I'm still fairly new to smoking and am going to try my first smoked salmon cook tomorrow. I looked at the recipies in the beginners section - I don't want the dry appetizer salmon - I'm going for the dinner salmon. My concern is the amount of salt and brown sugar used in the rubs. I don't want sweet and salty salmon - I want it smoked, not sweetened. I realize it states to rinse the initial rub off, but other posters have commented on the sweetness and saltiness. Can anyone point me to a method that uses less salt and sugar or give me some tips? I have cooked it on a propane grill on a cedar plank and it tastes great.
Smoked Salmon recipie question
- Thread starter Brian_W
- Start date
Wolgast
TVWBB Olympian
Hi Brian.
When i smoke salmon i ALWAYS put alot of salt on the flesh side and let it sit in the fridge overnight. Next day pat it dry and let it sit in room temp for an hour prior to smoking.
Then add your spices just before its time to cook.
Salmon needs alot of salt to turn out good,so an overnight salt routine is important.
You could put it in a salt brine to but i think the dry way works just fine.
And smoke it at low temp 190-210 for about 1.5-2h depending on the fish size ofc,take a fork and when you can seperate the fish meat in flakes and the meat is pink not se thru its done.
I smoke my fish in 2 separeted sides filed. For a whole salmon the cooking time is longer.
Good luck!
When i smoke salmon i ALWAYS put alot of salt on the flesh side and let it sit in the fridge overnight. Next day pat it dry and let it sit in room temp for an hour prior to smoking.
Then add your spices just before its time to cook.
Salmon needs alot of salt to turn out good,so an overnight salt routine is important.
You could put it in a salt brine to but i think the dry way works just fine.
And smoke it at low temp 190-210 for about 1.5-2h depending on the fish size ofc,take a fork and when you can seperate the fish meat in flakes and the meat is pink not se thru its done.
I smoke my fish in 2 separeted sides filed. For a whole salmon the cooking time is longer.
Good luck!
Respectfully, I disagree that in order for salmon to be good, it needs a lot of salt. You don't say if your salmon is like eating from a salt shaker so I'm not convinced. I'm no stranger to cooking salmon on an outdoor grill. I usually just cook it on a cedar plank - no salt added. The time to brine runs from 2 hours to overnight depending on the post. Anyone else?
Wolgast
TVWBB Olympian
Well i havent done the cedar plank salmon.
But smoked salmon in the wsm or any other smoker to me needs to have a clean/even saltyness to it.(and im talking about an even low salt level thru it all) And fish picks up salt verry slow thats why alot of salt and over night.
But i dont make my salmon sweet at all.(swedish style)
Often put some dill/minced paprika/red pepper on it. the salt is already infused.
And alder is great with salmon.
But smoked salmon in the wsm or any other smoker to me needs to have a clean/even saltyness to it.(and im talking about an even low salt level thru it all) And fish picks up salt verry slow thats why alot of salt and over night.
But i dont make my salmon sweet at all.(swedish style)
Often put some dill/minced paprika/red pepper on it. the salt is already infused.
And alder is great with salmon.
Don Cash
TVWBB Gold Member
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Brian_W:
Anyone else? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Like you, I usually do smoked salmon on the grill, high heat (never done it on the WSM). We do it like this.
We don't brine (wet or dry). The salmon is just seasoned before going on the grill. Always turns out great. It's not too sweet, IMO. "Coating each fillet with a thin layer of olive oil and a light sprinkling of granulated sugar produced a golden, mildly sweet exterior."
Wood-Grilled Salmon
Serves 4
Aromatic woods such as cedar and alder give the most authentic flavor.
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 skin-on salmon fillets (each 6 to 8 ounces and 1 1/4 inches thick)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups wood chips , soaked for 15 minutes
1. Combine sugar, salt, and pepper in small bowl. Pat salmon dry with paper towels. Brush flesh side of salmon with oil and sprinkle with sugar mixture. Use heavy-duty aluminum foil to make four 7- by 5-inch trays. Using tip of knife, perforate bottom of each tray. Divide wood chips among trays and place salmon skin-side down on top of wood chips.
2. Place trays with salmon over hot fire and grill, covered, until center of each fillet is still just translucent, about 10 minutes.
3.Remove trays from grill. Slide metal spatula between skin and flesh of fish and transfer to platter. Serve.
Anyone else? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Like you, I usually do smoked salmon on the grill, high heat (never done it on the WSM). We do it like this.
