Smoked Salmon

Written by Buff - April 5, 2008 1 Comment

We get quite a bit of seafood here in Florida and I have used this brine on Grouper and Mahi Mahi.  However, there is nothing quite like the flavor of smoked salmon.  I smoke it in my Big Green Egg using charcoal and two chunks of Alligator Juniper [props to my friend, Eddie in Arizona].    Brining will take from six to twelve hours, depending on the thickness of the salmon. Salmon over one inch thick should brine for eight to twelve hours. For thinner salmon, six to eight hours is fine.

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds salmon filets
  • 1 quart water
  • 8 oz soy sauce
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup honey
  • 1 large clove garlic crushed
  • ¼ cup salt
  • ¼ cup old bay
  • 1 tsp pepper 

Method: 

  1. Combine all of the ingredients together in a large Ziploc bag.  Refrigerate for 8-12 hours. 

  2. Smoke it!  I use a rack that fits into a pan on my Big Green Egg.  This allows me to put the brine in the bottom of the pan for more moist and tender smoked salmon.  And I generally don’t let the internal temperature of the BGE get too much past 215 degrees.

  3. Salmon is done when it flakes with a fork.

I serve it immediately generally with a side order of sweet potato fries and a fresh salad.  Sometimes we just stand around and eat it right from the plate with fresh veggies. And it is very flavorful the next day for breakfast on a bagel with plain cream cheese.  

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One Outstanding Responses to "Smoked Salmon"

  • http://cookerati.com Deb

    My husband and son love salmon (me not so much). We have a backyard smoker – not a big green egg though. I’ll definitely pass on this recipe to the guys.