Going ot try to smoke salmon and possibly cheese, any advise?

Bigo181979 · 12-14-2012, 12:15 PM

Ok so been looking at some posts about smoking salmon and I figured what the hell I'd give it a try this weekend. Now I have a bandera style smoker, can you guys give me some advise as far as how I should go about doing this?

What I know, or think I know..
Got to brine the salmon then dry cure after brine to develop the pellicle. Thats about all I got....

What I need help with.
What temp should I smoke at and for what kind of time?
Can I smoke cheese and salmon at the same time?

Any advise or suggestions or threads to read on smoking salmon and cheese please pass along!!!!

bigabyte · 12-14-2012, 12:21 PM

I do not smoke cheese and salmon at the same time because the temps are different, and because I wouldn't want the cheese absorbing any salmon odor (not that it shoudl be that much of an odor, really).

I do a dry brine, just sugar and salt, sprinkle it on both sides of the salmon, then wrap tightly and let that cure for 18 hours. Then I let that air dry to form the pellicle in my Exclaibur dehydrator, but just under some air (like a fan) for a couple hours will be fine. I smoke salmon from between 140-180, preferably starting low and finishing high until the salmon hits 140 internal. Sometimes I will smoke low at 140 for about three hours and then finish them off in my Excalibur at a higher temp like 180 to get a little more drying action, but that is not at all necessary.

Cheese does best at room temp or below. I have always had trouble with cheese starting to "sweat" once it hits 80* or higher, and that ruins the texture of the cheese when that happens. I prefer really cold temps, like 40 (like the fridge temps). I give the cheese smoke for about 2 hours, but no more than 3 hours. For many folks (myself included), three hours can sometimes produce too smokey of a cheese, and the magic seems to be around 2 to 2-1/2 hours from my experience.

Two brethren have GREAT posts and info. Gore and Thrideye! I use the dry brine sugar/salt ratio that Gore uses, but I use some of thrideye's methods as well, so I do a bit of a hybrid approach. Both are excellent, you can't go wrong with either way.

Do a search for Gore's threads with Salmon in the title, then go to Thrideye's blog for his salmon tips.

Good luck!

Gore · 12-14-2012, 01:05 PM

This is more or less what I usually do now for warm smoked. I do it this way because it is fast and easy. It takes me roughly 5 minutes the night before to prep, then another 5 minutes prep before the smoke.

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...8&postcount=37

Lately, I've had extra time and been keeping the temps lower and smoking longer.

I do the same cure for cold-smoke, but use my offset and keep the temps way down. I would like to stress that this is one of the easiest things to do. I've made this probably close to 100 times, using widely varying techniques, and it ALWAYS comes out.

Al Czervik · 12-14-2012, 01:36 PM

^^^^^ Does this also work for salmon nachos?

bigabyte · 12-14-2012, 01:51 PM

I would smoke the nachos separately, then add the salmon at the end.

12-14-2012, 12:15 PM	#1
Bigo181979 Is lookin for wood to cook with. Join Date: 12-09-12 Location: Wichita, KS	Going ot try to smoke salmon and possibly cheese, any advise? Ok so been looking at some posts about smoking salmon and I figured what the hell I'd give it a try this weekend. Now I have a bandera style smoker, can you guys give me some advise as far as how I should go about doing this? What I know, or think I know.. Got to brine the salmon then dry cure after brine to develop the pellicle. Thats about all I got.... What I need help with. What temp should I smoke at and for what kind of time? Can I smoke cheese and salmon at the same time? Any advise or suggestions or threads to read on smoking salmon and cheese please pass along!!!!

