I think Probie has smoked about 20 or 30 lbs this fall so far..... tasty.... it is good to have a son that is a die hard salmon fisherman that goes at it year round
Let me know how you like it. I salt cure salmon always, regardless of eating it raw or grilling or smoking. Try honey smoking with mesquite too. Really good that way. I salt cure the salmon, of course. For smoking, I prefer skin on. Rub your favorite honey on the non-skin side. Add just a little of your favorite seasoning and rub it in through the honey. Smoke with mesquite with the skin side down. And eat. Be a poet. And know it. Ok, getting silly here. But I AM a foodie and love my food. Both the Chinese and Hawaiian have a similar philosophy. Food is medicine and medicine is food. Both also share the belief in the power of intent. I am fairly certain you will like the smoked salmon. Mrs. Hanzo really does.
I made a smoker once out of potting clay and sand a long time ago. It had an hourglass shape and both top and bottom could be filled with meat to smoke. I dried it out really well (and patched a small crack I got) and used to fill it up and smoke meat all the time. Cost me nothing, really. You just need a sturdy steel pan to burn your coals in at the bottom, a screen to place your wet chips on, and a tiny cap on the top to adjust the temperature/smoke level. I smoked some salmon in that thing for 6 or 7 days once. I wish I still had it and should make another smoker. The store bought ones are nice, but blah -where's the fun in that?
We have three different means to smoke meat right now... my dad taught me at an early age... but I love to learn how others are doing it. I have a friend that converted a dead refrigerator into a smoker... it is amazing how much meat he can do on one run!!! The wife banned me from using our spare fridge for this same use.... guess it still works.... but I have my eye on it for when he fails to cool anymore
I think a better way to do it now would be to repurpose an old 50 gallon steel drum, coat it in plaster of paris and sand or clay and use that because you can smoke more meat and won't waste the charcoal. I think a several day smoke will run a couple bags of charcoal, the natural wood kind. Or you could make your own charcoal, too I suppose.
The most fun method to me, even though it wouldn't be considered smoking, per se, is to just rack it up next to your campfire. Slow cook and smoke your meat while coffee is brewing and your chicken and pork are underground slow cooking in the imu. While you wait for your meat to smoke, build a nice bed of coals and slap a steak straight down one it. Eat it a nice medium rare or however you like it. Have some ube (Okinawan sweet potatoes) on the coals too. So good cooked that way. Hey! Still gotta eat while everything is slow cooking.
I have never purchased any steel drums and will have to keep my eye out for any available..... never really thought about that. The only drums I chase are for my rain catchment system.... I have eight now tied into my down spouts, and only have room for 2 more in my present domain.....
Are you sure you are in HI..maybe Montana is where we should be.... grew up there and we did many things like what you suggest!!!
I am not sure which would work better, lining the steel drums (inside) or coating (outside). I am sure the steel would erode a bit on the inside if left bare, but will be protected from the elements if coated on outside. Could do both sides, too if you're HARDCORE, but meh. It's a steel drum, man.
The seasonings and smoke will line the interior over time and that will benefit future smokes... either way. Just never clean the inside of the barrel once you start and you will benefit from the future in the form of flavor..... IMO
Nice! You know, if I were making a REALLY nice one, I might line the inside with oak or cherry, personally. Leave maybe 12" at bottom so the planks don't catch fire, but...Hrm. LOL! This thread is quickly turning from Salmon to how to build the dream smoker.
When my monkeys and Mrs. Hanzo want to eat, they can eat more than me. And they like my cooking. When my little one was six, I made chicken tikka masala for them, and she ate eight servings. Scared the crap out of me. Thought she was going to be sick (like her sister was once. She was eight and we had pizza. Unbeknownst to be, she wanted to eat her age... at least eight slices. She really likes pizza. That eighth or ninth slice did her in.). But the little one powered through and was all good. Super full, but good.
Man, what are you doing letting all that great juice go to waste. You need a slice or two of good fresh bread to sop that up, while the dog looks at you with sad eyes.
Older sons just returned from Alaska bearing gifts. Now have a case and half of canned salmon sitting on the kitchen table. Some has a garlic/spice mix added. Will be sampling it asap.
Great thread @Hanzo!! I got introduced to Lomi-Lomi salmon in Paia Maui back in the 70's. Been hooked on it ever since. Going to try salt curing if I get a salmon this year.
