SALMON! Canning and Smoking question

[MacAttack]

Well my dad found some salmon to smoke and can and cook.  My uncle goes through a commercial fisherman and we got a pretty damn good deal. So we have 12 Sockeye to use!

So here are my questions...1)how do you smoke salmon so it doesn't ruin your smoker? Before we had one smoker for salmon and one for other. Everything taste fishy after you smoke fish in a smoker. 2)Canning...recipes? I was thinking just salt and put it the pressure cooker. Anything else?

[elkaholic123]

Pickled salmon is great 

[quadrafire]

I just did a batch for the first time last weekend. I searched a few threads on here and read up a bit on it. I did like NRAforlife and a 30-40 min smoke, the skin (and dark lateral line) comes right off. My time was 110 min at 15 lbs here in Spokane according to my book. I did a short (30 min) saltwater brine prior to smoking so I didn't add any salt.
It canned well, and is pretty tasty on crackers. It is a bit dry for my taste. I may do it next time without smoking and just add a few drops of liquid smoke.
Like I said this was my first time, so don't rely to much on me.
As far as the smell? I just continue to use the same smoker.

[MacAttack]

After I can them in a pressure cooker, when can I eat it?

[pilebuck]

Make up a dry rub let fish sit for 4 hours put in smoker for about 4 hours take skin off and put in jars pressure cook the best

[hooker]

Pickled salmon is great 

Pickled Salmon sucks   

It's seriously wrong and disturbing...   

[hooker]

Make up a dry rub let fish sit for 4 hours put in smoker for about 4 hours take skin off and put in jars pressure cook the best

Sounds about right. 

Good advice.

[MacAttack]

Make up a dry rub let fish sit for 4 hours put in smoker for about 4 hours take skin off and put in jars pressure cook the best

How long?

[pilebuck]

Look on your canning book for fish same time I don't have the minutes with me but should be the same as regular fish don't add oil or anything the fish oil is the best hope it helps if not I can give u the whole recipe when I get back in town 

[Stein]

If you can vac pack and freeze it, I would do that 100x over canning.  I never had great experiences with canned fish, it's marginal at best.

[MacAttack]

If you can vac pack and freeze it, I would do that 100x over canning.  I never had great experiences with canned fish, it's marginal at best.

Got 12 Sockeye, smoked 6, canned 2 and vacuumed the rest.

[MacAttack]

Look on your canning book for fish same time I don't have the minutes with me but should be the same as regular fish don't add oil or anything the fish oil is the best hope it helps if not I can give u the whole recipe when I get back in town 

No oil added just 1/8 teaspoon of canning salt. Tried it for lunch today, and it tasted dry...any suggestions?

[quadrafire]

mayonnaise......

[MacAttack]

Make up a dry rub let fish sit for 4 hours put in smoker for about 4 hours take skin off and put in jars pressure cook the best

Since it is smoked, it is already cooked right? So how long do you pressure cook?

[MacAttack]

mayonnaise......

Yeah, I did that....just never had canned salmon so I wasn't know what to expect

[quadrafire]

Me neither Mac. See my post #2, my initial trial was dry as well. Maybe some of the veterans will chime in.
Just razzing you.

[birddogdad]

i will not get into a heated debate in the forum, rather , i will tell you my canning method that is wonderful for these.
my reason for canning is to make salmon spread to dip with ritz crackers! if i have your attention then follow along:
I gut, head, remove all fins, tail and peel OFF the skin. Now this fish WITH bones are steaked for brining (dont worry about the bones they are soft after pressure cooking like sardines)
I dry brine/cure with kosher salt and dark brown sugar over night in fridge, wash off the jelly ooze it makes, and smoker rack pieces in fridge to get the shiny coat on fish, i put in fridge to keep fly's away but see guys use a fan directly on fish to keep off too.  (not too much salt), most brine mix amounts can be found on internet.
I then smoke for a few hours with my little chef, which is not too hot, you dont need to "cook" the fish just get a great smokey flavor infused.
Pint mason jars stuffed full, pressure cooked for 90 minutes. completely cool. NOTE* at this point your spouse is going to say it looks terrible and unedible in those jars*
I run thru the dishwashter with no heat dry to clean full jars after cold.

1 brick cream cheese +1 pint mason jar (bones, juice and all) in food processer mix and you will never forget this! i get around 3-4 pints from a 12-15 # Coho. It really condenses down.

i hope this is interesting to you and any questions feel free to reply!

bruce

[quadrafire]

Birddog That sounds Awesome. Good tips.
Interesting on the dishwasher tip

[Blacklab]

K guys this is what I've done in canning. If possible you want to cold smoke the salmon brine first. If skin is left on, put against glass. Use only 1/2 or 1 pint jars. . Add anything you want for flavor. couple slices or wedges of lemon or jalapeno maybe even garlic cloves. Fill with water leave 1 inch head space. Take a knife to make sure all air is out of jars keeping rim clean. pressure cook @ 10lbs for 100 minutes. Have fun and good eatin 

[pilebuck]

Pint jars canning is the best no way is frozen gonna beat canned smoked sockeye if it was dry u might of smoked it too long or cooked it to long be back from fishing tomorrow will give u my recipe I don't put nothing on my salmon maybe salt.....can't eat salmon with all the stuff people put on it takes away the flavor of fish never ever put tater on any fish either lol

[MacAttack]

Maybe I shouldn't have put smoking and canning in the same topic. I canned raw salmon, just 1/8 teaspoon of salt. But I also smoked salmon, I did not can the smoked salmon.

