# Yumminess Smoked Salmon



## cmayna (Feb 16, 2014)

We need to start clearing out our freezer with last season's catch so thought I'd start stockpiling up on some Filets of our Pacific King.

2am...Mixing up the dry brine with da fish







Fish resting in the smoker afterwards.  Note the AMNPS at the bottom.












Started one end with Alder for an hour plus. Blew it out and started the other end with Apple.



















Details:
Dry brine with 1/4 ratio of Salt / Br. Sugar with fresh minced garlic for 7 hours.
Rinse and room dry for 2+ hours.
Smoke for 3-4 hours (1 hour [email protected] 130*, 150*, 165*) or until IT reaches 145*






Tapayakin' from my iphone


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## daveomak (Feb 16, 2014)

Craig....  great looking fish....   not overcooked...      The Big Chief has always been a perfect fish smoking machine....  They are even better when modded......    :thumb1:


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## rdknb (Feb 16, 2014)

Man that looks very good, well done


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## leah elisheva (Feb 17, 2014)

Delicious!!! I love the color!!!! It must smell amazing!!!!!!!!!!! Cheers!!! - Leah


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## cmayna (Feb 18, 2014)

Thanks everyone.   Wife claims it's one of my better batches  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





     Need to make some more Jerky out of the next batch so I can share it on the upcoming Salmon opener day.


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## sb59 (Feb 28, 2014)

Details:
Dry brine with 1/4 ratio of Salt / Br. Sugar with fresh minced garlic for 7 hours.
Rinse and room dry for 2+ hours.
Smoke for 3-4 hours (1 hour [email protected] 130*, 150*, 165*) or until IT reaches 145*

Hi cmayna,

Looks good, about how much do you mix per pound of fish? I've never used a dry brine and I want to try this spring but not sure how much to make or heavy to coat. 

Thanks

SB59


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## cmayna (Feb 28, 2014)

It really depends on what size container I am using.  I do feel I probably use way too much when I do filets.   When I do Salmon nuggets not so much.  

I never really thought about how much I use per pound of fish.  My guess would be 2-3 cups per pound.  I have thought about doing the next batch in large ziplok bags to help reduce the waste of air space around the filets that a oblong pan creates.




Tapayakin' from my iphone


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## dirtsailor2003 (Feb 28, 2014)

Looks tasty as usual Craig!


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## disco (Feb 28, 2014)

That calls for a nice cocktail to that salmon justice.

Disco


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## cmayna (Mar 1, 2014)

SB59,

I forgot to mention that when I make the dry brine, I always make way too much just to have plenty available and whatever I don't use, goes into larger 1 gallon ziplok bags and stored away for the next smoke session.  I use the same brine for my Salmon nuggets and Jerky as well.  Never goes to waste.


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## sb59 (Mar 1, 2014)

Thanks cmayna,

Mostly I was just wondering how heavy I would have to cover the fish. It looks pretty heavy judging from your pics.


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## cmayna (Mar 1, 2014)

I am planning to experiment doing filets in large ziplok bags in order to reduce the amount of brine used.   Will post when I do it.


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## fished (Mar 2, 2014)

Those look very good.  Is that ground black pepper on top?  Also, I couldn't tell from the pictures, is that done with the skin on or removed?


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## cmayna (Mar 2, 2014)

Yes, some of them have coarse black pepper and fresh minced garlic such as in the last pic.


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## daveomak (Mar 2, 2014)

cmayna said:


> It really depends on what size container I am using.  I do feel I probably use way too much when I do filets.   When I do Salmon nuggets not so much.
> 
> I never really thought about how much I use per pound of fish.  My guess would be 2-3 cups per pound.  I have thought about doing the next batch in large ziplok bags to help reduce the waste of air space around the filets that a oblong pan creates.
> 
> ...




Craig, morning.....  When I dry brine my fish, I weigh the salt, sugar etc.... mix it all up in a zip bag....    If I have 25% salt, I add the mix to the fish at the rate of 2% salt...... then it can sit for days and not get too salty and a short rinse and dry is all that is needed for a good flavor... 
Example: 10# of fish....  = 160 oz fish or 4540 grams of fish.....  160 x .02% = 3.2 oz / .25% = 12.8 oz mix for 2% salt    or 4540 x .02 = 91 grams mix / .25% = 364 grams of mix for 2% salt...


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## sb59 (Mar 2, 2014)

DaveOmak said:


> Craig, morning..... When I dry brine my fish, I weigh the salt, sugar etc.... mix it all up in a zip bag.... If I have 25% salt, I add the mix to the fish at the rate of 2% salt...... then it can sit for days and not get too salty and a short rinse and dry is all that is needed for a good flavor...
> Example: 10# of fish.... = 160 oz fish or 4540 grams of fish..... 160 x .02% = 3.2 oz / .25% = 12.8 oz mix for 2% salt or 4540 x .02 = 91 grams mix / .25% = 364 grams of mix for 2% salt...


Hi Dave,

Let me see if I've got this right. If I mix up 8 lbs of  Craigs brine ( 2 lbs salt + 6 lbs brn. sugar ) and I want to brine 5 lbs fish all I need take from the batch is 6.4 oz of the blend? And since I'm working with only 5 lbs of fish if I wanted to add cure #1 for safety I would add 1 level teaspoon to the 6.4 oz of dry brine?


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## daveomak (Mar 2, 2014)

Let's figure this out.....  for a 2% salt addition, if 12.8 oz is for 10#'s ...1.28 oz / #  x 8#'s fish = 10.24 oz of the mix for 8 #'s.....    Then the cure for fish is from 120-200 Ppm cure #1 or something like that...   I would probably put  1 1/2 to 2 tsp cure #1 for 8#'s fish....    1 tsp per 5 #'s is about 156 Ppm nitrite.... 
Then it could sit in the refer for 2-5 days and never get too salty, and the cure/salt/sugar would fully penetrate, depending on thickness of course.....   Spices etc. could be added.....    I like a little dill, garlic, onion, white pepper and a dash of ground allspice....  not too much of any of them but for a hint of flavor.....  

Dave


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