salmon experimenting

[SmokinRob]

Just figured I'd post our trials here.
Built a smokehouse, 4'x4'x6'tall...all cedar with 8"x16" blocks for base, laying on a concrete pad.
Been experimenting with temperatures/smoke to figure out how to control everything...at the same time we're smokeing a couple salmon steaks at a time to try and get what we want....neither me or my wife have any experience smoking anything.

Last batch was WAY too salty. Used a dry rub (maybe called a brine?) of
1/4cup brown sugar,
1/4cup white sugar
1/2cup kosher salt.

Put in a a small tub wrapped with seran wrap in the fridge for about 24hrs. Rinse well, layed out on the counter on a cutting board with a small fan for about 3hrs till it had a nice shiny glaze on it (pellical?)...preheated the smoker, put the salmon in and smoked it at 140-150* for about 5hrs. I checked salmon temp and it was 126* so I brought the smokehouse up to 180*....left for a while, next I checked (maybe half hour or so) the salmon was 163* so I took it out. Let it set on the counter till cool then refrigerated.
it's WAY WAY too salty.

Tonight before bed we'll put another couple steaks in a dry rub and try again in the morning.
Sorry so long winded...just figured I'd share incase anyone was interested or thought they could help me to get in the right direction.
On a side note...I smoke it like crazy for a few hours...smoke ROLLING out of that thing constantly...didn't taste much smoke in the fish...maybe the salt was just hiding it.

I smoked it with alder chips I made (have massive alder I use for firewood)

[salmonclubber]

Rob
I smoke Salmon at around 140 for four hours and have the smoke rolling then bump temp up to 160-180 to finish it can take 6 to 12 hours depending on outside temps and how much fish I am doing
I use a basic salt dry rub its simple and I do not like sweet smoked salmon thats just me was raised on salted smoked salmon :-)
I pour a heavy coat of rock salt on the salmon fillet for 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours depending on how thick the fillet is if over an inch thick I go 2 hours rinse off salt and place into fridge for a few hours to form the glaze pelical what ever you want to call it then into the smoker I also use alder on my smoked salmon

here is a link for you it has a lot of recipes and info for on smoking salmon

http://www.justsmokedsalmon.com/index.htm

[crusty ol salt]

Sorry so long winded...just figured I'd share incase anyone was interested or thought they could help me to get in the right direction.
On a side note...I smoke it like crazy for a few hours...smoke ROLLING out of that thing constantly...didn't taste much smoke in the fish...maybe the salt was just hiding it.
I smoked it with alder chips I made (have massive alder I use for firewood)

never to long winded, most of us have no life and live vicariously thru others

good luck on your next smoke

[Mark R]

Rob I've smoked a lot of fish...but I haven't seen many salmon swimming by the docks here lately.
That said, my guess is you need to back way off on the salt, maybe add some vinegar, dill, honey or agave and pepper to the (brine) now marinade. Heavy smoke @140° till fish is 125-130°. The fish is cooked at 125° internal, just not dried as a "traditional" smoked salmon. If it doesn't feel "firm" enough, let if smoke a bit more. Well more poached but good!! JMHO



Well I'd give it a go!

[SmokinRob]

Thanks guys!
The salmon was perfectly flakey but held together well...fully cooked but still moist. Just way to salty (like I put as much salt in a glass of water as it would disolve then swished it around in my mouth....way too much for me. And I didn't seem to get allot of smoke taste...though again, could have just been the overwhelming salt taste that covered it.
Sounds like I smoked it properly then?!? just the brine wasn't correct?

[SmokinRob]

we're smoking coho salmon...my wife is suquamish indian so....well...you know ;)

Edit: I "think" it's coho....the guys are calling them silvers...I do know they are VERY good on the bbq.
Trying to get them off the boat, never frozen, just shaved ice to keep em cool and straight into the smoking process.

[Richtee]

Hey Rob...as a rule of thumb... any pound of anything is never gonna need more than a teaspoon+ of salt for seasoning. A bit more "+" for a process like you say...but then...timing is EVERYTHING. So, look at your mix, and estimate the actual salt amount on the hunk as you apply.


Salmonclubber is an expert, as are a few others here... I'd heed their timing advice.

[Fishawn]

we're smoking coho salmon...my wife is suquamish indian so....well...you know ;)

Edit: I "think" it's coho....the guys are calling them silvers...I do know they are VERY good on the bbq.
Trying to get them off the boat, never frozen, just shaved ice to keep em cool and straight into the smoking process.

