Smoking salmon is a great way to add flavor to the fish. It originally was a process used to preserve the meat. Today, much less salt is used so the meat is no longer preserved, only flavored. Start the process well in advance and allow at least 6 hours of cooking time.
Instructions
1. Begin with a high quality cut of frozen salmon. Using low quality or freezer-burnt meat results in low quality smoked salmon.
2. Thaw the meat until it reaches 35 to 40 degrees F. Maintain this temperature while you cut and prepare the meat.
3. Cut the filets into uniformly-sized pieces, no more than 1 inch thick.
4. Make a brine mixture by combining 3/4 lb. of kosher or canning salt with 1/2 gallon of water. If you need more brine later on, follow this same ratio.
5. Chill the brine mixture in the refrigerator until it reaches 38 degrees F.
6. Put the filets in a plastic container with a lid. Then pour in enough brine to fully submerge all of the salmon. Close the container and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 3 hours. A longer marinating time makes a saltier salmon.
7. Take the salmon out of the container and rinse it off gently with cold water to remove the excess brine.
8. Place the salmon on a rack to dry for 6 to 8 hours for 1-inch-thick filets. Maintain a 35 to 40 degrees F temperature range while drying to prevent bacteria growth.
9. Let the salmon sit at room temperature for the last hour to form a pellicle, which is a tough shiny outer coating that holds moisture in while smoking.
10. Lay the filets in a smoker with the larger ones on the bottom racks and the smaller tail filets on the higher racks. Use wood chips in the smoker that match your own taste, there are many flavors available.
11. Cook for 6 to 8 hours. Use a thermometer to measure the internal temperature of the largest filet. Once it reaches 160 degrees F, smoke it for at least 30 minutes at this temperature to kill all bacteria and parasites. Then simply smoke it as long as it takes to get the desired flavor.
12. Remove the salmon from the smoker and enjoy. Refrigerate remaining meat immediately and eat it within a few days.
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