Smoked Salmon
Learn how to smoke salmon at home with a simple brining process to enhance flavor, yielding perfect results without complicated techniques.
Ingredients
For the brine
- 1 cup Salt Use kosher or sea salt
- ½ cup Sugar Brown sugar or white sugar
- 4 cups Water Room temperature
For smoking
- 1 lb Salmon fillet Fresh and skin-on if possible
- Wood chips (apple, alder, or hickory) Soaked in water for 30 minutes before using
Instructions
Preparation
- Rinse the salmon and pat it dry.
- Slice the salmon into even pieces.
- Prepare the brine by mixing salt, sugar, and water in a bowl until dissolved.
- Soak the salmon in the brine for at least 4 hours or overnight for best results.
- Rinse the salmon off again and pat it dry.
- Let the salmon air dry until tacky (about 30 minutes).
Smoking
- Prepare your smoker to maintain a temperature between 175°F and 200°F.
- Add soaked wood chips to the smoker.
- Place the salmon on the smoker rack and close the lid.
- Smoke for 1 to 3 hours, checking at 90 minutes or until the salmon flakes easily with a fork and has a shiny sheen.
- Let the smoked salmon cool before serving.
Notes
Serve smoked salmon on toasted bagels, with cream cheese, capers, and fresh greens. This recipe is very forgiving; experiment with your brine components and smoking times until you find your perfect flavor.