Cold-Smoked Salmon with Black Tea and Szechuan Pepper
Salmon is first dry-cured in an aromatic blend of black tea, Szechuan pepper, and sea salt, then cold-smoked. The result is an intensely flavored, slightly floral smoked salmon with a tender, silky texture. Ideal as a starter or served on dark rye bread.
Ingredients(for 1 kg)
Instructions
Curing
24–30 hoursThoroughly mix all ingredients and apply evenly to the deboned salmon fillet. Wrap tightly in cling film and cure on a tray in the refrigerator at 2–4 °C. Flip the fillet halfway through the curing time.
Pellicle Formation
2–3 hoursRemove the salmon from the film, rinse under cold water, and pat thoroughly dry. Leave uncovered on a wire rack in the refrigerator or in a cool, airy place until the surface is slightly glossy and tacky.
Cold Smoking
8–12 hoursSmoke the salmon in a cold smoker at a maximum of 20 °C using alder and apple wood. Plan several smoking cycles of 2–3 hours each with short breaks in between. Continuously monitor the smoking temperature – place ice in the smoking chamber during warm ambient temperatures.
Resting and Serving
12 hoursWrap the smoked salmon in cling film and rest for another 12 hours in the refrigerator to allow the smoke flavors to distribute evenly. Then slice thinly and consume within 5 days, or vacuum-seal and freeze.
Pro Tip
For an especially even smoke flavor, place the salmon on a wire rack in the smoker and pause the smoke every 6 hours for 30 minutes – this prevents the fish from turning bitter.
Save this recipe to your smoking journal?
With Curination you can scale recipes, track projects, document by voice and browse over 1,269 recipes.