The Bacon of the Sea – Low n Slow Smoked Salmon

True story:

You know that kid who always gets picked last for street hockey or baseball? That used to be me… a sad, lonely loser until… smoked salmon changed everything! You see, I was invited to parties mainly because people felt sorry for my wife. One day, I decided to bring a smoked salmon to a party and then, like Cinderella I turned into the belle hunk of the ball!

I became a minor celebrity, everyone wanted me to their party. At first, I thought it was because of my charming personality and witty repartee.

Until… I forgot to bring my salmon. I was told in no uncertain terms never to come back unless I was preceded with a smoked salmon. And in fact, told to bring two salmons instead, so they could overlook my glaring personality flaws. And only if I stood in the coatroom for the duration of the party, as per usual. (However, for 2 salmons I was allowed bathroom privileges. Score!)

The lesson? A smoked salmon covers a multitude of sins.

You too, could experience the warm confines of a coatroom, if you carefully follow my directions below.

Cold vs hot smoke

Cold-smoked salmon is very delicate and moist. Typically, you can buy it vacuumed packed, but it will never be as good as homemade.

For cold-smoking, you must first cure the fish with a salt brine (recipe below), then slowly smoke it between 70-90 °F (20 to 30 °Celsius) for at least 18 to 24 hours (that’s 18 to 24 in metric).

If this process interests you, there are a variety of inexpensive ‘Cold Smoke Generators’ available. Some are simple, others are electric and automated. Talk to your WE LOVE FIRE dealer; they can point to the pros and cons of each unit.

Then, once done, the fish should rest for about 24hrs in your fridge prior to serving.

Hot Smoke

For this article, we will be discussing primarily the ‘Hot Smoke’ method.

This is probably the one you are most familiar with. Using your BBQ or smoker and favorite wood on low temperature.

Depending on how ‘moist’ or ‘dry’ you like your salmon, you will need to adjust your smoking time and temps accordingly. For moist, I recommend 130 to 145 °F (55 to 65 °C) and for dry not more than 165 °F (75 °C). Of course, you know the temperament of your cooking appliance better than I do, so you may need to experiment. If your first experiment doesn’t work out too good, save it for your friends with that stinky coatroom. That’ll teach ‘em!

Brining

If you read my other articles on Low n Slow (and why wouldn’t you? I am deeply offended you haven’t yet. No smoked salmon for you!). You will note that for smoked turkey (Link), you ‘might’ be better not to brine.

However, this is not true for salmon. Salmon flesh takes to salty, sweet, and spices like duck to PB and J.

At the end of this article, I share my secret brine recipe which got me the coveted 4.5 out of 5 ‘coatroom’ rating from somewhere in my imagination.

Skin or without skin?

This is entirely up to you. Because we are smoking at low temperature, it will readily take to the fish, skin or no skin.

However, you can make something tasty out of salmon skin. The Japanese call it ‘Shaka no kawa yaki’. I think. (Forgive my accent, been a while since I ordered sushi).

Once smoked, take the skin off and brush it with sesame oil and a light sprinkling of sea salt. Then grill until it turns crispy. It’s a nice treat but tastes quite ‘fishy’. You can crumble it on top of salads and slake your thirst with some sake, for goodness’ sake.

Albumin

Albumin is a dirty 7-letter word in the world of smoked salmon aficionados. It’s a white gunk like substance that pools on top of your salmon and ruins its look. It doesn’t affect the taste, however. Here is what it looks like:

Albumin formed when cooking salmon on the grill or smoker. Low and slow smoked salmon.

Albumin forms if you put cold salmon immediately inside a hot smoker. This shocks the muscle fibers to contract quickly (for us guys, think of a dip in a cold swimming pool) and squeeze out this liquid, which then congeals on the surface of the fish.

How do you avoid it, you ask? This readership is wonderful. You ask the most probing questions…

After brining, rinse the salmon over cool water and pat the excess moisture with a paper towel. Let the salmon rest uncovered in the fridge for about 24 hours. This will create a pellicle that may slow albumen surfacing and help smoke adhere better.

Better yet, let your salmon rest on the counter for a few minutes to bring it closer to room temperature. (Taking care not to overdo it, you don’t want food poisoning). When you start your smoker, immediately place your salmon inside to allow the flesh to slowly get up to temperature.

Bonus! Since we are in a Japanese mood, here is a little haiku to brighten your day:

Summer BBQ

A tasty salmon, inhale!

Ugly albumin

 

Wood

Salmon is better with milder smoke aromas such as maple, alder, and other.

Salmon on cedar plank with herbs and lemon. Low n slow smoked salmon.