Coho & Silver are the same thing...... As are Chinook & King....... Salt, in a dry brine as you are using, will really soak in & ruin salmon (IMO) for long soaking periods at a ratio that is too high..... Although no expert here, I have smoked probably a couple 3-4 hundred pounds of salmon & steelhead & adhere to Salmonclubbers method 90% of the time for the brine. It's simple, foolproof & lets the fish be the star of the show. If you are getting fresh fish off the boats that are iced, I would go with nothing but rock salt (food grade) or Kosher salt & follow Salmonclubbers method & as he noted 2 hours for big thick Coho (Silvers) or medium size Chinook (Kings)..... My suggestion for large Chinook is to cut large steaks about 2" thick wide & follow the 1.5 to 2 hour method & smoke as Salmonclubber described. I am also a fan of putting a fan on them for a couple hours before smoking.

[PitRow]

for dry brine I use a 4:1 ratio of brown sugar to salt, so 4 cups sugar to 1 cup salt (generally pickling salt, use a little more if it's kosher due to the bigger grain size) and make up enough to cover the fish. In the brine overnight, so like 10-12 hours tops, then rinsed and smoked.

[salmonclubber]

we're smoking coho salmon...my wife is suquamish indian so....well...you know ;)

Edit: I "think" it's coho....the guys are calling them silvers...I do know they are VERY good on the bbq.
Trying to get them off the boat, never frozen, just shaved ice to keep em cool and straight into the smoking process.

Rob you should have asked your wife how to do it :-) her being Suquamish she should know how to take care of fish :-) J/K just razzing you a bit Do you Know Wayne George or Mike Jones They are both Suquamish people great guys I am sure they could help you out

[SmokinRob]

That's what I told her clubber!! haha!
Wayne is actualy one of her cousins. But we live in Olympia so it's hard to get with anyone living in the tribe. Probably quicker, more exact details here it looks like though ;)
Tomorrow we're going to try your method!
Thanks again for all the help and keep the info. coming if ya have any other ideas or things I should be doing....again, first time smokers here

[Fishawn]

Olympia? Why would anyone want to live their? :)

[XLR8R]

Just figured I'd post our trials here.
Built a smokehouse, 4'x4'x6'tall...all cedar with 8"x16" blocks for base, laying on a concrete pad.
Been experimenting with temperatures/smoke to figure out how to control everything...at the same time we're smokeing a couple salmon steaks at a time to try and get what we want....neither me or my wife have any experience smoking anything.

Last batch was WAY too salty. Used a dry rub (maybe called a brine?) of
1/4cup brown sugar,
1/4cup white sugar
1/2cup kosher salt.

Put in a a small tub wrapped with seran wrap in the fridge for about 24hrs. Rinse well, layed out on the counter on a cutting board with a small fan for about 3hrs till it had a nice shiny glaze on it (pellical?)...preheated the smoker, put the salmon in and smoked it at 140-150* for about 5hrs. I checked salmon temp and it was 126* so I brought the smokehouse up to 180*....left for a while, next I checked (maybe half hour or so) the salmon was 163* so I took it out. Let it set on the counter till cool then refrigerated.
it's WAY WAY too salty.

Tonight before bed we'll put another couple steaks in a dry rub and try again in the morning.
Sorry so long winded...just figured I'd share incase anyone was interested or thought they could help me to get in the right direction.
On a side note...I smoke it like crazy for a few hours...smoke ROLLING out of that thing constantly...didn't taste much smoke in the fish...maybe the salt was just hiding it.

I smoked it with alder chips I made (have massive alder I use for firewood)

ROB:

I've been smoking salmon for years.

I go dry.

7/8 cup KOSHER SALT to 1 bag of DEMERARA or Dark Brown Sugar. Double this for lots of fish but keep the ratio. Never exceed 1 cup to a bag.

"Brine" for 24 hours (average, you can go less or more), paper towel dry, all sides, then air fan dry to a slight tacky pellicle. The pellicle is the pretty much the most important part of the process. Smoke with ALDER and/or a combo of ALDER and some CHERRY. Some apple instead of cherry will work fine. Use 3 pans of chips (3 hours of smoke, minimum) and usually 4 pans at the most for thick fish. I would not use more wood or add wood after 4 hours but I will cook longer if required.

I would not cook my fish to 180 F ever. I cook under 140 F and finish at 160 F max.

I've never had to smoke beyond 6-8 hours unless I had huge chunks. Chunks from a 40 + pounder maybe.

No table salt, no water. Add garlic (2 TBSP minimum and fresh ground black pepper. Add other spices in small quantities as desired but you can never go wrong with a basic garlic and pepper base only.

[XLR8R]

Olympia? Why would anyone want to live their? :)

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[Richtee]

Olympia? Why would anyone want to live their? :)

Tell that to the artesians...