Salmon Smoking Noob Seattle

[Gore]

Originally Posted by Al Czervik

Would this work on guinea pigs?

I have yet to try guinea pigs. My daughter has two in the basement. I'm anxiously waiting for her to get bored with them, but so far that has not yet happened.

[Big George's BBQ]

Put them on a rotisserie They are probably small enough to leave the hair on- Will help the flavor profile

[columbia1]

Originally Posted by Suntower

Gentlemen.


2. Cherry? I have a bunch of cherry and apple firewood that's been drying for about a year. Is that OK, or should I stick with the store-bought stuff. Does it -really- affect the taste of salmon?

THANKS AGAIN!

That stuff is JUNK, I will gladly drive up your way and properly dispose of it!!
IMHO, alder is the only way to go!!

[Gore]

Originally Posted by columbia1

That stuff is JUNK, I will gladly drive up your way and properly dispose of it!!
IMHO, alder is the only way to go!!

Alder is the traditional wood for smoking salmon in Finland. It is also quite common in the northwest USA. Unfortunately where I'm at, alder for smoking is not so easy to come by. I did manage to find a source of alder for smoking salmon,



... and yes, I did use the clean stuff, fresh from the bag. I haven't experimented with the "seasoned" wood chips.

[Mklade]

Love steeelhead smoked with alder!!

[Al Czervik]

Resting peacefully for the night getting ready for the big day tomorrow...

[Gore]

Oooooo, can't wait! Are ya gonna use hamster cage wood shavings to smoke it?

[Al Czervik]

You know it... Even going to use the seasoned shavings with the little black rice looking bits.

[Gore]

Originally Posted by Al Czervik

You know it... Even going to use the seasoned shavings with the little black rice looking bits.

Comes in very handy when I run out of those black sesame seeds. Nobody seems to know the difference.



That can be one of our little Brethren secrets.

[Suntower]

I'm having a bit of trouble translating but I think I get what you're saying.

That A-Maze-N thing seems like the way to go.. assuming it's not too wide for my round Brinkmann.

To ALL: Thanks for all the VERY HELPFUL replies (well except for the guinea pig ). No pun intended: I have to 'digest' all this a bit.

It may seem silly, but I'm getting pretty excited about this. I've fished around here for -years- and lately it's gotten -boring-. I am not a 'catch and release' kinda guy... when I've got dinner, I'm done unless I schlep a cooler and feel like freezing. (And a lot of things just don't freeze all that great.) ALSO: the truth about this area is that the best fishing is often in winter. As I get older, the thought of freezing my ass off in waders gets less attractive. But if I can get this thing going, it really makes it a lot more fun... if any of that makes sense.

Cheers!

---JC

Originally Posted by ManakooraMan

For your smoker, the charcoal or whatever fuel source propane or electric is just fo heat the wood pellets or chunks. If you want bumbye no check the temperature, then the maze type sawdust burners (amazen or proq) is the way to go. Set and forget. But you do need sawdust. That burn correct.

The way gore and cowgirl did is legit. It will be moister and softer than store bought. I think the commercial kine use fan to blow dry it out a little.

[Al Czervik]

Originally Posted by Gore

Comes in very handy when I run out of those black sesame seeds. Nobody seems to know the difference.



That can be one of our little Brethren secrets.

Too late... The secret is out.

Bumbles love those little black sesame seeds and things that look similar.



By the way, sorry for the threadjack Suntower.

It sounds like you have this under control though so please post pics when you smoke up your first batch.

[Gore]

Threadjack? I have no idea what Mongo talking about.

Sunflower, in all honesty smoking salmon is one of the easiest things to do.

[Suntower]

You guys have been so helpful, but I DO have another question(s):

Will this:

Amazon.com: GrillPro 00186 Stainless Steel Smoker Tube: Patio, Lawn & Garden

Amazon.com: GrillPro 00186 Stainless Steel Smoker Tube: Patio, Lawn & Garden

work as well as an 'A-Maze-N'?

Not only is it cheaper (always good!) but am I wrong in thinking that the A-Maze-N requires their 'pellets'?

So... Is it worth the extra $ for the A-Maze-N? AND does it -require- the 'pellets'... or can I use -any- flavour chips?

TIA,

---JC

[seattlepitboss]

I have been smoking salmon about 40 years now. I've owned and built several cookers but all I use for salmon is a Luhr Jensen Little Chief smoker. Standard price is $20 at a yard sale around Seattle. In the Pacific Northwest the only proper wood to smoke salmon with is alder. You can buy alder chips at any hardware store. Following is the only recipe I've ever used, from the LJ Little Chief recipe book:

"Little Chief" Smoked Salmon Deluxe

1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup non-iodized salt
2 cups soy sauce
1 cup water
1/2 tsp granulated onion (don't EVER buy "onion powder"!)
1/2 tsp granulated garlic
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce
1 cup dry white wine

Mix thoroughly. Brine salmon chunks 8 or more hours, keeping refrigerated. Rinse thoroughly after brining. Pat dry with a paper towel and allow to air dry for at least one hour prior to smoking.

- end of recipe -

I lay out the grates from the LC and put the dried-off brined chunks on the grates. I group all the largest pieces on one grate. I bring in the rack the grates go on, set it up on my counter over a few paper towels to catch drips, and put the grates on the rack, thickest pieces at the bottom nearest the heat. I generally let them air dry for several hours to form a pellicle. Gives the smoke something to stick to. Then into the smoker. In winter you will definitely need the cardboard box around the smoker for insulation. I smoke for about 8 hours, taking the thinnest pieces off earlier than the latest.

Actually, it's very important also to pull the pin bones from your fillets before you brine them. To do that, I use a needle driver which was inexpensive and made in Pakistan but which works great.

I use cheap white wine in half-gallon bottles from Cash'N'Carry. I use Kikkoman soy sauce, no substitution there. I use a small Cambro plastic food container with lid to hold the brine and the fish chunks in my back refrigerator.

Nobody has ever dissed my smoked salmon. I simply *love* this recipe!

seattlepitboss

[ManakooraMan]

Originally Posted by Suntower

I'm having a bit of trouble translating but I think I get what you're saying.

That A-Maze-N thing seems like the way to go.. assuming it's not too wide for my round Brinkmann.

To ALL: Thanks for all the VERY HELPFUL replies (well except for the guinea pig ). No pun intended: I have to 'digest' all this a bit.

It may seem silly, but I'm getting pretty excited about this. I've fished around here for -years- and lately it's gotten -boring-. I am not a 'catch and release' kinda guy... when I've got dinner, I'm done unless I schlep a cooler and feel like freezing. (And a lot of things just don't freeze all that great.) ALSO: the truth about this area is that the best fishing is often in winter. As I get older, the thought of freezing my ass off in waders gets less attractive. But if I can get this thing going, it really makes it a lot more fun... if any of that makes sense.

Cheers!

---JC

bruh no can use regular smokebox for autopilot mode. da kine maze smoker got the controlled burn. must use sawdust those (not pellets or wood chips or any kine other wood). either amazen or proq depend if you go british or domestic.