This is off topic. I checked with Tom Kirkman before posting it. I have a smoker and am looking for a good smoked salmon recipe. I figured who better to ask then people who fish. Please email me directly so the forum doesn't get a lot of posts on this.

Mike Bradfrod
R.M.B. Fishing Rods
Nampa, Idaho

You don't specify the smoker type, so I'm going to assume yours is a hot smoker.

Here is a recipe I use for fish - haven't found one yet that it didn't work for.

Brine (Very important)
2 Cups Kosher Salt
1 Cup Brown Sugar
2 tbsp Whole black peppercorns
3 - 4 fresh sprigs rosemary
1 gallon Water

Bring the water to a boil and remove from the heat. Add Salt, Sugar, peppercorns and rosemary - Let the temperature come down to room temp or better yet chill it. You can cheat a bit and add some ice to cool it quicker.


Once the brine is cool, place the fish fillets in a large ziplock bag.
Add brine so that the fish is fully covered. Work the air out of the ziplock and seal the bag.
Refrigerate the fish/brine mixture for approx an hour - Longer if using thick fillets

After an hour, remove the fish from the fridge. Rinse the fish in cool water.
shake off the excess water
Place the fish skin side down on an oven rack for about 1/2 hour to fully air dry (this step is important to that fine carmelized sheen)
You can use a dry rub if you would like - for salmon, it isn't necessary

Smoking the fish;
For fish I prefer apple wood or hickory wood (chips, pellets, or charcoal are fine)
Get your smoker to 150 - 175 degrees
Put the fish in
The time will vary depending on the thickness and the consistency of your smoker - somewhere between 90 mins and 2 hrs should be good.

2 ways to go. .... 1) *get some Morton's Smoke Flavored Sugar Cure... Keep the skin on your fish, and rub the sugar cure into the flesh. Place the fish in a large pan, skin side down, make sure the pan is large and deep enough that you can lay the next piece of fish directly over the first, flesh to flesh. Put it in the frig overnight. In the morning, there will be a nasty liquid that will be drawn out of the fish. pore it out, and then rinse the fish off and pat them dry. Place them on the smoker skin side down, and smoke them with water in the smoking pan @ 165º to 180º until they are golden. About 4 hours... turn off the heat, or remove the fish from the smoker, and apply a thin bead of honey on each chunk of fish, and spread it around and let the meat cool slowly.

.... 2) brine... Get some Hi Mountain salmon seasoning and make up a brine as described on the package... Mix it up in a big enough pan that you cover all the fish. soak the fish overnight (skin off ) as directed, pat dry and put on the smoker.

Mike asked for information to be sent via email. Thanks.

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