# Salmon



## vulcan75001 (Jun 13, 2006)

Well I got brave and tried to do some salmon today...I even surprised myself how good it turned out...
Just coated it with evoo, both sides, left the skin on...used a McCormicks Garlic Pepper seasoning Grinder, and dill weed just on the top side...got the smoker up to 225....stuck a probe into the fish to monitor the internal temp...was shooting for about 145...but when it reached 130 I took a peek, and the oils were already on top...and flaked really nice.....needless to say it got pulled then....really great...used a water pan and just a couple of chunks of alder wood..real nice mild smoke flavor..if my wife liked it...it must have been good...very picky about her salmon...

Enjoy

Later
Richard


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## tim (Aug 8, 2006)

Richard; What size was the fillet and how long did it take?


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## joed617 (Aug 8, 2006)

Nice going Richard.. but no pics? Did you get to Whole Foods?

Joe


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## vulcan75001 (Aug 9, 2006)

Tim..Joe   Good Morning..

This was an old post.. and I have changed the formula just a tad...still smoke at 225*...I have learned to resist pulling it early and let it go to 140* internal temp...texture is much nicer..I now use cherry wood...much nicer flavor than the alder...didn't have cherry for that first smoke...still use the same seasonings...the size fillet I try to get all the time is 2#..gives the wife some leftovers...and it takes just about an hour and a half to get up to the 140*..
Joe.. yes I did get to the Whole Foods store down in Greenwich...popular place.. crowded  early ...lots of god looking foods there...they were all out of the beef ribs...maybe I'll try going down on a Fri. instead of a Sun. morning..there is always the West Hartford store also...when I go up to the Big-E next month..I'll try to make stop on the way ...
Here is one pic...just as one is going in..thought I had one of the finished product...guess not..do the salmon often so there will be more pics...

Hope this helps..

Later
Richard


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## joed617 (Aug 9, 2006)

Hi Richard, 

      Nice looking Salmon, The wife likes Salmon and wants to do another smoke. But first she wants to dry cure it some and smoke it at a very low temp for Lox.  Maybe we'll do it this weekend and I'll post a pic.

     Although the prices are high the meat is very good as are the veggies. The wife an I make a grocery list and we get the meat and veggies there and all our paper goods and fish at a regular grocery  store. 

Joe


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## icemn62 (Aug 9, 2006)

has anyone tried to smoke a whole fish?  I mean the fish being cleaned and gutted, but not filet.  I am just wondering if the smoke flavor will penetrate the fish skin?  I have cooked salmon on the grill, but that ws when I had no idea of what I was doing, and could not tell if it was good or not.  Picked up some planks last week, and have a salmon filet in the fridge, just need to clear enough time to work with both.

Sounds like you salmon method is the way to go


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## joed617 (Aug 9, 2006)

Gary, I never did a whole fish to be honest with you. Sounds like something I'll try later this summer. If the fish is gutted and you have some cuts across the skin I would think you would get a nice smokey flavor.
Let me know if you find anything out.

Joe


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## icemn62 (Aug 9, 2006)

I think I will go home and set everything up to have my daughter start the wood planks to soaking before I get home tomorrow.  Then light a little fire, and throw the salmon on the grill, and watch the wood plank burn up.


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## cajunsmoker (Aug 9, 2006)

Tell me about the wood plank thing.

I have seen cedar planks for sale at our local lowes and at Bed, Bath and Beyond.  I know they are for cooking salmon.  However, I thought that it was just to let the fish lay on while you cooked it.  Cedar is an evergreen and as such I was always taught not to use it for cooking.  

Please enlighten me, Kung Fu master.


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## icemn62 (Aug 9, 2006)

they were on sale at the local grocer store 2 for $4.00.  All I know, since I have not researched it, is that salmon grilled on planks of cedar are good eats....

I was looking for a little help in this realm as well.  1st to find out anything let us all know.


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## joed617 (Aug 10, 2006)

Check this out.

http://cbs5.com/food/local_story_202191936.html


Joe


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## icemn62 (Aug 10, 2006)

Looks like I am having smoked/grilled Salmon for dinner tonight.  I hope the fish enjoys bathing in a environment filled with hickory smoke.


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## joed617 (Aug 11, 2006)

Gary, How did the salmon come out? and no pics???


