# Cold and hot smoked salmon



## atomicsmoke (Dec 6, 2015)

Smoked salmon supplies running low ...managed to squeeze some time for these sockeye fillets













_20151206_135549.JPG



__ atomicsmoke
__ Dec 6, 2015






Sides will make smoked lox, bellies and tails hot smoked.












_20151206_135606.JPG



__ atomicsmoke
__ Dec 6, 2015






Dry brined












IMG_20151206_134628.jpg



__ atomicsmoke
__ Dec 6, 2015






Aiming for 48h for lox. Will check/taste how firm they are.


----------



## atomicsmoke (Dec 6, 2015)

13lb of fish.


----------



## crazymoon (Dec 7, 2015)

AS, looks good ,keep us posted on the final product so I can salivate over the pictures!


----------



## atomicsmoke (Dec 8, 2015)

Tails and bellies done.












IMG_20151207_212704.jpg



__ atomicsmoke
__ Dec 8, 2015


----------



## cmayna (Dec 8, 2015)

Nice looking batch of snacks. Congrats.


----------



## daveomak (Dec 8, 2015)

Looks real good to me....  Thumbs Up


----------



## atomicsmoke (Dec 8, 2015)

Thank you fellows. Munched on those bits last night while vacpacking. And i wasn't even hungry. 

BTW, I learned here to trim tails/bellies.


----------



## driedstick (Dec 8, 2015)

Looks great,, just did 2nd batch of salmon myself

A full smoker is a happy smoker

DS


----------



## wade (Dec 8, 2015)

Looks good Atomic. How do you finish your cold smoked salmon?


----------



## dirtsailor2003 (Dec 8, 2015)

I have two fillets waiting in the freezer. Going to make some smoked salmon dip for the holidays!


----------



## atomicsmoke (Dec 8, 2015)

Wade said:


> Looks good Atomic. How do you finish your cold smoked salmon?


By finish you mean spices on the fish before smoking?


----------



## wade (Dec 8, 2015)

Or slicing afterwards. Or do you keep it as a steak?


----------



## cmayna (Dec 8, 2015)

I always slice my cold smoked lox the day after smoking, then vacuum seal and freeze.


----------



## atomicsmoke (Dec 8, 2015)

I vac-pac the entire piece (maybe cut in two if too big).


----------



## daveomak (Dec 8, 2015)

I recommend freezing before vac packing....  then cut open the vac pack bag before thawing....


----------



## wade (Dec 9, 2015)

Yes freezing hot smoked salmon before vac packing is a good tip as it help it to keep its shape and stops it from breaking apart. As Dave says, it is best to cut open the pack before thawing as the structure of the fish is quite delicate after hot smoking and this helps to prevent it from being crushed/crumbled as it thaws.

With cold smoked salmon though it is best vac packed before freezing (especially if it has been sliced) as it helps to natural oils to distribute more evenly throughout the fish. When cold smoking a whole salmon side the tail, being thinner, is often a little drier than the thicker parts. When sliced and vac packed together it helps to more evenly distribute the oils and ensure that all of the slices are equally succulent. When thawing cold smoked fillets or slices of salmon you no not need to open the pack first as the fish still has enough of its structure to hold together.

When cooking lightly cold smoked salmon steaks they work well as boil in the bag straight from the freezer.


----------



## disco (Dec 11, 2015)

Fine looking salmon, Sir.

Disco


----------



## atomicsmoke (Dec 11, 2015)

Thank you Disco. Sockeye is a treat for us Easterners. Hope one day I won't call myself that.


----------



## atomicsmoke (Dec 12, 2015)

....and smoked lox done ...30h of smoke












_20151212_114029.JPG



__ atomicsmoke
__ Dec 12, 2015


----------



## atomicsmoke (Dec 13, 2015)

Tastes nice












_20151213_195524.JPG



__ atomicsmoke
__ Dec 13, 2015






Ready for storage












_20151213_195433.JPG



__ atomicsmoke
__ Dec 13, 2015


----------



## atomicsmoke (Dec 6, 2015)

Smoked salmon supplies running low ...managed to squeeze some time for these sockeye fillets













_20151206_135549.JPG



__ atomicsmoke
__ Dec 6, 2015






Sides will make smoked lox, bellies and tails hot smoked.












