# Parchment Paper and Salmon Smoke Question



## rstr hunter (Apr 28, 2010)

I've been smoking Salmon that we catch up on the lake for the last 3 years. Anyway, after catching some fish, I scale them and filet them, brine them for a couple of days and smoke them with Alder. Here is where the question comes in. I have smoked these skin down and then the skin pulls off the fish and is stuck in the grates and is a tough clean. Also the finished product ends up with the skin half on at best. I also have tried skin down and the meat sticks to the grates and again is a tough clean and it rips up the finished product. Have also tried putting Pam on the grates to help and it doesn't help much either. Has anyone ever tried putting the filets skin side down on pieces of parchment paper? Since the skin won't be eaten anyway, and as they use parchment paper in baking, wouldn't this be a good solution to cleaning this up? It also would make the move to packaging this easier as well. What's you guy's thoughts?


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## justsmoke2 (Apr 28, 2010)

I used alum foil when I smoked some salmon.  I trimmed the foil to the size of the fillets.  When I peeled the foil of the skin went with it.


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## richoso1 (Apr 28, 2010)

Thats's been my experice too. Foil has not hampered the smoke flavor in my smokes.


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## mgnorcal (Apr 28, 2010)

I use parchment paper all the time when I smoke meatloaf and I've used it with skinned fillets of fish too.

The smoke goes right through the parchment so I get the same smoke ring on the bottom as top and sides, and the paper comes off cleanly when you are done.  I think it could be a good answer for you.  Hanging the fish somehow might even be better.

I'm no expert at fish smoking, but I'm surprised that you brine for so long.


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## dribron (Apr 28, 2010)

I smoke salmon and stealhead all the time, all I do is spray the fish, and the grates with olive oil. Seldom do they ever stick..


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## macbillybob (Apr 28, 2010)

Just smoked a batch of salmon yesterday with skin down. I spray the rack with PAM for grilling. Spray it real good and I get very little sticking. This is the second batch I have done this way but the first had no skin.


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## Bearcarver (Apr 28, 2010)

Thanks,
I just made a note of this on my favorite Salmon recipe. This could take the frown off the little woman's face!
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






Bearcarver


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## gsdressler (Dec 25, 2011)

_I will have to give this a try as well. I have smoked a bit of fish and have the same problem with it sticking to the grate. I'll see how the parchment paper works when I do my whitefish . I've tried the oil rubbed on the grate with no success really as it still left most of the skin behind. I did use a flat metal spatula to lift the fish off  the grate though._


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## sprky (Dec 25, 2011)

HUMMMM interesting info here. Going to try the parchment paper for meat loaf


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## isaac (Jun 16, 2016)

so you wrap the meatloaf like you would wrap a brisket? Im doing a brisket next week and I only have freezer paper, perhaps I will try the parchment.


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