[fishngamereaper]

Dont smoke salmon before canning, or at least using heat. It will dry out.

This is what I do. Brine it for smoking, 1 part salt, 4 parts dark brown sugar, 1/2 part pepper. Let brine over night in fridge. I put it in a gallon zip loc baggy so I can mix it well while its brining.

Remove from fridge and let warm to room temp. Pack into jars, pint or half pint for a quick snack. Add about a tablespoon of oil, olive or conola, and couple drops liqiud smoke. I will even add some jalepeno peppers to a few jars for kick.

Pressure cook for 90 minutes at 10lbs. Let cool and eat from the jar. You cant go wrong. It will last a year easliy if you dont eat it, but it never lasts that long.

[Pygmy]

I just brought home four silvers from Sekiu.  I freeze them immediately until I'm ready to smoke.  I prefer the cold smoking method since the salmon comes out like Nova Lox.  Never dry.  I thaw and then brine the filets in 50/50 kosher salt and brown sugar - add dill or whatever if you like.  Let that brine for up to 20hrs.  I did the silvers for 12 since they were thinner than a king.  Rinse, dry and let stand in the frig for a few hours to develop the pellicle - sticky on the outside.  Then cold smoke for 6-10 hours.  I'll post pics.

[Blacklab]

pygmy is that a home made smoker if is pics please 

[Pygmy]

pygmy is that a home made smoker if is pics please 

Yep.  Made it from the cedar trimmings off my deck. Pipe is to attach to a fire pit so I can generate either smoke or heat from a fire.  Still figuring that part out...

[206]

RE: Dry canned salmon

Dump whole jar in a bowl and break up meat in the juice with a fork.  The meat soaks it right up along with all the good juice flavor.

[Blacklab]

pygmy is that a home made smoker if is pics please 

Yep.  Made it from the cedar trimmings off my deck. Pipe is to attach to a fire pit so I can generate either smoke or heat from a fire.  Still figuring that part out...

That's nice I really like the rock base. Thanks for posting 

[Kc_Kracker]

do not smoke them for 4 hrs them pressure can. the canner cooks them not the smoker, you only smoke long enough for flavor  I usually smoke for 1 hr thick thats it, you dont even need to brine them.

[Kc_Kracker]

FINALLY !!! a real cold smoker dun right ya'll, now thats what Im talkin about 

[Blacklab]

Kc this my multi tasker smoker hot cold and over 3900 sq inches of cooking space. 

[Hawgdawg]

I just brought home four silvers from Sekiu.  I freeze them immediately until I'm ready to smoke.  I prefer the cold smoking method since the salmon comes out like Nova Lox.  Never dry.  I thaw and then brine the filets in 50/50 kosher salt and brown sugar - add dill or whatever if you like.  Let that brine for up to 20hrs.  I did the silvers for 12 since they were thinner than a king.  Rinse, dry and let stand in the frig for a few hours to develop the pellicle - sticky on the outside.  Then cold smoke for 6-10 hours.  I'll post pics.

nice looking unit. Is that the first batch in that bad boy? No tempering? That thing is cleaner then the operating room at our local hospital!
I'm taking the pipe in the rock is your make up air. Is that rock plenum also your cook pot for your fire and smoke? so your fire is right under your racks? and you can cold smoke? Where does your smoke vent to. Through the door or gaps in siding. Just curious. Nice looking either way.

[Pygmy]

Hawgdawg, it's about my 7th cold smoking session since building it this spring.  I think the tempering would only come with hot smoking.  I'm using an Amazin' smoke tray for my cold smoking so far and keeping the temp as low below 74 degrees as I can which means this summer I'm smoking at night.  Yes, the pipe that's routed to the bottom of the rock base is make up air right now - in addition to the small gaps in the siding.  I'm still brainstorming a firebox out of a 10inch piece of stainless stove pipe that will be about 5-7 feet away and will tie into the pipe.  That way I hope to generate cold smoke and hot smoke using my firewood.  Plan is not to generate the hot smoke from within the smoker - not sure the cedar would hold up to such close/intense heat but I'm confident it can take the heat from a fire a few feet away.  It'll season up pretty quick then.  My vent is in the upper back of the roof with a 2.5inch pipe stuffed with chicken wire mesh to keep the critters out - same with the intake pipe.  A little smoke escapes through the sides but the draft is gentle and constant so the smoke works well so far.  First attempt so learning as I go. I'll post another pic that shows the pipe off the top-back.  Thanks for the positive comments.

[Blacklab]

Wonderful piece of paradise you have Pygmy      . Those amps are freakin great for cold smoking anything especially cheese. Grizzly I think has a single three ring propane adjustable burner. Might want to check them out. I think it would be very fire friendly with your rock base.

[Pygmy]

Wonderful piece of paradise you have Pygmy      . Those amps are freakin great for cold smoking anything especially cheese. Grizzly I think has a single three ring propane adjustable burner. Might want to check them out. I think it would be very fire friendly with your rock base.

Thanks Blacklab, I'll check it out.