_20151206_135606.JPG



__ atomicsmoke
__ Dec 6, 2015






Dry brined












IMG_20151206_134628.jpg



__ atomicsmoke
__ Dec 6, 2015






Aiming for 48h for lox. Will check/taste how firm they are.


----------



## atomicsmoke (Dec 6, 2015)

13lb of fish.


----------



## crazymoon (Dec 7, 2015)

AS, looks good ,keep us posted on the final product so I can salivate over the pictures!


----------



## atomicsmoke (Dec 8, 2015)

Tails and bellies done.












IMG_20151207_212704.jpg



__ atomicsmoke
__ Dec 8, 2015


----------



## cmayna (Dec 8, 2015)

Nice looking batch of snacks. Congrats.


----------



## daveomak (Dec 8, 2015)

Looks real good to me....  Thumbs Up


----------



## atomicsmoke (Dec 8, 2015)

Thank you fellows. Munched on those bits last night while vacpacking. And i wasn't even hungry. 

BTW, I learned here to trim tails/bellies.


----------



## driedstick (Dec 8, 2015)

Looks great,, just did 2nd batch of salmon myself

A full smoker is a happy smoker

DS


----------



## wade (Dec 8, 2015)

Looks good Atomic. How do you finish your cold smoked salmon?


----------



## dirtsailor2003 (Dec 8, 2015)

I have two fillets waiting in the freezer. Going to make some smoked salmon dip for the holidays!


----------



## atomicsmoke (Dec 8, 2015)

Wade said:


> Looks good Atomic. How do you finish your cold smoked salmon?


By finish you mean spices on the fish before smoking?


----------



## wade (Dec 8, 2015)

Or slicing afterwards. Or do you keep it as a steak?


----------



## cmayna (Dec 8, 2015)

I always slice my cold smoked lox the day after smoking, then vacuum seal and freeze.


----------



## atomicsmoke (Dec 8, 2015)

I vac-pac the entire piece (maybe cut in two if too big).


----------



## daveomak (Dec 8, 2015)

I recommend freezing before vac packing....  then cut open the vac pack bag before thawing....


----------



## wade (Dec 9, 2015)

Yes freezing hot smoked salmon before vac packing is a good tip as it help it to keep its shape and stops it from breaking apart. As Dave says, it is best to cut open the pack before thawing as the structure of the fish is quite delicate after hot smoking and this helps to prevent it from being crushed/crumbled as it thaws.

With cold smoked salmon though it is best vac packed before freezing (especially if it has been sliced) as it helps to natural oils to distribute more evenly throughout the fish. When cold smoking a whole salmon side the tail, being thinner, is often a little drier than the thicker parts. When sliced and vac packed together it helps to more evenly distribute the oils and ensure that all of the slices are equally succulent. When thawing cold smoked fillets or slices of salmon you no not need to open the pack first as the fish still has enough of its structure to hold together.

When cooking lightly cold smoked salmon steaks they work well as boil in the bag straight from the freezer.


----------



## disco (Dec 11, 2015)

Fine looking salmon, Sir.

Disco


----------



## atomicsmoke (Dec 11, 2015)

Thank you Disco. Sockeye is a treat for us Easterners. Hope one day I won't call myself that.


----------



## atomicsmoke (Dec 12, 2015)

....and smoked lox done ...30h of smoke












_20151212_114029.JPG



__ atomicsmoke
__ Dec 12, 2015


----------



## atomicsmoke (Dec 13, 2015)

Tastes nice












_20151213_195524.JPG



__ atomicsmoke
__ Dec 13, 2015






Ready for storage












_20151213_195433.JPG



__ atomicsmoke
__ Dec 13, 2015


----------

