# Smoked Salmon in a smoker



## Bam!! (Jun 30, 2004)

Hi all!

I am a newbie...  ...Let's get cookin!

So...I do a smoked salmon with hickory wood chips......and I place the salmon on a smoking cedar plank on the gas grill....

I have a dry rub bought from Sonoma Williams that has corriander flat leaf parsley chilis paprika garlic powder.....I add Dill and Sweet Hungarian Paprika to it....

Was wondering though....

I bought a smoker....

What would it do if I just smoked it for 4 hours at 200 degrees ?

I like it rare inside...

Thanks guys!


----------



## Bam!! (Jul 1, 2004)

...well I guess this one does catch much attention!


----------



## Barbara L (Jul 1, 2004)

Just be patient Bam!  Things get a little slow during the week when everyone is working.  I don't know anything about smoking meat and fish, so I can't answer your question, but someone is sure to know.  Check around--you might even find the answer in an older post.

 Barbara


----------



## kitchenelf (Jul 1, 2004)

Sometimes it just takes time to get an answer LOL

I like my salmon rare too - but with smoking you won't get rare but you WILL get good!

BRINE: 2 1/2 tablespoons plain salt (without iodine) to 1 cup water 

2 large salmon fillets 
Zest and juice of 2 to 3 limes 
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves* 
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper 
1 teaspoon coarse Kosher or coarse sea salt** 
1 to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (depending on size of fillets) 
1 lime for finish 
Coarse salt 

*I use whatever fresh herbs that I have at the moment. I've also used lavender and it was great! 

** The coarse salt is fabulous on the salmon. 

BRINE: Rinse the salmon steaks in cold water. Prepare a salt-water brine of 2 1/2 tablespoons plain salt to 1 cup of water, using approximately 1 quart of water; heat to just lukewarm. Add salt and stir until dissolved. Add warm salt water to approximately 4 quarts cold water (I use my sink as a bowl for this step). Place salmon, skin side down, in brine at for 20 minutes (make sure the fish is entirely covered by the brine). 

After 20 minutes, gently remove salmon from brine and lightly rinse both sides with cold water to remove all traces of salt; gently pat dry with paper towels. Let salmon air dry on wire racks for at least 2 hours (this causes a "pellicle" - a tacky glaze on the fish to form. This indicates that it is ready for the smoking process).

Prepare your smoker according to manufacturer's directions. I have an electric smoker and I like to use either alder or cherry wood. Smoking temperature of your smoker should be between 200 to 225 degrees F. (no higher). The easiest way to help keep the temperature low, is to almost close down the vents. Do not raise the lid of the smoker any more than you absolutely need to (it reduces the temperature inside everytime you do). Monitor your temperature of your smoker during the smoke time. 

Place salmon fillets (skin side down) on sheets of aluminum foil and cut the foil around the fillets approximately 1/4-inch bigger (this keeps the fillets from sticking to the racks in the smoker). I also spray the racks with vegetable oil (makes for easier cleaning). 

Grate the zest from the limes then squeeze the juice. In a small bowl, combine lime zest, lime juice, thyme (or other herbs), pepper, salt and olive oil; stir to mix. Rub the seasoning mix on the salmon fillets; coating them well. 

Place salmon fillets on the oiled smoker rack. Smoke until a meat thermometer registers an internal temperature of 140 degrees F. in thickest part of salmon (salmon will be slightly opaque in thickest part). Remember the salmon continues to cook after it is removed - you don't want an overcooked and dried out salmon. I prefer a moist salmon and not dried out.) Remove salmon fillets from smoker. 

Cut extra lime in half and squeeze over cooked salmon fillets. Sprinkle lightly with more coarse salt. Serve salmon either warm, cool, or chilled (refrigerate until ready to serve). If making ahead, cover airtight and refrigerate up to 3 days. 

I found this recipe online - if you want more just type into Google 

smoked salmon, on a smoker

There were lots more recipes out there - unfortunately each and every one of them looked the best! LOL


----------



## Bam!! (Jul 1, 2004)

Kitchenelf!

Thanks....really well detailed!

Now call me a 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 here but doesn' t citrus actually cook the fish....and if I am smoking it for a few hours isn't that wrong 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




Thanks......oh and I'll be patient!


----------



## kitchenelf (Jul 1, 2004)

It takes a LOT of citrus juice to cook something - ceviche is the most common example.

No, it's not wrong, it's used for flavor here.  LOL on being patient!


