Posted by Gregorie / October 9th 2014

Hot Smoked Salmon

"This is a firm family favourite here in the Salt House! There is such pleasure in revealing a side of fresh, hot smoked salmon and watching everyone get stuck in. It may take a little more effort, and need a little extra equipment, than usual but the results are extraordinary. Using Halen Mon Anglesey salt, which has been smoked over Welsh Oak, in conjunction with hot smoking the salmon, really gives this dish a true depth of flavour and will surpass anything you can buy in the shops. You will need a smoker and a camping stove and the actual smoking will need to take place outside but the results are well worth it. Once you've smoked your first salmon you'll be hooked."

Ingredients

1 x Side of sustainable Scottish salmon (200g per person serving as a main course.)

Halen Mon Anglesey smoked over Welsh Oak 

2 x teaspoons brown sugar   

4 x Bay leaves

1 x teaspoon Tellicherry Black Peppercorns   

½ x red onion finely sliced

1 x litre of water    

3 x tablespoons smoking dust

Method

To make your brine mixture, mix the salt, sugar, bay leaves, onion, pepper corns and water. You will need to make enough brine to cover your side of salmon so increase the amount of liquid as necessary keeping to the ratio above.

The brine will need to be agitated or mixed to make sure that all the ingredients combine and the salt dissolves into the liquid. This may take a few minutes.

Once the brine is combined, pour it into a non-metallic container which is big enough to lay your salmon in flat.

Lay the salmon into the brine mixture and make sure that it is as covered in liquid. You can turn the salmon over half way through and mix the brine up a bit if needed.

After 1 hour remove the salmon form the brine and pat dry and clean off any bay leaves, peppercorns or onion slices. The brine can then be discarded.

Place 3 x tablespoons of good quality smoking sawdust in the bottom of your smoker. Place the smoker on top of the camping stove.

Put the salmon side inside the smoker and then close the lid tightly. Turn the camping stove on to a medium to high heat and cook for about 20 to 25 minutes. You should see smoke coming from the smoker and smell a rich deep wood smell. As external conditions and camping stoves may differ check your salmon after 20 minutes. It should be cooked through but still moist and flaky.

Once the salmon is cooked it can be removed from the smoker and served either straight away or left to cool. A pile of brown bread, sour cream and lemon wedges is great with this but if you cut it into 200g fillets then it can then be plated up and served as a more refined dinner party dish