Let's Talk BBQ

Recipes => Recipes => Seafood => Topic started by: smokendevo on September 17, 2014, 10:36:13 PM

Title: Best Smoked Salmon (LOX) From Spyguy
Post by: smokendevo on September 17, 2014, 10:36:13 PM
This is taken from the susanminor.org/forums site. I have made this many times and have never been disappointed. In fact I could make this and sell it to many who have tried it but I like to tease them with small taste treats every once in a while :)

Recipe can be found here: http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?103-The-Best-Smoked-LOX-Style-Salmon

Step One - Dry Brine Ingredients:
Kosher or canning salt
Dark brown sugar
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-UWw_Hp_X6CM/VBpAplvYuhI/AAAAAAAALZE/6mKBgvQ63f8/w835-h553-no/DSC_0026.JPG)

Second layer
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-lUdzpwEPQVw/VBpA1yQPPnI/AAAAAAAALZM/A3rMpqnyBbY/w835-h553-no/DSC_0027.JPG)

All covered up for 8 hours
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-jAk4SAmchb4/VBpA4vyIJqI/AAAAAAAALZU/7oY9AK6L_s0/w835-h553-no/DSC_0028.JPG)

After 8 hours a lot of liquid
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-UIUp7flxTMY/VBpDkZ355uI/AAAAAAAALZ8/QnGIWofK0-4/w835-h553-no/DSC_0034.JPG)

Step 2 - Wet Brine Ingredients:
3.5 gal. Water
6 cups Kosher or Coarse (non-iodine) Salt
6 cups Brown Sugar
1-2 cups Real Maple syrup
1/4 cup Whole black peppercorns
2 Cloves garlic
Chopped fresh dill, to taste
NOTE: Depending on how much fish you have you can downsize this.
Now into the liquid brine for another 8 hours
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-OAwJEt1n5yQ/VBpA5AZyeqI/AAAAAAAALZg/kLJ7XiaoO58/w835-h553-no/DSC_0029.JPG)

Notice the raw egg floats, salt content is just right  :)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-zB5wxZ2d2rQ/VBuDIHpaGhI/AAAAAAAALeA/K3yIsH8xNgM/w835-h553-no/DSC_0030.JPG)

Will rinse and cold smoke tomorrow with updated pictures.
Title: Re: Best Smoked Salmon (LOX) From Spyguy
Post by: ACW3 on September 17, 2014, 11:31:10 PM
Watching this one closely.  I do a dry brine, but no wet brine before I smoke the salmon or steelhead trout.  I love good smoked lox.  I also love gravlax.  All I need is a bagel or two, some schmear, capers, diced onion and a nice cup of coffee.  Damn, I'm making myself hungry!!

Art
Title: Re: Best Smoked Salmon (LOX) From Spyguy
Post by: sliding_billy on September 18, 2014, 03:35:05 AM
Had to read it again.  I was going to ask what the egg was for.
Title: Re: Best Smoked Salmon (LOX) From Spyguy
Post by: Las Vegan Cajun on September 18, 2014, 03:56:16 AM
Watching this one too. ;)
Title: Re: Best Smoked Salmon (LOX) From Spyguy
Post by: CDN Smoker on September 18, 2014, 04:54:02 AM
 :P, great post so far Devo. Good Luck
Title: Re: Best Smoked Salmon (LOX) From Spyguy
Post by: RAD on September 18, 2014, 05:47:14 AM
this look like it is going to be good
Title: Re: Best Smoked Salmon (LOX) From Spyguy
Post by: muebe on September 18, 2014, 07:09:11 AM
I just do a dry surface brine on salt on mine. Would this be more of a Gravalox than traditional Lox due to the brown sugar and dill?

Watching for the results...
Title: Re: Best Smoked Salmon (LOX) From Spyguy
Post by: smokendevo on September 18, 2014, 07:36:13 AM
I just do a dry surface brine on salt on mine. Would this be more of a Gravalox than traditional Lox due to the brown sugar and dill?

Watching for the results...

Mike I'm not sure. There are so many recipes and I guess it depends on which side of the ocean your on. (https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-drC89vIMSWA/UTyzab9rf6I/AAAAAAAAGQc/1XnXxFxO5Hs/w37-h15-no/noidea.gif)

I have made this a couple of times and have been very pleased with it. I also have done just the dry brine for salt fish but never smoked it.

