The Gift Exchange

You may have noticed that many of our gourmet gift baskets contain Saraivanov Smoked Salmon. If you are like most of our customers, one bite of this fine gourmet delicacy will leave you wanting more.

Luckily, making smoked salmon at home is not as difficult as one might think. While the process can be a bit time consuming and does require a drying rack and smoker, the result is always delicious and allows you to tailor flavors to the recipe of your choosing.

Obviously you will want to research recipes for ideas and exact measurements, but here is a brief overview of how the smoking process takes place:

-Thaw high-quality, frozen salmon and cut into 1” thick strips or filets.

-Make a brine of salt, spices (optional), and cold water, and submerge salmon into brine mixture for 30 minutes to 3 hours

-Remove from brine and let sit on a drying rack for 6 to 8 hours at about 40 degree Fahrenheit.

-Let salmon sit at room temperature for an hour so that a pellicile forms. This is a slimy outer coating that will hold the moisture in while smoking.

-Lay the salmon pieces in the smoker and cook using the wood chips of your choice.

-Cook in the smoker for 6 to 8 hours. Once 160 degrees has been reached in the thickest piece, cook for an additional half hour to kill off bacteria and parasites. Any remaining smoking will help achieve the desired flavor.

-Remove salmon and enjoy. If you have remaining salmon after the entire neighborhood has caught a whiff of your smoking endeavors, be sure to refrigerate any leftovers.

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