Joe


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## icemn62 (Aug 11, 2006)

Plans gto changed last nite.  Wife made shrimp instead, but I am not at work toady.  This afternoon, plan to lite the fires, use a medium amount of hickory chips, mixing 2 parts wet to 1 part dry.  30 min. soaked cedar plank.  That salmon has no choice, but to taste good.  Looking for seasonings, but think i may just let the natural flavors of the smoke, and wood be the stars tonight.


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## cajunsmoker (Aug 11, 2006)

Hey Ice,

How's that Salmon coming along?  Be sure and post some pics.  I may pick up a filet and do it Sunday if your's comes out good.


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## smokemack (Aug 12, 2006)

It's got to be close to diner time. Let us all know how the Salmon turned out. Those planks can get a little pricey at some places. I go to Home Depot and get UNTREATED Cedar pieces (hack 'em up myself) for pennies. FYI.


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## icemn62 (Aug 12, 2006)

Sorry guys, had to run to my parents house last nite,  Dad bought a nw computer and has no idea how to get it outta the box..  

I did cook the salmon last night.  here is the report.


GOOD EATS!

Went with 2 chunks of hickory and 1 handful of wet chips {hickory}.  Did not preseason the meat at all. {the only mistake}.  Soaked the cedar plank for about 40 mins.  Got the fire started while the wood was getting wet.  

Placed the plank on the grates.  Put the fish on the plank.  closed the lid and walked away.  Came back in 15 mins.  chugging along at 250 degrees,   15 mins later temp steady.  Think it was 1 hour on the grates...Was on the phone explaining to the old man how to put his computer together....Anyway,  
Probed the fish and 140 degrees.  Pulled the plank off the grill.  [WARNING!!!!!  Put on BBQ Gloves first.}  Take pics.  take a bite.  tasted good to me,  and I loved the color.

Wife made her plate.  added lemon pepper, took a bite of hers when she walked outta the room...HEAVEN!!!.  

I have only cooked salmon about 3 times in the past, they were always covered in some kind of marinade sauce.  This was the best I had done, nothing done prior to hitting the heat.  Lesson and note for next time...a little seasoning, salt, pepper, and garlic powder next time.  Take from grill before it gets to 140 degrees.  I thought it a little dry, but the taste was SALMON!.

Cajun give it a try, I personally like to taste just the meat.  There have been times when the only thing added to meat prior to cook is pepper, and garlic powder.  I would figure how to give it a lite taste of dill next time.


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## cajunsmoker (Aug 12, 2006)

Looks beuuuutiful Ice 8) 

I am going to try it soon.


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## vulcan75001 (Aug 12, 2006)

Gary..

Glad to see you finally had a chance to do your salmon...I have never tried the plank method...don't know if I would want to mix the two flavors of the plank and the smoke...and 140* should have still been very moist inside..maybe the wood sucked all the juice out of it...

Here is how I did ours tonight...

smoker at 225...water pan...cherry wood....smoked to 140*
skin on..evoo on both sides...garlic/pepper, and dill weed for the only seasonings..
I can only put 3 pics in a post..  I'll put the others in another post...

Richard


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## bob-bqn (Aug 12, 2006)

Both salmons look fantastic. I love smoked salmon.

vulcan, I wonder if the EVOO helped hold in some of the moisture.


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## vulcan75001 (Aug 12, 2006)

Here are  the other pics from tonight...

came out great...and very moist as well...

Thanks for the welcome into the OTBS...
Hope this offers some insight.. into the mystery of cooking the beast..

Later
Richard


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## bob-bqn (Aug 12, 2006)

Man O man they just keep getting better. That looks so tender, juicy, and GOOD! :D


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## cajunsmoker (Aug 12, 2006)

Bro Vulcan, that be some good looking chit. 8) 

I don't understand the plank thing.  I think when I do mine it will be like yours.  Strait up and on the grates. :D


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## vulcan75001 (Aug 12, 2006)

Bob...

Thanks...it was juicy and tender...nothing left but the memory and good taste...
Maybe the evoo does have something to do with it...I always use it .. and it alwasys comes out moist..
Just noticed the design on the roll of paper towels I had outside with me...LOL...

