Hot-smoked Salmon

Total Time: 16 hrs Preparation Time: 4 hrs Cook Time: 12 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 kg salmon fillet
• 1 kg salt
• 200 ml whiskey
• 6 g dill (dried)

Recipe

• 1 1. first you need to salt your fresh salmon fillet to extract some of the moisture. this will enable it to take on the smoky flavor more easily and cook safely. cover the base of a dish with about 1cm of salt and place the fillet skin side down on the salt. sprinkle some dry dill onto the fillet followed by a generous amount of salt making sure to cover the fish completely with more salt on the thicker parts. leave it in a cool place for 2-3 hours.
• 2 2. remove the fish from the now damp salt and wash it thoroughly in cold fresh water.
• 3 3. place the fillet on a drying rack for at least an hour and preferably more.
• 4 4. fill your smoker with beech, oak or fruit wood sawdust having soaked a hand full of the sawdust in whiskey (don't use your best hebredean single malt for this).
• 5 5. place your fillet in the smoker and gently smoke for 12 hours. a brief hot smoke (about 60-80 degrees) of about 30 minutes followed by a long cold smoke (under 30 degrees c) works well. i used an insulated smoker like this one http://www.outdoorcook.co.uk/collections/smokers/products/professional-meat-fish-smoker , but there are loads of different types around and you may even be able to use your bbq although insulation is important to maintain lower temperatures and an electric element or gas makes for easier use.
• 6 6. remove the fillet and check it is cooked through before serving. it can be eaten in leafy salads, with boiled new potatoes, on bread, with pasta and all it needs is a bit of lemon juice to bring it alive!
• 7 7. enjoy.