Cold smoked salmon

Step 1

Start by trimming the salmon side, cut loose skin away and make sure to check if there is any bones.

Step 2

Mix salt and sugar in a bowl.

Step 3

Place the salmon with the skin side down in a dish.

Step 4

Now sprinkle salt and sugar over the salmon so that it lies in an even layer. Also add some of the mixture under the salmon.

Step 5

Then vacuum pack the salmon and put it in the fridge for approx. 10 hours. - Alternatively, this can be done in a dish. The mixture of salt and sugar is distributed over the salmon, and a little on the skin side. Place the salmon in the fridge and let it sit for approx. 10 hours. The time can either be extended or shortened .. I think it fits well with 10 hours, then I hit a salt balance that is the way I want it.

Step 6

After 10 hours, take the salmon out of the fridge and rinse thoroughly under the cold tap to remove excess salt.

Step 7

Now wipe the salmon thoroughly with a paper towel.

Step 8

Put it in another dish preferably on a rack so that air can some under the fish.

Step 9

Now the salmon has to dry for 24 hours in the fridge, you can also hang it outside if the temperature is low enough. If you now want a salmon that is a little more firm in the meat, it must dry for a longer time.

Step 10

During the drying process, a thin dry film forms on the salmon consisting of proteins that have been liquid during brining, it is called Pellicle in English. This helps the salmon to absorb the smoke much better when you get there.

Step 11

Now it's smoking time! Place the salmon on a rack or tie it up by the tail. Prepare the smoke oven for cold smoke. - Cold smoking is in the range of 15-25 degrees celcius in the smoke chamber. I usually keep the temperature at the low end.

Step 12

Now the salmon must be smoked for the first time. Prepare the smoke oven with a mixture of beech and redwood. Smoke the salmon over cold smoke for 12 hours. - You can choose to hang the salmon in the tail, or place it on a rack with the skin side down.

Step 13

Now put the salmon in the fridge and sit for 12 hours before smoking again.

Step 14

After 12 hours in the fridge where the smoke has spread in the salmon, it must now be smoked for the second and last time. Smoke the salmon with cold smoke again with a mixture of beech and redwood.

Step 15

After the salmon has been smoked a second time, it must be refrigerated again and rested for a day or two before it is ready for serving.

Step 16

Serve the salmon cut into very thin slices.