12-14-2012, 12:21 PM	#2
bigabyte somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 05-10-06 Location: Overland Fark, KS	I do not smoke cheese and salmon at the same time because the temps are different, and because I wouldn't want the cheese absorbing any salmon odor (not that it shoudl be that much of an odor, really). I do a dry brine, just sugar and salt, sprinkle it on both sides of the salmon, then wrap tightly and let that cure for 18 hours. Then I let that air dry to form the pellicle in my Exclaibur dehydrator, but just under some air (like a fan) for a couple hours will be fine. I smoke salmon from between 140-180, preferably starting low and finishing high until the salmon hits 140 internal. Sometimes I will smoke low at 140 for about three hours and then finish them off in my Excalibur at a higher temp like 180 to get a little more drying action, but that is not at all necessary. Cheese does best at room temp or below. I have always had trouble with cheese starting to "sweat" once it hits 80* or higher, and that ruins the texture of the cheese when that happens. I prefer really cold temps, like 40 (like the fridge temps). I give the cheese smoke for about 2 hours, but no more than 3 hours. For many folks (myself included), three hours can sometimes produce too smokey of a cheese, and the magic seems to be around 2 to 2-1/2 hours from my experience. Two brethren have GREAT posts and info. Gore and Thrideye! I use the dry brine sugar/salt ratio that Gore uses, but I use some of thrideye's methods as well, so I do a bit of a hybrid approach. Both are excellent, you can't go wrong with either way. Do a search for Gore's threads with Salmon in the title, then go to Thrideye's blog for his salmon tips. Good luck! __________________ Asshattatron Farkanaut, CGCFO Chief Galactic Crockpot Foil Officer *Certified MOINK Baller & IMBAS Certified MOINK Ball Judge #0003 - Are you MOINK Certified?* *Sole recipient of the Silverfinger and fingerlickin Awards!* Don't forget about the Throwdown Thingies! The Secret Squirrel Society doesn't exist - Zero Club Duh.

12-14-2012, 01:05 PM	#3
Gore Phizzy Join Date: 10-05-08 Location: Hiding out from blood suck ghost snake gods, Nazis and scrap iron chefs trying to harvest body parts Name/Nickname : Gore (surprise!)	This is more or less what I usually do now for warm smoked. I do it this way because it is fast and easy. It takes me roughly 5 minutes the night before to prep, then another 5 minutes prep before the smoke. http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...8&postcount=37 Lately, I've had extra time and been keeping the temps lower and smoking longer. I do the same cure for cold-smoke, but use my offset and keep the temps way down. I would like to stress that this is one of the easiest things to do. I've made this probably close to 100 times, using widely varying techniques, and it ALWAYS comes out. __________________ Assistant to a Mad BBQ Scientist (and a squirrel): Primo Oval XL, Small Offset, Gasser, Optigrill, UBS "I love everything about the pig, even the way she walks." -- Spanish proverb (\__/) (='.'=) This is the rabbit baby. Invests him in yours signature, (")_(") and the help rabbit baby takes over control of the world! Hmmmm, I wonder, WWGALD? Avatar courtesy of Grillman and NorthwestBBQ Promoted by Bigabyte to "Idiot #1" , and dubbed "Phizzy" by Sir Ron.

12-14-2012, 01:36 PM	#4
Al Czervik somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 05-17-11 Location: 17h 45m 40.036 and -29° 00` 28.17 Name/Nickname : Scott/Mongo	^^^^^ Does this also work for salmon nachos? __________________ Primo Oval XL, Weber Performer, Weber Genesis Gaser, ThermoWorks Smoke X4 w/ Billows, Gandalf Grey Thermapen ONE, Limited Edition Neutrino Fast Blue Thermapen Classic, Little Buddy ThermoPop *Zero Club Member* *qualifying in the 2011 Special Summer of Spam TD with the Coveted Double Ought...* (\__/) (='.'=) Avatar by Chalupa (")_(")

12-14-2012, 01:51 PM	#5
bigabyte somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 05-10-06 Location: Overland Fark, KS	I would smoke the nachos separately, then add the salmon at the end. __________________ Asshattatron Farkanaut, CGCFO Chief Galactic Crockpot Foil Officer *Certified MOINK Baller & IMBAS Certified MOINK Ball Judge #0003 - Are you MOINK Certified?* *Sole recipient of the Silverfinger and fingerlickin Awards!* Don't forget about the Throwdown Thingies! The Secret Squirrel Society doesn't exist - Zero Club Duh.