Planking

If you don’t have the time or the appliance to smoke, you may want to try cedar planking on your grill. You can find them many places online or at your local WE LOVE FIRE dealer.

  1. Soak your plank for about 1 hour in water (so it doesn’t catch fire)
  2. Warm the grill to 350 to 450°F (175 to 230 °C)
  3. Place the soaked plank over direct heat and close the lid.
  4. Once the plank starts to smoke and char, turn it over and place the salmon on it.

Keep an eye on it, so it doesn’t overcook.

Presentation

Salmon really benefits from a good presentation. Don’t overthink it; some grilled lemon / lime slices, weeds (dill, fennel, or other for decorative purpose).

Smoked Salmon with herbs, tomatos and lemon. Low n slow method for smoked salmon.

If you have a pale fleshed salmon (typically Atlantic) you may want to color it up a bit by sprinkling smoked paprika or chipotle powder.

A popular and quick presentation is to serve Salmon on a cutting board.

Recipe

At long last! This long-winded article is coming to an end! The best sentence of any speech or article is: “In Conclusion”.

Since you held out so long, I will reward you with my recipe. No quantities are provided since you will need to adjust for weight / quantity or taste. I trust your judgement. Also, you can’t blame me if something goes wrong.

Southern Comfort / Maple Syrup / Chipotle Smoked Salmon Recipe

Brine:

  • Mix the salt brine (ratio 1 quart ( 1 l)) of cool water to 1/3 cup (2 ounces (ca. 75 g)) large grain kosher salt. You may forego water and use alcohol (Southern Comfort) and maple syrup instead in the same ratio. Keep in mind, the salmon does not have to be drowning in liquid. As long, as it is covered it’ll be fine.
  • Sweetener — to taste — avoid cheap white sugar. Instead use maple syrup, natural sugar, honey, etc.
  • Spices — Multicolored whole peppercorns, chipotle either powder or wet, Montreal Steak Spices (it has a lot of salt, take this into your calculation for your salt brine).
  • Liquor — I find that Southern Comfort adds a nice touch. And once I drink an ounce or two, I also put some in the brine. Full disclosure: I am not, repeat not, currently sponsored by Southern Comfort. Hear that Southern Comfort?

Put your salmon/brine into a plastic bag or nonreactive dish. Let sit in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours. Overnight is better.

You can rinse the salmon and pat dry and brush with Maple Syrup. Keep some pepper kernels on the salmon. They have softened up, look colorful and are tasty.

Serving:

Think of smoked salmon as the bacon of the sea. It can be used in a myriad of ways: Soups, pizza, dips, pasta dishes, salad, as a garnish or filet. You name it. Leftovers will never go to waste.

But an easy to prepare method is to leave the salmon on its serving plate / cutting board with a soft cheese such as Brie, French bread, good quality crackers, walnuts, capers, various jams / coulis and other sides. Let your guests make their own bite-size slice of heaven.

Follow the steps highlighted above, and I guarantee you will see the inside of some of the fanciest coatrooms in your life.

Shameless plug

I will soon be publishing a table book entitled “Coatrooms of the world”. Please send me your email and some cash to reserve your copy.

Until then, I look forward to not poisoning you with more articles on Low n Slow cooking. And please visit your local WE LOVE FIRE dealer for real BBQ advice.

Below is a list of fireplace and grill stores that service ()

Auburn, AL

Top Hat Chimney Sweeps
1280 Financial Ct.
Auburn, AL 36830

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Elk Grove, CA

Custom Fireside Shops
9097 Elk Grove Blvd.
Elk Grove, CA 95624

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Sacramento, CA

Custom Fireside Shops
5455 Auburn Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95841

