Smoking skin on or off

[Denali]

Just wondering when you smoke your fish (salmon) do you leave the skin on one side of the fillet or do you take it off and smoke it with no skin at all. I've been leaving the skin on and placing it skin side down on the grill/smoker. Any opinions?

[mike5097]

I take the skin off.
I think it tastes much better, and my kids prefer it that way.
I don't have any problems with the fish falling apart.
Just make sure you spray PAM or something on the grill first.
Mike

[Jeffhead]

A trick I learned from a good friend is to leave the skin on and place the fish skin side down on a brown paper bag cut to the size of the piece of fish. Keeps most of the juices from dropping onto the bottom of the smoker, doesn't stick to the grill and the skin sticks to the paper when ya peel the fish off!! Works pretty good for me.
Good luck and tight lines, Jeff :grin: :grin:

[STRIKE ZONE]

I think it's key to leave the skin on.That's my
$00.03 worth.Good luck,
STRIKE ZONE

[Ramstrong]

I keep the skin on and place pieces skin side down on the racks.

[MetalHead]

Skin on is how I always do it after smoking is comes off very easily before vacuum sealing

[Phish_on]

dude! If your skin comes off you have smoked TOO MUCH

[CATCH AND EAT]

Skin on. Heck some folks even eat the skin. Not me though. Skin on is best.

[STGRule]

Oh, Phish_on... that brought tears from laughing too hard

[Dr Strangelove]

If you don't like the dark meat under the lateral line (I think it tastes like...well you know) cut it out along with the skin. That way both sides are cured evenly.

[Snapset]

Leave the skin on. It keeps the oil in the meat, which is necessary because part of the drying process drives the water out of the meat. The oil is the best and healthiest part of any salmonid.