Smoked Wild Pacific Salmon

Photo: Chris Marks

Ingredients

6 pounds Wild Salmon Filet

1 gallon cold water (if desired to use red or white wine, reduce

3 cups table salt

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (or pinch of minced garlic)

3 Bay leaves (may use seafood seasoning if preferred)

Preparation

Preparing the brine mixture; add the salt to the water, stir until a saturated solution is formed, stir in spices and sugar. In a plastic, stainless steel, or crockery container place the salmon fillets, cover with the brine solution.

Keep the fish covered with brine throughout the brining period. A heavy bowl can be floated on the brine to keep the fish submersed, but do not pack the fish so tightly that the brine cannot circulate around each piece.

Use 1 gallon of brine for every 4 pounds of fish. Brine fish in the refrigerator, if possible.

Smoking Method

Hot-smoking (also called barbecuing or kippering) requires a short brining time and smoking temperatures of 90°F for the first 2 hours and 150°F for an additional 4-8 hours. Hot-smoked fish are moist, lightly salted, and fully cooked, but they will keep in the refrigerator for only a few days.

Hot-Smoking

Brine ½-inch-thick fillets for about 15 minutes, 1-inch-thick pieces about 30 minutes, and 1½-inch-thick pieces about 1 hour. Brining times can be adjusted to give the fish a lighter or heavier cure.

After brining, rinse the fish briefly in cold running water.

Place the fish skin-side down on greased racks in a cool, shady, breezy place to dry. The fish should dry for 2 to 3 hours or until a shiny skin or pellicle forms on the surface. The pellicle seals the surface and prevents loss of natural juices during smoking. A fan will speed pellicle formation.

Place the fish in smoker. For the first 2 hours, the temperature should not exceed 90°F. This completes the pellicle formation and develops brown c oloring.

After the initial 2-hour period, raise the temperature to 150°F and smoke the fish for an additional 4 to 8 hours. The length of time will depend on the thickness of the fish, and on your preference for dry or moist smoked fish. Generally, ½-inch-thick pieces are smoked for 4 hours, 1-inch-thick pieces for 6 hours, and 1½-inch-thick pieces for 8 hours.

Store hot-smoked fish in the refrigerator. Freeze hot-smoked fish if it will be stored longer than a few days.

Smoking Tips

Any fish can be smoked, but species high in fat (oil) such as salmon and trout are recommended because they absorb smoke faster and have better texture than lean fish, which tend to be dry and tough after smoking.

Use seasoned non-resinous wood chip or chunks, but careful not to add too many at any given time: hickory, oak, apple, maple, birch, beech, or alder.