Cold Smoked Salmon

pnoon · 10-30-2011, 12:24 PM

Dry Cure For Salmon - 1.5 lb. fillet

1/2 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp pink salt
1 tsp ground white pepper
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp ground bay leaf
1/2 tsp ground clove
1/2 tsp ground mace

1.5 Tbsp dark rum
1.5 lb salmon fillet

Place half of the dry cure in a dish/pan. Place salmon. Sprinkle rum. Coat with remainder of cure. Cover in plastic wrap. Place 5-8 lb. weight on top.
Refrigerate ~36 hours or until thickest part feels dense and stiff.

Rinse thoroughly. Pat dry.

Place on rack over a pan and refrigerate uncovered for 4-24 hours. I did 12 here and it worked fine.

I then put it in my cold smoker for around 3 hours.

replicant_argent · 10-30-2011, 03:37 PM

Sounds great, Peter. Salmon in any form agrees with me. I haven't cured or smoked any in a long time, the last being a refrigerator cured lox a few years back (6-7, wow, time flies)
My wife isn't a fan of fish, but I think lox/hot/cold smoked salmon is one of the great savory treats.

tupacboy · 11-02-2011, 11:50 AM

thanks for posting... gotta give this a whirl

bvilchez · 11-02-2011, 12:04 PM

Salmon is my all-time fave fish. Thanks for the recipe brother.

tupacboy · 11-04-2011, 10:16 AM

just curious... what's the purpose of the weight?

pnoon · 11-04-2011, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tupacboy

just curious... what's the purpose of the weight?

Helps the cure extract liquid and infuse flavor.

tupacboy · 11-04-2011, 09:27 PM

oic thanks...

so after 3 hrs you just cut it up and ate it?

pnoon · 11-05-2011, 01:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tupacboy

oic thanks...

so after 3 hrs you just cut it up and ate it?

Yep.

pnoon · 12-04-2011, 09:20 AM

Another 5 pounds of salmon going on the smoker this afternoon/evening.

backwoods357 · 12-04-2011, 10:29 AM

This sounds very

ool. Excuse me if I missed it in the smoker thread, but what type of smoker do you use for cold smoking?

pnoon · 12-04-2011, 10:36 AM

I bought a cheap charcoal grill and some dryer vent hose with duct tape. I tape the vent hose chimney to chimney from my Traeger to the grill and it works like a charm.

688sonarmen · 12-04-2011, 12:06 PM

Nice setup Peter, smoked salmon is damn tasty

Taki · 12-04-2011, 10:31 AM

Thanks for sharing Peter....sounds

Chainsaw13 · 12-04-2011, 01:36 PM

Great idea to get the necessary temps for cold smoking. I've seen something similar for the Bradley with the smoke generator is taken off and ducting used like how you're setup. Can't wait to see your results.

T.G · 01-17-2012, 11:32 AM

Earned it, I did.

T.G · 01-20-2012, 11:43 PM

Thanks Peter.

I modified the recipe a bit for a slab of lox for the Napa Polar Bear herf.

Removed the skin.
Left out the pink salt since I hate using nitrates.
Added 1 heavy tsp of finely ground white pepper.
Doubled the bay leaf.
All other spices measurements were "heavy"
Used some brandy as the booze to kick start it (it's what I had around).
Used a couple bricks in ziploc bags to get a really firm direct contact pressing on the fish while curing.

Pics in the smoker thread
http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showth...59#post1536559

pnoon · 01-20-2012, 11:48 PM

Wow. Talk about irony. I have been meaning to go back and edit my original post. Soon after posting this thread, I made some more and went back to the book I got the recipe from. It seems I left off one ingredient. Yep. 1 tsp white pepper!

T.G · 01-20-2012, 11:53 PM

That is ironic.

The first one I did, it tasted like something was missing.

So the next one got white pepper, but only 1/2 tsp.

Not enough.

This slab was run #3 - it got a full tsp.

