Kodiak Alaska Fish Smoking Workshop

Smoking Fish for Fun and Profit is back by popular demand. Scheduled for September 4–6, 2013, the Kodiak workshop is for anyone interested in smoking and salting fish, including home fish-smoking enthusiasts, small smokehouse operators, fishermen who want to direct market fish, and commercial operators.

The workshop offers lectures and hands-on activities led by Alexandra Oliveira, University of Alaska Fairbanks seafood scientist at the Kodiak Seafood and Marine Science Center. Faculty members Brian Himelbloom and Brennan Smith, and Sun'aq Tribal Enterprises CEO Chris Sannito, will also teach at the workshop.

Topics are the principles of fish smoking, safety of smoked products, preparation of fish sausage, salting and drying, brining, filleting sockeye for curing and cold smoking, and hot-smoking chum, coho, and black cod.

For more information, visit http://seagrant.uaf.edu/map/workshops/2013/smokingfish/index.php

Types of Smoked Salmon

Salmon is usually smoked by either hot-smoking or cold-smoking.

Hot-smoking is a process by which the fish is smoked from 6 to 12 hours at 120° - 180°F. The type and size of fish, desired flavor, local tradition, and other factors affect the hot smoking process.

Cold-smoking is done using temperatures of 100°F or less. Cold smoking times range from roughly 24 hours to as much as 3 weeks.

Types of smoked salmon:

American style kippered salmon is chunked, steaked or filleted Pacific salmon that has been brined and hot-smoked.

European kippered salmon consists of whole salmon that has been split, brined and cold-smoked.

Lox is a type of brined, cold-smoked salmon that tends to be saltier than other smoked salmon.

Several geographical designations for cold smoked salmon include Nova or Nova Scotia, Scotch-smoked, Danish-smoked and Irish-smoked. In some cases, these names refer more to a process than an actual area.

Cold-smoked Pacific salmon (usually coho or chinook) is often labeled as smoked salmon without reference to the type of smoking process.

Indian-cure salmon is brined fish that has been cold-smoked for up to 2 weeks until it becomes jerky.

Squaw candy is another type of smoked Pacific salmon consisting of thin strips of salmon that has been cured in a salt-sugar brine before being hot-smoked.

Both hot and cold smoked salmon is popular for making smoked salmon dip, fish chowders, and other recipes.

Easy Smoked Fish Recipe

smoked sockeye salmon

Smoked fish is a delicious way to prepare a fishermen's catch. Smoking fish is actually fairly simple to do and greatly enhances the flavor of many fish. When selecting fish to be smoked, its usually best to choose fish that have a high oil content.

The best types of fish for smoking include fish from several well known families. Salmon, trout and char are the most well known fish for smoking. These fish contain high amounts of omega-3 fish oil, which is widely acclaimed for its nutritional value.

Several members of the cod family are also popular for smoking, especially Atlantic cod and Atlantic haddock. Other choices include bluefish, tuna, mackerel, and herring.

Basic smoked fish recipes usually start with cleaning the fish. Whole, scaled skin-on fillets are the easiest to work with. Other options include cutting the headed and gutted fish into cross-sectional steaks. Either option should produce portions that are no more than one inch in thickness.

After cleaning, fish should be rinsed well and immersed in a refrigerated brine solution for 30-60 minutes. A simple fish brine can be made from 1 quart of water, approximately 1/3 cup of brown sugar and 1/3 cup of kosher salt or pickling salt.

After brining, the fish should be spread out to drain on a rack and returned to the refrigerator. After most of the brine has dripped off the fish, it should begin to form a glaze. Some cooks prefer to lay the fillets in a shallow, covered baking dish and allow them to continue drying overnight in the refrigerator.

When the fish is dried and glazed, it can be smoked. A wide range of smokers are available for smoking fish. Elaborate models offer precise control of temperature and smoke, while basic units require a bit more supervision.

Fish are often smoked at cool temperatures, ranging from 150 - 250 degrees. Smoking time depends on the smoker design, temperature, thickness of meat, type of wood, desired amount of smoke flavor, and other factors.

For skin-on fillets under one inch thick, 30-45 minutes is usually enough to cook and flavor the fish. If the fish is to be served right away as an entree with a sauce, short smoking times may be suitable. Longer smoking times will produce a dryer, firmer product, which is useful for presentations such as smoked fish dips or fish chowder recipes.

What is Lox?

Lox is thin sliced salmon that has been cured and usually cold smoked. Cold smoking does not cook the fish, resulting in its characteristic smooth texture similar to the raw product. Lox is traditionally served on bagels or toast with cream cheese or other toppings.

There are several types of lox:

Belly lox is brined in a solution of water, salt, sometimes sugars and spices. This technique is called "wet brining". After brining, the fish is cold smoked.

Nova or Nova Scotia lox is similar to regular lox, but cured with a milder brine and cold smoked. The name originates from a time when New York imported the bulk of salmon from Nova Scotia. The name refers to the milder brine, as compared to regular lox. This process is not limited to fish from Nova Scotia.

Scottish lox uses a mixture of salt and sometimes sugars, spices, and other flavorings are applied directly to the meat of the fish. This process is called "dry brining" or "Scottish style". The brine mixture is left on for a period of time. After rinsing, the fish is cold smoked.

Scandinavian or Nordic lox is another type of salt cured and cold smoked salmon.

Gravad lox, Gravad lax or Gravlax is a traditional Scandinavian means of preparing lox (salmon). Gravad lox is not smoked. The salmon is coated with a spice mixture, which may include dill, sugars, and juniper berry. It is then weighted down to force the moisture from the fish and enhance its flavor.

Salmon Information


Types of Smoked Salmon 

Haddock for Christmas

Several dishes from Europe and Scandinavia feature salted or smoked haddock and rich sauces. German style haddock and potatoes is a good example. The meal pairs delicious salted haddock with hearty white potatoes, both items that can be stored during the long European winter.

The recipe calls for alternate layers of potatoes, fish, and onions. Eggs are beaten and folded together with sour cream, pepper, and mace, then poured over the potatoes. The dish is then sprinkled with breadcrumbs and additional butter and baked slowly.

Haddock is also very popular smoked in Europe and Scandinavia where a famous product is finnan haddie. The real finnan haddie consists of North Sea haddock which has been gutted, split, and smoked. In Scotland, it is traditionally served at breakfast or lunch but usually not as the main course of the meal.

Haddock Information

Traditional Seafood Dishes