Smoked Salmon recipes

[Backcountry archer]

I'm always exploring new recipes.
I would like to see everyone's recipes for smoked salmon including brines & brine times etc.
Try to include step by step instructions, ingredients and smoking times.

[gerrygoat]

Haven't done it in a few years but will try again with a chum I just caught in the Kitimat . I use 2 brown sugar to 1 salt and marinate for 24 + hours in a Ziploc bag, it is easy to turn the Ziploc bag around and not have your salt settle on the bottom as with a bowl. In the past I have also sprinkled some Mrs Dash spice on the pieces as they were put into the smoker. We have a Little Chief smoker and smoke it til is is cooked through but still moist about 8-10 hours. Going to look into cold smoking some more when done right is is really amazing.

[r106]

this is one of my favorite recipes http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=107.0 . I use less water and add half a bottle of the cheapest dark rum I can get. One of the best tips is to let it air dry before smoking. Start with a low temp and slowly work it up

[ultramafic]

I like to keep mine pretty simple.

1 litre water
1 cup pickling salt
2 cups brown sugar
maple extract in the little bottles from spice aisle at grocery store ( i usually use 1 bottle around 75-100 ml for every two batches of brine )

dont overload your brine ( i have done this before ) if you have too much fish in your brine it will not soak in properly and make sure you mix up your brine a few times during the soak.
also dont re use the brine either.

have never had any complaints about the finished product

try to brine the salmon in mid to small chunks for 18 hours or so.
take chunks out of brine and let air dry ( a fan helps speed this up ) until there is a tacky coating around the meat.
Smoke until done. Cant really describe the "smoke till done" as I recently bought a bradley and have had to "play" with the times a bit. I have only had a couple of runs through it so far.

EDIT:
I tried half a cup of salt to the mix instead of full cup per litre, and everything turned out fine with no problems on this year's batch.

mike

[Foxton Gundogs]

2 parts demerara sugar, 3/4 part salt 1/4 part season salt, garlic and poultry season to taste, dry fish really good with paper towel, then wet it down with worchestershire and I like a bit of hotsauce mixed in. Put on the dry rub librealy both sides leave in fridge for 36 hrs and then smoke.

[Backcountry archer]

I've had to cut way back on the salt due to elevated blood pressure. I keep it at bay with diet, but I have learned to do without on many foods. I don't add salt to any food except for my sausage and smoked meats now so I do a lot more experimenting with herbs and other spices.
I really like my salmon on the sweeter side now a days and very moist.
I also use the Bradley w/digital controls.

[Sitkaspruce]

Here is my fav to date so far....and I have smoked a ton of fish.

For two 15 lbs springs or a equal of coho/pink/socks or chum. I cut mine into 1.5" strips from top to bottom. A quick test is to place your fish on your racks to make sure you have enough...either rack room or fish as I find fish smoke better when a smoker is full. Make sure there is room between each piece. Put your thicker chunks on the bottom and then rotate every hour for the last 4 hours.

2 litres Dole pine-orange banana juice
½ cup non-Iodized salt, pickling is best
1/3 cup of white sugar or you can use maple syrup, but go easy as you do not need much as there is already lots of sugar from the juice and brown sugar.
half a bag of brown sugar
12 ounces of Grandma's molasses
You can a little orange zest as well if you like a more citrus flavor.
Soak For 24-36 hrs. Do not rinse, let air dry. I usually place a fan at one end to help with the drying.

I have a Bradley and I usually smoke on Alder with a couple cherry pucks mixed in for two hours, then cook for 4 more at 150-160.

I also like the Bradley method and if you have the time, Nogs candy method is to die for.....http://fishbcforum.com/index.php?showtopic=48342

Cheers

SS

[goatdancer]

Check out salmonuniversity.com. They have some great recipes and lots of how-to info.

[steelballs]

first you need a bradley digital smoker skin and fillet fish put in plastic container sprinkle pickling salt on be careful not to much or will be salty cover with thin layer of brown sugar let fish sit in fridge for 12 hrs covered with plastic wrap keep air out. remove fish from brine rinse off make a mixture of maple syrup and simbal oleg (spicy) brush on fish for sweet and spicy salmon let air dry smoke slowly no heat just smoke for about 12 to 14 hrs total. first 8 hours try to keep temp under 120 last 2 hours 140 this makes the best smoked salmon bar none my buddies crave my smoked fish
you will have to experiment with the salt sprinkle dont cover the more you use the saltier the results not enough the fish wont cure good luck i have a bunch of rainbow and kokanee im going to do up and my friend and neighbors will come get it all

[Backcountry archer]

first you need a bradley digital smoker skin and fillet fish put in plastic container sprinkle pickling salt on be careful not to much or will be salty cover with thin layer of brown sugar let fish sit in fridge for 12 hrs covered with plastic wrap keep air out. remove fish from brine rinse off make a mixture of maple syrup and simbal oleg (spicy) brush on fish for sweet and spicy salmon let air dry smoke slowly no heat just smoke for about 12 to 14 hrs total. first 8 hours try to keep temp under 120 last 2 hours 140 this makes the best smoked salmon bar none my buddies crave my smoked fish
you will have to experiment with the salt sprinkle dont cover the more you use the saltier the results not enough the fish wont cure good luck i have a bunch of rainbow and kokanee im going to do up and my friend and neighbors will come get it all

Both yours and Sitka's sound real good on the less salty side. Will be sure to try a few of these.
Thanks guys
BA

[Jagermeister]

IronNoggin provided this one http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/showthread.php?50837-Smokin-The-Good-Stuff-Salmon-Halibut-amp-Tuna!
Johnnybear provided this thread http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/showthread.php?36845-Candied-Salmon

[Backcountry archer]

IronNoggin provided this one http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/showthread.php?50837-Smokin-The-Good-Stuff-Salmon-Halibut-amp-Tuna!
Johnnybear provided this thread http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/showthread.php?36845-Candied-Salmon

Nogs recipe although pricey, is probably devine none the less and JB's recipe looks rather cheap and simple. I might try both or a little of both.
Thanks Jager.

