Easy Cold Smoked Salmon - Insider Secrets for perfect Cold Smoked Salmon at Home

[@johnchong2259]

The best way and thank you

[@PiscatorUK-Fishing]

Many thanks for leaving a comment👍

[@ericluchon5401]

Best video I’ve seen in cold smoking a salmon. You had enough details and reasons that I actually feel that I can try the process.

[@PiscatorUK-Fishing]

Thank you that means a lot👍

[@smileyi1]

Absolutely fantastic. So refreshing to see the emphasis put on allowing enough time for the organic processes to do their work. No matter how much you spend on your outfit, you'll never be able to buy the most important aspect, patience, so ironic that it's the only bit that's free! ....... fantastic results, I can't thank you enough for both your videos. Top draw.

[@PiscatorUK-Fishing]

Many thanks Matthew I’m so glad the process gave you the good results. It always worries me when doing a tutorial because all I want to achieve is to ensure the viewer gets the best results possible. Thanks for your support👍

[@8thday204]

Really enjoyed watching your process. Everyone has their own way of doing things but out of numerous other youtube vids about cold smoking I reckon yours is the best.

[@PiscatorUK-Fishing]

Many thanks for watching and for your great feedback, much appreciated👍

[@ctc8098]

Great video!!!

[@PiscatorUK-Fishing]

Many thanks 🙏🏻

[@jimsmusic3906]

Wonderfully detailed video. Thanks! Just wish that slicing had been demonstrated.

[@PiscatorUK-Fishing]

Thanks Jim, the slicing has been mentioned by other viewers which is something I completely forgot about to include in the video.

[@jeffbostock1678]

Thanks for the great video and instructions! Just smoked NW Ontario Lake Trout using your method and the result was spectacular. Thanks again. Cheers.

[@PiscatorUK-Fishing]

That’s awesome Jeff. It makes me so happy knowing that the video helped someone, anyone really. Many thanks for the feedback, it’s very much appreciated👍All the best, Douglas.

[@robertolesen5782]

Here I am a Floridian actually somewhat jealous of Scottish weather since we'd only be able to pull this off during a few days in the winter. Actually, your location too as Atlantic salmon is a local product for you to purchase if they don't let you catch your own. I absolutely love cold smoked salmon which along with maybe certain crab meats and deep sea scallops is easily one of the best. Ok, lobster too. Great video clearly showing the steps needed to cold smoke salmon at home. Wait! Only 65 likes with almost 2500 views? What is wrong with people, this is an excellent video.

[@PiscatorUK-Fishing]

Thanks for the awesome feedback, it’s very much appreciated and great to have some interest and appreciation from across the pond👍

[@James.979]

Hello Douglas 🙋‍♂️. A couple of questions please . 1. Is there a huge difference in taste 😋 in terms of your method and “shop bought” ?? 2. To keep the temp at a constant level, why not put the “smoker” in your shed with an additional piece of pipe running from the chimney at the top of the smoker to the outside ?? 3. You have made it look 👀 easy - however I am sure it does take a bit of practice to get it right !! 4. Definitely looks a cool think to try as the set up cost looks reasonable !! 5. That HUGE fence behind you - not sure if you live near “Clach-na-cudainn” rugby 🏉 field - or your are neighbours with Peterhead correctional facility 😂.. Thanks…,

[@PiscatorUK-Fishing]

Thanks for your interest👍 A1. There can be a difference in taste to when doing it yourself compared to shop bought. Off course there’s trial and error and practice to getting a taste that you like when doing it yourself. Let’s just say it’s a sense of satisfaction knowing you can do it just as good or better than buying it. A2. Yes it would be better having the smoker in the shed, the outside temperature certainly affects temperature control which has a knock on affect on the timing. I just wanted to show it can be done. A3. In A1😂 A4. Yes relatively cheap and you still have a BBQ smoker for other stuff like, slow cooking for pulled pork, smoked ribs and brisket to name a few. A5. 😂😂nowhere near it but it is a sports field.

[@alansteely4638]

Yet another informative and well structured video. Thanks for taking the time 👍👍

[@PiscatorUK-Fishing]

Thanks Alan and for watching👍

[@seansimeons7843]

Very informative, learned a lot. Thank you

[@antw289]

Great video! 👍😃

[@foragefishbikeboat]

Another good informative video, thanks for that. Good lockdown project I think !

[@PiscatorUK-Fishing]

Cheers mate, it gave me something to do during this lockdown and to share another passion of mine which is smoking fish, did you see my hot smoking video too?

[@foragefishbikeboat]

Both good videos. 👍

[@paulB996]

Good video,I have watched many others and have decided to follow your instructions to smoke my first piece of salmon.Curious as to why you did not use your smoke generator though.

[@PiscatorUK-Fishing]

Many thanks, I wanted to show that you can still smoke salmon to a good standard without the smoke generator as not everyone will have one.

[@paulB996]

@@PiscatorUK-Fishing Thanks for your reply it did occur to me some time after my post that you were just keeping the process simple for people. Once again a good video and like your others always well thought out and helpful. Good work.

[@JohnSmith-fw5dm]

Excellent video. Really detailed and brilliant for novices like me! I'm just beginning fly fishing after a few years break and I wonder if you csn use the same technique for trout?

