Cured Smoked Salmon is the ultimate treat on a bagel with or mixed in a Smoked Salmon Cheese Dip served with crackers, toasts, or vegetable crudité.
Ingredients
- •473-710 ml (2-3 cups) coarse sea salt*
- •15 ml (1 tablespoon) coarse cracked black pepper
- •45 ml (3 tablespoons) chopped fresh dill weed
- •30 ml (2 tablespoons) chopped fresh oregano flowers
- •Finely shredded lemon zest
- •45 ml (3 tablespoons) light brown sugar
- •Fresh fillets of wild Alaskan sockeye salmon, rinsed and patted dry
*Korean markets sell it in large bags.
Preparation
- In a large bowl, mix the coarse sea salt with the other spices and sugar.
In a plastic pan large enough to hold the salmon, line the bottom with a layer of the salt mixture. Arrange the fillets on the salt. Pack the remaining salt over the fillets. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Remove from fridge.
Rinse salt from the fillets. Some pepper and dill will adhere to the salmon. This is OK. °Pat dry and place on racks. Air dry in the fridge or on a counter top under a fan until a pellicle forms on the salmon (a dry skin).
Heat smoker to 32°C (90°F). Create lots of smoke with soaked fruit wood chips. Smoke until the salmon is done to your liking. You can also hot smoke the salmon, but the texture will be more flaky.