SMOKED SALMON

6.

David and femimea Frank -
Ahousat

Remove the head of the salmon by cutting across the back
from gill to gill.

Do not scale the fish.

To open the salmon cut the back along both sides of the
backbone.

Pull the backbone away from the meat and remove the
insides.

Open the fish flat.

Cut one-quarter inch slices from the fish in the areas where
the meat is thickest; i.e., midway between the outer edge
and the backbone area. Do not cut through the skin. Take
one or two slices about six inches long and two inches
wide from each side of the salmon. This helps the meat to
dry evenly and prevents spoilage in the thicker areas. Some
people completely remove the thin meai slices while others
keep them attached at the tail.

Leave a thick strip of meat, about 2 inch wide, ail along
the outer edge of the fish. Three sharpened cedar sticks,
about the thickness of a pencil, are placed across the fish
to hoid it open. The ends of the sticks are embedded in the
thick outer rim of the meat. Work quickly as the fish tends
to fall apart if exposed to the air too long.

Hang the fish by the tail in the smokehouse. To do this
push a cedar stick through the flat part of the fish at the
base of the tail. Let it hang in the centre of the cedar stick
which then rests on two poles of the smokehouse rack.

Half-smoked salmon requires one to three days smoking;
fully smoked salmon may require four or more days. (See
Smokehouse). Past generations would pound the fish
several times a day during the smoking period to make it
soft. They also removed any small bones left in the meat.
When the smoking has been completed, sprinkle salt on the
meat and store it for future usc.

10.

Before serving fully-smoked salmon, soak it overnight then
steam it for twenty minutes. Fully-smoked salmon may also
be toasted. Take the whole fish from the smokehouse or
from winter stores, hold it by the fins and move it back
and forth over the fire until it is hot and crisp.

PEPPERED, SMOKED SALMON

Lily ana Viene Brown -
Skidegate

The biend of spices used in this recipe gives the meat a rich,

appealing flavour which accentuates the smoky taste.

Follow the directions for cleaning and cutting salmon given
in the previous recipe. (Smoked Saimon).

Liberally sprinkle the salmon with’ salt.
Store overnight in a cool piace.

The next morning rinse off the sait with cold, fresn water,
and let the fish nang for a few minutes to drain.

Rub the inner surface of the fish with a mixture of the
following ingredients:

2 1b. brown sugar

} small tin allspice

T small tin black pepper

{this amount will prepare several fish)

Smoke peppered salmon three or four days or until the meat
is dry but still slightly soft. Sometimes it is smoked for
only two days, then canned.

To serve, steam the fish for twenty minutes.