# Triage my first dry cured + cold smoked salmon attempt



## mattree (Aug 2, 2018)

Hey folks! I've been lurking all over this forum for a while and since finally having space, excited to get smoking for the first time. But, I've run into some problems. Here's what's happened – perhaps you can triage?

I bought a frozen salmon fillet, just from the supermarket (it's a bit thin, but still salmon).
Washed it in cold water, patted it dry. Made a dry cure of 50% brown sugar : 50% sea salt flakes. Then lined a metal tray with parchment, put some cure (a thin layer on the bottom). Placed salmon in, skin side down. A light coating on top. there was cure all over, but it wasn't like a salt-igloo like I've seen in some videos.

I then put more parchment paper on top, and put on heavy-ish baking tray on top and left it in the fridge overnight - probably 8-9 hrs.

Took it out, washed it again, patted it dry again. Laid on a wire rack indoors in the cool-ish living room with a fan blowing over it. Now here's where I expected it to form a pellicle in 2-4 hrs. But, it's been 7, and nothing. Nada! 

It's quite a thin piece of salmon, probably tail-end of a small fish, and it's pretty stiff, but no real pellicle. There are a few light spots of liquid, as if the lazy beast is breaking a light sweat, but not the glistening sticky wonder-gloss I've seen in the myths. 

Haven't even gotten to the smoking stage. 

Could somebody help triage this? Have I missed the pellicle boat, and is it my dry-brine, the timings or the fish that's likely to have done this.

Right now, I've got to go out for the evening so I've placed in the fridge and won't be able to look again until 6am. Is this poor fella screwed?


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## zachd (Aug 2, 2018)

I would of cured the salmon longer than 8 hours if you are cold smoking like 24 or 48 hours

Are you sure the cure went all the way through at 8 hours? I know you said they were thin but if you are cold smoking I have never went below 24 hours


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## mattree (Aug 2, 2018)

Hi Zachd, 

I got home and checked on my beauty - still no pellicle. The salmon at this point is pretty thin – less than 1/4 inch. I attached a pic of where I cut across the widest part, it doesn't show much, but just wanted to illustrate how thin we're talking here. 

Is there a general rule for length of time to dry cure fish to be fully cured?


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## zachd (Aug 3, 2018)

I would say 12-24 with a dry brine
6-12 for a wet brine
But 9 hours may be ok for that cut just as long as you believe the brine went all the way through


It almost looks like to me you have some formed its hard to tell from that angle but it looks like the light is bouncing off it

Is it dry to the touch and a little tacky? I think you will be fine in that department I would just smoke it

My uncle that lives in Alaska doesn't even form it when he hot smokes salmon and for some reason his is the best I have ever I cant get near to his and I do everything "right" go figure


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## daveomak (Aug 3, 2018)

Looks like a pellicle to me too....
I would add cure#1.... to be on the safe side...


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