Cold Smoked Salmon

With just a handful of ingredients and almost no hands-on work, you can easily make cold smoked salmon at home - an elegant, velvety delicacy with a delightfully smoky flavor.

📝 Ingredients

• 2-3 pounds salmon fillet ((whole side))
• 3/4 cup kosher salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• Wood chips for smoke (alder, apple, or similar)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- Prepare the Salmon (15 minutes): ---
2. 2Trim the Salmon: Using a sharp knife, trim off any thin edges from the bottom or tail of the filet.
3. 3Remove Pin Bones: With fish bone tweezers, carefully remove any pin bones from the salmon flesh.
4. 4--- Cure the Salmon (24 hours): ---
5. 5Make the cure by combining the salt and sugar in a bowl. Lay a large piece of plastic wrap down in a baking dish or sheet pan. Spread about 1/3 of the brine mixture evenly on the plastic wrap.
6. 6Place the salmon skin-side down on the brine. Cover with the remaining brine, being sure to go over the edges to fully cover the fish with the cure. Tightly wrap in the plastic wrap.
7. 7Place another pan on top of the filet with a weight like a large tomato can to weigh down the fish as it cures.
8. 8Refrigerate for 24 hours.
9. 9--- Rinse & Dry: ---
10. 10Remove the salmon from the plastic wrap and rinse under cold water. Then pat the salmon dry with paper towels.
11. 11--- Air Dry & Form Pellicle (2-8 hours): ---
12. 12Place the salmon skin-side down on a wire rack set over a baking dish and refrigerate uncovered for at least 2 hours, or up to 8 hours, to form a pellicle (a dry, sticky surface).Tip: Spray the wire rack lightly with cooking spray to prevent sticking
13. 13--- Cold Smoke the Salmon (6-12 hours): ---
14. 14Set up your smoker for cold smoking. Use a smoke tube with wood pellets or chips for smoke. Aim for a temperature of around 80°F, and below 86°F. Use a pan filled with ice to help regulate the temperature.
15. 15Cold smoke the salmon for 6-12 hours, depending on the desired smokiness and thickness of the fish. Place the salmon in the smoker on the same wire rack used for drying, or directly on the grill grates. Check and refill ice and pellets as needed.
16. 16--- Chill & Serve: ---
17. 17Remove the salmon from the smoker and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap.
18. 18Refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours, or preferably overnight, to chill completely.
19. 19Slice thinly and enjoy!