| Items needed to prepare your salmon and steelhead | | | | turning a golden dark red color. If not, add another pan |
| for smoking: rock salt, pepper, white sugar, paper | | | | of Alder chips and smoke for another hour. You can |
| towels, newspaper, non-stick spray, large plastic tray | | | | check for complete smoking by using a fork to open |
| or plastic bucket, smoker and Alder chips. | | | | up one of the thicker fish chunks, the meat should be |
| 1. Filet the salmon or steelhead on both sides of | | | | the same lighter color all the way through and the |
| backbone from the head to the tail, then cut the filet | | | | outside should have a nice golden red color. On |
| into chunks about 3 to 4 inches wide. | | | | warmer days you may only need about 4 to 5 pan of |
| 2. Wash the chunks in cold water and place a layer of | | | | chips to complete the smoking process. During colder |
| the washed chunks in the bottom of the large plastic | | | | weather it may take up to 7 hours or longer to |
| tray or plastic bucket. Cover this layer with rock salt, | | | | complete the smoking process but try to only use 6 |
| add another layer of the fish chunks and cover this | | | | pans of Alder chips. If you use too many pans of |
| layer with rock salt. Continue doing this with the rest of | | | | Alder chips the fish tends to get a very smokey taste |
| your salmon or steelhead chunks. | | | | 8. Tips and tricks on hot smoking: (1) To get a good hot |
| 3. Let the chunks remain in the rock salt for about 60 | | | | smoke cure of the fish, the temperature inside the |
| to 90 minutes, the thinner pieces for 60 minutes, and | | | | smoker needs to reach approximately 125 degrees |
| the thicker pieces 90 minutes. After the salting time is | | | | Fahrenheit. Use a meat thermometer inside the |
| up remove the chunks from tray or bucket and | | | | smoker to check the temperature. Use gloves or a hot |
| thoroughly wash off the salt in cold running water. | | | | pad to remove the hot top lid of the smoker. If you find |
| 4. On a table or counter top spread out newspaper 4 | | | | that your smoker is not reaching the proper |
| or 5 sheets thick and then cover with a layer of white | | | | temperature, you can easily make a box to enclose |
| paper towels. Place the washed fish chunks on the | | | | the smoker that will hold in the heat and raise the |
| paper towels skin side down. Sprinkle with small | | | | temperature. Go to a building supply store and |
| amounts of pepper and sugar. Allow the chunks to sit | | | | purchase a piece of 4x8x1/2 inch thick styrofoam |
| about 4 hours. Spray the smoker racks with non-stick | | | | insulation board with aluminum foil on both sides. The |
| to prevent sticking during the smoking process. Place | | | | insulation board is inexpensive, lightweight and easy to |
| all the thicker chunks on one or two racks and the | | | | cut with a sharp knife. |
| thinner chunks on the other racks and place the racks | | | | The sides of the box can be held together with duct |
| back on the paper to remain drying over night. This | | | | tape. Allow 2" spacing between smoker and the sides |
| allows a glaze to form on the fish that is necessary | | | | and the top of the styrofoam box. Cut out an opening |
| for proper smoking. | | | | at the bottom of the box for the smoker chip pan. The |
| 5. Place the smoker on a cement pad or patio blocks | | | | top piece of the box can be held in place with a small |
| in an outside location where it is not affected by cold | | | | rock or brick. (2) Always use approved electrical |
| temperatures, wind or rain. Do not place smoker on | | | | extension cords when using the smoker. (3) The fish |
| any type of a wooden base. Preheat the smoker with | | | | on the bottom racks will smoke faster than the fish on |
| a pan of Alder chips for about one hour and then load | | | | the top racks, so you may need to remove the fish on |
| the smoker. Place the racks with the thicker chunks in | | | | the bottom if they are ready. Continue smoking the fish |
| the bottom slots of the smoker and the racks with | | | | on the top racks. (4) When you first take the fish out |
| thinner chunks on the top slots of the smoker. Leave a | | | | of the smoker, do a taste test with some white wine, |
| small space between the fish chunks to allow the | | | | cheese and crackers; this is when smoked salmon is |
| smoke to pass and smoke all sides of the chunks. | | | | at its best. (5) If you want to freeze your smoked fish |
| 6. Add fresh Alder chips. After one hour remove the | | | | use a vacuum packer. Place two or three of the |
| chip pan discard ashes and add more chips. This will | | | | chunks in vacuum packer bags while they are still |
| need to be done every hour, four or five times during | | | | warm and vacuum seal. Place in the refrigerator for 3 |
| the smoking process. | | | | or 4 days, this will help the oils and moister in the fish to |
| 7. After 4 or 5 hours, check the fish to see how it is | | | | permeate the meat with the smoke flavor. Freeze the |
| doing. The chunks should be drying out on top and | | | | bags and try to consume within 6 months. |