Maple Brown Sugar Smoked Salmon
Tender, smoky salmon with just enough maple to round it out. The brine is what makes this one work. It mellows the fishy flavor and keeps the salmon juicy instead of drying out in the smoker. This takes about a day from start to finish, but almost none of that is hands on.
285
Calories
25g
Protein
13g
Carbs
14g
Fat
0g
Fiber
Per serving.
Ingredients
- 4 cups cold water
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 to 1 1/2 lb skin-on salmon fillet
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- 2 to 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
Directions
- In a large bowl or container, stir the cold water, kosher salt and brown sugar together until everything is fully dissolved.
- Add the salmon, cover, and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours.
- Remove the salmon from the brine, rinse it briefly, and pat it completely dry.
- Place it skin-side down on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered for 8 to 12 hours. This step is what forms the tacky surface that holds onto the smoke, so do not skip it.
- Preheat your smoker to 180 to 200F. Season the salmon lightly with black pepper and garlic powder.
- Smoke the salmon until it is nearly cooked through.
- Brush it with the maple syrup toward the end and keep smoking until it reaches 145F internally.
- Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Serve it over jasmine rice with a roasted vegetable. Zucchini, asparagus or broccoli all work well here. It is also good flaked over a salad, or on a bagel with cream cheese the next morning.
Tip: Macros are based on a 4 oz portion. For wood, apple, cherry, maple or alder all work well here. Skip anything heavy like mesquite, it will bury the maple.
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