Simple Hot-Smoked Salmon


 
Chris, I am making your simple hot smoked salmon. You convinced me it was worth a try. My pockets aren't that deep so I bought my salmon at restaurant depot. It was $38 for my side of salmon but the main disadvantage was that the fools at RD removed the skin underneath. I always prefer the skin on and I don't know why fish mongers in my area insist on removing the skin. It may bite me in the end, but alas, here goes nothing. This is what I have so far. I added some chopped dill to the sugar/salt mixture and resisted the urge to add vodka to the slurry, as I do with gravalax.
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I'm sure your salmon will be delish!

My decision to buy at Costco was an absolute impulse purchase. I heard that Costco had small quantities of wild-caught King salmon now and then, and there were only four in the display case to choose from. But it was the 5.18lb size that pushed me over the edge!

As much as I like RD, it's just not convenient for me, especially when buying a single item. The RD here in San Jose is always packed, has long lines, and there have been robberies in the parking lot because so many people shop there using big wads of cash. It's been a while since my last visit, don't know when I'll go back.
 
Chris, I made 3 mistakes with my salmon and it ended up being too dried out and salty. I think without skin, the amount of time for drying should have been reduced but I did a 20hr dry period which made the outside layer of salmon too dry. I think without skin, it also cooked faster and I pulled it at 50min which was still too late as it was up to 130-140 range. I tend to pull at 113F range. And I'm not sure why it was too salty for my taste, but I'd reduce it to an hour or two next time.

Please forgive the smoker as I was cooking simultaneously on 4 different cookers (EX6, WSM22, Weber kettle and a green egg). I smoked it on cedar paper on top of foil.

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Danny - it is OK to smoke fish in a WSM.

On the subject of salty fish….
After 40 years of smoking fish, I have found the the time for dry or wet brine is proportional to the thickness of the fish.
 
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