Here is quote from the recipe site:
bsolomon: “I have made this recipe twice and it is fabulous. It is complex only because of the timing for the two curing steps. It is also designed for the Bradley, so you get all of the particular tips and tricks without having to experiment yourself.”

“I did another batch of lox using spyguy's recipe, and again it was outstanding. This time I did 1 hour 20 minutes of alder and 40 minutes of cherry, and I liked the results even better than before. By the way, the lox also freeze and defrost quite well for those who want to make a bigger batch next time.”
Title: Re: Best Smoked Salmon (LOX) From Spyguy
Post by: smokendevo on September 18, 2014, 08:15:14 AM
Up early this morning because the furnace was coming on  ??? ??? (-2C outside)
Got the fish out of the wet brine
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-RxAVtQ1WHek/VBrKcF3uFuI/AAAAAAAALag/Qn8fAgp2z04/w835-h553-no/DSC_0001.JPG)

Now they will air dry for two to three hours. This will give them a good a hard pellicle. Fish will have a tough, shiny coat and will be slightly tacky to the touch.

Sprinkled with baby dill drying
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-koOT4MzWyv8/VBrKcv9r-sI/AAAAAAAALao/PT7-Ofn2yY0/w835-h553-no/DSC_0005.JPG)

Going to give these about 3 hours of smoke later this morning.
Title: Re: Best Smoked Salmon (LOX) From Spyguy
Post by: ACW3 on September 18, 2014, 09:38:16 AM
Looking real good!!

Art
Title: Re: Best Smoked Salmon (LOX) From Spyguy
Post by: Las Vegan Cajun on September 18, 2014, 09:39:26 AM
Looking good so far, cannot to see them come out of the smoker.  ;)
Title: Re: Best Smoked Salmon (LOX) From Spyguy
Post by: smokendevo on September 18, 2014, 10:00:08 AM
Perfect morning for cold smoking. Temp is around 32-34 F this morning. Going for 3 hours of a special blend pellets. Hickory, cherry and maple in the 12" Tube Smoker filled about half way.
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-FeXcQGAkDOM/VBrkJGx9OdI/AAAAAAAALbE/JR0AxJXeI_E/w363-h548-no/DSC_0006.JPG)
Title: Re: Best Smoked Salmon (LOX) From Spyguy
Post by: N. Ontario Smoker on September 18, 2014, 10:02:04 AM
Smokendevo...............The egg is supposed to be in the shell.


IMPORTANT: check salinity (salt concentration) - a fresh raw egg (in the shell) will float in the mixture.
Title: Re: Best Smoked Salmon (LOX) From Spyguy
Post by: smokendevo on September 18, 2014, 10:08:31 AM
Smokendevo...............The egg is supposed to be in the shell.


IMPORTANT: check salinity (salt concentration) - a fresh raw egg (in the shell) will float in the mixture.

And maybe you should get better glasses my friend because thats a brown egg in the shell   ;)
Title: Re: Best Smoked Salmon (LOX) From Spyguy
Post by: Las Vegan Cajun on September 18, 2014, 10:39:25 AM
Smokendevo...............The egg is supposed to be in the shell.


IMPORTANT: check salinity (salt concentration) - a fresh raw egg (in the shell) will float in the mixture.

And maybe you should get better glasses my friend because thats a brown egg in the shell   ;)

(http://cfile201.uf.daum.net/image/185D474150F95F2B1A6912)
Title: Re: Best Smoked Salmon (LOX) From Spyguy
Post by: smokendevo on September 18, 2014, 01:36:03 PM
Sample time. Yes I would say that this is another success cold smoke. Just had some packaged light rye crisp bread/crackers so I buttered one up with the lox Yummy for sure. Just the right amount of smoke. Will see after a day resting if it makes a difference

Fresh out of the smoker
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZIOTrCAr0Rw/VBsU1kz4VLI/AAAAAAAALbY/Tn73Qa94nxs/w702-h465-no/DSC_0014.JPG)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-by51abnUliw/VBsU2TtglyI/AAAAAAAALbk/NgTRRa6wTIY/w702-h465-no/DSC_0015.JPG)

Slicing the sample pieces, nice and firm and easy to slice
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-L7gz1j2UUhU/VBsW_JhxkgI/AAAAAAAALcA/gb6xTtAsGO8/w702-h465-no/DSC_0016.JPG)

