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Smoked Salmon

Homemade smoked salmon: an 8–9 kg salmon is split along the back without water, salted 2½ days in 1 l salt and 2 dl sugar under a weight, brushed with saltpeter dissolved in cognac, cold-smoked 8 hours, and matured 6 days. The trimmings are boiled into salmon soup; the salmon is stored dry, not in the refrigerator.

Source: Henriette Schønberg Erken, Stor kokebok, 1914-utg. s. 125 (falt i det fri)

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About the dish

Erken's thorough instructions for home-smoked salmon, with her characteristic practical note that "most people probably send it off to be smoked." She wastes nothing: the backbone, head, and tail are boiled into salmon soup.

How to make it

  1. 1

    Split the salmon

    The salmon should not be scraped or washed. Cut off the head and tail, and open the fish along the back, not the belly. Let the knife follow the underside of the backbone, then cut the backbone away on the other side.

  2. 2

    Clean without water

    Remove the innards and entrails. Wipe away the blood with a cloth that is not wet, and rub some of the blood into the fish. Do not use water.

  3. 3

    Salt down

    Spread a thick layer of 1 liter salt and 2 dl sugar on a large wooden board. Lay the salmon skin-side down, cover it completely with salt and sugar, and place a board on top.

  4. 4

    Weight and cure

    The next day, place a light weight on top. Let the salmon rest this way for 2½ days; it must be covered with salt the entire time.

  5. 5

    Wipe off and brush

    Wipe away the salt with a cloth, and finally wipe the salmon over with 1 teaspoon finely ground saltpeter dissolved in ½ dl cognac.

  6. 6

    Smoking

    Spread the salmon out on the skin side with two thin wooden splints. Smoke the salmon 8 hours in cold smoke (or send it to a smokehouse).

  7. 7

    Post-maturing

    After 6 days the salmon is ready to eat. Let the salmon lie flat, not hang — it gets drier from hanging.

  8. 8

    Use the trimmings

    Put the backbone into cold, salted water. When it boils and has been skimmed, boil the head and tail or a few tail pieces in the stock. Use the stock for salmon soup.

  9. 9

    Storage

    Smoked salmon must not be stored in the refrigerator, because the salmon draws in moisture. It is best stored — once you have begun to slice it — in a dry, slightly cool room, preferably wrapped in parchment paper.

Changes from the original

Measurements converted to modern units (1 l salt, 2 dl sugar, ½ dl cognac). "Iskasse" (ice box) is explained as a refrigerator. Saltpeter has been kept as in the original but is not necessary for the flavor.

Time machine – what changed?

Pick two editions and see what Henriette Schønberg Erken added, removed or changed between them.

1914 (proofread, p. 125) → Modernised~76% of the text changedremovedadded
En laks paa ca. 8 å 9 kg. kg laks (8–9 kg, ikke skrapt eller vasket). 1 l. salt l salt. 2 del. sukker dl sukker. 1 teske teskje finstøtt salpeter 1/2 del. konjak En laks paa ca. 8 å 9 kg. skrapes ikke, vaskes ikke, aapnes (kan utelates). 0,5 dl konjakk. Laksen skal ikke i buken, men langs ryggen, efterat skrapes eller vaskes. Skjær av hode og hale er skaaret av. Under opskjæringen skal hale, og åpne fisken langs ryggen, ikke i buken. La kniven følge rygbenets underste side; derpaa skjæres rygbenet ryggbeinets underside, og skjær deretter ryggbeinet fra paa på den anden side. Indvolder og indmat tages ut, andre siden.. Ta ut innmat og innvoller. Tørk bort blodet tørres væk med en klut som ikke vaat klut, idet noget er våt, og gni noe av det gnides ind blodet inn i fisken. Bruk ikke vand. Et vann.. Legg et tykt lag av 1 liter salt og 2 dl sukker lægges paa på en stor træfjæl (1 l. salt, 2 del. sukker), læg skindsiden paa trefjøl. Legg laksen med skinnsiden ned, dæk dekk den aldeles helt med salt og sukker og læg legg en anden fjæl over. Næste fjøl over.. Neste dag lægges let pres paa. Saaledes ligger legges et lett press på. La laksen 2 1/2 døgn, ligge slik i 2½ døgn; den må hele tiden maa den være dækket med salt. Saltet tørres væk dekket av salt.. Tørk bort saltet med et klæde klede, og tilsidst vaskes den vask til sist laksen over med 1 teske teskje finstøtt salpeter, opløst salpeter oppløst i 1/2 del. konjak. Paa skindsiden utspiles ½ dl konjakk.. Spile laksen ved hjælp av ut på skinnsiden med to fliser. Laksen røkes i tynne trefliser. Røk laksen 8 timer i kold røk, — de fleste sender kald røk (eller send den vel bort til røkning! Efter røkeri).. Etter 6 dages forløp dager er den færdig laksen ferdig til spisning. å spises. La laksen ligge, ikke hænge; henge – den blir tørrere av det sidste. Det fraskaarne ben sættes å henge.. Sett ryggbeinet over ilden i koldt, kaldt, saltet vand, og naar vann. Når det koker og er skummet, kokes hode og halen hale eller nogen noen halestykker heri. Laksesuppe av i kraften. Bruk kraften naturligvis. til laksesuppe.. Røkelaks maa må ikke opbevares oppbevares i iskasse, ti kjøleskap, for laksen trækker fugtighet trekker til sig. Bedst opbevares seg fuktighet. Best oppbevares den — efter – etter at man har begyndt at begynt å skjære av den — – i et tørt, litt kjølig rum og rom, helst indpakket innpakket i pergamentpapir.

Note on Modernised

Mål er omregnet til moderne enheter (1 l salt, 2 dl sukker, ½ dl konjakk). «Iskasse» er forklart som kjøleskap. Salpeter er beholdt som i originalen, men er ikke nødvendig for smaken.

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Frequently asked questions

Why should the salmon not be washed or scraped?
In the original 1914 recipe the fish should be kept completely dry — it is neither scraped nor washed, and the blood is wiped away with a cloth that is not wet. Some of the blood is even rubbed into the fish. Water should not be used.
How is the salmon dressed for smoking?
It is not opened at the belly, but along the back after the head and tail have been cut off. The knife follows the underside of the backbone, and the backbone is then cut away on the other side before the innards and entrails are removed.
How long does the salmon rest in salt and sugar?
The salmon is laid skin-side down on a wooden board in a thick layer of salt and sugar (1 l salt, 2 dl sugar), covered completely, and given a board on top. The next day a light weight is placed on it, and it rests this way for 2½ days.
How large a salmon is the recipe made for?
A salmon of about 8–9 kg, which gives about 20 servings. In addition, 1 l salt, 2 dl sugar, 1 teaspoon finely ground saltpeter, and ½ dl cognac are used.

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