Smoking Salmon

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Huh? What?

is one Smokin' Farker
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We're moving back into cold smoking season here.

Three pounds of wild-caught Coho salmon headed for the refrigerator. It'll cure for 24 hours, then get cold-smoked tomorrow.

49218286922_b6179a0ee6_c.jpg
 
Would you share your dry cure recipe?

I dry cure too, but my dwell time is about 6 hours on smaller fillets, and I leave the skin on, so the cure is only working from one side. Then I rest overnight for the pellicle and smoke the next day.
 
thirdeye said:
Would you share your dry cure recipe?

I dry cure too, but my dwell time is about 6 hours on smaller fillets, and I leave the skin on, so the cure is only working from one side. Then I rest overnight for the pellicle and smoke the next day.
Click to expand...


Formula is according to weight.

2.5% coarse kosher salt
2% brown sugar
1% coarse black pepper
0.25% cure #1

rub salmon with cure mix and vacuum pack. Tomorrow morning it gets unpacked, rinsed, and dried. After that it gets rubbed with a very light coat of olive oil flavored with fernleaf dill, and rubbed with fresh black black pepper. Then in the smoke box for four hours or so of cold smoke. Repack and rest at least overnight. If not being used soon it goes in the freezer.
 
What temp are you smoking?

That is some delicious looking food...
 
I smoke 300-400 pounds of salmon every year-----it is ugly, terrible, beat to death salmon that has made it up the Feather River to spawn and ends up at the Fish Ladder hatchery in Oroville. Native Americans from this area get to "glean" the aftermath of nature's path. I have been chosen to help some "preserve" the fish. An earlier post in this thread is pretty much spot on with spices to use. I have one thing to add----a few shards of fresh grated "gingerroot" over the fish will add to flavor
 
Salmon is unpacked, rinsed, dried, coated with a little fernleaf dill olive oil, re-peppered, and is back in the refrigerator. It'll get smoked when the wife and I get back from breakfast.

49222549821_a396d4c430_b.jpg
 
I’m along for the ride here too. I warm smoke a ton of salmon. Mostly wet brine, because my wife prefers it.

I’ve done some dry brine on salmon too and like the results, but haven’t cold smoked for lox yet. It’s been on my list for a long time ....

Any specific recommendations from either of you? Can I use the generic farmed and colored crap from sams or Costco? I’ve always anticipated buying sushi grade, but I’ve heard of lots of folks using the standard store bought.
 
Huh? What? said:
Formula is according to weight.

2.5% coarse kosher salt
2% brown sugar
1% coarse black pepper
0.25% cure #1

rub salmon with cure mix and vacuum pack. Tomorrow morning it gets unpacked, rinsed, and dried. After that it gets rubbed with a very light coat of olive oil flavored with fernleaf dill, and rubbed with fresh black black pepper. Then in the smoke box for four hours or so of cold smoke. Repack and rest at least overnight. If not being used soon it goes in the freezer.
Click to expand...

Gotcha... you are making a peppered Nova lox of sorts. Thanks for the recipe. :thumb: And now the long dwell time makes perfect sense.

My dwell time of 6 hours was for hot smoking, but my Nova lox takes a 10 to 12 hour in a salt/sugar dry cure followed by a up to 12 hours in a brine cure, also salt and sugar. I don't season until equalizing overnight, and use black pepper, white pepper and dill. I get sort of a candied texture with the double cure.

DSC02892aaa.jpg
 
Stlsportster said:
I’m along for the ride here too. I warm smoke a ton of salmon. Mostly wet brine, because my wife prefers it.

I’ve done some dry brine on salmon too and like the results, but haven’t cold smoked for lox yet. It’s been on my list for a long time ....

Any specific recommendations from either of you? Can I use the generic farmed and colored crap from sams or Costco? I’ve always anticipated buying sushi grade, but I’ve heard of lots of folks using the standard store bought.
Click to expand...

Freshness is the key when making lox or Nova lox, I've used sushi grade for that reason, and because of my location frozen fillets are an option. Food safety experts will recommend fish which has been commercially frozen when making lox. The quick freezing and well below zero temperatures will kill any baddies associated with uncooked fish you may worry about. I've found that sometimes the texture I want is harder to get from frozen fish, so that decision is up to you.
 
Stlsportster said:
I’m along for the ride here too. I warm smoke a ton of salmon. Mostly wet brine, because my wife prefers it.

I’ve done some dry brine on salmon too and like the results, but haven’t cold smoked for lox yet. It’s been on my list for a long time ....

Any specific recommendations from either of you? Can I use the generic farmed and colored crap from sams or Costco? I’ve always anticipated buying sushi grade, but I’ve heard of lots of folks using the standard store bought.
Click to expand...


I never use the farm-raised salmon. Ignoring the quality issues, something in the farm-raised fish sets off my wife's asthma. Having said that, use the best quality salmon you can afford.

I never cold smoke fish - or just about anything - without using cure #1. Cold smoking just violates too many of the safety rules of smoking. Cure #1 makes it safer for the people who are going to be eating your food.

Keep things clean!
 
thirdeye said:
Gotcha... you are making a peppered Nova lox of sorts. Thanks for the recipe. :thumb: And now the long dwell time makes perfect sense.

My dwell time of 6 hours was for hot smoking, but my Nova lox takes a 10 to 12 hour in a salt/sugar dry cure followed by a up to 12 hours in a brine cure, also salt and sugar. I don't season until equalizing overnight, and use black pepper, white pepper and dill. I get sort of a candied texture with the double cure.

DSC02892aaa.jpg
Click to expand...


I've never done a double cure. I may have to try it.
 
Post-four-hours of apple wood smoke, pre-vacuum packing. Most of it is now in the freezer resting. One pack is out for testing later.

49223720168_bce7fffc33_b.jpg
 
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