Hi Guys,

I have been smoking salmon for a while now, and it seems I’m still
missing something. I do get excellent results, but every now and then
it does not turn out the way I expected.

Problem: salmon is “done” (150 F) but to moist and did not pick up a
lot of smoke.

This is what I did:
Half a salmon with skin. 1.7 kg
Brine for 2 hours (1 gallon of water, 1,5 cups of salt, 1 cup of brown
sugar)
Air dry for one hour
Place the salmon on a trough away platter (to prevent sticking to the
grate)
Place salmon with platter in the smoker
Smoker uses wood only
Added damp wood dust to add extra smoke
Smoke with oak till fish has an internal temp of 140-155 F.
The smoker has a temp between 175-212 F.


Yesterday the salmon got to 155 F in less then 2 hours. Since the rest
of the diner was not don yet, brought the temp down to 160 F and let
the fish in the smoker. I was surprised. It usually takes around 2.5
hours to reach that temp. in my opinion 155F is to high, I expected
the fish to dry out. This case, the fish was done, but still way to
moist.

• I checked the thermometer, both (internal and external) where OK
• The platter might have a negative effect, the downside of the fish
is not surrounded by air/smoke. Yet, I have smoked salmon this way
with excellent results
• One hour to air dry the salmon might not have been enough. The fish
was not “sticky” when it went into the smoker. But then again,
sometime I do not even air dry the fish, but just pat it dry with a
paper towel.
• The fish might have had to much liquid to start (it was not wild
salmon). maybe dry salting the fish might do a better job?

Do you guys have any idea what want wrong? Im thinking of the
following:
• Do not use plate (not really an option in my case)
• Dry salt the fish
• Let the fish dry for 24 hours in the fridge

Thanks for your help

Adriaan
The Netherlands

"Kent" > wrote in message
...
>
> "A. Kesteloo" > wrote in message
> ...
> Hi Guys,
>
> I have been smoking salmon for a while now, and it seems I'm still
> missing something. I do get excellent results, but every now and then
> it does not turn out the way I expected.
>
> Problem: salmon is "done" (150 F) but to moist and did not pick up a
> lot of smoke.
>
> This is what I did:
> Half a salmon with skin. 1.7 kg
> Brine for 2 hours (1 gallon of water, 1,5 cups of salt, 1 cup of brown
> sugar)
> Air dry for one hour
> Place the salmon on a trough away platter (to prevent sticking to the
> grate)
> Place salmon with platter in the smoker
> Smoker uses wood only
> Added damp wood dust to add extra smoke
> Smoke with oak till fish has an internal temp of 140-155 F.
> The smoker has a temp between 175-212 F.
>
>
> Yesterday the salmon got to 155 F in less then 2 hours. Since the rest
> of the diner was not don yet, brought the temp down to 160 F and let
> the fish in the smoker. I was surprised. It usually takes around 2.5
> hours to reach that temp. in my opinion 155F is to high, I expected
> the fish to dry out. This case, the fish was done, but still way to
> moist.
>
> . I checked the thermometer, both (internal and external) where OK
> . The platter might have a negative effect, the downside of the fish
> is not surrounded by air/smoke. Yet, I have smoked salmon this way
> with excellent results
> . One hour to air dry the salmon might not have been enough. The fish
> was not "sticky" when it went into the smoker. But then again,
> sometime I do not even air dry the fish, but just pat it dry with a
> paper towel.
> . The fish might have had to much liquid to start (it was not wild
> salmon). maybe dry salting the fish might do a better job?
>
> Do you guys have any idea what want wrong? Im thinking of the
> following:
> . Do not use plate (not really an option in my case)
> . Dry salt the fish
> . Let the fish dry for 24 hours in the fridge
>
> Thanks for your help
>
> Adriaan
>>
>>
> I think it's going to stay moist if you smoke on a platter. I have the
> feeling you're trying to make that hard brick like smoked salmon people
> make in the northwoods, based on your smoking temperature. What kind of
> smoker were you using? In a bullet smoker I place something to act as a
> heat sink over the wood fire amd smoke at a controlled temp.about 90-100F,
> depending on the outside temperature. I smoke at the lowest temp. I can,
> I make gravlax and smoke after, to get the Norwegian type cold smoked
> salmon you find at Costco. or Trader Joe's in the U.S. I think the pros
> smoke by blowing the smoke from one room to the other at room temp. The
> fish would be cured without cooking it but after the cure. Making cold
> smoked salmon is hard to do. When I have the temp. higher, as you do, I've
> always ended up with a firmer "cooked" salmon with a smokey flavor.
>
> I also do not brine. Cure with salt and sugar applied followed by 24-36
> hours in the refrigerator. Here's a recipe from Emeril Lagasse from food
> network.
> http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/e...pe2/index.html ,
> even though I can't believe an Italian would understand a Scandinavian
> dish like gravlax. You can optionally leave out the dill for smoking. I
> like its taste and leave it in.
>
> I wish salmon were cheaper around here, like it used to be. I"d be making
> it righit now.
>
> Best of Luck,
>
> Kent
>
>
I just realized I've given you what I do for a "cold smoked salmon". When
I've done the above and the cooking temp. rises to 130 or so I end up with
the firmer salmon that Mort describes, drier, but good and smokey.

Kent