# I need to start from scratch with cold smoked salmon



## stone5674 (Jan 25, 2021)

I have been utterly amazed at some of the recipes and procedures I have read here!  I, however, need some guidance from the very beginning and most of what I find is very accomplished things for me to strive for.

If I have gathered correctly you must first brine the salmon, followed by drying it, and then curing it before cold smoking?

I get the brining and the chemical process, I certainly understand why you would dry it, but I am a little unclear on the curing process?  

How long do you cold smoke it?

And is it like cheese where you want to vacuum seal it and let it rest?


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## SmokinAl (Jan 25, 2021)

Are you trying to make lox?
If so I think this will guide you thru the process.





						HOMEMADE LOX WITH RECIPE & STEPS, PLENTY OF Q-VIEW
					

I have made lox following bbally's instructions several times over the last year or so. I grew up on lox & cream cheese with a slice of onion on a good bagel. This was a weekly event at our house. Over the years I have tried lox many times & I can honestly say I have never had lox as good as...




					www.smokingmeatforums.com
				



Al


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## stone5674 (Jan 25, 2021)

I am trying to learn how to cold smoke salmon, I understand that Lox is a different process?


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## cmayna (Jan 28, 2021)

For my cold smoked Salmon, I dry brine for 8 hours, then wet brine for another 8 hours. Then rinse and fridge dry for 5 hours, followed by room dry for 3 hours and THEN smoke for 3+ hours.

Lox is typically not smoked.  If you google "smoked salmon vs Lox" , you will get an ear full of different opinions.


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## tallbm (Jan 28, 2021)

stone5674 said:


> I have been utterly amazed at some of the recipes and procedures I have read here!  I, however, need some guidance from the very beginning and most of what I find is very accomplished things for me to strive for.
> 
> If I have gathered correctly you must first brine the salmon, followed by drying it, and then curing it before cold smoking?
> 
> ...



Cold smoked salmon vs Lox, I'm not gonna dive into that.  If you want cured/brined salmon that you cold smoke much of this is all the same :)

I do something very similar to what SmokinAl posted in his thread.

Where I deviate is that I use a % of salt, sugar, white pepper, and cure #1 all based on the weight of the meat.  This keeps me from having to soak so makes things a little faster for me.

In short I dry cure/brine with salt, sugar, white pepper, cure#1 and zest (orange and/or lemon). 
When curing time is done (cure penetrates at like 1/4 inch a day and I wait until its cured through the thickness of the fish), I rinse it off and pat dry and let dry 36-48hrs in the fridge
Then I cold smoke making sure the smoker does not get over 70F temp.  I live in Texas so it takes me some effort even on a 40F day to keep the smoker under 70F limit.  I use foil trays with ice in them in the smoker to keep temp down.

I apply Alder smoke for 4 hours and then that's it.
Slice at an angle, vac seal, and freeze until eaten.

Here is my last attempt where I tried some things and worked on refining the approach.  It has plenty of notes.  In this attempt I used True Orange and True Lime instead of zest and it showed promise, I just need to increase the amounts.





						Salmon Lox While Trying Some New Things
					

With the cold front that came through I got a jump on it and prepped a little over 12.5 pounds of Salmon for Lox!!!! I live in Texas so I have to JUMP and move as quickly and efficiently as possible to take advantage of temps that get low enough for long enough allowing me a window to cold smoke...




					www.smokingmeatforums.com
				




Enjoy :)


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## Wurstmeister (Feb 15, 2021)

THANK YOU ALL !!!!!  *Outstanding *guidance gentlemen. Now I can answer Mrs. Wurst on what I plan to do with the odd 10#s or so of salmon I have individually packed in the freezer! I'll let ya'll know how it turns out and I'll ask Mrs. Wurst to take the photos.


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## Brian11B (Mar 3, 2021)

Wurstmeister said:


> THANK YOU ALL !!!!!  *Outstanding *guidance gentlemen. Now I can answer Mrs. Wurst on what I plan to do with the odd 10#s or so of salmon I have individually packed in the freezer! I'll let ya'll know how it turns out and I'll ask Mrs. Wurst to take the photos.


How did it go?  I am very interested in this process.


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## Wurstmeister (Mar 3, 2021)

Brian11B said:


> How did it go?  I am very interested in this process.


My friend, I'm thankful for your interest.  However,  I'm red faced and sad to report it wasn't a go.   Seems Mrs. Wurst had a better idea (dang, sounds like a 60s Ford commercial). When the family came up from Bluffton, SC that weekend, she decided to have a "simple" meal. So she made salmon salad from 3 pieces of the salmon (very good I must say) along with my smoked mac & cheese. Afterwards, she gave" my son 5 pieces of salmon to take home to make the salad for the grandkids, who devoured hers?! (Never argue with a ND German farmgirl!) She gave me the remaining 2 pieces which I made using "in foil" recipe. Friday is my provision run to the Chef Store, salmon is top on the list. And before Mrs. Wurst gets hold of MY 5#s I'll start the LOX recipe and she can do what ever with "her" 5#s. [famous last words I know!]. So keep on the watch next week for continuing saga of the Wurst LOX experiment?! LOL!!


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## Brian11B (Mar 4, 2021)

Wurstmeister said:


> My friend, I'm thankful for your interest.  However,  I'm red faced and sad to report it wasn't a go.   Seems Mrs. Wurst had a better idea (dang, sounds like a 60s Ford commercial). When the family came up from Bluffton, SC that weekend, she decided to have a "simple" meal. So she made salmon salad from 3 pieces of the salmon (very good I must say) along with my smoked mac & cheese. Afterwards, she gave" my son 5 pieces of salmon to take home to make the salad for the grandkids, who devoured hers?! (Never argue with a ND German farmgirl!) She gave me the remaining 2 pieces which I made using "in foil" recipe. Friday is my provision run to the Chef Store, salmon is top on the list. And before Mrs. Wurst gets hold of MY 5#s I'll start the LOX recipe and she can do what ever with "her" 5#s. [famous last words I know!]. So keep on the watch next week for continuing saga of the Wurst LOX experiment?! LOL!!


You know what they say... Happy wife, happy life.


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