ISO help/tips smoking salmon

[inchrisin]

I'm wanting to try to smoke some salmon for the holidays. I'd like to try to keep my smoker, and the salmon, as cool as possible. I've just got a pretty standard oil drum shaped grill. I'm hoping I can just reduce the amount of charcoal and alder wood to about a fistful and have a cooler temperature (150-160?) I'm hoping to get some feedback from those who've tried to smoke salmon.

The end result will hopefully be some creme fresh and some rye bread with smoked salmon on top.

I may need some help with a brine recipe and tips for the smoker. Thanks!

 

[Andy M.]

Sounds like a cold smoked nova lox you're looking for. I have a vague memory the temp should be around 140ºF but I'm not sure.

I think you have the right idea. Very little charcoal and chips. Alton Brown did this on his Good Eats show if you want to check that out for specifics. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/smoked-salmon-recipe/index.html

 

[salt and pepper]

Sounds like a cold smoked nova lox you're looking for. I have a vague memory the temp should be around 140ºF but I'm not sure.

I think you have the right idea. Very little charcoal and chips. Alton Brown did this on his Good Eats show if you want to check that out for specifics. Smoked Salmon Recipe : Alton Brown : Recipes : Food Network

I agree with Andy, cold smoke @ 100-140 degrees.

 

[Rocket_J_Dawg]

Cold smoked is usually less than 90F. Hot smoked is around 160F.
https://miramichismokedsalmon.com/smoked-salmon/

 

[Roll_Bones]

If you do not have a cold smoker, you are wasting your time.

The fire/charcoal/wood/chips should be a distance from the smoking chamber to allow the smoke to cool and keep most of the heat from the fire from entering.
I saw one (cold smoker) made on TV the other night. "Alaska The Last Frontier" (great show BTW)!

They built a smoke chamber and they buried an underground pipe to funnel the smoke through to the chamber. Since the ground is very cold up there, it acts like a heat exchanger.
As the smoke and heat passes through the pipe, it gets cooled off. When it reaches the smoking chamber it has cooled off considerably.

Now, I am not telling you to go and dig a ditch. But trying to give you an example of how a cold smoker works.
I wish you the very best. You can do it, with some thought.

 

[inchrisin]

I'm thinking of making my own A maze n snake with aluminum foil and buying some pellets. I'll just do it in my grill. How long should a cold smoke last?

Like this, but with a cake pan: https://www.shoplatintouch.com/prod...ducts_id=208&gclid=CN24ob2byroCFaZcMgodYyYAEw

 

[Roll_Bones]

I'm thinking of making my own A maze n snake with aluminum foil and buying some pellets. I'll just do it in my grill. How long should a cold smoke last?

Like this, but with a cake pan: https://www.shoplatintouch.com/prod...ducts_id=208&gclid=CN24ob2byroCFaZcMgodYyYAEw

Sorry. I don't know how long.

But whatever you do, you must get the food away from the heat. The link above is designed to fit over the flavorizer bars on a gas grill.
Thats what it looks like to me.
If it was less expensive, I might get that for my gas Weber grill.
I could never cold smoke with the grill as even on low, it will be way to hot.

I have an idea that might work. Do you have a regular smoker? One with a chimney? Like in the picture below?

You could buy some flexible aluminum duct, and snake it from the chimney to a box of some sort. Support the box above the chimey off to the side and allow the smoke to leave the smoker, through the duct and into the box or chamber.
Like i said before. You can do it. Just trying to help give you some ideas.

 

[Andy M.]

Plan for a simple smoker. Smoked Salmon Videos : Food Network

 

[taxlady]

Plan for a simple smoker. Smoked Salmon Videos : Food Network

I can't see the video. Is that general or is it one of those "you can't see this in Canada" things?

 

[Dawgluver]

I can't see the video. Is that general or is it one of those "you can't see this in Canada" things?

I thought I could see it, nope, I poked the view button, and I can't see it either.

So i's not just predjudiced to Canucks.

 

[Andy M.]

It's a video on the Food Network from a Good Eats show. It's titled "Smoked Salmon" and shows how to make a smoker out of a cardboard box, a hot plate and a few other odds and ends.

 

[taxlady]

It's a video on the Food Network from a Good Eats show. It's titled "Smoked Salmon" and shows how to make a smoker out of a cardboard box, a hot plate and a few other odds and ends.

I can see the recipe. I can sometimes see stuff like that on YouTube, but I can't find it on YouTube. Not your fault Andy. When I click the video, a commercial starts and then I get this:

 

[Harry Cobean]

I'm thinking of making my own A maze n snake with aluminum foil and buying some pellets. I'll just do it in my grill. How long should a cold smoke last?

depends on the depth of flavour you want & the smoking material/ingredients.over this side of the pond cold smoking means that the brined food takes on a smoked flavour/colour but doesn't cook.salmon would be cold smoked anything from 24 to 72hrs.haddock 17 to 24 hours.
and while you are waiting here's some "smokin'" music to listen too.blues boy dan owen singing that fantastic willie nelson song "roll me up & smoke me when i die"..dan is only 21 & comes from shrewsbury,shropshire uk.hope you've got good speakers on your computers!!enjoy!
BBC News - Dan Owen: Older than his years

 

[Harry Cobean]

found this site.seems to be "everything you ever wanted to know about cold smoking"
Coldsmoking

 

[taxlady]

found this site.seems to be "everything you ever wanted to know about cold smoking"
Coldsmoking

Thanks Harry. "Cold smoking temperatures should typically be maintained below 30°C/86°F." That sounds reasonable to me.

 

[Roll_Bones]

I can see the recipe. I can sometimes see stuff like that on YouTube, but I can't find it on YouTube. Not your fault Andy. When I click the video, a commercial starts and then I get this:

I got the same screen when I tried to open your Rush video.

 

[taxlady]

I thought I could see it, nope, I poked the view button, and I can't see it either.

So i's not just predjudiced to Canucks.

It knew you are half Canuck.

 

[Dawgluver]

It knew you are half Canuck.

good point!

 

[inchrisin]

Sorry. I don't know how long.

But whatever you do, you must get the food away from the heat. The link above is designed to fit over the flavorizer bars on a gas grill.
Thats what it looks like to me.
If it was less expensive, I might get that for my gas Weber grill.
I could never cold smoke with the grill as even on low, it will be way to hot.

I have an idea that might work. Do you have a regular smoker? One with a chimney? Like in the picture below?

You could buy some flexible aluminum duct, and snake it from the chimney to a box of some sort. Support the box above the chimey off to the side and allow the smoke to leave the smoker, through the duct and into the box or chamber.
Like i said before. You can do it. Just trying to help give you some ideas.

It's like this but without the side car. I'll probably just go to one side with the fuel and the other side with the salmon. No way I'm going to try to suspend $30 of fish above the smoker.