Dons Smoked Salmon Recipes

HOT SMOKED SALMON

Steps:

• The night before serving, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons salt, the peppercorns, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Place the salmon fillets skin-side down on a large flat ceramic or glass dish. Spread the mixture evenly on top of the salmon. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
• At least 1 1/2 hours before you plan to cook the salmon, soak the wood chips in water.
• Thirty minutes before you¿re ready to cook, heat the charcoal. Place a double layer of coals on one side of the grill, light them, and allow them to burn until the coals are gray on the outside. (I use a charcoal chimney to light the coals.) Sprinkle half the soaked wood chips on the hot coals (you will see lots of smoke). On the other side of the grill, place the foil pan and pour in 1 cup water. Place the cooking grate over the coals and the pan.
• Scrape most of the sugar mixture off the salmon and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt. Place the salmon skin-side down on the side of the grill directly over the foil pan. Put the lid on the grill, making sure the top and bottom vents are open. Smoke the salmon for 10 minutes. Add the remaining wood chips directly on the coals and cook for 5 to 10 more minutes, depending on the thickness of the salmon, until it's firm to the touch and barely cooked. Don't overcook the salmon or it will be dry!
• Transfer the salmon to a clean platter and immediately cover tightly with aluminum foil. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Remove and discard the skin, if desired, and serve hot, at room temperature, or cold with the Fresh Dill Sauce.
• Place the mayonnaise, sour cream, yogurt, cream cheese, scallions, dill, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Puree for a few seconds, until well mixed. Add the cucumber and puree for another few seconds, until combined. Pour into a container and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to develop.

DON'S SMOKED SALMON

Steps:

• Catch, clean and filet salmon (river or supermarket).
• Leave skin on one side of filets.
• Wash filets in cold water and lay out on a large plastic tray (no metal), red side up!
• Ensure tray is at least as deep as salmon filets.
• Sprinkle garlic salt evenly over all filets.
• Generously coat meat side of each filet with rock salt.
• Layer sugar evenly over rock salt.
• Leave stand covered in refrigerator overnight (at least 8 hours).
• Check every 2 or 3 hours and drain excess liquid.
• (The liquid magically appears as the rock salt draws the liquid out, and sucks the sugar into the meat).
• Remove filets from tray, rinse under cold water and place evenly on smoking racks, skin side down.
• Allow 20 minutes to dry.
• Use electric"cold smoker" (Little Chief), with apple and hickory wood chips.
• Place racks in smoker and close.
• I have an old blanket that is wrapped around smoker if it is too cold outside (less than 50 degrees farenheit).
• Remove ashes and add new wood chips about every 2 hours.
• Smoke for 6 to 9 hours, depending on the thickness of filets.
• Salmon should be a lovely dark orange color and will be flaky when you poke and twist with a fork.