Apple Cider Cured Smoked Salmon Recipes

SMOKED SALMON BRINE + HOW-TO VIDEO

Steps:

• To a large bowl, add sugar, kosher salt, soy sauce, water, wine, onion and garlic powders, pepper and tabasco sauce. Use a whisk to incorporate and thoroughly dissolve the sugar and salt.
• Pour a little of the brine in the bottom of a 13x9-inch pan. Transfer salmon to the pan and pour remaining brine over the salmon to cover. Refrigerate for 8 hours.

APPLE CIDER CURED SMOKED SALMON

Steps:

• To make brine:
• In a saucepan, combine the brown sugar, salt and apple cider; bring to a boil. Add remaining brine ingredients, remove from the heat and cool. The brine can be made 2 to 3 days in advance and kept in the refrigerator.
• Place the salmon fillets in the liquid brine for at least 6 hours up to overnight(making sure it's submerged), refrigerated. Remove the salmon from the brine and place uncovered, on a wire rack set in a shallow baking pan(or a cookie sheet). Refrigerate the fillets for at least 6 hours, or overnight, to dry them out. (A dry fillet will take on smoke quicker than a moist fillet)
• To smoke salmon:.
• In an outdoor grill, make a small fire using mesquite charcoal or briquettes. When the fire has burned down to a hot bed of coals, after about 1 hour, place the soaked wood on the coals. Position the grate 8" to 12" above the smoking wood and place the salmon fillets on the grate.
• Cover the grill and shut any open-air vents. After 5 minutes, check the heat of the grill; large fillets will be cooked and smoked through in about 30 minutes if the heat is low, about 300* to 350*F., while a hotter fire will cook the fillets in 15 to 20 minutes. Serve the salmon hot off the grill and enjoy!

HOT SMOKED SALMON WITH SALAD OF APPLES, DRIED CHERRIES, HAZELNUTS AND GREENS AND APPLE CIDER VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix together the salt, granulated sugar, brown sugar and peppercorns. Spread extra-wide aluminum foil a little longer than the length of the fish on the work surface and top with an equally long layer of plastic wrap. Lay 1 half of the salmon, skin-side down, on the plastic wrap. Sprinkle the rub onto the flesh of the salmon. Place the second half of the salmon, flesh-side down, on top the first half. Fold the plastic over to cover, and then close the foil edges together and crimp tightly around the fish.
• Place the wrapped fish onto a sheet pan and top with another sheet pan. Weigh down with a brick or 2 and refrigerate for 12 hours. Flip the fish over and refrigerate another 12 hours. Some juice will leak out during the process so make sure there's a place for the runoff to gather.
• Unwrap the fish and rinse off the cure mixture with cold water. Pat the salmon dry with paper towels and place in a cool, dry place (not the refrigerator) until the surface of the fish is dry and matte-like, 1 to 3 hours depending on humidity. A fan may be used to speed the process.
• Prepare a smoker with alderwood chips. Smoke the salmon over the smoldering chips, keeping the temperature inside the smoker at about 200 degrees F, until the thickest part of the fish registers 150 degrees F, about 1 hour. Serve immediately or cool to room temperature, wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
• Place the salmon on a platter. Drizzle with some of the reserved Apple Cider Vinaigrette, and top with the Salad of Apple, Dried Cherries, Hazelnuts and Greens. Serve.
• Whisk together the vinegar, honey, mustard and salt and pepper, to taste, in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the oil until emulsified. Reserve some to drizzle over the fish. Add the greens, apples, cherries and hazelnuts to the remaining vinaigrette and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

APPLE CIDER-GLAZED SALMON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Fit a baking sheet with a wire rack.
• In a medium saute pan, heat the butter and canola oil over medium heat. Season the salmon with salt and pepper on both sides and cook on one side until light golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the fillets, then add the apple cider and shallots and raise the heat to medium high to bring the liquid to a simmer. Cook the fish another 2 minutes, then gently remove the fillets to the rack and transfer to the oven. Bake 8 to 10 minutes for medium rare.
• Meanwhile, continue simmering the pan sauce over medium-low heat, whisking often, until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the honey and mustard and continue to simmer until slightly reduced, 2 to 4 minutes more. Whisk in the creme fraiche and simmer, whisking often, until the sauce is thick and glossy and coats the back of a spoon, 3 to 5 minutes more. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding apple cider vinegar as desired.
• Transfer the salmon to serving plates and spoon the sauce over the fish. Garnish with the tarragon, mint, chives and jalapeños.

