Due to a five coho salmon per day limit, anglers leave Becharof Lodge, on Alaska’s Egegik River, with loads of fresh fish. While salmon can be cooked many ways, smoked salmon is a favorite of many people.
Fresh from the ocean, the coho salmon in the Egegik River are very high in oil content, meaning they smoke up very well. The best eating salmon is also the best eating smoked salmon, and that’s because of the naturally occurring fats and oils found in the salmon.
Developed as a recipe to deeply flavor fish and taste completely different from traditional smoked salmon, this unique recipe puts flavors into fish that you may have never tried. It may sound a bit different, but placed on an antipasto plate with olives, cured meats and aged cheeses, Italian Smoked Salmon, fits in perfectly. It’s sure to be a big hit, no matter how many people you’re serving it to.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 quarts water
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup non-iodized salt
1 cup red or white wine
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon granulated onion
8 tablespoons Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
1. Mix the above ingredients in a large bowl with a wire whisk until sugar is dissolved.
2. Submerge fish in brine skin side down on the bottom layer, meat side down on the next layer. Repeat layering skin to skin, meat to meat.
3. Place a weighted plate on top of the fish to fully submerge all meat.
4. Soak fish in brine 2-3 hours.
5. Lightly rinse fish to remove most of the seasonings. Some is desirable but too much may become charred in the smoking process.
6. Place on racks and air dry until pellicle is formed, 1-3 hours.
7. Smoke to desired texture. Cooking time varies from 3-10 hours, depending on the smoker, volume of fish being smoked and outdoor conditions. Check frequently so as not to overcook.
