Salmon to brine or not to brine

Brauma · 11-18-2005, 07:35 PM

Guys, I am going to smoke a salmon steak this wknd and I plan to use Jim's recipe. I noticed he doesnt brine it like in Randy's recipe. I also noticed that Jim's recipe leans more towards grilling it rather than smoking. There is just a quick sentence at the end about smoking: "You can also smoke it at lower temps of 225-250*F; this allows for more smoke on the fillets."

I am wanting to smoke the salmon but I trust Jim more than my own abilities. Should I grill the salmon as per Jims recipe? Or is there more info available for smoking (such as times) using Jim's 2 rubs instead of Randy's brine?

BBQchef33 · 11-18-2005, 08:03 PM

Ive done both.... My Personal preference. I like the grilled better. i grill over low heat so it gets some smoke, but i like the texture better when its grilled.

i do it simple. Rub with lemon pepper and Dill. Grill it... brushing lightly with balsamic vinegar with little butter melted in it.

Brauma · 11-18-2005, 08:05 PM

Lip smackin good. Cant wait. Thanks Phil

stan · 11-18-2005, 08:07 PM

I recommend brining. I smoke the salmon on the top rack of the bandera at about 200- 225 degrees. I do not cook it very long. I generally watch it pretty closely. Not like other things that you close the smoker and let go for long periods. I like a brown sugar brine (good to add some jalapeno powder to the brine). This gives the outside a sweet taste and insite is moist. It is easy to over cook.
Good luck! Stan

Ron_L · 11-18-2005, 10:20 PM

I agree with Stan. If you are going to smoke the salmon, then brine. If you are going to grill it, then don't brine. I you want to minimize the fishy taste, you can soak the fish in milk for an hour before grilling.

I like salmon both ways. Smoked salmon is great served cold with cracker or toast points.

Hoorenga · 11-18-2005, 10:21 PM

I think the less you do to a salmon the better it tastes. Lemon pepper and dill sounds scrumptious.

Neil · 11-19-2005, 03:48 AM

If I'm going to have salmon for dinner I grill it. If I want to have some in the fridge to snack on or use for an appetizer, I smoke it. Smoked gets the brine and grilling doesn't.

Brauma · 11-19-2005, 06:33 AM

I think Neil's is the best advice. I like grilled salmon, and I like it for din din. Ive had smoked salmon before and Im not crazy about it. My wife is on a smoked salmon kick and has been requesting it.

The question I'll have to answer is: do we want a big fillet for din din or do I want to experiement on a big appetizer for just the 2 of us. I think you can see which way Im leaning.

The other factor here is keeping mama happy.

david · 11-19-2005, 07:49 AM

Remember that "smoked" salmon is different from Q'd salmon. smoked is cold-smoked (it's awesome when done right, but not Q-smoked). Grilled is everything else. Hoo's got it down... the less you mess with it the better it is. Q it at about 300-350 (or grill it), only takes an hour and you get plenty of smoke and you don't dry it out. my favorite is just butter, lemon, salt and pepper.

RonL- if you have to get rid of "fishy" taste you got some skanky salmon and it's only good for cold-smoking, but it would be better for fertilizer under your roses. :)

kickassbbq · 11-19-2005, 08:26 AM

I lay a whole side of Salmon in an aluminum pan. Cover lightly with Olive Oil and spread on my favorite seasoning. Pour a little wine in the pan and smoke at 200-225 for about 3-4 hours. Save some for Smoked Salmon Mousse.
PARTY!!!!!!

DWFII · 11-19-2005, 08:50 AM

I've had fresh caught (by me) salmon and steelhead, in the peak of the season, early in the run, that tasted fishy. The truth is that the fishy taste is in the fat and the fatter the fish the stronger it tastes (Although chinook salmon will taste fishier than coho and coho stronger than steelhead.)

