Hot Smoked Salmon
This Hot Smoked Salmon recipe is easy to make on your wood or pellet smoker and can be used in so many ways. Eat it plain as an appetizer or for dinner, scramble it with eggs, make smoked salmon chowder, and lots more!
Prep Time12 hours hrs
Cook Time3 hours hrs
Total Time15 hours hrs
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 249kcal
Brine
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup kosher salt
Rub
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Mix the brine ingredients together in a large shallow dish with a lid or a 2-gallon ziploc bag.
Add the salmon to the brine, then cover or seal and brine for 4 to 8 hours in the refrigerator.
Remove the salmon from the brine, rinse, and pat dry.
Place the salmon skin side down on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Allow to dry in a cool, breezy spot for 2 hours or for 8 to 12 hours in the refrigerator to develop a pellicle.
Heat your smoker to 180°F. Set a water tray on the smoker grate to create a humid environment.
Mix rub ingredients together, then sprinkle over the salmon.
Place the salmon on the grill with the skin side down and close the lid. Smoke for 3 to 5 hours, until the internal temperature reaches 135°F to 140°F, brushing with maple syrup once each hour.
Remove from the grill and serve or store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 8 to 10 days.
Adapted from Cooking LSL.
If your smoker goes lower, start smoking the fish at 150°F and increase to 180°F after 2 hours. It will take slightly longer to smoke the fish, but you run less of a risk of drying it out by cooking too quickly.
If you have a vacuum-sealer, you can seal the salmon and it will last for up to 3 weeks in the fridge. Or you can freeze it for up to 1 year.
Calories: 249kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 3383mg | Potassium: 451mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 113IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 1mg