Smoked Salmon is my #1 favourite meals to smoke. Buttery, succulent and filled with taste, I will present you the best way to make hot-smoked salmon proper at residence!
I hate to say it, however I’m about to break your present favourite preparation of salmon ceaselessly. Put aside your go-to and make method for succulent Smoked Salmon!
My husband has been smoking meat and fish for 10+ years and out of all the pieces he makes, Smoked Salmon is my #1 favourite. This straightforward smoker recipe is inherently easy and extremely scrumptious.
Even die onerous salmon haters (ahem, a number of of my kids) devour this hot-smoked salmon. The tender flaky texture, and delicate smokey taste are irresistible!
Why You’ll Love Smoked Salmon
Don’t get me improper, I like a rack of meaty smoked ribs, or smokey pulled pork, however Smoked Salmon is in a league of its personal. Typically smoked pork or beef can depart you feeling heavy, whereas smoked salmon is mild and luscious. Right here’s what else you’ll love about it:
- Household pleasant. Each children and adults LOVE this preparation of salmon. I’ve seen my nieces, nephews, and youngsters actually cheer after they hear smoked salmon is on the menu.
- Straightforward. Smoking salmon is straightforward. Slap it onto the smoker then let it do it’s factor — no fussing nor flipping required. You’ll be able to depart the pores and skin on, too.
- Fast cooking: A pork butt can take 12+ hours to smoke, then one other couple of hours to relaxation earlier than shredding. An entire salmon fillet can smoke in as little as an hour, and also you don’t should let the salmon relaxation earlier than consuming.
- Succulent. Salmon is simple to overcook as a result of it’s so delicate. Moist brining then air drying the salmon previous to smoking locks in moisture and creates a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth end. SO GOOD.
Elements Wanted
- Entire salmon fillet: I favor to make use of an entire fillet vs individual-sized filets for this straightforward smoked salmon recipe, and have two favourite salmon varieties I’ll share beneath.
- Lemon pepper seasoning: is the proper flavoring pairing with salmon. Easy is finest!
- Brine: moist brining the salmon in a combination of water, kosher salt, and sugar helps seal in fats and moisture, and supply a flakey but silky smoked salmon texture.
- Lemon wedges: recent lemon juice drizzled on high of the smoked salmon compliments the scorching smokey taste so properly.
Finest Sorts of Salmon to Smoke
- Finest: Atlantic Salmon or King Salmon (aka Chinook Salmon). These salmon species are typically massive, meaty, and deliciously fatty — the scale and taste maintain up and pair properly with smoke.
- Worst: Wild Caught Sockeye Salmon. I hate utilizing the phrase “worst” to explain sockeye salmon however normally we don’t discover this species to be a very good candidate for smoking. Sockeye salmon is often small and compact, with much less fats than Atlantic and King Salmon, and tends to dry out and grow to be chalky on the smoker. I favor to pan-sear vs smoke wild-caught Sockeye salmon.
- Okay: Coho Salmon. This salmon species is on the smaller aspect however has extra fats than Sockeye and so it doesn’t dry out as simply.
How Lengthy Does it Take to Smoke Salmon?
My #1 tip for making smoked salmon is to go by the interior temperature of the fillet to find out doneness, vs a set period of time. Normally although, when smoking between 180 – 200 levels, you may assume:
- 2 — 3lb salmon fillet: 1-1/2 — 3 hours on the smoker.
- 1 — 2lb salmon fillet: 45 minutes — 1-1/2 hours on the smoker.
Salmon fillets can range extensively in measurement, weight, and thickness — even salmon of the identical species can differ from each other relying on when and the place they have been caught.
That mentioned, a two-prong digital meat thermometer to measure each the interior temperature of the smoker, and the interior temperature of the salmon, is essential for reaching excellent smoked salmon.
Inside Temperature for Doneness
Salmon is taken into account absolutely cooked at 145 levels although, imo, that’s wayyyyy too excessive and your salmon — particularly if it’s a spread with out plenty of fats — will eat like sawdust.
Personally, I like to drag the salmon off the smoker when the interior temperature reaches between 130 and 135 which leads to a extra moist and tender texture.
Right here is an inside temperature information for doneness — please do keep in mind that the temperature will proceed to rise barely off the warmth because of carryover cooking!
- Uncommon: 120 levels or much less.
- Medium-rare: 125-130 levels.
- Medium: 135-140 levels.
- Nicely accomplished: 140-150 levels.
What’s the White Stuff on Prime of My Salmon?