We used to fillet all our steelhead and slamon and cut all traces of the "black" (dark greyish pink) fat off the nearly flourescent orange meat. A great deal of it will accumulate in the and around the "lateral line"--the indentation that runs down the length of the fish (said to be essential for the fish's balance). Once the fat is cut away (and be sure to dicard the fatty belly area too), the fish will not taste fishy at all...guaranteed.

Now if I'm grilling a salmon on cedar or alder, I try to keep the skin side down on the theory that the fats will run out of the fish and not into the flesh. Frankly, no fish short of halibut moves me enough for it to be a menu item of choice but if I were to do salmon or steelhead, my druthers would be to fillet it, cut the fat off, roll it in breadcrumbs and pan fry it in a bit of oil and butter. Serve with lemon wedges. Hmmm-mmmh! Actually, just thinking about it makes me kind of hanker for it.

BrooklynQ · 11-19-2005, 09:09 AM

I usually take the side of salmon that costco sells, put it on a sheet of aluminum foil, sprinkle with old bay seasoning and smoke at around 275 till its flakey. Perfect.

Brauma · 11-19-2005, 01:11 PM

Oh yeah. Simple and delicious. Thats my style. We're steaming shrimp and snaps tonight (also gonna have a few Coronas - maybe I can get some of that nasal spray for mama...wink)

I'll do the salmon fillet tomorrow. Thanks for all of the good advice.

beerguy · 11-19-2005, 04:07 PM

Let us know which is better, the salmon or mama. Just remember, no lemon pepper on mama!

Brauma · 11-19-2005, 06:58 PM

I dont know, Sounds a little kinky. I'd be up for it.

11-18-2005, 07:35 PM	#1
Brauma somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 05-04-05 Location: Coral Bay, USVI	Salmon to brine or not to brine Guys, I am going to smoke a salmon steak this wknd and I plan to use Jim's recipe. I noticed he doesnt brine it like in Randy's recipe. I also noticed that Jim's recipe leans more towards grilling it rather than smoking. There is just a quick sentence at the end about smoking: "You can also smoke it at lower temps of 225-250*F; this allows for more smoke on the fillets." I am wanting to smoke the salmon but I trust Jim more than my own abilities. Should I grill the salmon as per Jims recipe? Or is there more info available for smoking (such as times) using Jim's 2 rubs instead of Randy's brine? __________________ Cat Sass BBQ - Competition BBQ Team Community Development VP - Secret Squirrel Society (but we don't exist) Member: KCBS. CBJ New Braunfels Bandera - refurbished; Two Big Green Eggs; 6' fire pit; Weber Kettles; Superfast Blue Thermepan

11-18-2005, 08:03 PM	#2
BBQchef33 Grand Poobah and Site Admin Join Date: 08-11-03 Location: Long Island, NY Name/Nickname : Phil	Ive done both.... My Personal preference. I like the grilled better. i grill over low heat so it gets some smoke, but i like the texture better when its grilled. i do it simple. Rub with lemon pepper and Dill. Grill it... brushing lightly with balsamic vinegar with little butter melted in it. __________________ Site Administrator and Grand PooBah CBJ with a Fuzzy Blue Hat, 18 Foot Competition Trailer, Customized Klose BYC, Custom Built Shirley built to feed our Veterans(A.K.A "Abrams"), 1 Double Barreled Lang 84, 1 Heavily Modified Bionic Bandera, 1 Custom Super Medium Stickburning Spicewine w/stoker, 2 XL BGE, 1 Mini BGE, 2 Pit Barrel Cookers, 3 WSMs, 3 Weber Kettles, an NB Hondo, A Modified Brinkman Horizontal, DCS 48" Grill, a Broilmaster P3, a Blackstone 36 and 17, a covered, pellet pooping FEC100, and our duck died. :( News Flash: "A mans worth is judged by the weight of his integrity " You know your getting older when you choose your cereal for the fiber, not the toy Smoke on KC. WWW.BBQ-BRETHREN.COM

