Cold-smoked salmon in Vonken

About this recipe

Have you always dreamed of smoking your own salmon? When it's cold outside, it's the perfect time to smoke salmon. The low temperature produces delicious, soft pink slices with a subtle smoky flavor. You can easily replace the salmon with another fish, or even a piece of meat. Prefer hot smoking? Then you can, of course, lightly heat the oven with charcoal or a small fire. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 kg salmon fillet with skin
• 600 g coarse sea salt
• 500 g brown sugar (or cassonade sugar)
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon paprika powder
• optional: 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• optional: 1 tablespoon dried dill

Preparation

1. Mix the salt, sugar, and spices in a large bowl.
2. Sprinkle 1/4 of the mixture into a plastic container and place the salmon fillet on top. Then pour the rest of the dry mixture over the salmon. You should not be able to see any pieces of salmon!
3. Cover and place this mixture in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours. This is the brining process: the moisture in the salmon is extracted by the salt and sugar.
4. Remove and rinse the salmon thoroughly. Pat dry with paper towels and place back in the refrigerator, this time uncovered. This is the drying process: the salmon will dry out slightly on the outside.
5. Under no circumstances should you heat up the ovens: this recipe is a cold smoke, and the temperature must always remain below 25°C.
6. With Vonken Mini, all you have to do is insert the pellet net into the fire basket and fill it with Vonken smoke pellets. Light a firelighter and place it at the end of the strip of pellets. Keep the basket out of the Mini. Leave it to burn for 5 minutes. When the pellets have caught fire sufficiently, remove the firelighter and blow out the flame on the pellets. Slide the fire basket into the oven and close all the oven valves.
7. If you are using Vonken Original: place the smoker tool in the oven and fill it with Vonken smoke pellets. Light a firelighter and place it at the end of the strip of pellets. Leave it to burn for 5 minutes. When the pellets have caught fire sufficiently, remove the firelighter and blow out the flame on the pellets. Now slide the smoker tool deep into the oven and close all the oven valves.
8. Place the salmon on a rack and place it in the Mini or Original. You can also use the Smoke & Bake rack for the Original. Smoke for at least 4 hours, preferably 6 hours.
9. Remove the salmon from the oven, wrap it in foil, and place it in the refrigerator for another 12 hours so that the flavors penetrate deep into the salmon. You can also freeze it lightly at the end to be able to cut perfect slices.