We don't brine (wet or dry). The salmon is just seasoned before going on the grill. Always turns out great. It's not too sweet, IMO. "Coating each fillet with a thin layer of olive oil and a light sprinkling of granulated sugar produced a golden, mildly sweet exterior."
Wood-Grilled Salmon
Serves 4
Aromatic woods such as cedar and alder give the most authentic flavor.
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 skin-on salmon fillets (each 6 to 8 ounces and 1 1/4 inches thick)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups wood chips , soaked for 15 minutes
1. Combine sugar, salt, and pepper in small bowl. Pat salmon dry with paper towels. Brush flesh side of salmon with oil and sprinkle with sugar mixture. Use heavy-duty aluminum foil to make four 7- by 5-inch trays. Using tip of knife, perforate bottom of each tray. Divide wood chips among trays and place salmon skin-side down on top of wood chips.
2. Place trays with salmon over hot fire and grill, covered, until center of each fillet is still just translucent, about 10 minutes.
3.Remove trays from grill. Slide metal spatula between skin and flesh of fish and transfer to platter. Serve.
Wolgast
TVWBB Olympian
Don i havent tryed that way of smoking/cooking salmon yet but i sure will.
But when i get a hold of some nice salmon i tend to always smoke it in the wsm.
Brian: im not talking about over salted salmon ofc,fish needs salt and they soak it up slow.
Not like meat,thats why overnight in salt. Normaly in sweden in the big fish smoke houses they let the fish be in a brine for about 2-3 days. But i think its easyer to controll the saltines by the dry "rub" and it will give you a great tasting salmon overnight.
I cant stand smoked salmon that is bland in the middle,it need some low saltyness in the whole smoked fish not just ontop.
Whatever you do good luck!
But when i get a hold of some nice salmon i tend to always smoke it in the wsm.
Brian: im not talking about over salted salmon ofc,fish needs salt and they soak it up slow.
Not like meat,thats why overnight in salt. Normaly in sweden in the big fish smoke houses they let the fish be in a brine for about 2-3 days. But i think its easyer to controll the saltines by the dry "rub" and it will give you a great tasting salmon overnight.
I cant stand smoked salmon that is bland in the middle,it need some low saltyness in the whole smoked fish not just ontop.
Whatever you do good luck!
Don - next time you grill salmon, try using a cedar plank that has been soaking for a while. Other woods are available as well. Using the rest of your method I'm sure you will really enjoy the taste. But I have been there done that. I want to cook salmon on my new WSM. And the salmon available to me is ocean caught, and never bland.
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
I never heavily salt or sugar salmon. I'm not a fan of gravlax, lox, nova, etc., so I don't salt-and-press, salt/sugar-and-press, or anything similar. I much prefer to brine the salmon fairly briefly, dry and form the pellicle, rub lightly, smoke moderately (temps trending from ambient to ~275, mini-Minion start) till just cooked through and still moist. Like this.
Wolgast
TVWBB Olympian
Im sorry if i took for granted that we are talking about a half fish side or 2?
If you are talking about portion sized fish filés my advices does not come in to play. I have never smoked small pieces of salmon.
But i would not smoke a small salmon that is portion sized i would grill it.
If you are talking about portion sized fish filés my advices does not come in to play. I have never smoked small pieces of salmon.
But i would not smoke a small salmon that is portion sized i would grill it.
Geir Widar
TVWBB Wizard
There are different traditions at work here as well, I think. Before reading this forum, I would not even imagine the idea to put sugar on a piece of salmon, except if it was going to be cured for cold smoking, and then just a tiny amount.
That goes for most recipes involving meat. You use much more sugar in the recipes than we Scandinavians are used to.
My best recipe is to cut the side into pieces, salt for two hours, rinse, rest, add pepper, grill hi heat skin side down for 6 minutes and two minutes to char the fish on meat side. Perfect flaky fish, and with the natural juices intact.
That goes for most recipes involving meat. You use much more sugar in the recipes than we Scandinavians are used to.
My best recipe is to cut the side into pieces, salt for two hours, rinse, rest, add pepper, grill hi heat skin side down for 6 minutes and two minutes to char the fish on meat side. Perfect flaky fish, and with the natural juices intact.
K Kruger shared his recipie with me. His method uses a lot less salt and sugar, and made a 2 lb salmon filet melt in my mouth. Even my wife, who isn't a salmon fan by far, enjoyed it. You can view the recipie here.