Salmon skin on or skin off

[Low Country Smoker]

Hi Folks,
I would like to try some salmon on my #2. Is it better to smoke it with skin on or off?
Does skin affect the finished taste.

Thanks
Harry

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[SuperDave]

I smoke with skin on simply because the fillet doesn't stick to the rack.  Belonging to a number of fishing websites, this subject comes up every so often.  The best I can tell, it is about a 50/50 split. 

[jbauch357]

We skin our salmon right on the river before even getting it back to camp, so naturally we smoke skin off.

Some benefits:
- You can expose and remove the layer of fat from the meat.  When smoked it turns yellow/brown and hard/rubbery compared to the actual meat, so getting rid of it in advance makes for a much better finished product.
- You get more surface area exposed to the smoke, fish smokes pretty quick so the more smoke you can get in that short period of time the better.

I just spray my racks down with a light coat of pam before placing the filets on them.  If you have a big temp spike there might be a bit of sticking, but generally if you keep things low and cool the finished product will lift right off.

[Pork Belly]

We always go skin on with salmon and lake trout here in Michigan. I leave the skin on regardless of cooking method. Honestly my lab and I typically eat the skin if it has been pan seared and is crisps, but not on smoked fish the texture isn't as good. Leaving it on helps to keep in moisture and not allow cure to penetrate to deeply. Anytime I have worked with skinless salmon it gets over cured. This link is to a commercial operation near us http://www.calumetfisheries.com/gallery.html Check out the pictures of their products, everything is skin-on.

[Libohunden]

I do salmon all the time. In fact, I have 2 huge fillets from SAMs in my fridge right now waiting to be smoked.  I can't tell any difference in taste or juiciness.  If I buy it with skin on, I leave it on.  Generally, the fillets I find don't have skin. I wouldn't worry about.  It's darned good and I doubt you'll be able to tell any difference either way.

[Barrel99]

+1 what Libo said.

[SconnieQ]

FOR HOT SMOKED SALMON: I've done a few comparison smokes, with both skin-on and skin-off filets in the same smoke. I was surprised that I preferred the skin-off version slightly more. I am usually in favor of skin-on for everything. You get that nice pellicle on both sides of the filet from the cure when you take the skin off. Both ways seem equally moist. You might want to do a smoke with both ways and see which you prefer. To tell you the truth, either one will turn out delicious!

FOR COLD SMOKED SALMON: it is skin-on for sure! The skin will help protect the flesh, and will hold the filet together when you do the paper thin slices. You won't include the skin as part of your slices, but you can take the leftover hunk of skin and crisp it up on the grill or in the oven for salmon skin cracklins! ...If you love salmon skin like I do. Nothing goes to waste here.

For sticking or smoking fish, cheese or smaller items that might fall through the racks, I use frogmats. Buy to size, or cut to size. Easy to clean, and you can use them on your standard racks. Lots of places to buy them. Here's one:

http://www.firecraft.com/category/s?keyword=frogmat

[Moonz]

I leave skin on my salmon. We do a big batch
At a time and I think it holds together better
In foodsaver, it should last a month or 2 vaccusealed.
 and looks better on a platter with cheese
And crackers, but that's how I was taught!!

[Moonz]

Best smoked salmon ever!!!
Someone else agrees too!
8 or 10lbs salmon all four racks in #2
1 gallon water
1 cup quick tender Morton
1 cup brown suger
A few garlic cloves
Soak time 3 days in fridge
Let Dry 8 hrs on counter then smoke added some janes Krazy pepper mix to a few fillets turned out nice

[Pork Belly]

Great looking assistant you have there. Could you please post your time, temp and wood selection? Did you get any pics of the fish?

[Moonz]

Ok it was the best smoked salmon I've made using the SI
200 degrees
2 1/2- 3 hrs I think, forget sometimes
2 oak chunks that's it nothin fancy