homemade low-heat smoked salmon

I bought some nice salmon on sale, but I'm not keen on grilled, baked, or poached salmon. Smoked salmon, though, is entirely another matter.

I've found Alton Brown's method (FoodTV, "Good Eats") to be reliable. Plans for his "Good Eats Custom Corrugated Vapor Colloid Applicator," or Cardboard Box Smoker, can be found at:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_ea/article/0,1976,FOOD_9956_2245800,00.html

I first cure the salmon in the refrigerator like a gravlax, in kosher salt and sugar (equal amounts), dill, and peppercorns, anywhere from 24-48 hours.



Before curing



After curing

And then it's time to smoke/cook at 150 degrees (I like to use alder wood dust).







The finished salmon

Cheers,
Wade

Wade,

Thanks for the pics. AB's methods always bring a smile to my face.

Not to split hairs, but is this really considered "cold-smoking"? I've smoked salmon in the past (even using this method), and it gets fully cooked above 140 or so. This may be "low heat" smoking rather than cold smoking. I've always understood cold-smoked salmon (which is what Nova is) to require a smoker that can maintain a temperature of 80 degrees or below.

Alton actually smoked some bacon in the famous "Scrap Iron Chef" episode in a homemade cold smoker, moving the heat source/smoke generator far enough away from the smoking chamber so the smoke had time to cool before it hit the meat.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I've always thought cold-smoked wasn't cooked through.

Best,
Michael / EC

Michael,

You're entirely correct, and I'm about to edit my post.

The salmon has been in the fridge long enough to chill, and it still flakes (meaning it's cooked).

You reminded me that my other previous tries have been in the cold of winter, when I got a LONG and much cooler smoke.

It's still pretty tasty, though.

Hmm.

I'm about to head to the hardware store for some ducting and a bathroom vent fan. I'm thinking about trying to cold smoke next when the ambient temp is 80-90 degrees out. I ought to be able to just blow smoke through the box. Pix to come, when I try that.

Cheers,
Wade

waderoberts wrote:I ought to be able to just blow smoke through the box. Pix to come, when I try that.

Wade,

I have to remember to write Al Gore a thank you note, as I'm really enjoying his internet.

Great pics, looks delicious!

Enjoy,
Gary

waderoberts wrote:It's still pretty tasty, though.

Without a doubt. I've never met a smoked fish I didn't like.

Best,
Michael / EC

FYI. I picked up some hot-smoked salmon from Dirk's last night that's just fantastic. Perfect smoke and salmon flavor and a nice flavorful crust on the outside. I'm having some right now with a cabbage salad that's leftover from last night's pan-fried tilapia tacos.

If you're like me and can't accomodate a smoker in your tiny apartment, Dirk's smoked fish is a nice option. Unless, of course, waderoberts starts inviting people over for smoked salmon and homemade cheese!

Best,
Michael / EC

I have the Cameron indoor stovetop smoker. I have only used it once (on salmon) and it was very good. I did not do the salt pre-step. I do love AB!

Question: Where can you locally buy the small chips/shavings you appeared to be using? The smoker of course came with a mail order source, but I'd just as soon save myself the hassle & S&H costs.

Thanks!

Christine

christine wrote:Question: Where can you locally buy the small chips/shavings you appeared to be using? The smoker of course came with a mail order source, but I'd just as soon save myself the hassle & S&H costs.

Thanks!

Christine

I smoke fish and other stuff using Martin Yan's system in my wok, and I use shavings from the woodworking that I do. I imagine any woodworking shop or hardwood store (e.g. Wood World on Elston, Owl in Des Plaines) would give away shavings/sawdust from just about any species you'd like (well, maybe not mesquite). Just make sure it's not pressure-treated or any other kind of treated wood.

christine wrote:I have the Cameron indoor stovetop smoker. I have only used it once (on salmon) and it was very good.

I've done the wok-grate method of indoor smoking, and I've found that smoking food inside works fine, but it also tends to smoke the rest of my condo too (even with the windows opened). While the smell is nice at first, you don't want to live with it in the couch for a week. It's only outdoor smoking for me, or at least indoor with a good exhaust system.

Consequently, I'm selling my condo.

Thanks for the tip! Since I was smoking salmon, it was done fairly quickly. I will use the grill in the future.

I also have some full sized chips from an oak barrel used for wine, that should be interesting to use!

Christine

Hot-smoked salmon is one of those dishes that I love and don't make nearly enough. My wife and I remedied this last week. I started with a 3 lb piece of Scottish-farm-raised Atlantic Salmon that I bought at Dirk's. We made a cure using a cup of salt, half-cup of white sugar, half-cup of brown sugar, the tops and frawns from a fennel bulb, a couple of tablespoons of pastis, black pepper, and some fennel seeds. Rubbed this all over the salmon, put it on a dish, covered it with plastic wrap, and then weighted the whole thing down. In the fridge for 12 hours or so, then turned the salmon over, 12 more hours, turned it over, 12 more hours, and then removed it. Rinsed off the cured and dried it with a paper towel. Then we laid it in front of a fan for about 2 hours, which dried it out and created a nice pellicle. At this point we have our version of Gravlax.

The next step was to smoke it on a Weber kettle grill with apple wood. I didn't measure the temperature in the grill, but I suspect it was around 300, perhaps higher. We smoked for about 30-45 minutes. The internal temperature was in the range of 120-130, if I recall. The meat was still incredibly moist. The final dish was smokey, a little salty (especially on the edges), and really rich - in a good way, if you like salmon.

