Simple Wok-Smoked Salmon

Paul Franson

This recipe turns out moist and flavorful with no messy briquettes or special smoker and can be done on the range. There’s little worry about over- or under-cooking and it requires little time or attention. It can be used with steaks but is even better with skin-on tails or fillets, or chunks containing both fillets and skin.

I stole the basic idea from a TV chef (Martin Yan, I think) but didn’t try it for some time, so am not sure I do it the same way he did.

The soaking in a salt/sugar solution customary for smoking seems optional. I think it’s most beneficial with steaks to seal the surface.

One wok with rack and cover.

Hickory (or other wood) chips.

Neutral oil (canola etc.)

Salmon

Place a half-cup of dry hickory chips in the bottom of a wok. Soaking them first in water doesn’t seem to make much difference. Place rack in wok. Slightly oil salmon skin and place on rack skin down. Cover wok and place over medium high burner. The heat from the fire turns the wood chips to charcoal, releasing flavorful smoke. Don’t add lemon, salt, pepper, herbs or anything else.

If you’re using a piece of salmon with two sides of skin, carefully turn over in about 20 to 30 minutes. Don’t stuff it.

That’s it. It takes about 20 to 30 minutes for a fillet, up to 1 1/2 hour for a thick large piece. I’d use an instant thermometer to check in this case, and 120 degrees is recommended. You may have to add some coals for a long smoking.

Note that this is smoking for flavor, not preserving. You’ll probably find it isn’t an issue since people tend to gobble up all you have.

I often do this outside on a portable propane burner since otherwise the house smells of hickory salmon for a few days.

Optional: If you want, dissolve 1/2 cup salt and 1/2 cup sugar in cool water and soak the fish for a few hours. This can firm up the fish.

This technique works for flavoring meat or poultry with smoke, but make sure they reach a safe temperature or cook after smoking.

Secret salmon sauce

All over Italy — in Sirmione, on the coast near Rome, in Milan, even in a restaurant run by Neapolitans in Antigua — I’ve had this sumptuous meal, yet I’ve never seen it mentioned in an Italian cookbook. And though it sounds like a natural for a smoky Chardonnay, at every place in Italy, it was served with a carafe of slightly frizzante, light white wine that cuts through the calories.

Fresh linguine — not preserved stuff from the supermarket, but freshly made

Salt

Moist smoked salmon

Thick cream

Chopped parsley

Boil lots of water and add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add linguine. It should be ready in about a minute or two.

Chop up salmon.

Add cream, salmon and parsley to drained pasta. It should be flavored, but not swimming in cream. Toss. Enjoy.

I tried making béchamel sauces and other approaches. It only works with cream.