Smoked salmon...

[LouieAtienza]

Originally Posted by Nyghthawk

One of our regular meals at home (once a month give or take) is bagels and lox. I've never made smoked salmon but I love the taste! Makes me want to buy a smoker and try this!

It's really easy, almost foolproof. Big key for me is the water pan, which catches drippings from getting on the charcoals causing flare-ups, and adds moisture to the heat. The salmon is still tender and moist, and almost melts in the mouth. I just made another batch yesterday, and I think it came out better. (the stuff I was smoking was Atlantic salmon....) Have not tried it on a bagel yet with CC, but I love that in the morning.

I've made it both ways this week, using JCave's suggestion of using cedar, and Alaskan salmon, which yielded a slightly firmer yet equally tasty flavor.

I'll take some pics tomorrow morning...

[LouieAtienza]

Originally Posted by Nyghthawk

One of our regular meals at home (once a month give or take) is bagels and lox. I've never made smoked salmon but I love the taste! Makes me want to buy a smoker and try this!

So you'll have an Epi Masterbuilt, and a Masterbuilt smoker! (I use an inexpensive 7-in-1 that works with either propane or charcoal, but I find it better to use the propane to getthe briquettes going,and then pkace the wood on the briquettes rather than heating the wood directly with the propane)

[LouieAtienza]

Originally Posted by Chicago Sandy

Does it come out like lox, or more like the hard-smoked PNW-style variety? (Not that I have a smoker, nor do I use propane). Just curious.

I'd say yes, closer to lox the way I do it.

You could use a regular barbecue grill that has a lid tall enough. I'd just light a few briquettes with a propane tor h, not all, put the wet chips on top, then a shallow pan of water on top of that. This way the salmon won't face direct heat, and the charcoal smolders instead of flaming up.... Once you cure the salmon it takes less than an hour to smoke it.

[AX17609]

Originally Posted by LouieAtienza

So Thursday it reaches 66 degrees here in the NYC 'burbs. Today, it's below zero and snowing. So what's a guy to do? Get the smoker going!...It takes about an hour.

For my money, pan-grilling is the way to go with salmon, and it take all of 5 minutes. Do it medium rare like a steak, add a Pinot Noir, and you've got yourself a meal!

[LouieAtienza]

Originally Posted by AX17609

For my money, pan-grilling is the way to go with salmon, and it take all of 5 minutes. Do it medium rare like a steak, add a Pinot Noir, and you've got yourself a meal!

I eat salmon a few dozen different ways, and I do enjoy grilling whether on an open fire or a pan grill. But sometimes, I have the craving for that smoked flavor - as I do with ribs, cheese, sausage, making my own bacon... I even make my own beef jerky in the smoker. Better (and safer I think) than an electric dryer.