Smoked Salmon Help? !

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reannalynne

Fire Starter
Original poster
Aug 8, 2013
49
12
Pittsburgh
I have found numerous threads giving step by step instructions on how to smoke salmon but I can't seem to figure out what will work best for me. I got the brining part down pat, but when it comes time for the smoker that's where I am confused.  I don't have a fancy smoker that I can "set" the temp to anything specific.  I have an el cheapo Brinkmann. Does anyone have a step by step on here that I am not lucky enough to run across using one of those that someone can point me to? I don't want to completely screw this up and the more information I can get the better, obviously.

Any help is appreciated. 

I'll be using salmon that was caught last week, cleaned, flash frozen, and overnighted from Alaska. I'll be letting them thaw then brining them and then...I don't know what to do next!
 
Is your smoker electric?   If so, can I assume you cannot adjust the temp?  Is the fish Silver, Coho or Chinook Salmon? If the fish is still frozen, I would keep it that way until you have found answers to your questions.  Then thaw the fish out by letting them thaw in the fridge for 24 hours.
 
 
I have found numerous threads giving step by step instructions on how to smoke salmon but I can't seem to figure out what will work best for me. I got the brining part down pat, but when it comes time for the smoker that's where I am confused.  I don't have a fancy smoker that I can "set" the temp to anything specific.  I have an el cheapo Brinkmann. Does anyone have a step by step on here that I am not lucky enough to run across using one of those that someone can point me to? I don't want to completely screw this up and the more information I can get the better, obviously.

Any help is appreciated. 

I'll be using salmon that was caught last week, cleaned, flash frozen, and overnighted from Alaska. I'll be letting them thaw then brining them and then...I don't know what to do next!
Whether elec. or coal,gas etc do a dry run 1st. No product. See what you can do to keep temp between 140 -180. You can open or close all vents, put a heat deflector between heat source ( simple as a foil tray on a rack a few inches above heat ) below the food. You might even have to crack the lid a bit with a metal spoon, like simmering soup. The lower the smoker temp the drier the fish & longer to reach I.T. so more smoke flavor. Higher temps more moist & done quicker but still good. No matter what the smoker you should always practice empty then with less expensive cuts 1st til you learn it's quirks.
 
First of all, ask yourself (and tell us) what you want the final product to be. There are quite a few very different versions of "smoked salmon" ranging from cured and smoked lox to dried and preserved jerky. Most can be accomplished using just about any smoker, but the procedures will be completely different.
 
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