Smoking salmon

That's some great looking fish. I smoked salmon Monday evening the same 'ol way I always do - always get great compliments. It calls for a 5-6 hour brine - comes out sweet and smoky with a hint of salt flavor. Ingredients are water, kosher salt, apple juice, honey, soy sauce, brown sugar, and bay leaves. I'll try to post the recipe tonight. Either that or send me your telephone number in a private message and I'll walk you through it. I do mine in the 150-180 range for 90-120 minutes. If you brine, you do not need a fish basket. In fact, you probably don't either way because I think salmon has enough oil content to prevent sticking.

i just put some lemon pepper, some sliced lemon and/or lime on top, and some balsamic vinegar sprinkled or sprayed on it. Smoke at 200-220 for about 45 minutes to an hour. I've done it on just the racks, but i like to put them on a sheet of aluminum foil to catch the juices.

If you like it sweeter, use either yoshidas gormet sauce. Roll the fillet in that and just smoke, same way.
Or Sprinkle it with some lemon pepper and brush it with Saucy Susan(or duck sauce).

ORRRRR..... cedar plank salmon is awesome. lemon pepper and duck sauce on top. and cook it on the plank.

TYPO ABOVE - NO (ZERO) FISH BASKET NEEDED

John –

Tried calling you at the number provided but I think I was too late.

Recipe for about 4 pounds of salmon steaks or filet:

2 C water
3 C Apple juice
1 C brown sugar
1/2 C honey
2 T soy sauce
3/4 C Kosher Salt (you could cut back on this to ½ C if desired
3 Bay leaves

Mix all above, completely dissolving the salt and sugar. I sometimes warm the solution to dissolve everything, then cool it in the refrigerator. Your filets/steaks/pieces in the photo above appear to be correct size. I usually use filets cut in 2.5-3” strips from the back (top of filet) to the belly (bottom of filet), rendering anywhere from 7-10 strips per filet. Submerge your filets in the brine for 5-6 hours. After brining rinse each piece thoroughly in cold water, then towel (paper) dry. On a large platter, baking dish, etc. sprinkle brown sugar all over the bottom (this sugar is in addition to what was in the brine). Lay your salmon pieces on the brown sugar, and sprinkle another layer on top.

Get your pit going to 150-180 (higher is okay but not more than 225). I just like the cooler temps and someday will cold smoke at 90-110. Any good smoking wood is fine – I used cherry and hickory on Monday. Anyway, place your pieces on a rack and let her go for about an hour. At that point, turn them over. They should not stick at all, but depending on size, might break in half (that’s OK – give those pieces to less-loved-ones). Turning them over gives that beautiful grill marking on both sides of the pieces. Let them go another 45-60 minutes (this is all depending on pit temp). The finished pieces will have an orange glisten, be sweet and smoky, while still having great salmon flavor.

Unfortunately, I don’t have an internal temperature for you to gauge against, but because of the oil content in Salmon, you should be fine. Maybe some others could chime in on internal temperature (I’m thinking about 140 but wouldn’t sweat it).

Copied that recipe to the recipe section. We keep forgettin we got that there!!!

Meant to emphasize that this salmon comes out sweet and smoky. I want to emphasize this because some folks don't like sweet, some don't like salty, some don't like dill weed, etc. Bottom line, everyone has their preferences. Your thinner pieces will be sweeter than the thicker ones. The finished product (IMO) does not render something that one might slap on a plate next to a bed of rice. All smoked fish for me is for munching, snacking, etc. with cold brews, maybe on crackers with other condiments, definitely fantastic while fishing on a mountain trout stream.

I don't slap $hit next to a bed of rice. Just in case anybody forgot. :roll:

Did you get steaks or filets? Steaks are usually grilled, and the filets can be grilled or smoked.

If you can get your hands on some alder it's execellent smoke wood (reminder for Phil) for salmon. Whatever you use make sure it's a fairly sweet wood since you only want a hint of the smoke, and not a heavy taste like oak.

Salmon really doesn't need to be brined since it has a high fat content. Do like phil suggests and keep it simple. Too much of anything and you can overwhelm the fish. Drizzle some oil and lemon juice (I actaully prefer lime juice). Sprinkle a bit of thyme/dill/whatever, and some salt and pepper. Throw it into the cooker till it's cooked enough.

Did you get steaks or filets? Steaks are usually grilled, and the filets can be grilled or smoked

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There are both in the top two photos.

John, one thing to keep in mind. Phil's recipe was for cooking a salmon in a smoker, TK's is for "smoked salmon". If your eatin it for supper try just about any recipe for oven cookin or broiling and apply it to the bandera, just add time as needed depending on temp. "Smoked salmon" needs to be dry and really done, it's a preservation method. I live out here in Seattle area and usually have salmon most of the year. At work we will set up a ECB and everyone takes turns bringing in stuff to smoke. Most of the time it's salmon. If you have lots or can get a few fish now and then try the different recipes you find, like TK and david said a little change can make a big difference. My favorite river openned up yesterday and we are getting rain here, it drives the salmon up stream. I'll be eatin fresh really soon!

My favorite river openned up yesterday and we are getting rain here, it drives the salmon up stream. I'll be eatin fresh really soon!

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And I got 3 words to say about that - FISH ON YYYYEEEEHHAAAAWWWWW

I'm heading up 11/02/03 to fish several lake Ontario tributaries for the whole week! Steelies, Salmon (Kings & Cohos), and BIG Browns! Been tying flies feverishly and even started packing last night.

Hope to get out small mouth fishing this weekend, but we got protected waters here, so you got to release everything but Cats and Drum

When it comes to salmon and trout fishing, I'm strictly catch and release anyway.

ok, being I'm not a hunter or fisher(Go shoot something with this kid!).. I gotz a question for Tk.

Assuming stufs in season and within size restrictions, ...... why would you release a trout or salmon? Damn, I'd bring a smoke with me just ot cook next to the stream.


Or am I biting at a sarcastic fish right now. ???

I am catch and release, regardless of where or what I am catching.

Took a couple Lake Michigan Coho few years back, but I'm more in it for the sport.

Not really a big fish eater (cept fillets during lent, and a shrimp bomb or two)

I catch and eat.