Smoked salmon is one of those things that seems fancy but is actually pretty simple. Brine it, season it, smoke it low and slow. The brine is the important part. Skip that and you’ll end up with dry fish and white albumin all over the surface.
The brine
- 4 cups water
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
Mix until the salt and sugar dissolve. Submerge the salmon fillets and refrigerate for 4 to 8 hours. Longer is fine but don’t go past 12 or it gets too salty.
What you need
- 1 full side of salmon or 2 large fillets, skin on
- Olive oil
- Black pepper
- Your favorite rub — I keep it simple with just pepper and a little garlic on this one
How to make it
1. Pull the salmon out of the brine. Pat it dry. Let it sit on a wire rack in the fridge uncovered for 1 to 2 hours. You want the surface to form a tacky film called a pellicle. This is what the smoke sticks to. Don’t skip this step.
2. Rub it down lightly with olive oil and season with pepper. The brine already added salt so you don’t need more.
3. Smoker at 180 to 200. This is lower than most things I smoke. Salmon is delicate and you don’t want it to cook too fast. Alder wood is traditional. Cherry is great too. Stay away from anything heavy like hickory or mesquite.
4. Smoke until the internal temp hits 145 and the flesh flakes easily. Usually 2 to 3 hours depending on thickness. The color should be deep orange on the outside.
5. Let it rest a few minutes. It’s good hot, room temp, or cold. Keeps in the fridge for about a week.
I’ve also done this on a cedar plank which adds another layer of flavor. Soak the plank for an hour, put the salmon on it, and put the whole thing on the smoker. Same temps and times.