SMOKED SALMON AND APPLE CARPACCIO

Steps:

• Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place the bread on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until lightly brown and crisp. Cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.
• Arrange the smoked salmon in a single layer on a serving platter. Lay the apple slices on top. Sprinkle the capers over the salmon and apple slices. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with the toasted bread.

HOT SMOKED SALMON WITH APPLES, DRIED CHERRIES, HAZELNUTS AND GREENS

Steps:

• 1. Cure the salmon: Mix together the salt, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and peppercorns in a medium bowl. Line a piece of extra-wide aluminum foil that's a little longer than the length of the fish with an equally long layer of plastic wrap. Sprinkle half of the salt rub on the wrap. Lay the salmon on the rub. Sprinkle the remaining rub on top of the salmon. Cover with plastic and wrap in foil, crimping the edges together tightly around the fish. Put the wrapped fish on a rimmed baking sheet and top with another baking sheet. Weight with a brick or two and refrigerate for 24 hours.
• 2. Unwrap the salmon and rinse off the cure mixture with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels and put the salmon in a cool, dry place (not the refrigerator) until the surface of the fish is dry and somewhat matte, 1 to 3 hours, depending on humidity. A fan may be used to speed the process.
• 3. Soak 2 cups alder wood chips in water for at least 30 minutes.
• 4. Heat your smoker according to the manufacturer's instructions. If using a charcoal or gas grill, set up a drip pan with water on the bottom grates and heat the grill to low for indirect grilling. For a charcoal grill, put the drained wood chips over the hot coals, add the cooking grate, and close the cover. For a gas grill, add the wood chips to a smoker box or foil pouch, put on the cooking grates toward the back, and close the cover. For both grills, open the vents halfway and maintain a temperature of 200°F. Let smoke build for 10 minutes.
• 5. Add the salmon to the smoker, skin side down, and cover the smoker. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain the temperature and smoke until the thickest part of the fish registers 150°F, about 1 hour. Serve immediately or cool to room temperature, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
• 6. Make the salad: Whisk together the vinegar, mustard, and honey in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in the oil until emulsified. Add the greens, apple, onion, cherries, and hazelnuts and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
• 7. Put the salmon on a platter and arrange the salad on top.

SMOKED SALMON

Steps:

• In a bowl, mix together salt, sugar, brown sugar and peppercorns. Spread extra-wide aluminum foil a little longer than the length of the fish and top with an equally long layer of plastic wrap. Sprinkle 1/3 of the rub onto the plastic. Lay 1 side of the fish skin down onto the rub. Sprinkle 1/3 of the rub onto the flesh of the salmon. Place second side of salmon, flesh down onto the first side. Use the remaining rub to cover the skin on the top piece. Fold plastic over to cover then close edges of foil together and crimp tightly around the fish.
• Place wrapped fish onto a plank or sheet pan and top with another plank or pan. Weigh with a heavy phone book or a brick or two and refrigerate for 12 hours. Flip the fish over and refrigerate another 12 hours. Some juice will leak out during the process so make sure there's a place for the runoff to gather.
• Unwrap fish and rinse off the cure with cold water. Pat salmon with paper towels then place in a cool, dry place (not the refrigerator) until the surface of the fish is dry and matte-like, 1 to 3 hours depending on humidity. A fan may be used to speed the process.
• Smoke fish (see Note) over smoldering hardwood chips or sawdust, keeping the temperature inside the smoker between 150 degrees F and 160 degrees F until the thickest part of the fish registers 150 degrees. Serve immediately or cool to room temperature, wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 3 days.