Easy Easy Smoked Salmon
Elevate your culinary repertoire with this "Easy Easy Smoked Salmon" recipe that brings restaurant-quality flavors right to your home kitchen. Perfectly balancing simplicity and sophistication, this recipe features a dry brine of kosher salt, brown sugar, and black pepper that infuses the salmon with a delightfully savory-sweet flavor. After an overnight cure and a slow smoke over cherry or applewood chips, the salmon emerges tender, flaky, and irresistibly aromatic. With just 15 minutes of prep time and a hands-off smoking process, this recipe is ideal for entertaining or meal prep. Serve it as a stand-alone delicacy, flaked over salads, or paired with creamy spreads and crackers for an impressive appetizer. Whether you're a smoking novice or a seasoned pro, this smoked salmon recipe is your ticket to mastering the art of home-smoked seafood.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 500 grams salmon fillet (skin-on)
- 60 grams kosher salt
- 60 grams brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups smoking chips (cherry or applewood recommended)
Instructions
Start by preparing the dry brine: In a small bowl, mix the kosher salt, brown sugar, and black pepper until well combined.
Place the salmon fillet in a shallow dish or a resealable plastic bag. Rub the dry brine mixture evenly over the salmon, ensuring all surfaces are coated.
Cover the dish or seal the bag and refrigerate the salmon for 8-12 hours (overnight works best) to allow the flavors to penetrate and the salmon to cure.
After curing, remove the salmon from the brine and rinse it thoroughly under cold water to remove excess salt and sugar. Pat the salmon dry with paper towels.
Let the salmon rest on a wire rack for 1-2 hours at room temperature to develop a thin, sticky coating (called a pellicle). This helps the smoke adhere to the salmon.
Meanwhile, prepare the smoker or grill: Preheat it to 160-180°F (71-82°C) and add your chosen smoking chips according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Place the salmon on the smoker grates, skin-side down, and close the lid. Smoke the salmon for 2-3 hours, checking occasionally to ensure the temperature remains steady.
The salmon is ready when it reaches an internal temperature of 140°F (60°C) and flakes easily with a fork.
Remove the smoked salmon from the smoker and let it cool slightly. Serve immediately or refrigerate and enjoy within 3-5 days.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
1143 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 58.5 g | 75% | |
| Saturated Fat | 13.0 g | 65% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 227 mg | 76% | |
| Sodium | 23861 mg | 1037% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 60.3 g | 22% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 0.6 g | 2% | |
| Total Sugars | 58.2 g | ||
| Protein | 81.4 g | 163% | |
| Vitamin D | 46.3 mcg | 231% | |
| Calcium | 125 mg | 10% | |
| Iron | 2.7 mg | 15% | |
| Potassium | 1700 mg | 36% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
