Let's see your smoked salmon

[N2013]

I make two big batches of dry brine, so each batch gets 2 bags Demerara, 1 1/4c pickling salt, 4 tbs roasted granulated garlic. 3rd gen recipe. 4 cookie sheets of vac packed fish usually fills my big chief. Pull bones, trim fish into 3/4”-1” x 4” pieces. Some are bigger, some smaller. I’ll keep those pieces on the bottom of my brine containers, and place the thinner pieces on top. Makes for nice choices should someone like it more moist or dry. So thin layer on dry brine on the bottom, fish meat side down, cover with dry brine, 2nd layer of fish, cover with brine, into fridge. Fish went in tonight at 830pm, will move the pieces around a bit tomorrow a couple times as the dry brine turns to a wet brine and try to ensure full coverage. Fish will come out Sunday am. Each piece then gets rinsed, patted dry, then onto the wire racks, Ill lightly brush some of the wet brine on each piece, the turn the fans on for 90min. I find 90min gives enough of a pelicule. Will post the progress over the weekend.

 

[Rain City]

Everything based on weight of fish. It's the only way to avoid disaster. I don't weigh anything but judge it on experience from how thick the filets are. I brine mine for anywhere between 12 hours and 48, again based on feel and experience. I've used the exact same method for everything from salmon to mackeral to tuna bellies and even octpous. I smoke everything with cherry or apple and keep the smoke thick for the first 4-6 hours and then it's just a temp game to get the texture right, sans smoke. My temps generally run from 95 to 125 throughout and then a blast at 155 at the last hour to firm up the crust and break down the flesh a little more. I don't really ever smoke for longer than 8 hours and as little as 4 for thinner stuff. I like my smoked fish a little more on the moist side, but not mushy soft. If you haven't tried doing octopus, do it ASAP. We slice up a tentacle thin and serve it with a charcuterie platter, it's always a fan favorite. Goes especially well with some pickled scapes!

 

[N2013]

18hours in, dry turning into liquid brine. I’ll move the pieces around to ensure they all get some brine on them.

 

[N2013]

Five full racks. I’ll keep all the thicker pieces together up top and thinner pieces lower. Should any of these racks be finished early, I can take out all of those pieces and let the thicker stuff keep going. Fish out of the brine at 930 so call it 36hrs total, rinsed each piece, patted dry, lightly brushed each piece with the liquid brine, fan on inside for 90min, then into the smoker at 1145. I run 2 pans of alder chips through till 130, then no smoke 445. Will check after 5 hours.

 

[N2013]

Always a lot of work but nice treats to give out over the holidays. Took one rack out 5hrs tail pieces), 2 trays at 6hours, and the final thicker pieces at 7 hours. Chilling in the cool air before I seal them up. Still need to do another batch later this week.

 

[tubber]

When I put the finished batches away in a freezer, I found a bit more white Chinook.
This time I took off skin, and cut off the grey meat that some people find too fishy, pulled any bones first and cut it quit thin. 10 hours in the same dry brine, 22 hours drying, 2 hours in smoke plus 2 more without smoke. Not quite candy, but tasty and easy to eat. I labelled it S.S. Fingers.

 

[scott craven]

Latest batch of winters was so fatty took 5 hours at 155 degrees

 

[Drink]

Done for Christmas, a little drambuie dab to sweeten her up.

 

[Coyote Spooner]

Lots of great info and recipes here!
What’s the secret to getting the pin bones out?
Do you use special pliers?

 

[chinnok]

Lots of great info and recipes here!
What’s the secret to getting the pin bones out?
Do you use special pliers?

There are special tweezers out there that work really good.

 

[CIVANO]

These are the best I have found. This is US amazon site

Global GS-29 - Fish Bone Tweezers​

Visit the Global Store
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 182 ratings
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$35.15 with 20 percent savings-20% $35.15

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[N2013]

There are special tweezers out there that work really good.

Get a proper pair from House of Knives or like @CIVANO says. I lost mine and bought a cheap pair off amazon. They suck.

 

[Derby]

When I put the finished batches away in a freezer, I found a bit more white Chinook.
This time I took off skin, and cut off the grey meat that some people find too fishy, pulled any bones first and cut it quit thin. 10 hours in the same dry brine, 22 hours drying, 2 hours in hours in smoke plus 2 more without smoke. Not quite candy, but tasty and easy to eat. I labelled it S.S. Fingers.View attachment 112746

looks like you have a tester sanding bye for anything that drops

 

[Doug]

I use a standard type pliers to pull out the bones on fresh and smoked fillets. The trick is to pull the bone out the same direction the fish flacks run. The bones ruffly run on a 45 deg angle so pull in that direction. If you pull the bones strait up they will break. I always wash and dry my pliers as soon as I'm done.

My pliers were given to me by my mother-in=law who is Finish and English is not here first language as you can read on the bag she made for the plier. I don't bone the fish who did not get away. ha ha.

 

[Marley]

Finished product. White spring.

 

[Derby]

Just did up some candied tuna with the balance of my 2023 loins

 

[Salmon Seeker]

 

[Corey_lax]

Just did up some candied tuna with the balance of my 2023 View attachment 113084View attachment 113085 loins

Do you have a recipe?

 

[Derby]

2 kg Brown sugar

2/3rds a cup of salt

with salmon I'll add a couple tablespoons of garlic and ground pepper

Put it in a bucket in layers- sits over night then stir it up and stir it 3 or 4 times a day.. with tuna it's about 48 hrs- salmon up to 4 days.
once it's where you want it.. I rack it in my big chief and have a big fan blow on it overnight about 12hrs.

plug the smoker in for about 1hr 1/2 with no chips the chips pretty well none stop for 8 to 12hrs.. the big chief is usually around 110 degrees
hope that helps.. if anyone has any other questions feel free to pm me and Ill give you a call

 

[Squire]

Some great looking product on here.
I did a batch of exclusively Barkley Sound coho a month ago. I used a wet brine adapted from a combination of Iron Noggin’s candy recipe and some prior attempts with dry brines.
Water, maple syrup, soy sauce, coarse salt, brown sugar, and garlic powder made up my ingredients. I brined for about 24 hours and dried in front of a fan overnight (about twelve hours in a cool room). I glazed with a fine spritz of Sortilege (maple whiskey liqueur) before putting in the smoker for about 6 hours. I set the temperature for 140 degrees and gave it an hour before I started the smoke. I used a combination of 6 Bradley alder and apple pucks for a total of 2 hours of smoke.
First time with this particular recipe and I’ll likely do it again. With all the contributions from fellow fishermen sharing their recipes I don’t know how you couldn’t spend the rest of your days tweaking your own process.