In the event you’ve ever cooked fish, chances are high you’ve seen a chalky, white substance referred to as albumin seem on the floor. Albumin is a innocent and flavorless — but unpleasant wanting — liquid protein that solidifies and escapes to the floor whereas cooking. Albumin can seem on any fish, although you see it extra usually on salmon due to the white and pink/orange coloration distinction.
Right here’s the best way to guard in opposition to it!
- Moist brine the salmon. Submerging the salmon fillet in a combination of water, kosher salt, and brown sugar for as much as 12 hours earlier than smoking helps solidify the fat inside the protein, making it tougher for the albumin to flee.
- Develop a pellicle. After moist brining the salmon, rinse it off then refrigerate uncovered for as much as 24 hours. Throughout this time a skinny, cheesy pores and skin referred to as a pellicle will type on high of the fillet. Amongst different issues, a pellicle can act like a barrier, stopping albumin from escaping.
- Prepare dinner low and sluggish. Albumin seems if you cook dinner salmon at too excessive of a temperature and/or overcook it. Smoking the salmon at simply 180 levels (vs 225 levels for smoking pork, for instance) helps include albumin inside the salmon.
- Don’t overcook. Albumin CAN seem on high of the salmon even when it’s not overcooked, although it WILL seem in case your fish is overcooked.
If on the finish of the day your smoked salmon shouldn’t be overcooked and there’s nonetheless albumin on the floor, merely scrape it off!
3 Suggestions for Good Smoked Salmon
- Use a digital meat thermometer. A two prong digital thermometer is the easiest way to make sure the smoked salmon is cooked to perfection.
- Plan forward. You don’t HAVE to moist brine then dry your salmon fillet previous to smoking, although I believe it makes a world of distinction each in style and texture. And for those who’re going to spend cash on salmon, you need the style and texture to be high notch, proper? That mentioned, I often moist brine the salmon fillet over a day and night, then let it sit uncovered within the fridge in a single day earlier than smoking it for lunch or dinner the next day.
- Top quality salmon. Make sure you’re utilizing prime quality salmon bought from a good supply that doesn’t have a “fishy” odor. Atlantic salmon, which is my favourite for smoking, is all farmed although fish farming practices have improved drastically over the previous a number of years. King Salmon will be discovered each farmed and wild caught.
Overview: Make Smoked Salmon
There are sooo many fascinating issues to find out about smoking salmon (nerd alert!) however once more — it’s inherently easy. Right here’s the TL;DR overview:
- Step 1: Prep the salmon. Trim off the stomach, if current, then take away any pin bones.
- Step 2: Moist brine the salmon. Brine the salmon in a water/sugar/salt answer for as much as 12 hours.
- Step 3: Develop the pellicle. Refrigerate the salmon uncovered for as much as 24 hours to develop the cheesy pellicle.
- Step 4: Season then smoke the salmon. Season the salmon then smoke between 180-200 levels till the interior temperature of the salmon reaches between 130-140 levels.
Serve with Air Fryer Asparagus
Smoke Salmon
Step 1: Trim the salmon fillet.
Begin by trimming your fillet — the salmon in these images is a trimmed Atlantic Salmon fillet. Typically the salmon will come pre-trimmed whereas different instances it would include a skinny white strip referred to as the stomach that you just’ll wish to slice off. In case your knife is having bother slicing by means of the thick salmon pores and skin, use kitchen shears to chop by means of it.
Subsequent, run a small paring knife or your finger down the height/highest a part of the fillet to really feel for any pin bones then use (kitchen-only) tweezers to drag them out.
Recipe Tip
in bones are simpler to take away from an excellent chilly salmon fillet, vs one which’s been sitting out for a bit.
Step 2: Make the salmon brine.
Subsequent, add scorching water from the faucet to a big glass measuring cup or bowl then stir in brown sugar and kosher salt till dissolved to create a moist brine. Place the cup or bowl within the freezer or fridge till it’s utterly chilled. You are able to do this a number of days forward of time.
Recipe Tip
- Kosher salt and desk salt are NOT the identical factor. Desk salt crystals are smaller than kosher salt, so the identical measurement comprises extra salt. In the event you solely have desk salt readily available, use half the quantity as kosher salt.
- Sea salt could also be utilized in the identical quantity as kosher salt. Use barely much less if in case you have “finely floor” sea salt.
Place the salmon pores and skin aspect up in a dish with excessive sides that’s simply barely bigger than the fillet. Pour within the brine till the fillet is totally submerged — chances are you’ll not want to make use of all of it. Cowl the salmon then refrigerate for not less than 1 hour per pound of fish, or as much as 12 hours.
