Smoking Salmon

[loosegoose]

Just got back from Lake Michigan and it's time to smoke salmon once again. I have had trouble in the past with the salmon skin sticking to the grates when I try to remove them when they're finished smoking. I have tried using Pam on the grates as well as rubbing them with vegetable oil. does anyone have any better tricks to try so the skin won't stick to the grates? Thanks.

[vermilionfox]

Have you tried placing the salmon on oiled parchment paper and then on the racks? I don't have any experience doing that, but it seems like it should work.

[fishermann222]

I smoke about 75 silvers a year and never have a problem with them sticking. The one thing you have to be SURE to do is clean the racks PERFECTLY before spraying pam on them. If you clean them everytime you will have no problems at all.

A GREAT recipe is to take Mortons Sugar cure and mix 4 cups with a gallon of water and a sprinkle of the seasoning packet and soak the fillets and bellies in there for about 1 hour, rinse lightly, let lay out to form a pellicle and then smoke. MMM MMMMMM GOOD. I have been running the smoker non-stop lately.

[bassNspear]

go to a meat market and get whats called "Sweeter then Sweet" stuff is awesome. You add about 3 cups to a 5 gallon pail, and let it sit for 4 -6 days, and then smoke it.

Also, if your a maple guy, place your salmon in the maple, and add some speed cure to it. Awesome as well.

[bigdog]

I dry my fish for about 12 hours before smoking and pre-heat my smoker before adding the fish and wood chips. Keep my grates clean but don't use oil and have not had any troubles.