Cold-Smoked Anise Thyme Salmon Recipe

Despite salmon being costly, it undeniably ranks as one of the favorite fixings in most kitchens, especially when it comes to cold-smoking food preparation. Here is another smoked salmon recipe with additional tastes of Anise and Thyme.

Cold Smoking with Anise, Thyme, and Salmon

INGREDIENTS

3 salmon fillets – skin on

2 tbsp. toasted crushed black pepper

1 tbsp. toasted aniseed

1 tbsp. dried thyme

1 ½ cup coarse salt

1 ½ cup dark colored sugar

¾ cup white sugar

¼ cup lemon juice

Few lemon zests

PROCEDURE

Here is a quick guide on how you can cold-smoke your salmon with Anise and Thyme.

Step 1

Toast black pepper and aniseed in a small skillet until they start to discharge their scent.

Step 2

Mix well all fixings aside from the salmon. Spread out an enormous sheet of saran wrap and sprinkle half of the mixed fixings over it.

Step 3

Put the salmon fillets on top of the mixed fixings on the plastic wrap and spread with the remaining cure blend.

Step 4

After putting all the mixture onto the salmon, completely wrap the salmon with the saran wrap.

Step 5

Place the wrapped salmon onto a baking pan and put any few weights on top of the salmon like a heavy cup or a small chopping board, enough to weigh the salmon down and make it firmer.

Step 6

Refrigerate the salmon for 3 days to complete the curing process. You may flip the salmon inside the cling wrap every 24 hours just to make sure it will be firm after 3 days.

Step 7

After 3 days when the salmon is completely cured, wash it with cold water.

Step 8

After washing, pat it dry with a kitchen towel and put it in a wire rack.

Step 9

Put the uncovered wire rack with the salmon on top inside the fridge for 8 hours or more, until a pellicle forms on the surface of the fish to allow easy absorption of the smoke flavor.

Step 10

When the salmon is ready for smoking, cold smoke it for at least 5 hours. Operate your smoker depending on the manufacturer’s instructions.

Step 11

After smoking, take out the salmon from your smoker or grill, allow it to cool down, and serve. You may also put it in the fridge before serving.

Additional Tip

Just remember to cold-smoke at an internal temperature, not more than 90 °F, and with indirect heat as the purpose of cold smoking is not to cook the meat or food, but to allow smoke absorption to enhance its taste, as well as, to preserve the meat.