Appetizer-style Salmon

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K Kruger

Senior Cook
Joined
Jan 10, 2005
Messages
326
Location
Okeechobee, Fla
Before the High-heat Chicken (posted in Grilling) we had this. I flavor-brined (salt, sugar, onion, savory, celery seed, garlic, black pepper) a salmon filet for an hour and a half then rinsed and air-dried it. I made a 'stepped' rub: Rather than mixing the rub ingredients together first, I applied them one at a time an applying each very lightly. I like the salmon flesh to be more than visible through the rub; not a fan of heavily rubbed salmon. I started with Kosher (very little since the salmon was brined) the followed with Turbinado, savory, dill, garlic, onion, and celery. I smoked with citrus wood and started at 280, letting the temp drift slowly down; I pulled when the salmon was cooked through and let it cool while I made sauce and slaw.

For a sauce I mixed 40/60 mayo to thickened non-fat plain yogurt (totalling 3/4 c or so), squeezed in about 1 T of lemon juice, and added about 2 t each of dill and green peppercorns crushed well, plus a pinch of salt. The slaw was cucumber-radish.

The flavors were great all around and worked well together especially when taking a forkful of salmon, and mixing it with a bit of sauce and slaw. The salmon was just about room-temp. The next day we finished it for lunch, all three things were cold, and it was very good that way too. Already planning on doing a whole side when I'm home again.


 
Thanks all. It's a keeper.

Nick, I'm fairly certain it was 2-2.25 hours. (I space out the clock thing frequently.) I know I checked it a bit before 2 hours elapsed and decided it could go a bit longer. Had a glass of wine. Pulled it. Probably would be just shy of 2.25. I opened it up a little with the tip of a paring and it was cooked completely through but still had a nice moist look throughout. The top still glistened with risen juices here and there as well.
 
Perhaps if you used a smoker instead of a smiker--not sure smikers can handle fish. :D


You have to gauge time by thickness of the fish. When you first start doing fish it's a peek-every-so-often thing. After a few smokes you get so you can figure out timing from the get-go. Like fowl, fish benefits from brining offering you a bit more leeway on the doneness front.

What kind of problem(s) have you had?


When I do short-time/higher-salt brines for fowl I double the salt I usually use (to 1/2 c/qt); for salmon I don't. It doesn't require it and I want to add the lightest sprinkling of salt after the salmon forms a pellicle anyway as it helps form a bark-y exterior. The brine I did for this salmon:



1 quart water

1/4 c Kosher salt (M)

3 T light brown sugar

1 T granulated onion

2 t savory

2 t celery

2 t granulated garlic

several turns of the black peppermill
 
Well I have 1 of the finest smikers around, so that can't be the problem! (Damn Greg, will you get spell check here!) It's usually dry and over smoked (smiked).
 
Well I'm no expert but that salmon looks fantastic! Really nice presentation too!

When I win the lottery I think I'm going to try and hire you Kevin!



Shawn
 
Thanks, Shawn. Of course it wasn't wild salmon--it was farm-raised--but it was from Canada! (That must've had something to do with how good it tasted, no?)

Raine, I know the feeling of opening a restaurant well. Crazy/fun/annoying/frustrating/exciting all jumbled together. (But oh, do I love that feeling.)
 
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