Darren72 wrote:The next step was to smoke it on a Weber kettle grill with apple wood. I didn't measure the temperature in the grill, but I suspect it was around 300, perhaps higher. We smoked for about 30-45 minutes. The internal temperature was in the range of 120-130, if I recall. The meat was still incredibly moist. The final dish was smokey, a little salty (especially on the edges), and really rich - in a good way, if you like salmon.

Darren,

I suspect that if the temp was that high in the kettle, you would have had shoe leather if you left it in that long. I'll bet it wasn't nearly that hot, though it would just be an educated guess on my part

You are probably right.

I remember thinking that the salmon would take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour, depending on how cool I could get the grill. I was really happy when I checked it after 10 minutes and it wasn't close to being done.

I used to do mine in the Cameron smoker.

However, the emeson pressure smoker does a really nice low temperature smoke. I use it to smoke cheeses as well. Not that much room, but it does work well.

I did refit my outside electric brinkman smoker with a small smoke box that creates more smoke with less heat. There are a couple little chief electric fish smokers in the garage that were given to me and I haven't broken them out yet.

For those north of the cheddar curtain, Mill's Fleet Farm often has undersized wood chips that are great for smoking.

Darren72 wrote:Hot-smoked salmon is one of those dishes that I love and don't make nearly enough. My wife and I remedied this last week. I started with a 3 lb piece of Scottish-farm-raised Atlantic Salmon that I bought at Dirk's. We made a cure using a cup of salt, half-cup of white sugar, half-cup of brown sugar, the tops and frawns from a fennel bulb, a couple of tablespoons of pastis, black pepper, and some fennel seeds. Rubbed this all over the salmon, put it on a dish, covered it with plastic wrap, and then weighted the whole thing down. In the fridge for 12 hours or so, then turned the salmon over, 12 more hours, turned it over, 12 more hours, and then removed it. Rinsed off the cured and dried it with a paper towel. Then we laid it in front of a fan for about 2 hours, which dried it out and created a nice pellicle. At this point we have our version of Gravlax.

The next step was to smoke it on a Weber kettle grill with apple wood. I didn't measure the temperature in the grill, but I suspect it was around 300, perhaps higher. We smoked for about 30-45 minutes. The internal temperature was in the range of 120-130, if I recall. The meat was still incredibly moist. The final dish was smokey, a little salty (especially on the edges), and really rich - in a good way, if you like salmon.

I think you are mixing up or combining two different techniques.
Usually for 'hot smoking', one brines for a day or so, a side of salmon. lets dry and then hot smokes.
The strength of the brine and brining time determine the saltiness of the final prep. We always err on the light side of salty.
For gravlax, lox or whatever you want to call the final product, the cure is rubbed with whatever flavoring ingredients you want onto the flesh of the fish and cured, being somewhat absorbed into the flesh during curing. A cold smoking can be used to finish the product but never a hot smoking.-Dick

I've been promised a few large sides of salmon to make salmon jerky this January.

For a decent Midwest fish smoker, try Ewig brothers in Port Washington, Wi.

I've grilled and smoked salmon a number of times but I never brined it. I usually just rub some oil on it to retard moisture loss (or so I believe.)

I've tried several kinds of wood and find cherry to be my favorite. I usually use a Weber Smokey Joe converted to a mini-Smokey Mountain but I'm sure that good results could be had on a kettle too. (I also suspect your temperature was well below 300° if the fish was not overcooked at 45 minutes.)

I use chunks of wood in my smoker and find they work just as well in the kettle. I source much of my wood locally (cherry, apple, maple, oak, hickory, black walnut) and find more wood at Menards. You can even order it for store pickup at Wal-Mart.

budrichard wrote:I think you are mixing up or combining two different techniques.
Usually for 'hot smoking', one brines for a day or so, a side of salmon. lets dry and then hot smokes.
The strength of the brine and brining time determine the saltiness of the final prep. We always err on the light side of salty.
For gravlax, lox or whatever you want to call the final product, the cure is rubbed with whatever flavoring ingredients you want onto the flesh of the fish and cured, being somewhat absorbed into the flesh during curing. A cold smoking can be used to finish the product but never a hot smoking.-Dick

Budrichard - the final product that I made tasted great and my family really enjoyed it. Cheers.

For gravlax, where pressure is required, a Japanese pickled vegetable press works out well (tsukemono). However, I was looking at a screw press several years ago at the Japanese marketplace that took over the old Klem's nursery in Arlington Heights. It has been through a couple of names, currently "mitsawa?". A very elderly Japanese woman in traditional garb grabbed the screw press from my hands and pulled another from the shelf that was essentially a very large heavy brick with a handle that was plastic coated and shaped to a sturdy plastic container. She "grunted" (like my cats do in disgust to something), made a comment to her (grandkids? Great grand kids?) where they laughed and walked off. One of the young kids ran back and whispered into my ear ("she said stupid American"). I shook his hand and put the more expensive unit into my cart. I also got a bag of candy, put it into her cart and handed her a $5 to cover the candy cost. The young kid who told me what she had said translated "thank you for helping me make a correct choice". A customer by her told me to bow NOW. I did and then she smiled at me. More to the story but I am going long. One of the best old ladies with a sense of humor keeping her three charges amused.

I do gravlax whenever I get decent salmon. This is a very good unit to do it with, dishwasher washable, and works out far better than the screw type units for pickled veggies. I have no issues disinfecting it because the coating that it has does not pick up anything.