Hot Smoked Kippered Salmon

Brining
Before the actual smoking of the salmon sides are done a brining process is required. The proteins in the fish are modified (denatured) by the salt, which enables the flesh of the salmon to hold moisture better than it would if not brined. In the United States, the FDA regulates the addition of salt as it is a major processing aid to ensure the safety of the product.

There are two main curing methods that are typically used to cure salmon prior to smoking:

Wet brining: Brining in a solution containing water, salt, sugar and many times other selected spices for up to 24 Hrs.

Dry curing: This method is a method often used in Europe, in which salmon fillets are covered with a mix of salt, sugar, and sometimes other spices (traditional London Cure smoked salmon uses salt only). Dry curing is faster than wet brining, as the salt tends to draw out moisture from the fish during the curing process and less drying time is needed in the smokehouse.

Hot Smoking Process
Once the Salmon Sides are wet or dry-brined they are smoked at no higher than 132°F for between 1 and 2 hours, depending on the smoker, and the size and type of salmon and this is where the art of smoking comes in. Hot-smoking, as opposed to cold smoking, is a style where the burning wood and smoke are directly applied on the salmon fillets for a short period of time. Hot smoking does cook the fish, resulting in a delicate texture. Although some smoke houses go for a deliberately ‘oaky’ style with prolonged exposure to smoke from oak chips, industrial production favors less exposure to smoke and a blander style which gives a softer silkier taste and feel.

Originally, prepared fish was upside hung in lines on racks, or tenters, within the kiln. Workers would climb up and straddle the racks while hanging the individual lines in ascending order. Small circular wood chip fires would be lit at floor level and allowed to smoke slowly throughout the night. The wood fire was damped with sawdust to create smoke; this was constantly tended as naked flames would cook the fish rather than smoke it. The required duration of smoking has always been gauged by a skilled or ‘master smoker’ who manually checks for optimum smoking conditions.