T.G · 01-22-2012, 11:04 AM

The pnoonlox was a hit with everyone who tried it. You have a winner of a recipe there Peter, thanks a bunch for posting it.

PS: Ignore my modification about doubling the bay leaf, I figured out why I had to do that. I always thought it was that my trees were of a slightly milder variety, turns out I wasn't aging the leaves long enough before I chucked them in the coffee grinder with the other spices. To develop the pungent flavor, bay leaves need much longer after drying than I had realized.

Coach Deg · 05-30-2012, 04:48 PM

Does this work on a regular smoker at a low temp? I have no cold smoker.

10-30-2011, 12:24 PM	#1
pnoon YNWA Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Peter Location: San Diego Posts: 29,919 Trading: (20)	Cold Smoked Salmon Dry Cure For Salmon - 1.5 lb. fillet 1/2 cup kosher salt 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 tsp pink salt 1 tsp ground white pepper 1 tsp allspice 1 tsp ground bay leaf 1/2 tsp ground clove 1/2 tsp ground mace 1.5 Tbsp dark rum 1.5 lb salmon fillet Place half of the dry cure in a dish/pan. Place salmon. Sprinkle rum. Coat with remainder of cure. Cover in plastic wrap. Place 5-8 lb. weight on top. Refrigerate ~36 hours or until thickest part feels dense and stiff. Rinse thoroughly. Pat dry. Place on rack over a pan and refrigerate uncovered for 4-24 hours. I did 12 here and it worked fine. I then put it in my cold smoker for around 3 hours. __________________ Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are. -John Wooden Last edited by pnoon; 01-21-2012 at 07:26 AM. Reason: forgot the white pepper

10-30-2011, 03:37 PM	#2
replicant_argent Gravy Boat Winnah. Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Pete Location: my attorney has advised against giving this information to insane people Posts: 5,326 Trading: (22)	Re: Cold Smoked Salmon Sounds great, Peter. Salmon in any form agrees with me. I haven't cured or smoked any in a long time, the last being a refrigerator cured lox a few years back (6-7, wow, time flies) My wife isn't a fan of fish, but I think lox/hot/cold smoked salmon is one of the great savory treats. __________________ www.stogietorch.com Some days call for a stiff Pomade.

11-02-2011, 12:04 PM	#4
bvilchez En búsqueda..... Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Bolivar aka Jay Location: Back in SoCal Posts: 3,202 Trading: (76)	Re: Cold Smoked Salmon Salmon is my all-time fave fish. Thanks for the recipe brother.

11-04-2011, 10:16 AM	#5
tupacboy Still Watching My Back Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Diamond Bar.... home of snoop dogg Posts: 195 Trading: (1)	Re: Cold Smoked Salmon just curious... what's the purpose of the weight?

11-04-2011, 09:27 PM	#7
tupacboy Still Watching My Back Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Diamond Bar.... home of snoop dogg Posts: 195 Trading: (1)	Re: Cold Smoked Salmon oic thanks... so after 3 hrs you just cut it up and ate it?

11-02-2011, 11:50 AM	#3
tupacboy Still Watching My Back Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Diamond Bar.... home of snoop dogg Posts: 195 Trading: (1)	Re: Cold Smoked Salmon thanks for posting... gotta give this a whirl

12-04-2011, 09:20 AM	#9
pnoon YNWA Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Peter Location: San Diego Posts: 29,919 Trading: (20)	Re: Cold Smoked Salmon Another 5 pounds of salmon going on the smoker this afternoon/evening. __________________ Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are. -John Wooden

12-04-2011, 10:29 AM	#10
backwoods357 Adjusting to the Life Join Date: Mar 2011 First Name: Jorgen Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 349 Trading: (14)	Re: Cold Smoked Salmon This sounds very ool. Excuse me if I missed it in the smoker thread, but what type of smoker do you use for cold smoking?