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Durango, CO

Durango Outdoor Living
140 Rock Point Drive
Durango, CO 81301

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Durango, CO

Four Corner Stoves & Spas
3001 Main Avenue
Durango, CO 81301

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Grand Junction, CO

Stove Depot and Chimney Works
330 North Ave.
Grand Junction, CO 81501

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New London, CT

Family Hearth and Patio LLC
571 Broad Street
New London, CT 06320

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Ridgefield, CT

Yankee Doodle, Inc.
71 Ethan Allen Highway
Ridgefield, CT 06877

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Dover, DE

Byler's Stove Shoppe Inc.
1368b Rose Valley School Rd.
Dover, DE 19904

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Destin, FL

Doodlebuggers Service Network
36054 Emerald Coast Parkway
Destin, FL 32541

Bettendorf, IA

Fireplaces Plus, Inc.
1745 State Street
Bettendorf, IA 52722

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Post Falls, ID

Quality Stoves & Home Furnishings
569 N Syringa St
Post Falls, ID 83854

Rockford, IL

Advanced Chimney Systems, Inc.
3486 Lonergan Drive
Rockford, IL 61109

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Wauconda, IL

Grass Roots Energy, Inc.
28751 N Route 12
Wauconda, IL 60084

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Evansville, IN

Firemaster, Inc.
5300 E Morgan Avenue
Evansville, IN 47715

Jeffersonville, IN

Olde Towne Chimney & Fireplace Sales
915 Nachand Ln
Jeffersonville, IN 47130

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Overland Park, KS

Kansas City Fireplace Center
10470 Metcalf Avenue
Overland Park, KS 66212

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Erlanger, KY

TateBuilder's Supply, LLC
3511 Dixie Highway
Erlanger, KY 41018

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Littleton, MA

Woodstove, Fireplace and Patio Shop, Inc.
60 White Street
Littleton, MA 01460

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Seekonk, MA

The Fireplace Showcase
775 Fall River Ave
Seekonk, MA 02771

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Sudbury, MA

Woodstove, Fireplace and Patio Shop, Inc.
348 Boston Post Road
Sudbury, MA 01776

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Duluth, MN

Duluth Stove & Fireplace
2431 W Superior Street
Duluth, MN 55806

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Minneapolis, MN

Woodland Stoves & Fireplaces
2901 Franklin Ave. South
Minneapolis, MN 55406

Oakdale, MN

Energy Savers of Minnesota
6298 Highway 36 Blvd N
Oakdale, MN 55128

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Rochester, MN

Brekke Fireplace Shoppe
1904 S. Broadway
Rochester, MN 55904

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Walker, MN

Wilkening Fireplace Company
9608 State 371 NW
Walker, MN 56484

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Fargo, ND

Home Heating, Plumbing & A/C Inc.
701 28th Street South
Fargo, ND 58103

Omaha, NE

Fireplace By Design
13913 R Plaza
Omaha, NE 68137

Epping, NH

The Stove Shoppe
285, Calef Highway Rte. 125
Epping, NH 03042

Windham, NH

The Stove Shoppe
25 Indian Rock Road
Windham, NH 03087

Hamilton, NJ

Bowden's Fireside - Hearth & Home
1731 Nottingham Way
Hamilton, NJ 08619

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Voorhees, NJ

Rettinger Fireplace Systems, Inc.
476 Centennial Blvd
Voorhees, NJ 08043

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St. Henry, OH

Buschur's Refrigeration, Inc.
541 N Eastern Avenue
St. Henry, OH 45883

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Media, PA

Chimney Cricket
101 State Road
Media, PA 19063

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Rapid City, SD

Hebron Brick Company
1543 Deadwood Ave
Rapid City, SD 57709

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Sioux Falls, SD

Hebron Brick Company
2211 W. 50th Street
Sioux Falls, SD 57105-6525

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Vermillion, SD

Kalin's Indoor Comfort Inc.
710 Cottage Avenue
Vermillion, SD 57069

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Manassas, VA

Winston's Chimney Service
11301 Industrial Road
Manassas, VA 20109

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Barre, VT

Chimney Sweep Fireplace Shop
1284 US Rte, 302 Ste 10
Barre, VT 05641-2317

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Bennington, VT

Friends of The Sun
126 Hicks Avenue
Bennington, VT 05201

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Manchester, VT

Friends of The Sun
159 Depot Street
Manchester, VT 05255

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Shelburne, VT

Chimney Sweep Fireplace Shop
3113 Shelburne Road
Shelburne, VT 05482

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White River Jnct, VT

Home Comfort of New England
1255 VA Cut Off Road
White River Jnct, VT 05001

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Burlington, WI

Burlington Fireplace & Heating LLC
857 Milwaukee Ave.
Burlington, WI 53105

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Madison, WI

Top Hat
5117 Verona Rd
Madison, WI 53711

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Morgantown, WV

Rustic By Design
709 Beechurst Ave. Suite 15
Morgantown, WV 26505

Laramie, WY

High Country Stoves & Fireplaces
860 N. 3rd Street
Laramie, WY 82072


For more information, contact your local fireplace and grill store.

1 Response

  1. BBQ: From Newbie to Pitmaster in No Time - We Love Fire
    […] Salmon: Salmon and fish easily take to BBQ smoke flavor. You don't even have to marinade it or spice it. Just smoke it and add some salt and pepper and serve. That easy. For more tips on smoked salmon, please see the following link. […]
  2. Jo
    I loved your write up prior to the recipe. Thank you for the info. Do you have recipes for smoked salmon that are not sweet, spicy, or Asian style. I have a very particular son. I’m looking for a recipe with dill, lemons, butter, garlic, and maybe capers. Not all of those have to be used but something along that line. Thank you so very much, Jo

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