Smoked Salmon
Ingredients and Necessities
- 5 pounds salmon (this recipe will also work with trout or char)
- Birch/maple syrup or honey for basting
- 1 quart cool water
- 1/3 cup Diamond Crystal kosher salt, about 2 ounces of any kosher salt
- 1 cup brown sugar
- Cedar smoking plank
- Wire rack
- Oil
Cooking Time
4-5 hours (does not include cure time).
Step 1 - Brine the Fish
Mix together the water, salt, and brown sugar. Place your fish in a non-reactive container (plastic or glass), cover and put in the refrigerator. The salmon will need to cure at least 4 hours. Large fillets may need up to 8 hours.
Step 2 - Set the Pellicle
Take your fish out of the brine, rinse it briefly under cold running water, and pat it dry. Set the fillets on your cooling rack, skin side down. Ideally you'd do this right under a ceiling fan set on high, or outside in a cool, breezy place. By "cool" I mean 60°F or cooler. Let the fish dry for 2 to 4 hours (or up to overnight in the fridge). You want the surface of the fish to develop a shiny skin called a pellicle.
Step 3 - Smoke it
Start by slicking the skin of your fish with some oil, so it won't stick to the cedar plank. Know that even though this is hot smoking, you still do not want high temperatures. Start with a small fire and work your way up as you go. It is important to bring the temperature up gradually or you will get that white albumin "bleed" on the meat. I start the process between 140°F and 150°F for up to an hour, then finish at 175°F for a final hour or two.
Step 4 - Baste it
After an hour in the smoker, baste the fish with birch or maple syrup, or honey; do this every hour. This is a good way to brush away any albumin that might form. In most cases, you will get a little. You just don't want a ton of it. Even if you can't control your temperature this precisely, you get the general idea. Your goal should be an internal temperature of about 130°F to 140°F.
Step 5 - Finish it
Once the salmon has reached its target internal temperature, remove it from the smoker and serve. Enjoy.
OPTIONAL - Store it
Once your fish is smoked, let it rest on the cooling rack for an hour before you put it in the fridge. Once refrigerated and wrapped in plastic, smoked fish will keep for 10 days. If you vacuum-seal it, the fish will keep for up to 3 weeks. Or freeze your fish for up to a year.