Yummy  :)
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Sy4dti3wIBI/VBsU12j0PzI/AAAAAAAALb0/iysmhkmUqVM/w702-h487-no/DSC_0013.JPG)
Title: Re: Best Smoked Salmon (LOX) From Spyguy
Post by: muebe on September 18, 2014, 02:24:53 PM
Great color! Looks great!
Title: Re: Best Smoked Salmon (LOX) From Spyguy
Post by: teesquare on September 18, 2014, 02:53:12 PM
All you need are some tiny capers...and a little minced red sweet onion...OY!
Title: Re: Best Smoked Salmon (LOX) From Spyguy
Post by: africanmeat on September 18, 2014, 02:56:38 PM
great looking lox
Title: Re: Best Smoked Salmon (LOX) From Spyguy
Post by: N. Ontario Smoker on September 18, 2014, 04:40:00 PM
C'mon now. Am I the only one who thought that was a cracked egg? LOL.
Title: Re: Best Smoked Salmon (LOX) From Spyguy
Post by: spuds on September 18, 2014, 05:16:49 PM
C'mon now. Am I the only one who thought that was a cracked egg? LOL.
I thought it was cracked too!

EXCELLENT fish Devo.
Title: Re: Best Smoked Salmon (LOX) From Spyguy
Post by: smokendevo on September 18, 2014, 05:36:22 PM
Thats ok I was trying to see who was paying attention  ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Best Smoked Salmon (LOX) From Spyguy
Post by: RAD on September 18, 2014, 08:35:44 PM
C'mon now. Am I the only one who thought that was a cracked egg? LOL.
I thought it was cracked too!

EXCELLENT fish Devo.
Me too. Wasn't sure how it worked but who am I to ? this method. Lox looks great.
Title: Re: Best Smoked Salmon (LOX) From Spyguy
Post by: smokendevo on September 18, 2014, 09:15:36 PM
Just so there is no more confusion this might help.  ;D
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-zB5wxZ2d2rQ/VBuDIHpaGhI/AAAAAAAALeA/K3yIsH8xNgM/w835-h553-no/DSC_0030.JPG)
Title: Re: Best Smoked Salmon (LOX) From Spyguy
Post by: Las Vegan Cajun on September 19, 2014, 12:29:40 AM
Lox looks great, nicely done. ;)
Title: Re: Best Smoked Salmon (LOX) From Spyguy
Post by: CDN Smoker on September 19, 2014, 04:41:26 AM
Dang W$@/(r is almost here :(
Title: Re: Best Smoked Salmon (LOX) From Spyguy
Post by: smokendevo on September 19, 2014, 10:33:58 AM
Left it in the fridge over night uncovered. Opened the fridge this morning and it smelt wonderful.
Not sure if you can tell from the photos but it actually took on a deeper color. Vac sealed for a later date.

(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-n1tn3_CP1lg/VBw82Z5PReI/AAAAAAAALeo/2zcoIukdk7w/w702-h465-no/DSC_0023.JPG)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-J6B70W8CUQk/VBw83LslCFI/AAAAAAAALew/t7PH9QCdItE/w702-h465-no/DSC_0024.JPG)
Title: Re: Best Smoked Salmon (LOX) From Spyguy
Post by: drholly on September 19, 2014, 11:26:48 AM
Beautiful! And I admit, I thought the egg was cracked the first time as well...  ;) ;D
Title: Re: Best Smoked Salmon (LOX) From Spyguy
Post by: Las Vegan Cajun on September 19, 2014, 12:17:20 PM
Excellent, yes the pictures do show a deeper color when vac sealed.  ;)
Title: Re: Best Smoked Salmon (LOX) From Spyguy
Post by: smokendevo on September 19, 2014, 12:18:02 PM
We all learnt a lesson here.........NEVER USE BROWN EGGS IN PHOTO SHOOTING   ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Best Smoked Salmon (LOX) From Spyguy
Post by: Las Vegan Cajun on September 19, 2014, 12:22:07 PM
We all learnt a lesson here.........NEVER USE BROWN EGGS IN PHOTO SHOOTING   ;D ;D ;D

You could use this opportunity to teach everyone the difference between a brown egg in the shell and cracked open egg in the mixture.   Crack open an egg in the mixture next to the brown egg and show us that picture. :P :P :P