First time smoke Salmon

brents

Newbie

Original poster

Jul 27, 2011

1

10

• Sep 9, 2011

• #1

Have some salmon to smoke and bought some brine from gander mountain to use but was wondering whether or not if I need to thaw the salmon out before putting into the brine or if I can make up the brine and let the salmon soak for the 24 hours and have it be fine or not.  any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

Bearcarver

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Sep 12, 2009

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• Sep 9, 2011

• #2

Brents said:

Have some salmon to smoke and bought some brine from gander mountain to use but was wondering whether or not if I need to thaw the salmon out before putting into the brine or if I can make up the brine and let the salmon soak for the 24 hours and have it be fine or not.  any suggestions would be appreciated.

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I can only give you my opinion on that:

If the package says to brine for 24 hours, I would say that if it is frozen part of that time, you aren't getting the length of brine time called for.

Maybe I can explain better by mentioning the brine I use for Salmon. If I use my brine for Salmon pieces a certain size, over night is too long, 4 hours is not long enough, and 6 hours is just right. Yet for smaller pieces, 4 hours is just right & 6 hours is too long.

Now if the pieces were frozen, that would all be different, because it wouldn't take the brine the same way as when it is thawed.

I hope that makes sense to you, and not just to me.  

Bear

 

jc1947

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Jun 8, 2011

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11

Northern Indiana

• Sep 9, 2011

• #3

Brent,

The best thing you could do, in my opinion, is to thaw the salmon and mix up a batch of Bears brine and follow his step by step method of brining and smoking it..I did and the results was the best tasting smoked salmon I ever laid my lips on.

Good luck on your smoke,

JC

Remember the Qview

 

Last edited: Sep 9, 2011

Bearcarver

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• Sep 9, 2011

• #4

LOL---Now I'm gonna have to root for Indiana, when Penn St plays them.

Just kidding, JC.

Bear

 

SmokinAl

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• Sep 10, 2011

• #5

   Glad to have you with us!

Good luck with the salmon!

 

africanmeat

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• Sep 10, 2011

• #6

 

tjohnson

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• Sep 10, 2011

• #7

I just used Bear's brine for some fish jerky, and it had a nice flavor.  Not too salty.

The only change I made was I used Yoshidas Sauce rather than soy sauce, cuz i wanted to cut back on the salt.

A premix like the one at Gander may be too salty, and you won't know until you're done.

Todd

 

chadinclw

Meat Mopper

Jul 21, 2011

169

10

Clearwater, FL

• Sep 10, 2011

• #8

Salmon thaws quickly. Toss it in. 

The fish doesn't have a clock!!

 

briankinlaw

Fire Starter

Jan 17, 2011

47

14

Eschelbach Germany

• Sep 24, 2011

• #9

I have smoked so much salmon I really like it anymore.... and with that said, here's what I do.   I let it thaw in the fridge.. I don't use curing salt.  I use dead sea salt and If you can get that then use morton kosher salt.   Soak for 12 hours @ 34 degrees.  Wash the fish and then add your secret spices and smoke.  It works every time for me.