Electric Smoker Smoked Salmon
Easy, Simple, Maple Smoked Salmon
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs Salmon
Salmon Brine
- 6 Cups Water
- 1/3 Cup Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt see notes for salt
- 1/3 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
Basting Liquid
- Maple Syrup OR Honey
Instructions
Brining the Salmon
- In a non-reactive container add 6 cups of water, 1/3 cup diamond crystal kosher salt, and 1/3 cup dark brown sugar. Ensure these ingredients dissolve in the water.
- Add your salmon to the brine liquid and then place in your refrigerator overnight (12-ish hours).
Air Drying the Salmon
- The next day, rinse the salmon in your sink with cold water.
- Pat dry with paper towel.
- Place on a wire rack and on a baking sheet.
- Place the baking sheet on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator overnight to air dry (12-ish hours).
Smoking the Salmon in Your Electric Smoker
- Take some neutral cooking oil like olive oil and brush the skin side of the fish so that it doesn't stick to the grill grates.
- Get your electric smoker to 140F and then add 5 maple wood chips and then smoke for 1 hour.If you don't have maple wood, use a fruit wood like apple or cherry. Alder is also very popular with fish.
- After 1 hour, bump the smoker temperature to 175F and add 5 more wood chips. At the same time, take some maple syrup or honey and baste the fish. Baste every hour until the internal temperature of the fish is 130-140F. I prefer 135F for smoked salmon.
- Rest for 10 minutes and enjoy!
Notes
If you're using a probe thermometer, probe the thickest part of the fish.
If you see any white, creamy substance on the surface of the fish (called albumin), your smoker is likely too hot; A little leaking is totally normal but a lot means you need to drop the temperature of your smoker.
When you're basting with syrup or honey, you can brush any small bits of albumin away.
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Notes on Salt!
The salinity we're aiming for is ~3%
But the density of salt differs depending on the brand and type.
If you don't have Diamond Crystal kosher salt, use 2 tbsp + 2 tsp of Morton's Kosher salt.
If all you have is regular table salt use 2 tbsp + 1 tsp.