Cold smoke salmon

[becks56]

This is my first attempt on cold smoking salmon
I’m using a 12” pellet tube inside my pellet smoker
I noticed that the temp is now at 95
Should I worry been smoking for about 4 hrs now

 

[smokerjim]

I'm no expert but I think I would be a little worried, I'm sure someone with more knowledge will be around, maybe give a description of what you did. Did you use cure #1?

 

[becks56]

I'm no expert but I think I would be a little worried, I'm sure someone with more knowledge will be around, maybe give a description of what you did. Did you use cure #1?

No just salt and brown sugar for 36 hrs
wiped off and soaked 4 1hour in water
Backed in the fridge over night
Then in the smoker with tube

 

[gmc2003]

I'm not an expert either, but without cure #1 I think you're Flirt'in with disaster. I hope your well stocked with T/P.



Chris

 

[smokerjim]

No just salt and brown sugar for 36 hrs
wiped off and soaked 4 1hour in water
Backed in the fridge over night
Then in the smoker with tube

What was the temp when you started and how long was it at 95, the salt will help cure it but cold smoking I believe is around 70 or less, dont toss it yet I would wait for an expert on this.

 

[becks56]

What was the temp when you started and how long was it at 95, the salt will help cure it but cold smoking I believe is around 70 or less, dont toss it yet I would wait for an expert on this.

I noticed it at around the 3.5 hr mark it was around 60 when the tube and the salmon went in

 

[smokerjim]

I noticed it at around the 3.5 hr mark it was around 60 when the tube and the salmon went in

Did you get the temp back down

 

[BigW.]

I think it got too warm, for too long. Found a few threads that might help for next time. Welcome to the forum!

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[pushok2018]

I cold smoke salmon regularly - at least for me it is regularly. Curing/smocking 4-6 filets at once about three times a year. Sometimes do it for my friends who ask me about it.... Trying to avoid smoking in summer season, especially when it's hot.... I am trying not exceeding 86F while smoking....

 

[thirdeye]

I also use a dry cure without Cure #1, and my cure time is around 6 hours (depending on thickness), and I also rinse and rest overnight in the fridge.

I wait until late fall and early winter for cold smoking. My pit temp (in a drum smoker) and using a pellet tube will average less than 50°, and sometimes I'll rotate the fillets back into the fridge after 3 hours to lower their temp. I just feel safer with this method.

In late spring through early fall, I hot smoke my fillets, and in the first hour I would think the surface temp is >140°. At about hour 2, the tails will have an internal approaching 140°, and by hour 3, I generally hit 140° in the thicker sections.

At these finish temps I only see traces of albumen at the surface, and the fish is still moist.

Considering the time of year I probably would have opted for a hot smoke, or added Cure #1 and opted for a cooler smoke.

 

[DougE]

The only time I cold smoke on my pellet grill with a tube like you are doing is when ambient temps are in the 60's or lower. Anything above that will push the temps into the warm smoking range as you are experiencing. Even then, I burn dust in the tube, which burns cooler than pellets.

 

[SmokinEdge]

This is my first attempt on cold smoking salmon
I’m using a 12” pellet tube inside my pellet smoker
I noticed that the temp is now at 95
Should I worry been smoking for about 4 hrs now

Overall I think you are ok, but you are running some risk. Salmon has been smoked by indigenous people for as long as man’s recorded history and they had no refrigeration. It’s even questionable as to wether they used salt or even had any salt early on.
In the old ways they dried the fish with smoke and fire, so this lowers the Aw or available water for bacteria. Much like sun dried jerky but salmon filets are often thicker than jerky. So the filet is considered a whole muscle and as such no bacteria is inside it. However bacteria can be on the surface and must be addressed , the salt will deal with much of it but as daveomak has posted there is now more botulism being reported in fish generally but specifically in salmon. The only tool we have to combat botulism is cure #1. If you completely dry the surface like jerky you probably are fine, otherwise you need nitrite to make it safe.

 

[thirdeye]

Overall I think you are ok, but you are running some risk. Salmon has been smoked by indigenous people for as long as man’s recorded history and they had no refrigeration. It’s even questionable as to wether they used salt or even had any salt early on.
In the old ways they dried the fish with smoke and fire, so this lowers the Aw or available water for bacteria.

I think the key word for safety is 'drying' even though the fires did produce some smoke. To me, cold (or cool) smoked salmon begins with Nova Lox, then you can move as close to hot smoked salmon as you like.

100 years ago, Nova lox was salty, but less salty than lox, and the smoky flavor was appealing to many. The smoke could have played a role in the curing, but drying may have been happening in the background.

Fast forward to modern day techniques, and refrigeration... here is a side-by-side look at my Nova lox and hot smoked salmon.

 

[SmokinEdge]

I think the key word for safety is 'drying' even though the fires did produce some smoke. To me, cold (or cool) smoked salmon begins with Nova Lox, then you can move as close to hot smoked salmon as you like.

100 years ago, Nova lox was salty, but less salty than lox, and the smoky flavor was appealing to many. The smoke could have played a role in the curing, but drying may have been happening in the background.

Fast forward to modern day techniques, and refrigeration... here is a side-by-side look at my Nova lox and hot smoked salmon.
View attachment 673849

Yes sir, I agree.

 

[becks56]

Did you get the temp back down

No I’m slicing it this morning next time I’ll put a tray of ice in people say that might keep the temp down I’ll also keep a eye on it

 

[becks56]

What caused my cold smoked salmon to flake while cutting
I have a sharp knife

 

[BigW.]

What caused my cold smoked salmon to flake while cutting
I have a sharp knife

Probably got too warm.

 

[becks56]

Probably got too warm.

Thought so I did let it soak in water for 1hr after curing