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Smoked salmon is considered a treat for special occasions or meals; smoking really enhances the flavor of this oily fish variety. It is possible to make your own at home if you have a smoking device. Be aware that it is very easy to also grow harmful bacteria on smoked fish, so if you're not eating it as soon as it has been smoked, you must immediately store smoked fish properly to inhibit such growth, either by freezing or canning.
Note: It is presumed that you have a smoker or smokehouse already and that you know how to use it for either hot or cold smoking.
Ingredients
- Salmon
- Brine (1 cup salt, 7 cups of water per 2-3 pounds of fish)
Steps
Use only fresh fish. Clean and dress the fish as soon as it has been caught, then proceed to readying it for smoking. While preparing the smokehouse, etc., keep the fish on ice.
Decide whether to smoke the whole fish or salmon steaks. Steaks are used for large fish, while keeping a fish whole with its collarbone intact can make it easier to hang in the smoke chamber. Cut accordingly.- If doing more than one salmon, consider selecting fish of an equal/similar size for best results.
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Soaking the Fish in Brine
Soaking briefly in brine will firm the fish, improving its texture and hindering surface bacterial growth after smoking. Don't soak for too long though or bacteria will grow, even in the brine medium. This is considered necessary only if you're cold smoking the fish––doing this to fish that is to be hot smoked can cause the fish to turn tough.[1] For fish that is being hot smoked, consider simply rubbing with a little seasoned salt or soaking very briefly in a marinade, just for flavor.[1]
Drying the Fish
Drying is required to ensure that a nice, glossy sheen forms on the salmon's surface (a "pellicle"). Without proper drying, the smoking will be uneven.
Dry the fish at the appropriate temperature. It should be cool and dry air at 50 to 56ºF/10 to 18.3ºC. If you cannot provide this, some other options are:- Drying outdoors: Place in the shade or the sun will ruin the fish.
- Using a smokehouse: Place inside at low heat (80 to 90ºF/26.7 to 32.2ºC, without smoke and leaving the doors open.
Smoke the fish once the pellicle has formed.Advertisement
Smoking the Fish
If cold smoking, smoke as follows (it is assumed you know how to cold smoke):- 24 hours will be required for short-term (up to a week) storage.
- About 5 days is required for thicker pieces and for longer-term storage.[1]
- Expose the fish to light smoke at the beginning (keep the vent open for the first third of the smoking period), then increase the amount of smoke but keep the temperature below 90ºF/32.2ºC.[1]
For hot smoking, smoke for about 6-8 hours (it is assumed you know how to hot smoke). Smoke at 100ºF/37.7ºC for the first 2-4 hours, then gradually increase the oven temperature to 140ºF/60ºC until the salmon flesh becomes flaky.[1]
Heat the fish internally to 160ºF/71.1ºC for a minimum of 30 minutes during the entire hot smoking cycle. This will kill bacteria present in or on the fish.- The smokehouse will need to be set to 200 to 225ºF/93.3 to 107.2ºC for at least 30 minutes to achieve this.
- Use a standard meat thermometer to test the fish's internal temperature.
Smoke for at least another 30 minutes after it has reached this internal temperature. At all times after the 30 minute internal heating up, keep the fish above 140ºF/60ºC, even when continuing to smoke it.
Note that smoking can be a bit tricky when you have to maintain the exact temperatures for a period of time. If it doesn't work for you or you're just not keen on fiddling with smokehouse or smoker apparatus, you don't have to miss out. You can still take your fresh catch straight to a commercial smokery to have them do it perfectly for you.Advertisement
Storing the Smoked Salmon
Remove the smoked salmon from the smokehouse. It must be attended to immediately to prevent bacterial growth.
For short-term storage: Allow the fish to completely cool, then wrap in food-grade plastic wrap or wax paper (wrapping it while still warm can encourage mold growth). To be doubly sure of no mold growth, wrap in cheesecloth before wrapping in plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator. This must be consumed within 1 to 2 weeks of smoking.
For long-term storage: Allow the fish to completely cool. Wrap tightly in suitable food-grade plastic and freeze.Advertisement
Cooking Smoky Salmon
Rather than actual smoking, this is a cooking technique that makes the fish seem smoky. The fish must be eaten as soon as it's cooked. If you have a special stovetop smoker, simply follow its instructions. If not, follow this wok hack for smoky salmon:
Rig up a wok as a fast smoker. To make this contraption, simply line the wok with foil.
Put 4 ounces/110g of tea leaves, 8 ounces/250g rice and 2 teaspoons of sugar on the base of the wok.
Place a wok rack over the top of the ingredients. Lay the fresh salmon on top of it (fillets or whole fish).
Put the lid on. Fold more foil right over the lid to seal it to the wok.
Cook the wok on high. Cook for about 5 minutes, then lower the heat.
Cook for another 10 minutes on a lower heat. Check halfway to see how the fish is going.
Serve immediately. Any uneaten portions must be refrigerated and eaten with a day or two. Do not leave the smoky fish sitting at room temperature for any extended period. It is not smoked, just smoky in flavor.Advertisement
Expert Q&A
Tips
- Which wood to use? That depends on what wood you have access to and like. Americans tend to like hickory wood, while the British tend to like oak. Also used are beech, apple, chestnut, birch and maple.[2]Thanks
- It's a good idea to only smoke salmon rather than trying to smoke other fish types at the same time; different fish have different timing needs.Thanks
- Ready-to-use electrical smokers are available from many kitchen shops for the chef to smoke salmon with ease. Follow the instructions accompanying the apparatus. Look for one that lets you use hickory or oak sawdust to generate smoke, to ensure good smoked flavor.Thanks
Warnings
- Temperatures must be maintained and never dip below the said amounts. If the temperatures dip below those required or you haven't a clue about the regularity of the temperature during smoking, discard the fish and try again.Thanks
- Great caution must be taken to prevent bacterial growth when smoking your own fish. Do not be slack about any of the steps required and if in any doubt, toss the fish out.Thanks
Things You'll Need
- Fish
- Dressing gear
- Drying racks/dowels/S hook, etc.
- Smoker/smokehouse (and knowledge of operating these)
- Suitable smoking wood (see Tips above)
- Brine ingredients where relevant
- Food-grade plastic wrap, wax paper, cheesecloth for storage; you may also wish to use foil to wrap around the fish if freezing it
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Abigail R. Gehring, The Back to Basics Handbook, p. 219, (2011), ISBN 978-1-61608-261-1
- ↑ Dick & James Strawbridge, Self Sufficiency for the 21st Century, p. 248, (2010), ISBN 978-0-7566-6320-9
- Smokehouse method adapted from: Wilbur F. Eastman Jr., A Guide to Canning, Freezing, Curing & Smoking Meat, Fish & Game, (2002), ISBN 1-58017-457-4
- Smoky salmon method adapted from: Dick & James Strawbridge, Self Sufficiency for the 21st Century, (2010), ISBN 978-0-7566-6320-9
- Abigail R. Gehring, The Back to Basics Handbook, (2011), ISBN 978-1-61608-261-1 – research source
About this article
Before you smoke your salmon, soak it in a brine mixture of 1 cup of salt and 7 cups of water to keep bacteria from growing on the fish. After an hour, rinse and drain the salmon, then dry it in cool, dry air until a glossy sheen forms. Now that you’re ready to smoke your fish, hang it with plenty of room for air to circulate, then cold smoke for between 24 hours and 5 days. Start the smoking process by exposing your fish to light smoke, then increase the amount of smoke, but keep the temperature below 90 degrees. To learn how to store and cook smoked salmon, scroll down!
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