Superb texture - silky smooth.
I think it’s because of the moisture in the onion-fennel paste, in addition to Atlantic salmon being fattier. Will try this method again with wild salmon - maybe it will fix my texture issue there.
Stumbled on this looking for a thread about hot smoked salmon. I’m trying to understand the point of the cure. I’m guessing it removes moisture and affects texture, but why so much salt/sugar, and why so,long for a hot smoke, using this Alton Brown recipe as an example.
I guess the video explains it well enough.
Like brine for meat?
Also sucks out moisture and as a preservative here, iirc.
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I guess im not feeling committed to smoking it, so I just did a “dry brining/pre-salting” approach. Maybe I’ll just cure some of it. These are boneless, skinless, farmed filets.
“Hot smoked” with "dry brine " , closest to the salt pepper skillet idea. Perhaps a bit salty, although we like salty!
I realized that the recipe is two to one sugar to salt ratio, which was not my original dry brine. 
Rinsed some of the salt vs sugar heavy dry brine, added my spiced pecans mix, and let it dry a bit before smoking the rest. .
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I smoked mine in an old wok with lapsang souchong. An incredibly aromatic tea. I drink it all the time, too.
I drink again
I cry again
I swear again
I smoke again…
.
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That looks pretty amazing. Any details beyond the type of tea?
Can be either dry or wet brine and use aromatics of choice. It’s important to keep the heat low. High heat brings out the albumin (white gunk, protein) faster.
Thank you!
Hmmmm…Maybe the white IS albumin! I can usually avoid that.
I started around 140, but I’ve been smoking the last six 6-8oz “dry brined” boneless skinless farmed filets at about 150 f for 60 minutes so far. A little belly piece (missing from most of my pictures !) tastes great, but I’m not anticipating the dark edges you have on yours.
One recipe says to finish at 175 for the last hour. Anyone want to share the temps they are using for a hot smoked boneless skinless salmon?
Finished, I guess; pretty close to 130 F+. These were rinsed of some of the “dry brine”, and the tomatoes are some Princippe Borghese I grew for smoking, but haven’t quite figured it out.
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It’s extremely difficult to smoke this type of tomatoes. The distal end is much too close to the face even at the very beginning, there isn’t really anywhere to hold on to, and they’re surprisingly tricky to light.
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Won’t keep me from trying.
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It might end up a bit meta if anything goes wrong, that’s all - when people ask “What have you been smoking?”, they don’t normally expect to have to add “… I mean, before the tomato!”
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Haven’t made lox in a while but eat a lot of pan seared salmon on a regular basis. Today it was mahi. The other white meat
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I’ve been craving smoked salmon more than usual lately. I used to crave a hot smoked from Costco but haven’t been going to Costco lately.
Lately I’m eating a lot of “Nova” but “Scottish” looked better at Good Ol’ “Lucky’s” today.
I also have more than my share of Skuna Bay farmed salmon that husband insists on buying, some of which has been frozen in sous vide bags.
I may try smoking some again.
Some salmon.
I found this.
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Fun read.
I meant to say this upthread, but I did but liquid smoke for my later curing adventures. Worked quite well.
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Been awhile, but use to wet brine salmon then after a night in the fridge out of the brine to dry I would cold smoke it.
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Does anybody weigh it down while curing? I tried that the one time we made lox and it seemed denser than we hoped
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thatt looks so nice
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