Later
Richard


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## Dutch (Aug 13, 2006)

Great job to both Gary and Richard. I do my salmon right on the grates too, and EVOO, fresh cracked black pepper, a little garlic poweder and some dill sprinkled on top is all the seasoning that I use. The wife doesn't like dill but she'll eat my salmon and go for seconds too. The last salmon I smoked I used some apple wood chunks and oh man was it great. Tossed green salad on the side with some eye numbing cold Iced tea-Can't think of a better meal on a hot summer night.


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## gremlin (Aug 13, 2006)

Hey that's a great lookin piece of fish Richard.
Maybe you could tell me about that fancy two sensor probe you used.
I would be interested in one of those.
I would probably need to go state side to get one though.
I haven't seen one up here in Canada :)


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## gremlin (Aug 13, 2006)

Ice... good job ...looks really good..
I tried the plank thing once with a 20lb Carp
Had it and two others swimmin araound in my bathtub for a week like I was told to do.
To make a long story short..I threw out the carp and ate the plank...gave the others to a Greek lady down the hall. She said she would take em and cook em.
That was back when I was  a bachelor..the wife would kill me if I had the tub full of fish. :lol:


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## Dutch (Aug 13, 2006)

Gremlin, that thermo is a Maverick ET-73. It the one that I use. Do a search using "Maverick ET-73" and a number on online sites will came up. Don't settle for the first price you see, I've seen prices vary as much as $10.00 between sites. Also look for "End of Summer" Close-outs.

Check out the Thermo Forum in the Smoking Supplies and Equipment Section.


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## smokemack (Aug 13, 2006)

The cedar planks are best suited for grilling over a direct flame. The theory is the same as using soaked chips. You soak the planks good and long, so as they are over the fire the edges begin to smolder and work their way inward, toward the fish. The smoldering cedar _is_ your smoke with this technique, so (if your going for the pure cedar flavor) you shouldn't use any other wood. You can get the planks at some grocery stores and most specialty food shops (Whole foods, Wild Oats,...). They can be a little expensive, though. I go to Home Depot for mine, that way I can get bigger pieces of cedar and they're less than half of the cost as the food stores. Be SURE you buy UNTREATED cedar if you go to HD!!
I do this quite often on the gasser. I soak my planks in cheap white wine in a shallow casserole dish (or whatever they fit in best, once it was the tub), the longer the soak, the better. I make a compound butter. This is simply salted, sweet cream butter (room temp, must be VERY soft, but not melty) that I add ground black pepper, freshly chopped rosemary, honey and crushed red pepper to. Blend it well in a bowl, and coat it THICK all over the top of your salmon filets. Be sure the fish is very cold so the butter begins to firm back up, and coat the entire top evenly thick. I leave the skin on the salmon as when it is finished the skin usually sticks to the plank for me. If it doesn't stick, it easily comes right off. I put the filets back in the fridge so that the butter gets hard again, this way it slowly melts through the fish as it cooks, and helps keep the fish moist on top. The melting liquid also helps to keep the plank around the fish from burning.
I get the gasser hot, as high as it will go (remember you're trying to burn the cedar while basically cooking the fish indirectly), place the fish on the soaked planks and then onto the grill. You've got monitor the cooking process, this shouldn't take longer than 30-40 minutes. If you have a therm, cook the fish to 135 for medium, less for rarer fish, more for well done. During the process, you will see the cedar edged burning and smoking. If you notice the cedar burning too quickly (fish is still raw, and the plank has almost burned to the fishâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s edge) adjust your flame. When I get my planks I get them almost square so I don't have to worry about it. I like to see about two inches of plank exposed around all edges of my fish. Below is a picture of how I like my salmon to set on the plank, and the amount of space I like around my fish (the pic is not mine, just used for example).


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## cajunsmoker (Aug 13, 2006)

OK JMack,

I thought that was the way I understood the cedar cooking plank.  Now, the only question left in my mind is, *WHY *cook on a piece of wood that is not a proper smoking wood.  I have always been told that pine, cedar, eucalyptus, cypress and any other type of evergreen tree is not suitable for cooking because of the volatile oils in the wood.  These oils tend to give harsh creosote tastes.  Is the Salmon just able to handle the taste?

