This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase I may get a commission at no cost to you. Please see the Disclaimer for additional information.
Who doesn’t like Smoked salmon?
I saw you back there! Trying to hide… I am sure you’ve only tried the poor processed cold smoked salmon sold at some generic groceries store chain? That would explain why you don’t love smoked salmon…
Note:
This recipe is very well suited to smoking on a cooking on a stove-top. Which means that you do not need a big outside smoker.
Nothing brings forth all the natural flavors of a meat like a good slow smoker, the taste is a gift for those who took the time to plan and prepare properly. I appreciate the process of it all, and always use homemade rubs and cures to make it more personal.
When you cook something using a smoker, you entices all the senses of the people you are cooking for. The soft smoky sent will fill your neighborhood, the look of the meal will be incredible, the taste will be incomparable
Originally, fishes were smoked at low temperature, for conservation purposes, until they had the texture of jerky. I am not really fond of this texture, specially for salmon. I prefer a moister, softer texture. Smoking the salmon at higher temperature will give just that texture to the fish while, adding some crusty corners.
Technique such as sugar/salt pickling and the generous maple syrup glazing gives the salmon a nice sweet and salty taste that even those that don’t like smoked salmon will love.
And now on to the greatness of smoked salmon
Sweet and Salty Pickling
The first step is to pickle your salmon using a sweet and salty, homemade brine. A brine as a very specific use. While your salmon takes a bath, the water contained within will be replaced by the brine, slightly changing the salmon’s taste.
Now, you need to the brine for the salmon. Your typical brine is composed of 3 elements
- Salt;
- Sugar; and
- Liquid.
With salt and sugar in equal part, normally.
For this recipe, we want the Maple flavor to dominate the salt one. As such, there will be 3 times the of maple sugar than the of salt… or 6 times if you are like me and don’t like it too salty (yes, I have tried the original ratio first).
The liquid part will be composed of 1 part Maple syrup for 12 parts of water. A brine is like a secret spice mix, it’s very personal. You can play with the quantities until you find the balance that is right for you.
The next step will be to put the salmon into the brine for a while, as such you will need some kind of container. There are several container that you can use to pickle the salmon with your brine:
- Ziploc bags;
- Large bucket (if you have several fillets); and
- Pan with edge, like a roasting pan.
You need to put the fillets in your chosen container, add the brine, making sure that the salmon is completely covered. The salmon needs to take a long 8 hours bath in the brine, all you need to do is to shift/shake/rotate the container a few time to redistribute the brine.
Time for a Shower and a Nice Cold Drying
Now that your salmon has taken a long dip in the brine, and that all water inside has been replaced by the sweet and salty goodness of the brine, it needs to take a shower. This shower is important to remove the excess brine on the surface of the salmon. It’s not a hard task! You only need to follow these simple step:
- Remove you salmon slices from the brine;
- Rince them under cold water in your sink;
- Using some paper towel, gently pat the salmon to dry the surface;
- Lay them, skin down, on a oiled grill, over a cooking pan; and
- Let them dry for 2 hours in the refrigerator.
After this step, you salmon is now ready to get smoked and become pure heavenly bliss.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Start Your Smoker!
When your salmon is almost ready to be smoked, it’s now time to prepare the smoking apparatus, be it a kitchen top version or one that is on your patio.
Prepare your smoker as explained by the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). Preheat it from 80°C to 94°C (175°F to 200°F).
Add wood (or wood chips or mini wood chips) to your smoker.
Tips:
You are looking to create a light blue smoke, other then that, you might end up with a more bitter salmon.
Let the Smoking Begins
Transfer the salmon to the smoker’s grille and let it smoke for about 60 min. What we are looking for is for the salmon exterior be colored by the smoke, a dark pink, and that the flesh starts to firm up.
The other very important step is to baste the salmon with Maple Syrup. The basting should be started after 15 min of smoking and done several time afterward.
Tips:
Basting the salmon every 5 min might be too often. I have found that basting it 4 to 5 extra time gives a good balance between smokiness and maple flavor.
The internal temperature you are looking for is 60°C/140°F. Using a digital temperature probe or a wireless one, will help you limiting the amount of time the smoker’s door/top will be opened. As such, these small devices are one of the best BBQ article that you can buy!
Let It Rest
Once the salmon is cooked, it needs to rest. Baste it one last time with Maple Syrup.
You could eat it just out of the smoker, it’s very good. However, it’s even better when it has had the time to rest and to reach room temperature. The flavors will continue to develop, the meat will relax and the juice will redistribute themselves while it rests
The Best Homemade Smoked Salmon Recipe
Smoked with a hint of maple, this smoked salmon recipe will be everyone's favorite for years to come. The freshness of the salmon combined with the sweet and salty brine and the smoking brings for all the natural flavor associated with smoked salmon
- 1 fillet of fresh Salmon 675g
- 1 1/2 cup Maple Sugar 315g
- 1/4 cup Sea Salt 50g
- 1/2 cup Maple Syrup 125ml
- 1 liter Water
- 1/4 cup Maple Syrup 62.5ml
-
Rinse the salmon under running water. Gently pat salmon to dry it out.
Cut the salmon into strips.
-
Mix Maple Sugar, Sea Salt, first part of Maple Syrup and water.
Add the salmon strips to the brine and refrigerate for 8 hours.
-
Rinse the salmon strip in running water. Gently pat the salmon to dry it out.
Place the salmon strips onto an oiled grille over a pan. Place the pan in the refrigerator and let the salmon dry out for 2 hours.
-
Prepare your smoker as instructed by the OEM.
Preheat your smoker to 80°C to 94°C (175°F to 200°F).
Add wood chips or mini wood chips as instructed by the OEM. A light blue smoke is what we are looking for.
-
Transfer the salmon strips to the Smoker's grille and let is smoke for 60 min or until the salmon has a dark pink color.
After 15 min of smoking, baste the salmon with the second part of maple syrup. Baste 4 or 5 extra time.
-
Carefully Remove the salmon strips from the smoker and baste with Maple Syrup one final time.
Let the salmon cool down to room temperature before serving.
Enjoyed this post?
Follow us on Pinterest for additional awesome ideas!
The best soft baked chocolate chip cookies recipe
MQTT basics for a Smart Home with OpenHAB
Hacks to Become a Millionaire
Install Teamviewer on Rasperry Pi – Raspbian
Basics of an Emergency fund
9 ways to Automatically water plants when you are away
Some posts on this blog contain affiliate links.
At no additional charge to you, I receive a small commission whenever a product is purchased through these links. The Dreaming Dad is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
