How to Smoke Salmon: Smoked Salmon Recipe

Smoking salmon is a straightforward task, as you’ll see with our easy smoked salmon recipe below.  It just requires some planning and time. If you want to smoke salmon on Saturday, start preparing on Friday. I’ve tried various recipes, but the one below is the best I’ve made. 

The ingredients for a smoked salmon brine are simple; you typically have these sitting in your cupboard already. The only thing you will probably have to shop for is some fresh salmon.

Note: Salt is a key ingredient in my recipe, and if you do not prefer a heavy salt-based smoked salmon, feel free to reduce the salt by 25% or more.

Smoking Salmon Overview

What Type Of Salmon Should You Smoke

Buy the freshest salmon that you can. I’m using Atlantic Salmon, which is typically farm-raised in this recipe because it’s easily available at most stores. I picked up this salmon at Costco. My favorite salmon is King (Chinook) salmon, but it’s not always easy to find and you’re also paying quite a bit more.

Typical questions I get about smoked salmon include: How long should I smoke salmon? How to make a brine? Wet brine vs Dry brine etc. What wood should I use to smoke salmon?  The recipe will go over this in detail to keep the guesswork out.

Taking the time to smoke your salmon gives it a distinctive smoky flavor and refined texture. Enjoy this salmon warm simply on its own (possibly with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice for a bit of acidity,) pair it with cream cheese, cucumbers, or crackers as an appetizer, or layer it cooled on a bagel with cream cheese for breakfast! Add a couple of slices of red onion, and you’ll have a fantastic bagel. You could even make a smoked salmon dip.

Looking for a less traditional recipe for smoked salmon? Try our pineapple teriyaki salmon.

Cold vs Hot Smoked Salmon

Hot smoked salmon is typically smoked above 120 degrees F. Cold smoking requires much lower temperatures, typically below 90 degrees F. To be clear, it’s not that hot smoking or cold smoking produces the best salmon—that’s a matter of individual taste.

But you can expect some differences between hot-smoked and cold-smoked salmon. The smoke flavor in hot smoked salmon will be far more pronounced. Smoking fish at lower temperatures doesn’t infuse as much smoke, so you may notice that cold-smoked salmon filets taste “fresher” and more subtle.

Wet Brine vs Dry Brine For Salmon

I’ve used both methods, and the wet salmon brine always produces the best-smoked salmon.

A wet brine usually consists of of water with salt, brown sugar, and spices. A dry brine is typically sugar, salt, and spices applied over the salmon. You usually place the salmon in a refrigerated container for 24 hours.

We’ll use brown sugar, but you may substitute maple syrup or white sugar when you brine salmon. You’ll also see alternative ingredients where we use Kosher salt. Some people like using soy sauce instead of salt, but that will limit you to a wet preparation.

The major advantage of a wet smoked salmon brine is that submerging the fish for 8-12 hours helps cure the salmon more evenly than a dry preparation. I find the salmon filet has a more even flavor throughout the cut, and the presentation/color of smoked salmon from a wet salmon brine is better.

How Long To Smoke Salmon

My method of smoking salmon is very easy. I put the salmon on my Green Mountain Pellet Grill at 150ºF for 1 hour. After an hour, I raised the temperature to 175ºF and smoked the fish for another 2-3 hours until the internal temperature hit 150ºF.

If you don’t already have an Instant Read Thermometer, get one, and you’ll never overcook any meat or fish again.

How Long To Smoke Salmon at 225F – Pellet Grills

Many new pellet smokers cannot smoke at very low temperatures. The lowest temperature on most models is 225F. If you’re smoking it at 225F, you will only need to smoke for 2-3 hours. I find smoking at this temp is not ideal. Try to skip the pellet grill if you can. Drum or electric smokers or even a kettle grill will work to smoke at low temps for far better-smoked salmon. Just make sure you have plenty of wood chips if you’re smoking in an electric or propane smoker.

Prep and Cook Time

Instructions

1. Mix the water and ingredients in a large pot. Bring the mixture to a boil to help dissolve the Kosher salt and brown sugar. Remove from heat and let cool. To speed up the cooling process, boil 6-7 cups of water and add 3-4 cups of ice after everything is dissolved.
2. I leave the skin on my salmon when I smoke it, but some prefer to remove it.
3. If your salmon is uncut, cut the salmon into 3” wide by 4-5” length strips. I find this is an ideal portion size and the smoke penetrates the salmon evenly. 
4. Once the salmon brine is cooled, place the fish in a large pot or sealable bag and add the brine. Refrigerate the salmon in the brine for 8-12 hours. 
5. Remove the salmon from the brine, rinse in cold water, and pat it dry with paper towels. Place the salmon on a wire rack or baking sheet and let it create a pellicle. You can do this in a couple of different ways. You can leave it at room temperature for 4-5 hours, or you can place it uncovered in the refrigerator overnight which is what I did. Creating the pellicle a crucial step because it will help the smoke adhere to the salmon. 
6. Preheat your smoker: I start at 150ºF since that is the lowest it will go. I typically use maple wood for smoking Salmon. You could use oak, alder, or apple wood. Avoid a strong wood like hickory, though. We have an overview of smoking with wood if you have more questions.
7. Lightly oil the grill grate so the salmon will not stick. Place the salmon in the smoker for one hour. After one hour, turn the smoker temperature to 175ºF and smoke another couple of hours until your fish reaches an internal temperature of 150ºF.
8. Apply the honey sriracha glaze 3-4 times during the last hour on the smoker.
9. If your smoker can not operate at such a low temp, smoke the salmon at the lowest setting possible until your fish hits an internal temperature of 150ºF.
10. Remove the salmon and place it on the racks to cool on your counter. Rest for one hour. After letting it rest, you are ready to enjoy. Refrigerate the remaining portions. 

Smoked Salmon FAQS

Should I cook smoked salmon?

No need! Smoked salmon is already cooked. You’ll just need to decide if you want to enjoy your smoked salmon hot or chilled. Enjoying it is also easy. You can add it as-is to an appetizer board or top a bagel and cream cheese with several slices. Adding herbs can boost the flavor of the dish and complement the smoke flavor, but it isn’t necessary.

How long does smoked salmon last in the fridge?

Your cold smoked or hot smoked salmon should last 1-2 weeks in the fridge. You can also store it in the freezer for up to a month. When prepping your smoked salmon for storage, choose a container that removes as much air as possible (vacuum seal it if you can).

Is smoked salmon as healthy as fresh salmon?

Like the salmon filets it’s made from, smoked salmon contains plenty of healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. Smoked salmon is a good source of EPA and DHA, protein, B vitamins, magnesium, and selenium. Choosing smoked salmon is no less healthy than a salmon filet.

Can you leave salmon in the brine too long?

Yes, leaving your salmon filet in brine for too long is possible. Leaving it in your smoked salmon brine longer than you should will result in salmon that may be saltier than you want. To prevent this, try to make all the fillets the same size or remove smaller salmon fillets earlier than the bigger pieces.

Should I use a cedar plank when I smoke my salmon filet?

We don’t suggest using a cedar plank in smoked salmon recipes. However, if you want to infuse your salmon with a specific wood flavor, you can use different kinds of wood pellets during the smoking process.