11-18-2005, 08:05 PM	#3
Brauma somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 05-04-05 Location: Coral Bay, USVI	Lip smackin good. Cant wait. Thanks Phil __________________ Cat Sass BBQ - Competition BBQ Team Community Development VP - Secret Squirrel Society (but we don't exist) Member: KCBS. CBJ New Braunfels Bandera - refurbished; Two Big Green Eggs; 6' fire pit; Weber Kettles; Superfast Blue Thermepan

11-18-2005, 10:20 PM	#5
Ron_L Moderator Join Date: 12-09-04 Location: Wandering, but not lost Name/Nickname : Captain Ron	I agree with Stan. If you are going to smoke the salmon, then brine. If you are going to grill it, then don't brine. I you want to minimize the fishy taste, you can soak the fish in milk for an hour before grilling. I like salmon both ways. Smoked salmon is great served cold with cracker or toast points. __________________ "Ron Rico, Boss. You can call me Captain Ron..." Naked Fatties Rock! PKGo X 2/PK360/Weber Q1000/Blackstone Camping Griddle/Pit Boss Pro Series 850

11-18-2005, 10:21 PM	#6
Hoorenga is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 03-25-05 Location: North West Washington	I think the less you do to a salmon the better it tastes. Lemon pepper and dill sounds scrumptious. __________________ Hoo It was a brave man who first ate an oyster. Brinkman Stillwater Limited, Great Outdoors Vertical charcoal.

11-18-2005, 08:07 PM	#4
stan is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 08-26-04 Location: Pleasant Hill, MO	I recommend brining. I smoke the salmon on the top rack of the bandera at about 200- 225 degrees. I do not cook it very long. I generally watch it pretty closely. Not like other things that you close the smoker and let go for long periods. I like a brown sugar brine (good to add some jalapeno powder to the brine). This gives the outside a sweet taste and insite is moist. It is easy to over cook. Good luck! Stan

11-19-2005, 03:48 AM	#7
Neil Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 06-04-04 Location: St. Joseph, MI	If I'm going to have salmon for dinner I grill it. If I want to have some in the fridge to snack on or use for an appetizer, I smoke it. Smoked gets the brine and grilling doesn't. __________________ "You can't always get what you want but if you try sometime you just might find you get what you need" Mange Bene Viva Bene! Old Country Over/Under, Weber: 18.5" WSM, 22.5" WSM, Weber Performer(Col. Steve Austin Mod), Two 22.5" Kettles, & a Smokey Joe; Old Country 36" griddle, Luhr-Jensen Big Chief, Turkey Fryer, Rocky Mountain Camp Stove and a UDS.

11-19-2005, 06:33 AM	#8
Brauma somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 05-04-05 Location: Coral Bay, USVI	I think Neil's is the best advice. I like grilled salmon, and I like it for din din. Ive had smoked salmon before and Im not crazy about it. My wife is on a smoked salmon kick and has been requesting it. The question I'll have to answer is: do we want a big fillet for din din or do I want to experiement on a big appetizer for just the 2 of us. I think you can see which way Im leaning. The other factor here is keeping mama happy. __________________ Cat Sass BBQ - Competition BBQ Team Community Development VP - Secret Squirrel Society (but we don't exist) Member: KCBS. CBJ New Braunfels Bandera - refurbished; Two Big Green Eggs; 6' fire pit; Weber Kettles; Superfast Blue Thermepan

11-19-2005, 07:49 AM	#9
david is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 08-11-03 Location: Beaverton, OR	Remember that "smoked" salmon is different from Q'd salmon. smoked is cold-smoked (it's awesome when done right, but not Q-smoked). Grilled is everything else. Hoo's got it down... the less you mess with it the better it is. Q it at about 300-350 (or grill it), only takes an hour and you get plenty of smoke and you don't dry it out. my favorite is just butter, lemon, salt and pepper. RonL- if you have to get rid of "fishy" taste you got some skanky salmon and it's only good for cold-smoking, but it would be better for fertilizer under your roses. :) __________________ David - Beaverton Steelhead Stats 2010: maybe I'll get around to buying a license this year! 2009: well, you'd need to actually go fishing to have stats :( 2008: David 0, Steelhead 1 2007: David 0, Steelhead 2 Last edited by david; 11-19-2005 at 08:29 AM..