----------



## Bam!! (Jul 1, 2004)

kitchenelf said:
			
		

> It takes a LOT of citrus juice to cook something - ceviche is the most common example.
> 
> No, it's not wrong, it's used for flavor here.  LOL on being patient!



Good point!

Well tomorrow I will try either the ribs or this salmon!


----------



## Raine (Jul 1, 2004)

Probably doesn't need 4 hours.


----------



## Bam!! (Jul 1, 2004)

Rainee said:
			
		

> Probably doesn't need 4 hours.



No what would you figure for a whole filet ?


----------



## Raine (Jul 1, 2004)

PLANKED SALMON RECIPE WITH GRILLED PINEAPPLE, RHUBARB

2 sides salmon (5lb each)
1 c pineapple juice
1 c rhubarb -- grilled, minced
1 c fresh pineapple -- crushed
1/4 Habanero pepper -- minced

Dry Rub

4 TB brown sugar
4 TB Kosher salt
4 TB black pepper
4 TB fresh dill

Combine all ingredients and reserve. Combine in a bowl the pineapple juice, rhubarb, 
pineapple and habanero
pepper. Reserve this for mopping the fish while cooking.

In long strokes, from the tail to the head, rub the dry rub on the salmon sides making 
sure to do long, slow strokes. Rub the salmon for 5 minutes. Allow the salmon to sit in the 
refrigerator for 3 hours.

Rinse the salmon with cold water. Cut to size & lay the fish fillets, skin side down on 
a soaked, oiled Just smoked salmon cedar or alder planks. Place in a 225 degree smoker using 
Just smoked salmon Alder Wood Chips(I just love Alder's taste . Smoke the salmon for 2 
1/2 hours coating the salmon every 10-20 minutes with the basting liquid.


----------



## Raine (Jul 1, 2004)

Alder Orange Salmon Recipe

1 salmon fillet, about 11/2 lbs 
1/4 cup olive oil 
1 lemon or orange, juice and zest 
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil 
1/2 tsp salt 
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper 

Marinate the salmon in remaining ingredients. Meanwhile, soak a justsmoked salmon.com alder 
plank in cold water for about 2 hours (weighting it with something heavy) 

TO BARBECUE:

Place salmon on plank. Put the plank directly on the barbecue grill. Close the lid and cook 
over medium-high heat for about 20 minutes. Preparation time: 2 hours Cooking time: 20 
minutes depending on thickness of salmon. Serves 2.


----------



## Raine (Jul 1, 2004)

Cedar Plank Smoked Salmon
Serves/Makes:2


2 salmon fillets
2 thin untreated cedar planks
lots and lots of ginger -- chopped
2 tablespoons lime or lemon zest -- chopped fine
2 tablespoons orange zest -- chopped fine
salt and pepper
Cajun or Creole spice mix
olive oil




There are three main types of smoked salmon. There is cold smoked salmon, hot smoked salmon and grilled/smoked salmon. For the backyard griller, here is an easy and great tasting recipe. 

I tried this recipe last weekend, and it was amazing. This is a variant of a signature dish of Emeril Lagasse (of the TVFN fame). 

The original recipe used horseradish and trout instead of ginger and salmon. 

I had a hard time finding thin cedar planks (shingles) sold singly in the local hardware store, they seemed to only sell them in bunches of 40. I did however find untreated cedar shims that I was able to make do with. 

So anyway, here's what you do: Preheat your grill and oil up one side of the cedar with your olive oil. Sprinkle a bit of the Cajun seasoning on the plank, and lay the filet of salmon on top. Season the filet with salt, pepper, and the spice mix. Cover the filet completely with the ginger and zest -- this adds flavor and helps the fish retain all of its moisture. Put the whole thing directly on the grill over the coals, close the lid, and stand back! The thing will smoke like crazy for a while. Check on the salmon after 15 minutes. 

If the plank catches on fire before the salmon is done, simply spray it with some water (I had to do this a couple times). 

When the salmon is done, you can either serve the whole thing with the cedar flaming around the edges, or remove it from the cedar plank and serve. 

You may wish to remove most of the crushed ginger topping as it is a bit overpowering. 

A nice sauce to accompany this can be made with soy sauce, green onions, and sesame oil. I don't know the measurements, I just winged it. 