Recipe Tip
I typically brine thinner fillets for 4-8 hours, and thicker fillets for as much as 12 hours.
Step 3: Develop the pellicle.
Take away the salmon from the moist brine then rinse it underneath chilly water and place it on high of a wire cooling rack set atop a sheet pan. Refrigerate the salmon uncovered for as much as 24 hours — throughout this time, a sticky / cheesy pellicle will develop on the surface of the fish which is able to assist the flavour of the smoke adhere to the salmon, and lock in moisture.
Press on the salmon together with your finger — you need to be capable to really feel the tackiness!
Recipe Tip
Frozen >> thawed salmon could not develop as sticky of a pellicle, and that’s okay.
Step 4: Season the salmon.
Similar to my Air Fryer Hen Wings, I discover Lemon Pepper Seasoning to be the proper pairing with smoked salmon. I like Lawry’s, which incorporates different flavorings like garlic and onion.
Recipe Tip
For the reason that moist brine will impart saltiness to the salmon, I add Lemon Pepper Seasoning with a light-weight hand if my salmon fillet is on the thinner aspect, OR I’ll season with simply coarsely floor black pepper and dried lemon peel to keep away from overly-salty smoked salmon.
Step 5: Put together your smoker.
Whether or not you have got a charcoal smoker like a Massive Inexperienced Egg, or a fuel smoker, electrical smoker, or a distinct sort, put together it to smoke at 180 levels over oblique warmth. We like so as to add a hunk of cherry wooden after the pure lump charcoal will get going — if in case you have an electrical smoker you need to use wooden pellets.
Recipe Tip
Cherry, maple, apple, and alder woods items or wooden chips typically pair properly with salmon. Skip mesquite wooden which is able to overpower the flavour of the salmon.
Once more, we depend on digital thermometers, vs the thermometer on the surface of the smoker, to measure each the air temperature contained in the smoker and the interior temperature of no matter it’s we’re smoking.
The ThermoWorks Smoke Distant BBQ Alarm Thermometer does a unbelievable fob at this!
Step 6: Smoke the salmon.
As soon as the interior temperature of the smoker has reached 180 levels, place the smoked salmon on the grill grate inside.
If the thermometer you’re utilizing has an inside probe, insert that so its sits within the thickest a part of the salmon fillet. Subsequent, shut the lid and let the salmon smoke. No have to flip or transfer it — simply let it’s!
The time it takes to cook dinner the salmon to your most popular stage of doneness relies on how constant the temperature contained in the smoker stays, how massive and/or thick your salmon is, how a lot fats it comprises, so once more, the easiest way to inform if the salmon is completed is to go by inside temp of the fillet, NOT how lengthy it’s been on the smoker.
The ~2lb fillet proven in these images took 1 hour and Quarter-hour to achieve an inside temperature of 130 levels.
Recipe Tip
Hold the lid down whereas the salmon is smoking to maintain the interior temperature of the smoker between 180-200 levels.
Voila — smoked salmon! Straightforward, proper?
Switch the smoked salmon to a platter then cowl it loosely with foil and let the fillet relaxation for 15-20 minutes. Put together to have the interior temperature increase barely after pulling the salmon off the smoker, because of carryover cooking.
Serve Smoked Salmon
We favor to eat smoked salmon heat, near room temperature, and even chilly vs piping scorching, which makes this a perfect dish to serve at a cocktail party or cook dinner out, or if your loved ones’s consuming instances must be staggered for no matter motive.
Listed below are a few of the methods we get pleasure from it:
- Reduce into sections then served with recent lemon wedges, cooked wild rice, and Air Fryer Asparagus.
- Flaked over scrambled eggs with capers.
- Flaked over a salad.
- Smoked salmon dip: combine flaked smoked salmon with cream cheese, bitter cream, capers, minced purple onion, recent herbs like dill and parsley, salt, pepper, and recent lemon juice.
- Smoked salmon salad: combine flaked salmon with mayo, capers, minced purple onion, chopped recent dill, chopped roasted purple peppers, and recent lemon juice then eat with toast or crackers.
I hope I’ve proven you that whereas there’s a ton to find out about smoked salmon for those who’re curious, it’s inherently easy to make, and fast cooking too. Give this finest smoked salmon recipe a try to report again! Take pleasure in!
