Time to smoke some Salmon

[Dennis.t]

Hey guys. Im getting ready to smoke up some sockeye salmon. Been a few yrs since I have smoked salmon and I have forgotten a few things. Lol. I have a Big Chief smoker. First batch will be 4 adult size sockeyes. Am planning to use a 1/2 cup pickling salt, 1/2 cup brown sugar to 6 cups water brine mixture. Then into the smoker over a 3 pan fulls of alder chips for about 6-8 hrs depending on finished texture. we like a moist finished product. How long should I brine the fishies up? and how long do I need to allow them to air-dry? Thanx fellas, and any other suggestions regarding tweaking the brine brine mixture is appreciated. Cheers

 

[bigdogeh]

That doesn't seem like enough sugar or salt to me. (i'm not an expert by a long shot though...) myself, if using 6 cups of water, i'd prob go with 3/4 to 1 cup salt and 2 cups brown sugar.... stir pieces a few times during the time they are in the fridge...
I usually brine for 24 hrs... prob more than most. and then let set to dry till the outside develops almost a "tacky skin" that is dry to the touch... prob about 4 or 5 hrs in the fridge. i usually pat dry with paper towels a couple times also during this time to try to get rid of some of the moisture...
just before putting in the smoker i also sometimes baste on a 50/50 mix of maple syrup, honey... sometimes a squirt of lemon in that also. and then keep the left over mixture to rebaste on the pieces of finished smoked salmon just before vac packing...
3 pans alder chips sounds about right. I'd soak the chips a bit before putting them in the smoker. 6-8 hrs prob be ok... usually just check it at that time, then adjust time accordingly. mine usually takes a bit longer. but sockeye being thinner fillets, might be ok.
I think everyone kinda has there own recipe and method... lots of info on this subject. might give you a couple ideas...

 

[trophy fisher]

Dennis
I usually do a dry brine mix of 4 to 1 brown sugar and pickling salt. Lay the fillets in a glass dish and cover with sugar/salt mix. Refrigerate for 6-8 hours. Rinse fillets and then into a bowl of fresh water. Change the water every 20 minutes for 1 hour. Then onto the racks and let air dry for 20 minutes. I don't preheat the smoker. Load the smoker and use 3 pans of chips of your choice, I really like the mesquite chips for sockeye, gives it a very rich flavour. Then about 4-5 hours more after the smoke is done to finish to your desired moisture content. I like mine a little bit drier but the sockeye this year have been very oily so they are staying nice and moist.
Hope this helps. TF

 

[fishin solo]

I usually do the 3 cup sugar to 1 cup salt recipe. Same as trophy fisher basically

 

[Fish Assassin]

I use way less salt to sugar 4 cups to a 1/4 cup salt. I dry brine for days, sometimes up to a week. Rinse then dry and let set up then into the smoker.

It's 2014, not 1910 do you really need to preserve your smoked salmon? Most people vac pack and put back in the freezer till they were going to eat anyways.

 

[Dennis.t]

General consensus then, is to use more brown sugar then salt. 2to1 3to1 or 4to1. Now im wondering what effect is garnered by ramping up the brown sugar content? Is it for preservation purposes or taste preferences? Or a little of both? I read somewhere the combination of brown sugar and pickling salt is what preserves the fish. Thanx again for all your responses.

 

[trophy fisher]

Let us know which way you choose to go and how it turns out. Always nice to get different ideas about what works.

 

[fishin solo]

Hey FA when u brine longer does it get drier? Just curious wouldn't mind something different then the usual

 

[Fish Assassin]

I just brine till it gets that leathery feel and translucent around the edges.

Non of us need heavy salt in our diets.

 

[Fish Camp]

I add Montreal steak fresh garlic dry mix ,water to rinse,air dry with small fan.12-24 hrs brine salt brings out the water ,pieces should shrink ,fan puts seal so won't sweat in smoker ,i use the recipe for the oven, open sheet of aluminum crimped edges temp 395.

 

[wolf]

http://www.sportfishingbc.com/forum...R-thanks-to-ironnoggin/page4&highlight=smoker

Start reading myself and others have put recipes up definitely more sugar that salt
for soxs id brine for 24 hours thick white spring i do for 48

got any questions pm me

 

[Kildonan]

I brine sox for 24 hours as well.

And one thing is for sure when talking about fish smoking processes, there are so many opinions on brining and length of smoking time etc....you'll make yourself nuts reading them all then trying to decide what to do. LOL

I picked a basic wet brine, tried it out and tweeked it over a few years to get it the way I like.

 

[SpringVelocity]

I use way less salt to sugar 4 cups to a 1/4 cup salt. I dry brine for days, sometimes up to a week. Rinse then dry and let set up then into the smoker.

It's 2014, not 1910 do you really need to preserve your smoked salmon? Most people vac pack and put back in the freezer till they were going to eat anyways.

I do exact same thing. I only brine overnight though...I concur you don't need so much salt.... I had to cut back as I cant have that much salt in my diet....It made the fish taste way better IMHO. I had same coho done at st jeans just recently and all that fish is hardly salty at all... I would doubt they put much salt in....

 

[Dennis.t]

Okay, went with 1 cup brown sugar to a 1/2 cup pickling salt to 6 cups water. Upped the brown sugar content abit then what I normaly have used in the past. Will brine for 24hrs as suggested and air dry till the fish have that sheen to them. See how this first batch turns out. Might up the brown sugar content abit more on the second batch. Thanx for the replies and pms.

 

[alumaman]

You can't go wrong with this recipe:

http://www.north-america.bradleysmoker.com/recipe/excellent-bradley-smoked-alaskan-salmon/

Good luck

 

[Hookin'up]

I use way less salt to sugar 4 cups to a 1/4 cup salt. I dry brine for days, sometimes up to a week. Rinse then dry and let set up then into the smoker.

It's 2014, not 1910 do you really need to preserve your smoked salmon? Most people vac pack and put back in the freezer till they were going to eat anyways.

This^^^
the easiest, cleanest, and never any complaints, I brine mine overnight-24 hrs, stirring at least once or twice, sometimes I rinse sometimes I dont,
air dry on racks overnight, must have good Pellicle to absorb the smoke properly
i use to wet brine but find this way so much better, just had family in for lunch today and took out a couple packs,
it was gone before I could even get a bite myself

 

[Dennis.t]

First batch looks and tastes not bad. Might add a little more brown sugar as suggested for the second batch.

 

[Sotally Tober]

This is making me hungry.
Now I'm going to have to do some too.
There are some good tips on brining, so may tweak my recipe a bit.

 

[peetz]

No need to use water in brine ... it makes its own juices within an hour or so ... I use 5 sugar to 1 salt ... and baste with maple syrup ( real maple syrup ) , with a lil dark rum

 

[Fish Assassin]

Yes leave the water out.....

Another good one is buy a bucket of minced garlic from Costco and completely cover fish after brining then smoke it. I toss a big scoop in the brine as well.