Smoked Salmon - Bradley Smoker

[Demonical]

This is my own recipe, which I adapted from several other smoked salmon recipes, and it just 'worked'.

First off, I prefer salmon filleted without skin. I find the flesh absorbs more of the flavor, without having skin in the way, as it absorbs into both sides of the fillet.

The salmon I am using is from Costco, as I am land-locked in Central Alberta. Atlantic Salmon fillets. These are large fillets.

For each fillet:

2 cups dark brown sugar
1/2 cup Kosher salt
1 TBSP coarse black pepper
1-1/2 TBSP Lemon pepper


Rinse the fillets under cold water, them place them on paper towel. Pat dry the fillets with paper towel.

Combine the ingredients well, spread a thin layer on the bottom of your pan... I used large plastic/glass storage containers, that have sealable lids.

Place fillets on the dry 'brine' mixture. Cover with remaining mixture. I prefer to only do single layers of fillets. If I have more fillets to do, I prefer to just use more containers, and continue with single layers of the fillets. Place lids on the containers of salmon.

Place in refrigerator over night.

Next morning, the 'brine' will be a gooey, dark sugary syrup. The salt-sugar combination draws moisture from the fillets, so they will 'firm' up some.
First thing in the morning I turn them all, to ensure I get a nice coating of this nice gooey brine over them all, then return to the fridge.

In the afternoon, like 1:00 pm, remove from the fridge, place fillets on smoker racks. I DO NOT rinse them. I leave them to 'air dry', to form a 'Pellicle' on the outside. So they end up kind of dry-tacky. Then I lightly sprinkle the fillets with Lemon Pepper.

Heat the (Bradley) smoker to 150F. I use Apple bisquets, cannot comment on other flavors of bisquests...

I run the smoke the full time, and set the heat at 150F for 2 hours, then raise the temp to 175F for another 2 hours. You can adjust the smoke flavor somewhat, by how far open you have the smoke vent, on top of the smoker.
The more you have it open, the less smokey the salmon will be.

So: 2 hours at 150F, 2 hours at 175F, Apple wood bisquests. Done.

I hope you give this a shot. And if you do, let me know what you think. Remember, all recipes deserve to be 'tweaked' to suit the personal taste buds. Feel free to try this as is, or add some killer ingredient.

But I have not found anyone who doesn't like it.

It seems to be even better, after being in the fridge, so it's nice n cold.






P.S. I am looking forward to trying this recipe on Walleye.

[Jamie]

Very similar to mine. NUM NUM NUM...

One thing I would add, and I cant not explain it. Hold your smoked salmon in brown paper bags over night on the counter. It will add to the flavour like you wouldn't believe.

Different killer ingredients

Garlic
Ginger
Cracked pepper on top



I also used Alder as thats my preference in all smoke.

[pinelakeperch]

This is my own recipe, which I adapted from several other smoked salmon recipes, and it just 'worked'.

First off, I prefer salmon filleted without skin. I find the flesh absorbs more of the flavor, without having skin in the way, as it absorbs into both sides of the fillet.

The salmon I am using is from Costco, as I am land-locked in Central Alberta. Atlantic Salmon fillets. These are large fillets.

For each fillet:

2 cups dark brown sugar
1/2 cup Kosher salt
1 TBSP coarse black pepper
1-1/2 TBSP Lemon pepper


Rinse the fillets under cold water, them place them on paper towel. Pat dry the fillets with paper towel.

Combine the ingredients well, spread a thin layer on the bottom of your pan... I used large plastic/glass storage containers, that have sealable lids.

Place fillets on the dry 'brine' mixture. Cover with remaining mixture. I prefer to only do single layers of fillets. If I have more fillets to do, I prefer to just use more containers, and continue with single layers of the fillets. Place lids on the containers of salmon.

Place in refrigerator over night.

Next morning, the 'brine' will be a gooey, dark sugary syrup. The salt-sugar combination draws moisture from the fillets, so they will 'firm' up some.
First thing in the morning I turn them all, to ensure I get a nice coating of this nice gooey brine over them all, then return to the fridge.

In the afternoon, like 1:00 pm, remove from the fridge, place fillets on smoker racks. I DO NOT rinse them. I leave them to 'air dry', to form a 'Pellicle' on the outside. So they end up kind of dry-tacky. Then I lightly sprinkle the fillets with Lemon Pepper.

Heat the (Bradley) smoker to 150F. I use Apple bisquets, cannot comment on other flavors of bisquests...

I run the smoke the full time, and set the heat at 150F for 2 hours, then raise the temp to 175F for another 2 hours. You can adjust the smoke flavor somewhat, by how far open you have the smoke vent, on top of the smoker.
The more you have it open, the less smokey the salmon will be.

So: 2 hours at 150F, 2 hours at 175F, Apple wood bisquests. Done.

I hope you give this a shot. And if you do, let me know what you think. Remember, all recipes deserve to be 'tweaked' to suit the personal taste buds. Feel free to try this as is, or add some killer ingredient.

But I have not found anyone who doesn't like it.

It seems to be even better, after being in the fridge, so it's nice n cold.






P.S. I am looking forward to trying this recipe on Walleye.

Thanks for the recipe! Excited to give it a try on my Bradley. I've been getting the annoying "E" error with jamming pucks.

Atlantic salmon is on sale at Safeway this week :)

[Jamie]

Something else I do to this recipe. I stir it when I think about it. Get all the salt/sugar out of the corners.

[Demonical]

^ I have done that stirring the salt-sugar goop out of the corners, but I wasn't sold on it. I didn't find that it really wants to blend back into the brine.

Fwiw, I have added Garlic but maybe didn't add enough, or need to reduce/remove one other ingredient, to get more of the garlic taste.

The Lemon Pepper that I prefer is the Hys brand.

I like the sound of adding Ginger... hmm... how much are you talking?

[AndrewM]

I am excited to give this recipe a try. Thanks for sharing.

A great cooked recipe for salmon is:
Marinate in sweet soya sauce, regular soya sauce, grated ginger and fresh garlic.

[Jamie]

^ I have done that stirring the salt-sugar goop out of the corners, but I wasn't sold on it. I didn't find that it really wants to blend back into the brine.

Fwiw, I have added Garlic but maybe didn't add enough, or need to reduce/remove one other ingredient, to get more of the garlic taste.

The Lemon Pepper that I prefer is the Hys brand.

I like the sound of adding Ginger... hmm... how much are you talking?

A bunch depends on how fatty the fish are. A Chinook will have way more moisture than a Coho. 0 experience doing this with Atlantic.

I miss playing with that so much. ENJOY!!!! (And make sure you try the paper bag thing!!)

[Ken07AOVette]

Thanks for the recipe! Excited to give it a try on my Bradley. I've been getting the annoying "E" error with jamming pucks.

Atlantic salmon is on sale at Safeway this week :)

Phone BRADLEY customer service. They are just amazing in helping us.

Keep the amazing recipes coming guys, I have a prime rib roast in the Bradley right now, am always looking for something new to try. My favorite is beef ribs.

[GMX]

I also use that recipe with cracked pepper but use alder chips I find it a better flavour for my taste and mesquite for halibut. If you try smoking halibut drizzle a little olive oil on it to help with moisture since it’s a non fatty fish.

[Demonical]

^ Would Olive Oil help fish like Walleye?

I want to try smoking some of that this year...