Extra Delectable Salmon Recipes
- 2 – 3lb salmon fillet, Atlantic or King/Chinook Salmon beneficial, see notes
- Lemon pepper seasoning
- 2 lemons, sliced into wedges
For the moist brine:
- 4 cups scorching water, from the faucet
- 1/3 cup kosher salt NOT desk salt, see notes
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
Forestall your display from going darkish
For the salmon:
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Trim the skinny white strip (stomach) off the fillet if current then take away any pin bones with tweezers. Place the salmon skin-side up inside a baking dish with excessive sides that’s not a lot greater than the fillet.
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Pour the chilled brine over the salmon till it’s utterly submerged then cowl and refrigerate for no less than 1 hour per pound — I typically brine for 4-8 hours for a smaller fillet, and as much as 12 hours for a thicker fillet.
For the pellicle:
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Place 2 cooling racks atop a half sheet pan, or 1 cooling rack atop 1 / 4 sheet pan if the fillet is on the shorter aspect. Rinse the brine off the salmon underneath chilly water then place it flesh aspect up on high of the cooling racks. Refrigerate uncovered for not less than 8 hours and as much as 24 hours, or till the floor is cheesy. Notice: the longer the salmon sits uncovered within the fridge to develop what’s referred to as a pellicle, or a skinny, sticky layer of protein on the surface of the fish, the extra smoke taste it would tackle within the smoker. Moreover, the pellicle will seal in moisture and assist forestall albumin (a innocent but unpleasant white protein) from forming on the surface of the fish.
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Season the salmon fillet with Lemon Pepper Seasoning. The brine will impart saltiness to the salmon, so don’t go overboard with Lemon Pepper Seasoning if the mix you utilize comprises salt. Typically I take advantage of solely coarsely floor pepper and dried lemon peel if my salmon fillet is on the skinny aspect. Refrigerate the seasoned salmon whilst you put together your smoker.
For the smoker:
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Put together your smoker to smoke at 180 levels, as prepared by a digital thermometer, over oblique warmth. If desired, add a bit of wooden or a handful of wooden chips if utilizing a charcoal smoker, or pellets if utilizing an electrical smoker. We use a hunk of cherry wooden in our Inexperienced Egg. Keep away from utilizing mesquite wooden chips which might overpower the flavour of the salmon.
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Place the seasoned salmon fillet onto the smoker then insert an inside temperature probe into the thickest a part of the fillet. Smoke the salmon till the interior temperature reaches your required stage of doneness (see notes), retaining the interior temperature of the smoker between 180 and 200 levels. Relying on the scale of your salmon fillet, this might take wherever from 45 minutes to three hours. The 1.75lb salmon fillet (after trimming) in these images took 1 hour and Quarter-hour to achieve an inside temperature of 130 levels.
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Switch the smoked salmon fillet to a platter then cowl it loosely with foil and let relaxation for not less than 20 minutes. We favor smoked salmon served heat or close to room temperature, vs scorching. Reduce into smaller fillets then serve with loads of recent lemon wedges.
- I like to recommend choosing both Atlantic or King/Chinook salmon that are thick, meaty, and excessive in fats for smoking. Wild caught Sockeye and Coho are in style salmon varieties, although they’re smaller and simple to overcook and dry out within the smoker.
- Desk salt is lots “saltier” then kosher salt. Use half the quantity of desk salt in comparison with kosher salt within the moist brine if that’s all you have got readily available.
- Notes about doneness: we favor our smoked salmon to be tender and silky so I pull it off the smoker when the interior temperature of the salmon reaches 130 — 135 levels. The temperature will proceed to rise barely after eradicating it from the smoker because of carryover cooking. In the event you favor a extra agency smoked salmon, pull the fillet when it reaches 135-140 levels. I personally don’t suggest going any increased than 140 levels in any other case the salmon will be dry and chalky. In the event you decide that the salmon is undercooked, place it again onto the smoker and proceed smoking OR place the fillet onto a foil-lined baking sheet and bake at 350 levels for 10-Quarter-hour, or till your required stage of doneness is reached. You’ll be able to all the time smoke/cook dinner the salmon extra nevertheless it’s not doable to repair overcooked salmon.
- Please learn this put up in its entirety for all of my ideas!
Energy: 137kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 12g, Fats: 4g, Saturated Fats: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fats: 1g, Monounsaturated Fats: 1g, Ldl cholesterol: 31mg, Sodium: 29mg, Potassium: 344mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 13g, Vitamin A: 31IU, Vitamin C: 19mg, Calcium: 26mg, Iron: 1mg
Dietary values are estimates solely. Please learn our full vitamin info disclaimer.
Photographs by Ashley McLaughlin
