How do you make smoked salmon at home?

Question

How do you make smoked salmon at home?

Answer 1

10-20 lbs. Ed's Wild Salmon, fillets

14 cups Salt

7 cups Brown Sugar

5 gallons Water

5 gallon Bucket

Alder wood chips



Recipe Preparation:

Begin with either fresh for frozen wild salmon. Frozen is actually easier because some of the moisture is lost during the freezing and thawing process. If the fish is not already in fillets (visit our page on How to Fillet Fish) do it now and then cut fillets into even sized pieces (2 x 4 inch is ideal). Now you need to create your brine mixture of salt and brown sugar. If you like specific spices - go ahead and add them to the mixture at this stage. I suggest mixing the brine 2:1 salt to brown sugar but if you like a sweeter finished product adjust the the sugar content to your taste. For a full mixture of 5 gallons of water you will need to mix 14 cups of salt and 7 cups of brown sugar. This is enough brine for 20 lbs. of wild salmon or halibut. You must mix enough brine to completely immerse your fish in the solution. I suggest using a white, 5 gallon bucket for brining. Place the bucket into refrigeration and leave for two hours. Now you need to remove your fish from the brine and rinse it quickly under cold running water. Place brined portions onto your greased (we suggest a vegetable oil spray) smoking rack. Be sure to keep adequate space around each piece to allow the smoke to filter around the fish from all sides. Next place racked fish into refrigeration for a minimum of 12 hours, this allows the fish to cure. After you have cured the fish you are ready to smoke it. Start out as cool as you can and gradually increase your temperature to an internal temperature of 150 degrees (F) for 30 minutes. Remove rack from smoker and allow your finished product to cool. Your fish is now ready to be vacuum sealed or consumed. Remember that if you choose to vacuum seal your products that you MUST keep it frozen or refrigerated until you are ready to use it. Be sure to sanitize your smoking equipment after use.

Answer 2

Smoked salmon crostini

Ingredients:

• 1 4-ounce package pre-sliced smoked salmon (approx. 8 pieces)

• 8 1/2-inch thick slices baguette

• olive oil for brushing bread

• 1 Tbs chopped fresh tarragon

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

• 1 Tbs Dijon mustard (or more to taste)

• 2 Tbs well drained capers (non pareil, not caper berries with the stems)

• tarragon leaves for garnish (optional)

Procedure:

  pre-sliced smoked salmon to make a simple appetizer that's served on crostini with a mustard, caper and herb mayonnaise blend.

  

Turn the oven on to the broiler setting, leaving the oven door open just a little bit and cut 8 slices of a baguette, on a slight bias, about 1/2-inch thick. Place the slices on a baking tray and use a pastry brush to lightly brush both sides of the bread with a little olive oil.

Place the baking tray on the top rack of the oven, under the broiler and keep your eye on that while you finely chop a heaping Tbs of fresh tarragon. Pull the tray out of the oven and flip the crostini over to brown the second side just like the first.

While that's happening, combine the chopped tarragon with the mayonnaise, mustard drained capers. When the second side of the crostini is nicely browned, pull them out of the oven and let them cool for a few minutes.

Then place a small dollop of mayonnaise on top of the crostini to help hold the salmon in place, and then fold one slice of salmon and place that on one slice of bread and finish with another dollop of the caper, mustard and herb mayonnaise. Use some of the tarragon leaves that are left over in the package to garnish each piece.

Hints:

Stretch the salmon by using 1/2 slice per crostini (you'll need more crostini for this) and substitute other herbs like fresh dill for the tarragon or use a combination if you like.

Serves 8 pieces