I also saw planks from old wine barrels being sold at Bed Bath and Beyond.  I think they were oak.


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## cheech (Aug 13, 2006)

If and I repeat if you have left overs one of the best ways that I have found to have them is to mix the smoked salmon with some cream cheese and eat that mixture it is great. (worth the try anyway)


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## smokemack (Aug 13, 2006)

Roger, I too am aware of the dangers of certain types of woods. I have never questioned the use of cedar because I have seen it used since I was a child. Here is a snippet of "cedar history"...

The history of cedar dates back to Native Americans but some believe that it dates back to the Scandinavian method of cooking fish. Native Americans have used wood, particularly Cedar, for centuries. Cedar wood when used for cooking actually becomes a "spice". They would attach meats directly onto a slab of wood and lay it against hot stones or the outside of the fire ring.
When it's exposed to the heat of cooking, cedar releases oil that gives food an intense flavor and keeps it moist at the same time. 

Today cedar is considered "gourmet" by many people, and is offered in quite a few upscale restaurants across the country. Recipes abound on the internet, and occasionally you'll catch it on a Food Network show.

And here's a late tip: keep a spray bottle handy in case the plank flares up...


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## cajunsmoker (Aug 13, 2006)

I promise this is my last post about the cedar :roll: .  I think the statement about the oil acting as a *spice* with the salmon made the old light bulb go off over my head.  It's a spice thing not a smoke thing :idea:


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## vulcan75001 (Aug 14, 2006)

Gremlin
Thanks..
Dutch is right ..that is the Maverick ET 73..and the prices for it are all over the place for it....
Here is a link to where I ordered mine from...got it within the week I ordered it... works really great..but check thing out...you might find it cheaper..


http://www.partshelf.com/maet73.htm

Later
Richard


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## gremlin (Aug 14, 2006)

Thanks Dutch
I am going up to Bass Pro today, maybe they have one.


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## smokindane (Aug 30, 2006)

So how did the wife like the salmon?


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## smokindane (Aug 30, 2006)

Gremlin-

Stay away from the units made by Polder.  I have had 2 units malfunction in the past year.  Both units were purchased at Bed, Bath & Beyond.  I now use a model from CDN (Component Design Northwest) and it seems to work just fine.


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## joed617 (Aug 30, 2006)

That is some fine looking salmon.

Joe


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## gremlin (Aug 30, 2006)

Vulcan... Good morn and thanks for the link.
That price is dirt cheap and I'm gonna order two of them.
One for me and one for my buddy
Thanks ....Gotta go to WORK now.  :(


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## vulcan75001 (Aug 31, 2006)

Gremlin..

Glad I could help..


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## smokindane (Sep 6, 2006)

I just prepared  5 lbs of Alaska King salmon today on a cedar plank (several planks).  I grilled about 3 lbs. and baked the remainder in a convection oven...on a cedar plank.

Strange, although the salmon was 2-day old fresh from Alaska, the King salmon was drier than usual.  The texture was not as flaky as earlier in the season.  Then it hit me.....these fish are at the end of their migration and are about to make their last mad dash upstream to spawn...and die!  Their oil content is lower since they have been swimming all summer long to get to the mouth of the river.  This is why early season King salmon is sooooo good!

Jon


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## shellbellc (Sep 11, 2006)

You guys have to try Dutch's maple glazed salmon...it's out of this world good.  It's my favorite way for salmon.  Been looking for another thermometer, just ordered the maverick - I think they should actually use the picture in this forum - perfect temps, 225 & 140!!!!


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## Dutch (Sep 14, 2006)

Michelle, Glad you liked the Maple Glaze. My neighbor was given 4 salmon fellets and had no idea where to begin. I offered to smoke them and used my Maple Glaze on them. His wife doesn't really care for fish and she kept reminding me of that little fact the entire time the fish was in the smoker. When she saw the glaze go on the salmon she was really interested in how it would taste. Her final comment? "Hmmm-just like candy!!"

:D


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## shellbellc (Sep 14, 2006)

Yep Dutch, love your maple recipe - hubby is brining some brown trout in some maple syrup concoction right now...

By the way, when Vulcan sent the link for the thermometer I ordered it.  (My old one died two weeks ago)  I was informed that it arrived today (just in time for weekend vittles) :)


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