Smoked Copper River Salmon

[thirdeye]

The smoked salmon run is on at my place...these just came out of the Big Chief smoke box. Cold smoked with alder and hot finished with cherry. I'll be doing more this week for me and to give away. I can do 9 in one load without over crowding.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v377/thirdeye2/Barbecue%206/DSC02737a.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v377/thirdeye2/Barbecue%206/DSC02744a.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v377/thirdeye2/Barbecue%206/dsc02746aL.jpg

I usually eat my fill for the 3 or 4 weeks we have access these and call it good. They are so much better than the farm raised we get the rest of the year so this year I want to freeze some. Has anyone done this? I need some do's and don'ts. I smoke them with the skin on and have a vacuum sealer.

[tumpedover]

Holy chit!!! looks great !

[Markbb]

Freeze before you vac. seal or you'll pull the juices into the machine....don't ask me how I know this:mrgreen:

[swamprb]

Yessiree!! The Copper River salmon is getting down to Little Chief prices around here now! Did some on a plank last week. It doesen't last long around my house, save some for Smoked Salmon Fettucini!

Brian

[thirdeye]

Freeze before you vac. seal or you'll pull the juices into the machine....don't ask me how I know this:mrgreen:

I hadn't thought of that! Good call.

Yessiree!! The Copper River salmon is getting down to Little Chief prices around here now! Did some on a plank last week. It doesen't last long around my house, save some for Smoked Salmon Fettucini!

Brian

Yes to the fettuccine and I may get Mrs t to break out the pasta machine for some salmon ravioli. I saw some won ton wrappers in the fridge, maybe salmon potsticker type dumplings.

[keale]

That is just unreal! again!

[Smokin Newbie]

I go ocean fishing a few times a year, usually for halibut, mahi mahi, yellow tail , shark and if I am lucky yellow fin, when I vacuum seal these I just place a small piece of napkin at the top of the bag to catch the juices, seals perfectly. Plan on doing some copper river salmon Tuesday evening when my grandmother flies in to see the baby.:biggrin:

[Neil]

I've been waiting for the coho and king runs here on the shore of Lake Michigan. The only time I use my Big Chief is when the salmon are running.

[vr6Cop]

Excuse me while I take a few minutes to....

[adventurelarry]

I love the Copper River Salmon, one of the penalties for living on the East Coast is the lack of access to it. Some days I really miss the pacific northwest.

--Larry

btw - looks great!

[FatDad]

That looks tasty !

[Ron_L]

I've been waiting for the coho and king runs here on the shore of Lake Michigan. The only time I use my Big Chief is when the salmon are running.

The Coho are big this year on this side of the pond (averaging around 6 lbs. Nice size for spring fish). They should be hitting by you now.

Great looking salmon, Third Eye! Nice job!

[DaChief]

That looks great.....I looked out back in the pond but :mad: :mad: :mad: No Salmon running in FL.

[qman]

That looks great.....I looked out back in the pond but :mad: :mad: :mad: No Salmon running in FL.

Yeah, Chief, I have the same problem. However, if you want to make a short road trip, and spend a few bucks, The restaruant in the WILDERNESS LODGE at Disney always has Copper River Salmon on the menu when they are running.:-D

Thirdeye, that stuff looks beautiful; Almost too good to eat.

[Greendriver]

Man has that got my mouf watering.

[tommykendall]

I recently ate some smoked salmon that had been frozen. It tasted like chit. Not sure how long it was in my neighbor's freezer, and it was that commericially smoked stuff which generally tastes like chit right from the box. I'd say eat as much as you can and only freeze small quantities for the first go around. I'm gonna have the same issue next Wed when I come home with a bunch of fish from my 7-day.

[River City Smokehouse]

Man those look great!! I can't wait til salmon goes on sale up/down here. I'm hankerin for a taste!

[Q_Egg]

Hi Wayne,
Looks excellent ... as usual ... and the ravoli idea is attractive. We just got some outstanding fresh fillets at Costco and could not pass them for Father's Day! Tonight is another matter ... maybe ravioli ?? Thanks for the good pics! I have 'FoodSaver'd some large fillets recently with very good results. When rinsed and patted dry (paper towels) no excess liquid affected the vacuum process. They were as good as fresh ones a few weeks later. Probably the BGE effect .... 8-)

Regards,
Tom B

[Trout_man22]

I recently ate some smoked salmon that had been frozen. It tasted like chit. Not sure how long it was in my neighbor's freezer, and it was that commericially smoked stuff which generally tastes like chit right from the box. I'd say eat as much as you can and only freeze small quantities for the first go around. I'm gonna have the same issue next Wed when I come home with a bunch of fish from my 7-day.

I have to agree with you Tommy, I can not eat a frozen fish. It takes all I can do to choke down the junk we get an hour from the coast. If you have ever eaten bad seafood you'll understand.

However Thirdeye, your fish looks very good hope the freeze and vacuum seal works out. Let us know in five or six months.

[thirdeye]

I recently ate some smoked salmon that had been frozen. It tasted like chit. Not sure how long it was in my neighbor's freezer, and it was that commericially smoked stuff which generally tastes like chit right from the box. I'd say eat as much as you can and only freeze small quantities for the first go around. I'm gonna have the same issue next Wed when I come home with a bunch of fish from my 7-day.

I have to agree with you Tommy, I can not eat a frozen fish. It takes all I can do to choke down the junk we get an hour from the coast. If you have ever eaten bad seafood you'll understand.

However Thirdeye, your fish looks very good hope the freeze and vacuum seal works out. Let us know in five or six months.

Now you guys have me wondering....One of my fishing buddies has tried freezing smoked trout and does not care for it. Maybe I need to vac seal a half fillet, wait 3 months and test it rather than ruining 4 or 5 fillets.

[tommykendall]

That copper river salmon looks way too good to have wasted in the freezer. And I know it ain't cheap. BTW - it looks wonderful, nice job. Now where's my schooner to go with it? :wink:

[qman]

Not to be a contrarian[at least not too much so] but.

I regularly smoke a couple of extra fillets when I am doing salmon. Of course this is hot smoking farm-raised fish. I just bag and tag the extras and toss them in the freezer for later use. I have never had a problem, or a complaint about quality or flavor.

Now, this is just me. and it is not Copper River Salmon.

As far as the pre-packaged smoked salmon you buy in stores, I do not like that stuff at all, frozen or not.