The Best Hot Smoked Salmon Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 lb sockeye salmon — 2 pieces, 2 lb each
For the brine:
- 1 quart cold water
- 1/3 cup kosher salt
For the brown sugar rub:
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
For the garlic dill rub:
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
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In a large plastic container with a lid, combine the water and salt. Add fish skin side up. Brine for 4-8 hours in the fridge.
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Remove from the brine, rinse well with cold water and pat dry.
Set a drying rack on top of large baking sheet and place the fish, skin side down on it.
Let the fish dry for 8-12 hours in the fridge to form a pellicle.
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Preheat your pellet grill. Set the temperature to 180 F. You can start smoking the fish at 150 F and gradually increase the temperature to 180 F.
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Remove fish from the fridge.
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In two small bowls, combine the ingredients for the sweet and savory rubs.
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Rub one piece with the sweet rub and the other with the garlic dill rub.
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Place salmon on the smoker skin side down and smoke for 3-5 hours, until the internal temperature reaches 135 -140 F.
You can baste the fish (the sweet rubbed piece)while it is smoking with maple syrup or orange juice.