12-04-2011, 10:36 AM	#11
pnoon YNWA Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Peter Location: San Diego Posts: 29,919 Trading: (20)	Re: Cold Smoked Salmon I bought a cheap charcoal grill and some dryer vent hose with duct tape. I tape the vent hose chimney to chimney from my Traeger to the grill and it works like a charm. __________________ Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are. -John Wooden

12-04-2011, 12:06 PM	#12
688sonarmen Shipmate! Join Date: Mar 2009 First Name: Jake Location: Norwich, Ct Posts: 2,698 Trading: (17)	Re: Cold Smoked Salmon Nice setup Peter, smoked salmon is damn tasty

12-04-2011, 10:31 AM	#13
Taki Welcome to the Layer Cake Join Date: Aug 2011 First Name: Taki Location: The Creek Posts: 2,271 Trading: (38)	Re: Cold Smoked Salmon Thanks for sharing Peter....sounds __________________

12-04-2011, 01:36 PM	#14
Chainsaw13 Møøse bites can be nasty Join Date: Jan 2010 First Name: Bob Location: The Enchanted Mitten Posts: 7,175 Trading: (96)	Re: Cold Smoked Salmon Great idea to get the necessary temps for cold smoking. I've seen something similar for the Bradley with the smoke generator is taken off and ducting used like how you're setup. Can't wait to see your results. __________________ My neighbor came by my house this morning at 2AM, pounding on the door. Good thing I was still up playing the drums.

01-20-2012, 11:43 PM	#16
T.G Grrrrrr Join Date: Mar 2009 First Name: The Other Adam Posts: 15,557 Trading: (37)	Re: Cold Smoked Salmon Thanks Peter. I modified the recipe a bit for a slab of lox for the Napa Polar Bear herf. Removed the skin. Left out the pink salt since I hate using nitrates. Added 1 heavy tsp of finely ground white pepper. Doubled the bay leaf. All other spices measurements were "heavy" Used some brandy as the booze to kick start it (it's what I had around). Used a couple bricks in ziploc bags to get a really firm direct contact pressing on the fish while curing. Pics in the smoker thread http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showth...59#post1536559

01-20-2012, 11:48 PM	#17
pnoon YNWA Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Peter Location: San Diego Posts: 29,919 Trading: (20)	Re: Cold Smoked Salmon Wow. Talk about irony. I have been meaning to go back and edit my original post. Soon after posting this thread, I made some more and went back to the book I got the recipe from. It seems I left off one ingredient. Yep. 1 tsp white pepper! __________________ Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are. -John Wooden

01-20-2012, 11:53 PM	#18
T.G Grrrrrr Join Date: Mar 2009 First Name: The Other Adam Posts: 15,557 Trading: (37)	Re: Cold Smoked Salmon That is ironic. The first one I did, it tasted like something was missing. So the next one got white pepper, but only 1/2 tsp. Not enough. This slab was run #3 - it got a full tsp. Last edited by T.G; 01-20-2012 at 11:59 PM.

01-22-2012, 11:04 AM	#19
T.G Grrrrrr Join Date: Mar 2009 First Name: The Other Adam Posts: 15,557 Trading: (37)	Re: Cold Smoked Salmon The pnoonlox was a hit with everyone who tried it. You have a winner of a recipe there Peter, thanks a bunch for posting it. PS: Ignore my modification about doubling the bay leaf, I figured out why I had to do that. I always thought it was that my trees were of a slightly milder variety, turns out I wasn't aging the leaves long enough before I chucked them in the coffee grinder with the other spices. To develop the pungent flavor, bay leaves need much longer after drying than I had realized. Last edited by T.G; 01-22-2012 at 11:12 AM.

05-30-2012, 04:48 PM	#20
Coach Deg C O W eieio. Join Date: May 2009 First Name: Mike Location: Hudson, FL Posts: 2,853 Trading: (59)	Re: Cold Smoked Salmon Does this work on a regular smoker at a low temp? I have no cold smoker.