Life in Southeast Alaska

Smoked Salmon

We spent most of the weekend processing Sockeye Salmon.  We smoked a couple and canned about 5.  This is about the 3rd year for us smoking salmon.  I have a great book by Jack Whelan called "Smoking Salmon & Trout - plus Pickling, Salting, Sausaging & Care".  It covers everything you need to know - even shows how to filet!  So we pretty much follow the book as far as the brine and the smoking process and the fish turns out fantastic.  It does take the better part of a day, but the product is tasty!
We begin with the whole salmon and filet it out, leaving the skin on.  We cut the bellies off this time and did them separately which worked good since they are so much thinner than the rest.  After the filets are ready, we mix up the brine.  The recipe is 2 gallons water, 9 cups pickling salt, 3 cups brown sugar.  Our smoker handles about 4-6 fish at a time and this is plenty of brine.  We put the brine in a large plastic tub.  Cut the filets whatever size you want and put into the brine.  The fish is left in the brine depending on the thickness - 1 inch leave in 1 hour, 2 inches leave in 2 1/2 hours.  Don't leave in the brine too long or it will come out too salty.  Stir frequently.  Rinse the fish after removing from brine and place on rack to dry.  We usually brine in the evening, put the fish on the smoker racks and place in the oven overnight with the oven light on and the oven door slightly open.  Here is our load of fish ready for the smoker:

In the morning, we put the fish in the smoker and start the fire - we have a propane smoker and put it on the lowest heat setting with the door propped open and the draft openings shut.  We bring the temperature to 100 degrees and keep it there for 3 hours.  We then add hickory chips to the chip box (about 1/3 full), turn the heat up a bit until we get them smoking keeping the door open so the temperature doesn't climb.  Then turn the heat back to low.  Keep the smoke going and the temperature at 100 degrees for 1 hour.  The next step is very important to avoid white curds coming to the top of the fish - it is called tempering.  During this next hour, gradually raise the temperature to 175 degrees.  Keep the smoke going.  Now keep the temp at 175 degrees and the smoke going for an additional hour.  After this, the thinner pieces will probably be done, the thicker ones need another hour of smoking.  Here I am with our finished product:

After we let the fish cool, we vacuum pack them and freeze.  It is very good just by itself with crackers, and wonderful as Smoked Salmon Spread.  Here is my recipe:

2 cups smoked salmon
8 oz. cream cheese
2 t. lemon juice
1 or 2 green onions, chopped
Garlic powder to taste
Combine all ingredients and blend with mixer.  Serve with crackers.  We like Wheat Thins.  Enjoy!

Untitled Comment

5:10 AM, Monday, August 14, 2006 .. Posted by marys4littlelambs

I love salmon! My dad had a friend who lived in Alaska part of the time, his job was on one of the fishing boats. We lived in Oregon and that is where I found salmon for the first time. It's always so much better fresh!