[@PiscatorUK-Fishing]

Hi John, thanks for watching👍 trout absolutely, a few things I would consider with trout is, they are usually a bit smaller and not as thick fleshed as a salmon. On that note I would use similar dry cure ingredients and cover in the same way but I would reduce the cure time significantly, depending on the thickness of flesh. You don’t want to ruin your prize catch, as it may be over cured, with a dryer texture and could be quite salty, if you cure for too long. The smoke time will also be reduced.

[@JohnSmith-fw5dm]

Many thanks!

[@Shawn-lk2ze]

I'm in the US and I have a smoker that is almost identical to yours, but it doesn't have the cylinder on the side with the orange top. What is that used for? Thank you and great video!

[@PiscatorUK-Fishing]

Hi Shawn, thanks for the comments. The cylinder on the side is a smoke generator that I made. I didn’t use it in the video as I wanted to show viewers that you can smoke without it.

[@Shawn-lk2ze]

@@PiscatorUK-Fishing that's a great idea! Do you have a video about how it's made or demonstrating it? I'd like to try it out.

[@ianrmcculloch6972]

Can you use salt with nitrite in it or should you have no nitrite, does it matter?? Love you videos, really good, keep it up. Ian

[@PiscatorUK-Fishing]

Thanks ian, I would just go with a standard sea salt buddy

[@antmod1]

Thanks for a great video. Just wondering why does the temperature need to be over 20C, why can't you cold smoke salmon like you would with cheese?

[@PiscatorUK-Fishing]

Thanks for watching. I suppose it’s like the cheese process. The smoking process for the salmon is what makes the finished product. if you tried to smoke the fish cold, the structure of the protein would not change and the flesh would be raw. The addition of low heat breaks down the connective tissue within the flesh which allows the oils within to breakdown. This ensures the flesh of the salmon has more of an open structure allowing the smoke to penetrate and also helps to keep the flesh moist. Think of the smoking process as more of preservation of the flesh, it just so happens that it makes the salmon taste spectacular. Back to the cheese, the cheese is already a finished product, smoke just adds a Smokey flavour, it may help preserve it a little longer but you don’t want to change the structure of the cheese.

[@c.h.kwakman5930]

Thanks for the videos! I use 1.2 kg salmon fillets because they are the most affordable. Can you inform me about the correct ratio for brown sugar and salt? My fillets are considerably thinner than your fillets in the videos. With the ratios shown, it is much too salty. I assume that the resting times are correct, but the percentage of salt is much too high.

[@PiscatorUK-Fishing]

Thanks for commenting, Sorry for the late reply, I would reduce the cure time if your fillets are thin. You still need the salt to do its thing. Maybe do a lighter coating at the tail end but make sure the surface is covered.

[@robinjones6999]

An excellent video mate. There are so many out there which, to my mind are plain wrong! Can you tell me the weights of the sugar and salt as % of fish weight?

[@DHSplate]

Can the fish technically be eaten after the curing process, or even after the drying process? Thanks

[@PiscatorUK-Fishing]

I would say technically yes it would be safe to eat after the drying process. Although during smoking there is a little heat 30 degrees approximately this warm temperature ie body heat this is enough for the fish oils to break down and the flesh to change its structure. This does three things it allows the smoke to penetrate the flesh as well as softening the texture to make it less chewy and softer on the palate as well as adding to the preserving the flesh for longer. Hope this helps

[@eochaid5219]

You can get small camping stoves burning methylated spirits or solid fuel block camping burners.

[@PiscatorUK-Fishing]

Thanks for the information and for watching

[@ronaldpetersen255]

Excellent video series!! I hot smoke salmon using almost the same process. I will do some cold smoked salmon and will use your recipe and instructions. Thank you-Ron

[@PiscatorUK-Fishing]

Thanks Ron, I’d be interested in your opinion and results if you do try it. Regards Douglas

[@ronaldpetersen255]

Will do Douglas. Our season is coming close to an end here in Alaska, but I should be able to get a few more Silver Salmon for the smoker. Your videos are top notch and showcase the best techniques and skill in preparation and process! Maybe you can do some more smoking videos? Trout, herring?? Thanks-Ron

[@PiscatorUK-Fishing]

Much appreciated Ron, and thanks again for watching.

[@DHSplate]

You mentioned not to let the fish outside in room temperature for the pellicle to be formed because of food safety issues, however having the fish smoked in 22-27degrees C for 14hrs why isn’t that a safety issue? Many thanks

[@PiscatorUK-Fishing]

That’s a good point and it is to do with food safety. If left out at room temperature to dry that is additional time within the danger zone with only salt as the preservative mostly on the external layer. As the fish warms at room temperature the fish oils will break down and change the structure of the flesh opening it up, which could allow bacteria to form on flesh that has little salt content. Drying in a chilled environment allows the salt to cure deeper into the flesh without the flesh structure changing. The smoking process helps with preserving the flesh further. Hope this explains that.

[@Romanek1]

I wish you cut a slice to show a texture. It looks oversmoked to me.

[@richardboutin8522]

It is not smoked it s gravlax But good stuff anyway

[@gordonofamerica6204]

This guy needs to learn how to stay focused, and then get to the point.

[@ITSDIVA23]

I sped it up to 1.25 and it is a little bit better...

[@ITSDIVA23]

Correction 1.5

[@smileyi1]

Or perhaps you could learn to pay attention