Smoked Salmon - anyone do their own?

[Effigy]

I was watching a Christmas cookery programme the other night (Nigella Lawson )

She was preparing her own salmon gravlax, and it looked pretty straight forward, so I think I may give it a go.

I love smoked salmon - it is our traditional Christmas morning breakfast: smoked salmon and scrambled eggs served with bucks fizz.

Anyone else had a go?

 

[LX_Emergency]

Sounds wonderfull. I'd love to give that a try. Let us know how it went!

 

[Effigy]

Here is a link to the recipe, and you can watch a clip of the Domestic Goddess in action!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctwo/programmes/?id=nigellas_kitchen

Nigella is the quintessential English Lady - I could watch her all day!

 

[ouch]

I used to do it all of the time. Now I tend to skip the smoking altogether and stick with gravlax.

Nothing could be simpler. Get a side of salmon. Make sure all of the pin bones are out (rub your hand over the fillet- you'll find them). The basic curing mix is a half cup of sugar and a cup of salt. Measurements need not be precise, nor even remotely accurate. Customize your rub with ground pepper, groung coriander, dill, whatever you like. Rub both sides of fillet liberally and place in large zip lock bag.
Place between two cookie sheets and place in fridge. Put weights on top cookie sheet. 36-48 hours and you're done. You can experiment with curing times and flavorings all you want, but this is one dish that's really hard to screw up.

Wash off salt under cold water, pat dry. Slice with a hollow ground slicer (salmon or "ham" knife), or, better still, use a gen-yoo-wine Japanese slicing knife. A 30cm sujihiki is great for slicing anything, or if you're really hard core, go for a single bevel yanagi and play sushi chef.

Who needs it smoked? I do this when salmon is $3.99 a pound, and it's just as good as the 30 buck a pound item. You can look like a genius (and a sport) with very little effort.

As effigy said, great with eggs (lox, eggs, and onion = a "Leo"), and the traditional accompaniment to the bagel, along with cream cheese, Bermuda onion, and a slice of tomato.


Damn I'm getting hungry.

 

[Sue]

When we lived up north, we caught and smoked our own salmon. If you are using your own catch, gut and clean like any other fresh caught fish. Scrape the scales with a scaler or the side of a big spoon but leave the skin on. Rinse well in cold water. Then cut in chunks across the fish in sections (thru the backbone) about 4 to 5 wide.

Rinse the large chunks with cold water and then put in a very large pot (or pots). Cover with brine, weight the pieces down to prevent floating. Let soak in brine a minimum of two hours or overnight. The longer it soaks the saltier it will get.

After soaking, rinse the pieces and place in your smoker for a minimum of two hours per pound. We always smoked a lot at a time so the salmon was in the smoker a good 12 hours if we were using a converted old all-steel refrigerator. To test for doneness, pick up a piece of the skin and the meat underneath will fall off of the bone at the backbone. If it's not done put the skin back over the meat and smoke longer. The longer you smoke it, the dryer it will be.

We always used apple wood chunks since it was plentiful on our property. For the soaking brine; to each one gallon of cool water, dissolve 2 cups kosher salt and 1 cup brown sugar.
Sue

 

[joel]

Salmon?

Then my special "candied" recepie - wherby it has a sweet/crispy outter "shell"

 

[kozulich]

Is that a BGE Joel?

Salmon?

Then my special "candied" recepie - wherby it has a sweet/crispy outter "shell"

 

[kozulich]

I was watching a Christmas cookery programme the other night (Nigella Lawson )

She was preparing her own salmon gravlax, and it looked pretty straight forward, so I think I may give it a go.

I love smoked salmon - it is our traditional Christmas morning breakfast: smoked salmon and scrambled eggs served with bucks fizz.

Anyone else had a go?

I'm a bit confused. Gravlax isn't the same as smoked salmon. I smoke salmon on a regular basis - nothing could be easier, except straight grilling it. Though I eat and enjoy gravlax, I've never made my own.

 

[Sue]

Darn'it Joel, now I have to go eat again. That salmon looks wonderful!
Sue

 

[ouch]

Okay. Joel's salmon looks to die for. (That grill isn't too shabby, either!)

What's in your glaze?

 

[rikrdo]

OK Joel....
Now you've done it.
I know The Speakeasy has only been open a short while but....
your Salmon and MANY other food references here
lead me to believe we need a

RECIPE forum !!

Anybody with me here ????
Outstanding, I must say.

 

[ouch]

I'm a bit confused. Gravlax isn't the same as smoked salmon. I smoke salmon on a regular basis - nothing could be easier, except straight grilling it. Though I eat and enjoy gravlax, I've never made my own.

The famous Jewish delicacy (I know, one of those "world's shortest books") lox, or smoked salmon, is a cured product. Gravlax is unsmoked lox, if you will. Lox should be "cold smoked", as it's basically an uncooked dish.

Salmon if by far my favorite fish to eat, and it's very versatile. Steaming, poaching, and cooking en Papillote are simple preparations, and grilled salmon rocks. Searing in a hot iron pan is my favorite, though.

 

[ouch]

OK Joel....
Now you've done it.
I know The Speakeasy has only been open a short while but....
your Salmon and MANY other food references here
lead me to believe we need a

RECIPE forum !!

Anybody with me here ????
Outstanding, I must say.

I'll tell ya, Rick- I prefer a recipe from someone I respect over one from a cookbook any day. We've had a lot of the flying around here lately.

It never ceases to amaze me how much you guys know.

 

[Mama Bear]

Joel... those pictures of the salmon sent me straight into the kitchen for fish.... unfortunately after eating I am back here drooling over your pics again.... Yummy!!!!!!

 

[Xert]

Droooooool.

From now on, IOTN needs to come with recipies.

 

[joel]

You bet your bippy that's a BGE. In fact... if you go to Atlanta Ga to the BGE HQ, you'll see my cooking photos framed up, and posted all over the place.

Here's a few more...

5LB burger on an entire round sourdough bread...

Before...

After... (served with a raspberry/pomegranite sauce)

Amazing fillet Mignon, with a huge strip of bacon (I smoked the bacon in applewood and coated it in honey)

The ribs fell apart when I tried to pick one up.... no knife here fellas...

These polynesian garlic shrimp taste even BETTER than they look...

I put all sorts of spices in the tempura shrimp batter.... delicious!

Last but not least.... one of my famous home-made (from scratch) desserts...

 

[rikrdo]

DAMN !!
I just gained 10 pounds ......
=====================

 

[ouch]

DAMN indeed!

That big ole egg even gives your bbq the "rose".

 

[Mama Bear]

Joel, will you marry me....

 

[Scotto]