Christmas Smoked Salmon 2021 flavoured with Jameson Irish Whiskey

Salmon into the salt and sugar cure for twelve hours then drain, wash and air dry overnight in a cool place.

Cured and air dried salmon into the 'smoker'

Charging the smoker tray with applewood and oak dust-chippings mixed with brown sugar sprinkled with a dash of Irish whiskey

Ignite the dust and stand well back

Remove the salmon from the smoker and air dry overnight in a cool place.

When smoking salmon it is sensible to keep a 'weather-eye' open for cats and in sourcing oak chippings it is 'andy to have a carpenter in the family!

This year we decided to give our fish an Irish rather than Scottish spirit finish. The final stage in the process involves painting the fish with a whiskey flavoured olive oil marinade. 

The finished article with its olive oil and Jameson Irish Whiskey Glaze

Making stuff at Christmas is particularly enjoyable as the aromas, tastes, sounds and colours are evocative of past Christmases and people who have come and gone from our lives. My Grandad Swinbourne was a fish-monger and I have happy memories of helping with the fish when I was a young kid over 60 years ago. 

Whilst I was salting the salmon, my partner played a Christmas compilation CD in the kitchen. Whilst I layered on the salt, Flanagan and Allen sang 'The Umbrella Man'. I remembered listening to this with my Grandad all those years ago. Merry Christmas Grandad!