cold smoke is for flavor more than anything else.

Hope this helps and let us know how it turns out.

KyNola

[Habanero Smoker]

I made Spyguy's Lox on several occasions; but I believe T2 makes it frequently so hopefully you will get a response from him. I use farm raised, T2 catches his own salmon.

I prepare as much as Spyguy's recipe calls for. I make about the same amount as you do, but my fillets are thin so I only will dry cure 5 - 6 hours, and brine about the same amount of time. I do freeze my fish for several days prior to brining. Once fully thawed I then apply the dry brine (freezing first seem to make the lox firmer). The fish becomes real firm, but for lox I can not judge by feel.

I do trim the tail, and since I mostly use farm raised, I trim the thin flesh near the belly.

Traditionally lox are not smoked, this recipe adds it for flavor, and I prefer it smoked. If you don't smoke, just leave them out at room temperature for 3 - 4 hours.

[canadiansmoker]

Thanks for the responses. My fillets are currently frozen and I suspect they are farm raised as well. They aren't very thick, maybe an inch at the thickest part, so maybe I'll cut back on the dry cure and brining time, and do the trimming beforehand.

Stephen

[tsquared]

Hi Canadian Smoker--I think you are on the right track in cutting off the tail portion of your fillets--it's too tricky to get it right. As for your question of why smoke after the brine--Habs is right :it is for the flavour, not for any preservative reasons. However, it is an important part of drying your fish out to get the right texture. Most people only use smoke for a couple of hours but I have left my fish in the smoke box(without the smoke)  with the 85 to 90 degree air going over it for several hours (up to 12) until I am satisfied with the firmness of the fish. Spyguys recipe makes a product that is silky smooth and I have used it several times but in the end I returned to my dry cure only recipe because I like my lox drier than the product you get with his method. This is personal preference only--you will get a great product once you learn how to do Spyguy's recipe  right. I think the best advice I can give you is to be patient--you probably won't get it perfect the first couple of times you try--but the fun is in the learning and the payoffs once you get it down are wonderful. I can't smoke any right now as my freezer is empty but salmon season here on Vancouver island is just around the corner!! :)
Good luck--and if you have any further questions, don't hesitate--these are good folks here.
T2

[La Quinta]

Ok...I'm gonna ask a question...I understand "Lox" to be a dry cured product ONLY...cold smoked salmon to be a totally different thing. Yes cured but..."Lox" is not smoked... just asking...?

[canadiansmoker]

Thanks T2. I didn't know you were from the island. I was just out in Comox last weekend and that is also where I picked up my salmon.

If anyone can think of something else I need to consider please let me know.

I'll let you know how it turns out!

[canadiansmoker]

LQ, from what I have read I believe you are correct. There is something I read called Nova Lox (might have the spelling wrong), that uses a cure and a mild smoke. True Lox I think is straight dry cure only. Someone else pipe up if I'm wrong.

[Habanero Smoker]

LQ, from what I have read I believe you are correct. There is something I read called Nova Lox (might have the spelling wrong), that uses a cure and a mild smoke. True Lox I think is straight dry cure only. Someone else pipe up if I'm wrong.

I should know this answer, but it is a difficult one. When younger I worked as a cook's assistant at a Jewish summer camp, for five straight years. I use to love Sunday breakfast. We always served bagels with lox and cream cheese.

CS's answer is correct, but for some people it is like asking what is "Chili". A lot of people have their own interpretation. :)

[Caneyscud]

Typically in years past lox was Pacific Salmon, Nova was Atlantic Salmon, but now, not so.  Originally lox was brined and cured and not smoked.  Nova lox was brined, cured, and cold smoked, not cooked.  Gravalox, was cured with herbs, but not smoked.

Shakespeare
The Bard of Hot Aire
Pontificator Extraordinaire'

[sherlock]

And now you know the rest of the story.

Sorry folks, the devil made me do it
;D

[La Quinta]

So...basically...we don't know...my understanding is that lox are from grav"lox"  herbed, cured and pressed....and cold smoked salmon is an entirely different thing? Just cured and cold smoked? I've made gravlox...it's good...I like the smoke tho!

[Gizmo]

Here is a link from Weight Watchers that has a lot of information on Salmon.
http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=70631&sc=3021

Here are a few of the items discussed:

According to the article, Lox is
Wet-cured salmon
Lox (From the Yiddish word for salmon, "laks") is wet-cured in a brine and then smoked.

Dry-cured salmon
Almost all other varieties of smoked salmon are dry-cured with salt and then smoked. For example, "Nova" (originally from Nova Scotia) is Atlantic salmon that has been dry-cured in salt and then smoked. In fact, Nova is one among many other dry-cured, smoked types: Irish, Scottish, Norwegian, etc. Each will have its own cure and smoking process with subtle, idiosyncratic differences. (However, these words have recently gotten mixed up and you'll sometimes see "nova lox" — which makes no culinary sense.)

Hot-smoked salmon
The fish is cooked at a high temperature and has a lightly smoky taste and a texture similar to roasted salmon.

Cold-smoked salmon
The fish is cooked at a low temperature (perhaps around 60°F) for a very long time and so has a smokier flavor and a translucent, sushi-like quality.

[tsquared]

LQ your question is a valid one since most fish smokers play fast and loose with the terminology. Giz has the right info. The dry cure recipe I use is "Scotch" smoked salmon which is a variation of the Nova--dry cured and then cold smoked.If that damn Kummok would stop catching all the salmon before they got down here to the island, I'd have some to satisfy the craving I get just talking about it!  :D Oh well, as compensation we're loading up on prawns this week--I'll be checking the traps after work every night. A week should give us a supply for the winter, and then I'll try for Kummok's leftovers!
Canadian Smoker--Did you catch it yourself out of Comox? I used to fish off Kitty Coleman with great success when I lived up there. I put my boat in the water from May to September down here in Metchosin--you'll have to come and wet a line!
T2

[Habanero Smoker]

Like I said earlier, asking someone what is "lox"; is like asking someone what is "chili". ;D