2) I prefer to use salmon fillets that still have the skin on them, and while this may not be absolutely necessary, I've never tried it without, so leave skin on but be sure to remove scales, and then rinse thoroughly in cold water. Now pat dry and place fillets onto wax paper, skin side up.

3) With a sharp knife make diagonal cuts, about 1/4-inch deep (up to 1/2-inch for very thick pieces) every 1 1/2 to 2-inches along the full length of fillet. Be sure to leave at least 1/2-inch of the skin intact at the top and bottom of the cuts so that the fillet will not break apart during the curing process.

4) Place the fillets on racks skin side up (I use oven racks but you could use racks from your smoker, etc.). Take your salt and press into the cuts and also spread on the skin as well. Let this set for a few minutes and then gently turn over and repeat the process, but this time pack on a layer of salt about a 1/4-inch thick. This salt cure will actually pull a lot of liquid out of your fillets, so be sure to put a tray under the racks to avoid a mess. Cover with wax paper and let sit for 8 – 12 HOURS depending on the thickness of your fillets.

5) Now rinse the fillets under cold tap water to remove any caked on salt and then place them into a large bowl or tub of ice water. If your tap water is not the best for drinking, then by all means use bottled water or else your salmon could absorb any bad taste. During the rinse process gently move/agitate the fillets every few minutes, the idea being to help wash out excess salt. After 15 minutes drain and repeat this step. After the second rinse cut off a small piece and microwave it for a few seconds, just enough to cook it, and taste this to check the salt content. If it’s too salty, repeat the above steps to suit your taste, but remember that the salt content helps with the curing process so don’t remove too much. When you are done rinsing, put the fillets on the rack and pat dry with a clean paper towel to absorb any excess moisture then air dry for 1 to 2 hours.

6) Now to begin the part of the curing process that truly makes this Scotch Smoked Salmon, we’ll start with the scotch (or your choice of liquor). First make sure you have a clean catch-tray under the rack to collect the run-off which you can use again later. There are a couple of ways to do this, one of which is to get a new sponge and cut it into 2-inch squares. Pour the scotch in a cup and then wet the piece of sponge generously and daub this onto the fillets, covering the entire exposed surface. Start with the skin sides first and then flip over and do all the flesh sides. Repeat this step once or twice more, the idea being to get the fillets to absorb as much scotch as possible. Save the excess run-off and store it in the fridge when done because you will repeat this process later. This is a bit more labor intensive but saves on scotch. The other way to do this is to put the fillets into something like a roasting pan, fit them closely together, and then pour enough scotch to immerse them to at least half their thickness. That way you can leave them soak for 30 minutes and then turn them over and repeat this. If you’ve got more scotch then God, lol, then go ahead and just submerse your fillets in a vat for 20-30 minutes and then move on to the next step.

7) Place the fillets back on the rack, skin side up while still moist with scotch. Take your brown sugar and pack the cuts on the skin side then gently turn them over. Now generously cover with brown sugar, pressing it in firmly and leaving a 1/4-inch layer or more. Cover with wax paper and let this sit approx. 8-12 hours. Again you need to have a catch-tray under your rack as the filets will continue to lose more liquid content.

8) Afterwards, rinse the excess sugar from the fillets with cold tap water, just enough to remove any crusted on bits. Pat dry and place on racks and with a basting brush or another square of clean sponge, apply a liberal coating of olive oil on both sides of your fillets. When done, place skin side down, cover with wax paper and let sit for another 8-12 hours. Afterwards, take a clean paper towel and gently wipe off as much excess oil as possible.

9) Steps 6-8 make up one full cycle of this curing process. You will need to repeat this cycle 2 more times. Yes, it is quite labor intensive and this is perhaps why this recipe has lost its popularity, but in reality this really sounds a lot worse than it actually is. The work involved is only about 45 minutes per day (more or less depending on how much salmon you’re preparing), but I can tell you it is WELL worth the wait once you've tasted the finished product.

10) When you arrive at the last step of the third cycle, after using the paper towels to remove the excess olive oil, do not use any more scotch as you want to leave a light film of oil for the final step. And you are now ready to COLD SMOKE your fillets. I emphasize the COLD part because this is very important in how your finished product looks and tastes. The temperatures should NOT go above 90 - 100°F although lower is the better. Traditional smoking won’t work. What's needed is to fire up your smoker, get the wood chips smoking, then turn off the heating elements (or remove any burning coals, etc) so that only a cool smoke is emitted (opening any bottom baffles to allow more air flow will help if it's just too hot). Then put the filets in, let smoke for 10-15 minutes or until the chips stop smoking, and then repeat this process once or twice more. If you have one, use a thermometer to keep an eye on the temps since this is very important. I suggest tasting after each smoking, as the aim is to get just a LIGHT smoke flavor, you do not want to mask or overpower the salmon's natural cured flavor because if done right, it is just incredible. When finished, the flesh of your fillets should appear almost translucent, such that when you cut a thin slice and hold it up to a light, you can see light, it is not opaque like cooked or normally smoked salmon would be.

Well that’s it, if you follow this recipe to a tee you will have the ORIGINAL Scotch Smoked Salmon which is, in my humble opinion, the most delicious you will have ever tasted. And, if it doesn't come out perfect the first time, don't despair, since experience is the best teacher and this certainly isn't the easiest recipe to get right. But I guarantee you it's well worth the effort spent. Bon appetit!

Submitted by: Russell Popham