Alder Substitute


 
D

Dale Perry

TVWBB Guru
I have hickory, pecan, apple, assorted BBQers Delight pellets. What would you use to smoke Tom Rs salmon cube appetizers if you didnt have alder?
 
When I have no alder pellets (which you can get from BBQers Delight, by the way) I go to maple, which was suggested to me by Jim Minion when I had this same dilemma some time back. After maple, I go to apple. After apple, I'd go to any other fruit wood, or pecan.

Keri C
 
realize this is a bit of a stretch but do you have any birch lying around? failing that i'd say Keri's got it right. As you go up that ladder though I 'd use less and less wood.
 
Well as I normally do, I wait until the last minute to get prepared but I have enough wood "pellets" to get me through this. I am going with orange pellets. I figure what the h-e double hockey sticks.
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with maybe some mulberry. Chimney is puffing away, fish has been brining all night, bullet is clean and ready to go. Thanks for everyones input.
 
What would you use to smoke Tom Rs salmon cube appetizers if you didnt have alder?
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I've searched this site for salmon cube appetizers. I'd like to see the recipe since I got a bunch of salmon in the freezer. Thanks.

Griff
 
It is on the second page of the seafood section. I cut the recipe in half since I am smoking only a little over 2 pounds of fish.
 
Orange is superb with salmon. It's my wood of choice, that or one of the other citrus woods depending on what I have ready at the time.

Tom's recipe is very good. I usually use fresh ginger instead of candied (or a mix, sometimes) and up the wine (doubling it). I like pickled ginger (a few shreds) to garnish the salmon when serving--good counterpoint to the sweet and salty.
 
Thought I would let you know that the cubes turned out OK but I might have made a mistake or 2.
1) fishy smell and taste is strong, probably from low quality salmon. Good "seafood" is not easy to find around here.
2) I didnt rinse the brine off because it wasnt in the recipe. I probably should have I guess. Real strong flavor due to the mollases I have is very strong. Maybe I brined too long.

The smoke flavor from the orange pellets was good. Dont get me wrong, this recipe is good but I am always looking for perfection in my cooks so Im kind of hard on myself.
 
Dale,

Just an idea here regarding the "fishy" taste. Personally I've never really developed a taste for salmon, even when very fresh, for just that reason.

There are two cured salmon recipes in the cooking section of this site. You've probably seen them. I actually like those recipes. They're the only salmon I'll actually eat. There's no reason why the appetizer style couldn't be cubed afer the cook and I've served the wetter one as an appetizer if that's what you're after. Folks flake off some pieces and spread it on a cracker.

I believe the curing process either covers or removes the strong fishy taste. I find this recipe can also take a stronger smokewood. Apple works great and I even did it with hickory once along with ribs. The smokewood had been going for a while obviously but the results were good.

Give it a try if you haven't already. I believe you'll like it.
 
I always rinse the salmon first before air-drying which I also always do. Makes a difference to me though it's also possible that the quality and freshness of the salmon was the issue.

I've been doing this one about every time I'm home. There are a few here who pretty much insist I do a side this way (along with the sauce and slaw noted)--so I accomodate them. It is tasty.
 
Pellets are a very mild smoke source so almost any flavor would work.
We use alder, apple and cherry regularly but most fruit woods would work.

If your use to using the heavier flavored wood then small amounts of pecan, hickory or oak could work. I personely find then to strong but different strokes for different folks.
Jim
 
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