Smoked salmon (earl shelsby)

1 servings

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Directions

From : Earl Shelsby, Mon 13 Feb 95 00:00, Area: COOKING Here are some special hints for the processing of salmon. Never remove the skin from salmon. Leave it on, whether the fish is processed whole, in halves, or in smaller cuts.

For salmon, the blackstrap molasses variant of the Basic fish Brine gives particularly tasty results. Another delicious variant is to cut short the brining period by half an hour, and then marinate the fish in soy sauce for 30 minutes before drying and smoking. It is easy to produce what is sold commercially as Kippered Salmon. This is made exactly the same way as ordinary smoked salmon except that after brining it is colored with a harmless dye, to give it the attractive reddish color. Some people put the dye in the brine; but then that batch of brine is spoiled for regular use. It is more economical to use in spearate dye bath. Kipper coloring is sold under various trade names, but the actual coloring ingredient is usually 150 Orange I, a dye approved under the U.S. Federal Food and Drug Cosmetic Act. Half an ounce of the dye mixed with 2-½ U.S. gallons of water (2-⅛ Imperial gallons) makes a suitable strength. Dip the fish for 15 to 30 seconds, according to the depth of color desired. Ordinary food coloring may be used instead, but it does not give such a rich color.

BASIC FISH BRINE: This brine is far superior to a straight salt solution and is recommended for use with fish, oysters, clams, shrimps and prawns. 4 U.S. gal water 5 lbs salt (8 cups) 1 lb dark brown sugar 1-½ cup lemon juice 2 tbs liquid garlic 2 tbs liquid onion Disolve the salt first, then add the other ingredients and mix thoroughly. Test the brine with a potato or egg; the salinometer should read 80. To be precise, of course, the salinometer is not now measuring the salt content of the brine, but shows the combined density change produced by all the flavoring ingredients. Concerning the Basic Fish Brine, here are some suggestions: If liquid garlic and liquid onion are not available, garlic and onion powder may be substituted, although they do not readily disolve in water. Alternatively, garlic cloves and onions may be crushed, but peel them first. To peel garlic easily, cut off the ends of the clove, put it on the cutting board and press with the side of a wide knife; the skin will pop off. The garlic or onion may then be crushed with a garlic press. Or, if no press is available, place the garlic or onion in a folded piece of aluminum foil or wax paper, and crush with a wide knife or piece of wood. If a stronger flavor is desired, add a little tabasco sauce to the brine. Dill may be added to the brine, for those who like it. Two tablespoons of dill salt will be about right. Alternatively, crushed of broken dill plants may be put in the brine, as they are put into dill pickles.

The dill-flavored brine is particularly good for making smoked or kippered salmon. For a subtle variation of flavor, honey or blackstrap molasses may be substituted for the brown sugar.

Submitted By SALLIE KREBS On 07-29-95

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