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honey smoked salmon on a plate next to honey and lemons
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Honey Smoked Salmon

This honey smoked salmon is the perfect balance of luxurious honey and delicious smoke flavor. The perfect centerpiece for your smoked salmon charcuterie board, appetizer or dinner. Easy smoked salmon recipe you will make again and again!
Course Appetizer, charcuterie, dinner
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Brine salmon 4 to 8 hours. 4 hours
Total Time 5 hours 10 minutes
Servings 8 people
Calories 274kcal
Author Aubrey
Cost $22

Equipment

  • Smoker (Brinkman Electric Smoker or Trager Smoker), wire rack and baking sheet, basting brush, gallon food bag.

Ingredients

Honey Smoked Salmon Brine

  • 2 lbs salmon (cut into 4 – 8 oz filets, skin on or off)
  • 2 cups alder wood chips, hickory wood chips or apple wood chips (any wood of choice)

Honey Smoked Salmon Brine

  • ½ cup honey
  • ¼ cup white sugar
  • ¼ cup kosher salt
  • 2 cup water

Honey Smoked Salmon Honey Basting Mixture

  • 3 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon water

Instructions

Honey Smoked Salmon Brine and Honey Basting Mixture

  • Combine honey, sugar, salt and water. Mix until thoroughly combined. Tip: Shaking everything vigorously in a jar works well.
  • Prepare your honey/water mixture (3:1 ratio) and set aside in small bowl. This will be used to baste your salmon mix-way through the smoking process.
  • In a gallon size food safe bag, place salmon filets and honey smoked salmon brine. Note: You can also place the salmon and brine in a bowl or dish but the salmon must be fully submerged (cover with plastic wrap).
  • Allow salmon to brine for 4-8 hours.
  • Remove salmon from brine and dry with paper towels.
  • Place salmon on wire rack over baking sheet and place in refrigerator. Allow salmon to dry for approximately 2-4 hours. This will allow the salmon to form a pellicle (thick dry skin) which allows the smoke flavor to better permeate the salmon.

Honey Smoked Salmon Smoker Instructions

  • Using Brickman electric smoker, add wood chips to chip box. Place stainless steel chip box on top of smoking element.
  • Lightly coat grill grates with oil (use a paper towel). Plug in smoker and heating element will start.
  • Cover with smoker lid. When you see smoke wisps (about 5-10 minutes), place salmon on smoker.
  • At 30 minutes, baste with honey/water mixture. Basting a second time at 45-60 minute timeframe is optional.
  • Smoke for approximately 60-90 minutes total time or until salmon reaches internal temp of approximately 155-160 degrees (baste with honey mixture at 30 minute mark as per above).

Notes

Traeger Smoked Salmon: To make Trager smoked salmon, set Trager smoker to 220 degrees and smoke for 60-90 minutes as indicated.
Smoked Salmon Charcuterie: This honey smoked salmon is the perfect centerpiece for any charcuterie board. You can serve with a side of capers, chopped onion, egg and crispy baguette. A side of mascarpone cheese to spread is also delicious with this honey smoked salmon. Don't be afraid to add an extra drizzle of honey.
Wood Chips: This brine smoked salmon recipe will work using different wood chips to impart your desired smoke flavor. You can make alder wood smoked salmon, hickory smoked salmon, Applewood smoked salmon, oak smoked salmon.
Candied Smoked Salmon: Generally candied smoked salmon will be smoked for a longer time period and basted with honey or brown sugar more frequently for the candied exterior.
Storage: Store tightly wrapped in the refrigerator. Smoked salmon should be eaten within 5-7 days after making.
Freezing Smoked Salmon: Wrap tightly or vacuum seal (preferable) prior to freezing. Frozen smoked salmon should be slowly defrosted overnight in the refrigerator prior to eating.
Smoked Salmon Cooking Temperature: FDA recommendation for cooking salmon is an internal temperature of 145° F (63° C) ideally measuring the temperature with a food thermometer. The fish should be cooked until opaque (milky white) and flakes with a fork.

Nutrition

Calories: 274kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 3591mg | Potassium: 572mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 45IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg