Canned, as with these Copper River Sockeye salmon (below), or packaged for the fridge or freezer, this smoking recipe - one of the most popular on the web - earns rave reviews.
If you’ve ever looked at those electric smokers sold in sporting goods stores and wondered if they did the job, the short answer is, “They do.” Our favorites are the Big Chief, Little Chief and Mini Chief models made by Smokehouse in Hood River Valley, Oregon. Inexpensive, easy to use, easy to store and efficient, these smokers come with complete directions and a useful booklet that details the how-to of smoking.
Above: a double batch of brined Sockeye loaded into the smokers and ready to go.
To obtain the best smoked fish, start with high-quality fish. Fresh fillets from bright fish make for a far better product than poorly cared for fillets from a badly handled fish. Also – and this is important - the method I use is not designed to kill parasites. Yes, salmon do sometimes have parasites - even ocean-fresh salmon, and I've known several people who have wished they were dead for about 48 hours - who ignored this advice. I freeze fillets in a cold freezer for at least 24 hours before smoking them in order to ensure that they are parasite-free.
To obtain the best smoked fish, start with high-quality fish. Fresh fillets from bright fish make for a far better product than poorly cared for fillets from a badly handled fish. Also – and this is important - the method I use is not designed to kill parasites. Yes, salmon do sometimes have parasites - even ocean-fresh salmon, and I've known several people who have wished they were dead for about 48 hours - who ignored this advice. I freeze fillets in a cold freezer for at least 24 hours before smoking them in order to ensure that they are parasite-free.
For salmon, trout, sturgeon and similar fish with fairly firm meat, I marinate fillets in a wet brine for roughly six to 10 hours depending on the size and thickness of the fish or fillets. The fish can be brined in non-reactive glass, plastic or stainless steel (not aluminum) containers in the refrigerator or in a bucket or cooler with a couple of sealed Ziplock bags of ice thrown in to keep the mixture cool. Following are the step-by-step instructions I use for whole small trout and the fillets of salmon and other fish. The recipe can easily be modified to add other flavors or to finish the smoked fish with a sesame seed glaze. I use a version of this brine when roasting whole chicken for a finished bird guests can't get enough of.
Above: After eight hours, the salmon is rested in a cool place with freely circulating air. On this particularly day in Seward, Alaska, outdoor temperatures and cloud cover were perfect, but a kitchen table works equally well.
Brine
Ingredients: For eight pounds of salmon, trout, sturgeon or other fish
Directions:
For additional tips on smoking with this recipe, see my blog post at http://cutterlight.com/2013/07/07/a-great-brine-and-smoke-soy-sauce-brown-sugar-and-seasonings-for-salmon-trout-and-other-fish/
Ingredients: For eight pounds of salmon, trout, sturgeon or other fish
- 8 to 10 pounds fillets, skin on, rinsed, patted dry, cut into small pieces. A good size is about 3″ x 6″, but smaller or slightly larger is fine. Small trout can be cleaned and smoked whole.
- 8 cups water
- 2 cups soy sauce (Kikkoman is my favorite)
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 1/2 cup coarse sea salt or kosher salt (Do not use iodized salt. It will impart an unpleasant flavor. If you use a fine-grain salt, add slightly less.)
- 1 1/2 tbsp granulated garlic
- 1 tbsp powdered ginger
Directions:
- Mix brining ingredients together in a large bowl.
- Pour mixture over fillets, making sure they are covered, or until they float.
- Cover containers and marinate for about 8 hours in the refrigerator, turning the once.
- Remove fillets from brine. Rinse and pat dry with paper towels, and arrange on racks to dry for about an hour – until a glaze forms on the surface of the fish.
- Smoke fish according to your smoker’s directions with alder wood, mesquite, fruit tree or hickory chips. Check occasionally, keeping in mind that air temperature will influence smoking time. Typical smoking times range from 6 to 12 hours. A slightly wet product is best suited for many of the recipes we enjoy and for canning. For straight snacking, a drier product may be preferred.
For additional tips on smoking with this recipe, see my blog post at http://cutterlight.com/2013/07/07/a-great-brine-and-smoke-soy-sauce-brown-sugar-and-seasonings-for-salmon-trout-and-other-fish/