If you have a backyard smoker (water smoker, SnP Pro, Black Diamond, Hondo, Weber Smokey Mountain) or a Weber Kettle grill, you can make excellent smoked salmon by just getting the smoker going at 250F, put some flavor wood chips (apple is nice) on the coals and put the salmon filets or steaks on a piece of oiled foil on the meat rack. Cook to an internal temperature of 150F (30-60 minutes depending on thickness of meat). I like to paint on some teriyaki sauce about 5 minutes before I take the fish off the rack and serve it. For the Weber Kettle grill, use the indirect heat cooking method


----------



## Bam!! (Jul 1, 2004)

Thanks Rainee!

As for the cedar planks I buy them at Sonoma Williams in packs of 6 for about 20.00$

I also buy their salmon spice their which is simple but tasty...

I get my Weber gas grill smoked up with Hickory and the smoke from the Cedar planks...

All that being said I want to do the real mackoy smoked salmon....so I'll be using your ginger based one...sounds great!

Thanks!


----------



## Raine (Jul 1, 2004)

Lets know how it turns out.


----------



## Bam!! (Jul 2, 2004)

Rainee said:
			
		

> Lets know how it turns out.



Will do....and I'll try to take pic's


----------



## simpleisgood (Oct 9, 2004)

I have been smoking salmon for about 15 years.  My method seems sound, as many people have told me it's the best smoked salmon they have ever had.  It is also very simple.

The smoker I use is a Brinkman.  It cost about $25 15 years ago and is a cylinder a little less than 3 feet tall, and a little over a foot in diameter.  I use a small Webber barbeque that i removed the legs from that sits on the brackets at the bottom of the smoker.

I set a piece of heavy duty foil and plastic wrap large enough to wrap up the piece/s of fish I am going to smoke.  I put a layer of a 2/1 mixture of sea salt/organic sugar a little larger than the pieces of salmon I wish to cure.  Kosher salt may also be used.  I place the salmon flesh down on the salt/sugar mix.  I then cover the salmon so all surfaces are in contact with the curing mixture.  I then tightly wralp the salmon with the foil/plastic wrap and after setting them on a flat surface place thick textbooks on the wrapped fish.  If the pieces are 1 inch or so thick one hour to 75 minutes is sufficient.  If the fillet is say 2 inches thick I would cure the fish about 2 hours, no more.  I often cut the thin belly section off the fillet and cure them separately for about 40 minutes.  The belly also has a higher fat content and is preferred by many people.  After the curing process is done, i rinse the fish under cool tap water and allow the fish to dry.  After a while the surface dries and the fish is ready to smoke.

I soak hickory chips in warm water for about an hour before i start the smoking process.  I start a good solid layer of charcoal briquets in the Webber pot.  When I put the fish in I put it on the top layer.  I spoon the soaked hickory chips on the briquets.  I watch the amount of smoke and the temperature gauge.  As the smoke decreases the temperature will increase.  You then add more chips to keep the smoking chamber filled with smoke.  

I get the best results when there is no wind.  The amount of time I smoke the salmon ranges from 1 hour to 1.5 hours.  

This recipe may seem very simple, but I can't tell you the number of people who have told me that I make the best smoked salmon they have ever tasted.


----------



## Lifter (Oct 13, 2004)

simpleisbest has a great deal of good cues...

In addition there are a wide variety of salmon types, and the best in my opinion is sockeye, available frozen, boneless, but not skinless here in Hamilton (also coho, but thats still in the freezer!)

The cedar planks are readily available and reusable 2-3 times, provided you extinguish them after each use, and aren't that fussy about the third go around...

Soaking the plank for 4-6 hours, with a weight on top to submerge it is the way to start, and rubbing it with Kosher or sea salt is my "method"...

For the fish itself, I like my usual helping of chopped garlic, a quater cup or so of Kosher Salt and an entire bottle of garlic/herb marinade or lemon/pepper marinade, rubed right into the meat for at least 3-4 hours...

You guys like your smoked fish "wet" and I prefer it "dry", I like using alder chips, or, in a pinch, mesquite, as opposed hickory.....

I use the method, on the BBQ, of indirect cooking, with the chips on the "hot" side, and the meat on the cool side, but maybe my "hot" is greatly "hotter" than yours, as my cedar flares up much more quickly, and it only seems to take an hour to 1.5 hours...(unless you are doing the whole fish?)(or maybe my fillets are tiny, compared with yours?)

But I enjoy your recipes, and I'm going to try them with the coho in the freezer before our BBQ season ends at the end of the month....


----------