I wonder how the recipes with a bottle of rum taste.........they have to be good.

[Bow Walker]

Haven't got a brine recipe for you, but once it's smoked....

...try some in a food chopper with some dill, some lemon juice, some cream cheese, a bit of shallot, and some cream.

Blend/chop until smooth and then fill a piping bag. 'Squirt" into store-bought, tiny, little pastry shells, garnish with little fronds of dill, and open some vino.

You might want to change it up a bit by adding some finely diced dill pickle to the mix, but that's up to you...

[shotgunner]

Try using lime and lemon juice with a minimum amount of salt .Let soak for about 1 hour ( no more as the citric acid starts to cook the fish ). Remove and sprinke with the zest from limes and lemons and brown sugar ( or maple sirup). Into the bradley for 4 - 5 hrs at 150 degrees.

[nano]

Check out salmonuniversity.com. They have some great recipes and lots of how-to info.

X...2 on that site, lots of good info.

[beerlover]

Here is one of my recent recipes. I have a few other good ones too.
mix is good for about 3 sockeye

Maple glazed smoked salmon

mix 1 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup of rock salt in a bowl.

cut up fish into strips. You can de-skin at this point if you wish (I do)
line a baking dish with some sugar mix and put one layer of fish on it.
add more mix on this and rub salmon in it. Keep layering in this fashion finishing with mix on top. Put in fridge for at least 12 hrs overnight.
The next day lay out paper towel on your counter top and put smoker racks on top. Take the fish out and rinse well with tap water. Put fish on smoker racks and dry using a fan for around 4 hrs until moisture is gone and fish is see through.

Mix well in a bowl: 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup pure maple syrup and 1/8 cup of orange liqueur. Use a brush to baste some of this onto the fish. Smoke in smoker using desired chips (I use Alder) basting twice during smoking time with same mixture. I use a True North so I baste during the last 2 wood chip change outs.

Enjoy

[bubba350]

this is my my favorite recipe!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhef6s7uyk8

[RayHill]

this is one of my favorite recipes http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=107.0 . I use less water and add half a bottle of the cheapest dark rum I can get. One of the best tips is to let it air dry before smoking. Start with a low temp and slowly work it up

X2 and smoke only on a dry weather day no rain, the air drying is the key, u can speed it up by using a fan. I even pat dry with paper towel every 15-20mins. Also use more sweet then salt a 3-1 ratio dark molasses works good.

[bubba350]

this is my my favorite recipe!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhef6s7uyk8

just did a batch today mmmmmmmm!

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj146/Itukutau/food/IMG-20110929-00047.jpg

[Spampy]

Water down some maple syrup...mmm....maple....enough to go through a sprayer.
Every hour or so, spray the fish, jerky whatever.......mmm....maple..........

[Backcountry archer]

Haven't got a brine recipe for you, but once it's smoked....

...try some in a food chopper with some dill, some lemon juice, some cream cheese, a bit of shallot, and some cream.

Blend/chop until smooth and then fill a piping bag. 'Squirt" into store-bought, tiny, little pastry shells, garnish with little fronds of dill, and open some vino.

You might want to change it up a bit by adding some finely diced dill pickle to the mix, but that's up to you...

Just made some of this and spread on crackers. Going to try the pastry shells next. Excellent taste Thanks.

[betteroffishing]

X 2 , funny that i use that recipe every time now , yet im reading this thread thoroughly hoping to come accross a better one.



this is my my favorite recipe!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhef6s7uyk8

[BraveKnight]

For my birthday just over a year a go I was given the big chief smoker and the best brine I found for smoked salmon is the basic brine. But I changed the white sugar for brown sugar.

4 cups warm water
½ cup NON-IODIZED salt
½ cup white sugar (I used brown sugar)

put the salmon in the brine for a min 12 hours in the fridge.

Take salmon out and give them rinse.
lightly pat dry with paper towel
Place on smoker rakes and let sit for 1 hour

use 2 - 3 pans of your favorite chips to smoke. (have used all but cherry so far)
leave in the smoke house till reaches a min internal temp of 160-165 degrees f and the desired dryness
If it does not reach that temperature you can finish it off in the oven so it hits the 160

[~T-BONE~]

I keep it simple .. Sockeye fillets usually cut each in half lightly dusted with salt then set in bowl over night. Salt draws moisture and makes its own brine naturally, over the course of night (before bed) ill rotate making sure it's brined evenly. In morning take out towel dry and let rest for an hour or so. I use a big chief and normally use three 45 min charges.. And voila you have what I claim to be the perfect smoked salmon.