Smoked Salmon Recipe

For the Salmon: Start by bringing the water, citrus zest, brown sugar, and salt to a boil.

Once the sugar and salt are dissolved, remove them from the heat and add the ice cubes to chill the brine. Set it aside.

Next, trim the side of the salmon, removing the belly fat and the tail end of the fish. You may also see a few bones on the backbone part of the salmon which should also be removed. See the chef's notes below.

Add the salmon to a non-reactive dish and cover it completely by pouring it on the brine.

If the salmon doesn’t want to stay under the brine, you can flip it over so that it is scaled side up.

Cover and keep it in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours. Any longer than 24 hours and it can become too salty.

Remove the salmon from the brine and rinse it under cold water.

Place the salmon on a rack and pat it dry and let it cool for 2 hours to create the pellicle.

Brush the smoker grates with a neutral-flavored oil where you plan to place the salmon. Be sure it is as far away from the fire as possible.

Smoke at 150° F for 2 hours or until it reaches an internal temperature of 140° F.

For the glaze: With about 1 hour and 10 minutes left in the first intial smoking process, add the brown sugar, soy, butter, and citrus juice to a small-sized sauce pot and bring to a boil to dissolve the sugar and make a caramel.

Brush the salmon with a thin layer of the glaze after 1 total hour of smoking and then again every 30 minutes of smoking.

After 2 hours, turn the heat up to 200° and smoke for 1 hour. Continue glazing.

Remove the salmon and let it rest for 10 minutes before glazing it and serving. If you prefer to eat this cold, cool it to room temperature, which takes about an hour, wrap it and store it in the refrigerator until cold before serving.