Hot-smoked pink salmon
Description
The appetizer is quick and easy to make. For smoking, choose fresh pink salmon, not refrozen—otherwise it will fall apart after cooking and the flavor will be off. Fruit tree or alder wood chips are best for smoking. Do not use conifer chips; the fish will taste bitter. When smoking, watch the heat from the coals. If you cannot smoke on a grill, you can use an electric stovetop—it is even more convenient and easy to regulate the temperature. Store hot-smoked pink salmon in the refrigerator for no more than 5 days. Serve with herbs and sauce.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
Prepare all the necessary ingredients for hot-smoked pink salmon. Thaw the fish, gut it if necessary, rinse it, and pat it thoroughly dry with paper towels.
- 2
Step 2
Season the prepared pink salmon inside and out with salt and pepper. Place the fish in a suitable container, cover, and refrigerate for 4–5 hours.
- 3
Step 3
Hang the pink salmon by the tail, head down, in fresh air for 1–3 hours so it dries out; otherwise it will simply boil.
- 4
Step 4
Prepare the smoker for hot-smoking pink salmon. Soak the special smoking wood chips well in water and spread them in an even layer on the bottom. Place the lower rack.
- 5
Step 5
Place the drip pan on the lower rack. Install the upper rack and arrange the prepared pink salmon on it.
- 6
Step 6
Close the smoker and place it on the grill over the prepared coals. Smoke the fish for 40–60 minutes, until done. Remove the smoker with the finished pink salmon from the grill, take off the lid, and let it rest on the rack for another 10–15 minutes. Then carefully transfer the fish to a cutting board and serve.
- 7
Step 7
Serve immediately or slightly chilled.