11-19-2005, 08:26 AM	#10
kickassbbq is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 10-20-05 Location: mn	I lay a whole side of Salmon in an aluminum pan. Cover lightly with Olive Oil and spread on my favorite seasoning. Pour a little wine in the pan and smoke at 200-225 for about 3-4 hours. Save some for Smoked Salmon Mousse. PARTY!!!!!! __________________ Smoke On!!!!!! [URL="http://www.kickassbbq.com"]www.kickassbbq.com[/URL]

11-19-2005, 08:50 AM	#11
DWFII On the road to being a farker Join Date: 08-24-05	I've had fresh caught (by me) salmon and steelhead, in the peak of the season, early in the run, that tasted fishy. The truth is that the fishy taste is in the fat and the fatter the fish the stronger it tastes (Although chinook salmon will taste fishier than coho and coho stronger than steelhead.) We used to fillet all our steelhead and slamon and cut all traces of the "black" (dark greyish pink) fat off the nearly flourescent orange meat. A great deal of it will accumulate in the and around the "lateral line"--the indentation that runs down the length of the fish (said to be essential for the fish's balance). Once the fat is cut away (and be sure to dicard the fatty belly area too), the fish will not taste fishy at all...guaranteed. Now if I'm grilling a salmon on cedar or alder, I try to keep the skin side down on the theory that the fats will run out of the fish and not into the flesh. Frankly, no fish short of halibut moves me enough for it to be a menu item of choice but if I were to do salmon or steelhead, my druthers would be to fillet it, cut the fat off, roll it in breadcrumbs and pan fry it in a bit of oil and butter. Serve with lemon wedges. Hmmm-mmmh! Actually, just thinking about it makes me kind of hanker for it. __________________ DW In the High Desert of Central Oregon CG w/SFB WSM wishing for:Vicmarc 200

11-19-2005, 09:09 AM	#12
BrooklynQ Banned Join Date: 07-18-04	I usually take the side of salmon that costco sells, put it on a sheet of aluminum foil, sprinkle with old bay seasoning and smoke at around 275 till its flakey. Perfect.

11-19-2005, 01:11 PM	#13
Brauma somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 05-04-05 Location: Coral Bay, USVI	Oh yeah. Simple and delicious. Thats my style. We're steaming shrimp and snaps tonight (also gonna have a few Coronas - maybe I can get some of that nasal spray for mama...wink) I'll do the salmon fillet tomorrow. Thanks for all of the good advice. __________________ Cat Sass BBQ - Competition BBQ Team Community Development VP - Secret Squirrel Society (but we don't exist) Member: KCBS. CBJ New Braunfels Bandera - refurbished; Two Big Green Eggs; 6' fire pit; Weber Kettles; Superfast Blue Thermepan

11-19-2005, 04:07 PM	#14
beerguy is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 05-05-05 Location: Fredericksburg Va	Let us know which is better, the salmon or mama. Just remember, no lemon pepper on mama! __________________ I support PETA - People Eating Tasty Animals Other half of the Cat Sass BBQ team Traeger BBQ100 18.5 " WSM X2 Weber Gold Kettle 22 1/2" Weber 18 1/2 " 22.5 " WSM X2

11-19-2005, 06:58 PM	#15
Brauma somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 05-04-05 Location: Coral Bay, USVI	I dont know, Sounds a little kinky. I'd be up for it. __________________ Cat Sass BBQ - Competition BBQ Team Community Development VP - Secret Squirrel Society (but we don't exist) Member: KCBS. CBJ New Braunfels Bandera - refurbished; Two Big Green Eggs; 6' fire pit; Weber Kettles; Superfast Blue Thermepan

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