It was my father-in-laws birthday last weekend and he purchased a ton of smoked salmon from the Olympia Seafood Company for appetizers (apparently mines not good enough for him ). This stuff was the most unbelievable fish I've ever tasted in my life. Extremely moist and flavorful. I noticed that the best smoked salmon I've had never has skin on it. Can you smoke it like that or do they take the skin off after its been smoked for aesthetic purposes? I'm dying to learn how to make a product like this but I can never find the fine line between overcooking my fish and undercooking it (mushy inside). Also, I think my brine needs some fine tuning. I use a dry mix of brown sugar, rock salt, garlic / onion powder and dill. I know that this topic comes up every week or so but give me some brines or suggestions that I can EASILY put to use. Some of these brine/smoking recipes take like 3 weeks to finish one fish...... Oh yeah, if anyone knows the brine recipe used by either Olympia Seafood Company or Johnny's Dock spill the beans....
Thanks fellas....
Cuttie

1> quart kikioman soy sauce
2> 3/4 cup brown suger
3> 3 oz real lemon juice
4> garlic powder ( some)
5> 1/4 cup salt
6> 1 can frozen apple juice- 3 cans water
the apple juice is the key here.

soak in brine at least over night. Then, allow to dry on the racks for at least a couple of hours before you put it in the
smoker. I use a little chief, and alder wood seems best. Very tasty.. I use two pans of chips right away and another about
half way thru. Enjoy!!

These smoked salmon topics come in handy as I too am just learning and experimenting with some different recipies. I generally have went the soy sauce/honey/garlic powder/black pepper route. Never measured just add and taste. I have a brinkman water smoker so the fish stays moist and didn't notice a difference between skin on or off. Does anyone know where I can get some chunks, not chips, of alder wood?

Can I recomend a book,smolking salmon& trout by Jack Whelan.Areie publishing.

It realy gets into the science and breaks everything down to help you develop the taste you are looking for.

My recipe is super simple, and people fall all over themselves to get some more.

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 to 2/3 cup table salt
4 cups water

Use hot water for the first cup, and mix the solution. Add the other three cold and mix well.

I make the brine, and throw it in the fridge while i cut the fish. Using fillets, I cut pieces 2 to 3 inches accross. I leave the tail section about 8 inches long (the thinnest meat).

Brine for a solid 24 hours. Mixing a couple of times.

Coat your racks with Pam, and lay out the fish (skin side down).
Let it sit until it gets a tacky shinny coating (yum)

While the fish is sitting I plug in the Big Chief and let it warm up.

Put in the fish, and do 4 to 5 pans of alder. takes about 4-6 hours depending on the amount of fish in the smoker. I think preheating it really cuts down on the cooking time.

I have to go thaw some fish. I am hungry.

Talk to Tony at Oly Seafood, he's a great guy. He shared his recipe with me once, but I can't remember it all...but I do know his secret ingredient...BBQ sauce. After his initial brine (and I think it's a simple one), he puts it in the oven for about 25-30 minutes, wipes the fat off, brushes it with KC Masterpiece then smokes it (not sure for how long).

I haven't tried his smoked salmon, but I assimilated the knowledge for my own use...mmm!

When I smoke mine I leave the skin on then turn it every two hours till done. I use a spatula and go between the skin and the meat to pull just the meat off and flip it leaving the skin stuck to the grates. When you fist put it in put it skin side down.

I like dry brines best. start with a good product, bled and put on ice, well cleaned and filleted.

rock salt
dark brown sugar
fresh dill

I also like mine skinless, it speeds up the brining and drying processes. Sprinkle rock salt, brown sugar and dill in the bottom of a plastic container. Lay the fillets on top of the mix, then repeat the mixture over the top of the fish. Place another layer of fish on the first layer and cover with the mixture. I repeat the process until all the fish is in the mix. ( try and keep the thicker pieces at the bottom of the stack.) Skinless fillets sit covered in the fridge for about 4-5 hours. Skinned 6-7 hours. Smoke with alder/apple until its as dry as you like it. I like at least two pans of alder to one apple. It is a very consistent brine and always turns out good. I also have experimented with using half the brown sugar (sprinkle lightly instead of cover the fish) then put some maple syrup over the top of the sugar. This is good if you like sweeter fish. Sockeye is my favorite to smoke.

A wet brine I use, that turns out great:

*3 large cans of apple juice concentrate
(each can makes 1/2 gallon of juice)

*1 gallon of water
*4 cups brown sugar
*1 1/3 cup deionized salt

smoke with alder.
For springers use above, for steelhead, and fall chinook, I will add 1/4 cup of terryaki, and table spoon of garlic.

Cut fillets in thirds or fourths, marrinate over night or longer(keeping brine cool) rinse fillets before smoking. Turns out great

I always cut a piece of grocery sac paper to the size of each piece and place it under the skin side of the filet. After smoking, the skin will have adhered to the paper and it peels off easy as can be. Also keeps your smoker racks cleaner/easier to clean.

Hey John B,

That sounds like a good idea, I will have to give it a try.

I like to make a few different flavores at once. I start by making a general mix ( can't remember the amounts but is made of brown sugar, salt, apple juice, water, and a little pepper). I then put the brine into different gallon ziplock bags and add a different flavor per bag: garlic, teryaki (that how u spell it?), freash cracked black pepper, crushed red peper, and dill. I brine overnight in the fridge. Then I pat dry, add a little bit of the 'feature ingredent' that is on that piece on top. I will then smoke till they are done, rotating the racks. Time depends on the temperature out side ( I onced smoked steelhead in the snow and I had to smoke it for a day and night til it was dry).

I know what they use for brine, and you would crap if you found out how easy it was....

Hooray!!!!!!
Olympia Seafood called me last night and gave me the full recipe......
It's on my voice mail so when I get I'll post it for everybody. They were happy and eager to share it with me.
Cuttie

fcts...I could not let this go to the other page with out asking about the Recipe from olympic Seafood...
I am waiting with baited breath...( oh never mind I just need to take out the garbage )