Super Simple Brine for Smoked Salmon: As Simple as 3 Ingredients

This is a super simple Kosher salt and Brown sugar brine.

The sugar helps to add a pellicle (skin) to the meat and the salt helps improve flavor and texture.

How Much Water to Use for the Salmon Brine

This recipe was for ~1.5 lbs of salmon and I used ~6 cups of water to submerge the filets.

The goal when brining is to completely submerge the Salmon.

You want to grab a non-reactive container (glass or plastic), place your salmon in the container and then fill it with tap water until the salmon is completely submerged.

What Type of Salt Should You use and How Much?

For this recipe I used ~1/3 cup of Diamond Crystal Kosher salt.

I prefer to use the brand Diamond Crystal for wet brining because it’s just salt – nothing else.

If you don’t have Diamond Crystal, you can use Morton’s; Morton’s is slightly bitter when wet brining and is twice as dense as Diamond Crystal.

If you opt to use it, use half the amount specified in this recipe as it’s density is double that of Diamond Crystal.

If all you have is table salt, I’d urge you to buy some kosher salt instead.

Table salt is even more dense than Morton’s Kosher salt, and in some cases is iodized which makes it quite bitter when brining.

What Type of Sugar Should You Use and How Much

For this recipe I used ~1/3 Cup of packed Dark brown sugar.

The sugar will help with forming the pellicle (skin) that most people are after with smoked fish like salmon; I think Dark brown sugar tastes the best so that’s what I use.

If you don’t have dark brown sugar, you can use light brown sugar OR white sugar can suffice.

Add the Ingredients to Water

Add all of the ingredients in the specified quantities to the water.

• 6 Cups of Water
• 1/3 Cup Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
• 1/3 Cup Dark Brown Sugar (Packed)

Allow them to dissolve and then add your fish to the container; Ensure that the fish is still completely under the water level.

Don’t be afraid to add a little more water if the fish isn’t submerged.

The next day, rinse the salmon before air drying and then smoking.

Print Pin Recipe

Super Simple Brine for Smoked Salmon

As simple as Water, Kosher Salt, and Sugar

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Brine Time12 hours hrs

Equipment

• Container

Ingredients

• ▢ 1.5 lbs Salmon
• ▢ 6 Cups Water
• ▢ 1/3 Cup Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
• ▢ 1/3 Cup Dark Brown Sugar

Instructions

• In a non-reactive container combine water, kosher salt, and dark brown sugar. Ensure all ingredients are dissolved.
• Once well combined, add salmon to the container and ensure the salmon is submerged.

Notes

The above quantities for water, salt, and sugar are based on 1.5 lbs of salmon.

If you don’t have Diamond Crystal Kosher salt, use 1/2 the amount of Morton’s Kosher Salt. 

If you don’t have Dark brown sugar, use light brown sugar or white sugar.