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Hot vs Cold Smoked Salmon

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  • Hot vs Cold Smoked Salmon

    my wife's boss would like to try smoked salmon. She gets a HUGE fillet couple times ayear, and wants to know what smoked salmon tastes like. I know it can be done either as a hot smoked or cold smoked salmon.

    I have seen two threads here on hot smoking, but none on cold smoking....

    I have had neither method. I would like to know your favorite, AND your method.......


    let us not cry because we lost someone, but let us smile because we enjoyed their company for what time was allowed us!

  • #2
    Louie is a big Salmon eater along with my youngest son. They prefer it on my smoker at around 225-250 pull it when it looks right. I also do it on my Big Chief, course it don't get that hot. Oh yeah, she will only have it brined first.
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    • #3
      I prefer cold smoked.I don't have a rig to do that anymore. Takes a long time but I like the flavor better. The hot smoked salmon is really just cooked salmon over smoke.
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      • #4
        Hot vs Cold Smoked Salmon

        Here are two methods I've used sucessfully.
        The Dry gives you a gravlax which I've hot and cold smoked.
        Prefer? I like them both; really depends on what your going to do with them (on a cream cheesed bagel(moist); or in a dip(dry).

        Salmon-Moist
        1 pound salmon fillet
        1 quart water, cold
        4 ounces kosher salt
        3/8 cup brown sugar, light or dark

        Cut fish into 1/2 pound pieces and soak in brine for 1 1/2 hours.

        Rinse fish and dry on racks for about 1 hour.

        Smoke over low heat (150) for 1 hour then raise temperature to 170F until fish flakes easily or internal temperature reaches 150F.




        Salmon-Dry
        1 cup kosher salt
        1/2 cup sugar
        1/2 cup dark brown sugar
        1 tablespoon crushed black peppercorns
        2 large salmon fillets or sides, pin bones removed

        In a bowl, mix together salt, sugar, brown sugar and peppercorns. Spread extra-wide aluminum foil a little longer than the length of the fish and top with an equally long layer of plastic wrap. Sprinkle 1/3 of the rub onto the plastic. Lay 1 side of the fish skin down onto the rub. Sprinkle 1/3 of the rub onto the flesh of the salmon. Place second side of salmon, flesh down onto the first side. Use the remaining rub to cover the skin on the top piece. Fold plastic over to cover then close edges of foil together and crimp tightly around the fish.

        Place wrapped fish onto a plank or sheet pan and top with another plank or pan. Weigh with a heavy phone book or a brick or two and refrigerate for 12 hours. Flip the fish over and refrigerate another 12 hours. Some juice will leak out during the process so make sure there's a place for the runoff to gather.

        Unwrap fish and rinse off the cure with cold water. Pat salmon with paper towels then place in a cool, dry place (not the refrigerator) until the surface of the fish is dry and matte-like, 1 to 3 hours depending on humidity. A fan may be used to speed the process.

        Smoke fish (see Note) over smoldering hardwood chips or sawdust, keeping the temperature inside the smoker between 150 degrees F and 160 degrees F until the thickest part of the fish registers 150 degrees. Serve immediately or cool to room temperature, wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

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        • #5
          Traditional cold smoked salmon is amazingly easy to make.

          I use a rub consisting of 3:1:1 seasalt:sugar:dried dill tips
          Mix well and thoroughly coat the fillet evenly on both sides.
          Leave in the fridge overnight in a suitably large container.

          In the morning, pour off the liquid and wash any cure off the salmon and pat dry. Leave to develop pellicle - couple of hours in the fridge usually does it.

          I usually smoke for 5 hours in my cold smoke setup (see pancetta thread).
          You want the smoke flavour to be mild but noticeable.
          Commercially smoked salmon claims to be smoked for 18 hours plus but never has any noticeable smoke flavour - go figure.

          Once smoked the slamon is traditionally sliced very thin and served with a horseradish cream.

          For hot smoked salmon you can't beat Dutch's maple gaze :-) Assuming the smf is actually working, it's over there lol
          Attached Files
          Last edited by curious aardvark; 03-01-2009, 11:35 AM.
          Made In England - Fine Tuned By The USA
          Just call me 'One Grind'



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          • #6
            One other thing you can do with smoked salmon - cooked or uncooked - is make smoked salmon pate.
            Finely chop about 6 ozs smoked salmon I use my genie (magic bullet) but a food processor will work fine. Add 6 oz cream cheese and mix well. Then add cbp and lemon juice to taste.
            I usually add a squirt of lemon juice, mix and taste and then add more if it needs it.

            Is fantastic in sarnies, on toast, inside the rolled sliced cold smoked salmon etc
            It's such good stuff I made a big bowl full thursday and then the same again on friday as we'd eaten thursday's batch in very short order :-)

            One other thing I do with cold smoked salmon is cut it into inch cubes. Then marinade in equal amounts of balsamic vinegar and honey and grill for a minute or so each side. FABULOUS !
            In fact if you make the pate from the grilled kebabs it's even better :-)
            Attached Files
            Last edited by curious aardvark; 03-01-2009, 11:44 AM.
            Made In England - Fine Tuned By The USA
            Just call me 'One Grind'



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            • #7
              I cold smoke salmon in my offset smoker when the outside temperature is under 40 degrees. I use hickory sawdust on a electric hotplate.

              To do this you must be able to produce a smoky environment that stays below 90 degrees. Above 90 degrees the salmon will cook and it will not be cold smoked salmon.

              Good recipes in Charcuterie and kutas sausage book.Cure for a couple days then smoke for several hours.

              Cold smoked salmon is not a cooked product. It is cured and smoked and uncooked.
              Keith

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              • #8
                if you cure it for more than 12 hours, it tends to taste too salty.

                I did make some gravad lax recently that cured for a week - but the sugar to salt ratio is 1:1 or higher (ie more sugar than salt).
                Don't cure too long with a high salt cure, it justs ruins the salmon - and yes I am talking from experience here.
                Luckily (as I did about 10 lbs) after a few months in the freezer the saltiness had dropped to an acceptable level. And that was after a 24 hour cure.
                Now I just do it overnight :-)
                Made In England - Fine Tuned By The USA
                Just call me 'One Grind'



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                • #9
                  CA is right about the salt. It needs to be rinsed and soaked like bacon after the cure.
                  Keith

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                  • #10
                    dunno about soaked - never tried it. Just keep the time down to 12 hours and you'll be fine.
                    :-)
                    Made In England - Fine Tuned By The USA
                    Just call me 'One Grind'



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