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So today was interesting to say the least. We got a new smoker! I went from a small electric with wood chips to a big boy one pretty much overnight. It was intimidating to say the least. I was tasked with smoking a giant salmon filet. I’ll be honest i was quiet apprehensive because I’ve never done it before and salmon isn’t exactly the cheapest fish in the sea and id say I’m a beginner to solo smoking things. I’ve salt cured it, Pan seared it, baked it but never smoked it myself. So in the back of my head I’m always telling myself do not over smoke this fish. You know that kind of smoke that you cant taste your food it taste like you’re sitting in the smoker eating it? The kind of smoke that you go out to restaurants just so its done right? That kind of smoke. Well fortunately for me none of that happened. I kept a close eye on my chimney openage, watch the thermometer, took some of what i already knew about salmon and a little blind luck and faith. It was a success! I will say this though I’ve never smoked cherries though or any fruit for that matter so I was kinda… well not kinda i was winging it and hoping for the best because at least it wasn’t salmon. My only recommendation would be to get them IN season because the smoker took the sweet right out of them I could only imagine had they been bitter to begin with. But all in all everything turned out great I’m excited for my future smoking endeavors. Stay tuned for that and if you try this recipe out let me know what you think.

Ingredients

• 1.5-2lb Salmon Filet
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1Tb dill chopped
• 4 Serrano Peppers
• 1c Fresh cherries, seeded and stemmed
• 1/4c Red wine
• 1Tb Turbinado sugar
• 1tsp salt

Directions

• Season salmon on the flesh side generously with salt, pepper and chopped dill.
• Combine cherries and serrano in separate bowl.
• Place salmon in smoker at 120 degrees for 3 hours.
• (If you haven’t been monitoring your temp and its too high once you check to quickly reduce heat open smoker door. At that time check salmon, if white pockets surface on salmon remove from smoker its done.)
• Place cherries above salmon so that the salmon doesn’t drip on cherries.
• Once salmon and cherries are done. Remove from smoker.
• Roughly chop cherries and serrano’s. Place in to sauce pan and simmer with red wine, turbinado sugar and tsp salt. Let simmer for 10 minutes.
• Portion salmon and top with smoked cherry topping.