Favorite smoked salmon recipe.

Kyle C

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Location
Puyallup WA
What's everyone's favorite smoked salmon recipe? I'm spending this weekend smoking up last year's coho and kings, and cycling in the new stuff. Thicker pieces still in the smoker, but pulled these smaller ones. One nice thing about living in Washington is the endless supply of salmon that frequent the numerous rivers we fish.

-3 cups brown sugar
-1 cup Morton salt
-1 cup pure maple syrup
-4 cups water
-Cherry and hickory chips
Create as many batches as needed to cover fish well. Soaked for 24 hours then pulled out, rinsed, and patted dry. Lay on rack in fridge overnight. Once out of the fridge I place fish in front of fan for 2 hours to form a good pellicle before going into smoker.
Smoked at ~165° for 5-6 hours, and brushed with maple syrup every 40-45 minutes when I cycle in new chips.
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PNWGATOR

WKR
Shoot2HuntU
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As an added bonus you can also turn what you create into this:
 
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Kyle C

Kyle C

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
May 28, 2017
Messages
245
Location
Puyallup WA

As an added bonus you can also turn what you create into this:
No doubt. I really like the dip mixed with cream cheese. I pressure can a lot of salmon as well and typically if I'm doing a dip I'll grab a jar of smoked canned salmon. Makes good patties as well.
 

Backyard

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Minnesnowta
5lbs salmon
1qt cool water
1c brown sugar
1/3c kosher salt

Mix ingredients in a plastic container, soak fish in this brine for 24-36 hrs. Remove, rinse, pat dry lightly, air dry in cool (60° of moving) air until a good pellicle (glaze) forms, about 2-3 hrs.
Smoke with alder wood pellets at about 145° for first hr or so, then bump up to 175° till the fish hits 145°. During the smoking, basting with maple syrup every hour.
 
Joined
May 9, 2012
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Location
Bothell, Wa
I'm not allowed at Holiday gatherings without smoked salmon so yea tis the season to smoke up a batch or two.

I like a simple dry brine.

3 parts brown suger
1 part salt

Mix and coat fish in container and place in fridge/cooler. After five or six hours the brine will start to liquify so I'll make sure everything is getting brined evenly. Typically I'll rearrange the fillets two or three times over 12-24 hours.

Rinse and dry as above.

Prior to placing in smoker glaze with honey and add black pepper/Old Bay.

Two pans of alder in Little Chief. Four to 12 hours in the smoker depending on fillet size/thickness and weather conditions.

it's nearly impossible to not know when it's ready.
 
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Kyle C

Kyle C

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
May 28, 2017
Messages
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Location
Puyallup WA
I'm not allowed at Holiday gatherings without smoked salmon so yea tis the season to smoke up a batch or two.
You and me both. Wish it was legal for me to sale this stuff, but yet again I absolutely despise cleaning my smoker after.
 
Joined
Aug 18, 2015
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Harrisburg, Oregon
I smoke a lot of fish every year.

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Ignore the grammar, I got this recipe from a buddy. I add fine ground pepper when I pull it from the brine before the pellicle. No honey. Let mix cool and put fish in ziplocs and mix overnight. Rotate fish so the mix gets to every piece.

I smoke as low as possible and still generate smoke, usually around 150. Much higher than that and you’re cooking, not smoking. It happens.




P
 

NRA4LIFE

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washington
Do a google search on "Hank Shaw smoked salmon birch". This is all I use now. I smoke A LOT of salmon and my family loves this. He uses Birch syrup but I substitute maple syrup as the Birch syrup is a bit pricey. I have also tweaked the brine recipe a bit.
 

Clarence

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Apr 7, 2018
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Do a google search on "Hank Shaw smoked salmon birch". This is all I use now. I smoke A LOT of salmon and my family loves this. He uses Birch syrup but I substitute maple syrup as the Birch syrup is a bit pricey. I have also tweaked the brine recipe a bit.
Hank Shaw has it dialed! Starting out the heat lower, and bumping it up really seems to help retain the fat. I use maple syrup, and only glaze twice.

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NRA4LIFE

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Yes, starting out low and gradually increasing keeps the albumin from oozing out, which isn't bad, it just looks kind of strange. Getting the pellicle formed is also key. I'll put mine in the garage with a massive fan blowing on it for 2-3 hours.
 
Joined
Dec 13, 2023
Messages
445
I had eaten smoked salmon dip. I liked it, but it was so expensive and hard to come by, I just kinda wrote it off as "Far out and groovy! That's good!" and went on.

In 2010, a friend talked me into going to Kodiak, AK on a fishing trip. Bought a couple of pounds!
Got it home and me and the wife went nuts making dip! Not to mention the grilled salmon from my share of what was caught! GOOD STUFF, MAYNARD!!!!!!
It didn't last long!!!

Went back in 2012. Made it back with more smoked and lot's of salmon!
Gorged on smoked salmon dip!

Back again in 2015 and made it home with 5 pounds!
That's when I found out you can order the stuff through "Island Seafoods" in Kodiak!
Wish I had a couple of grand to order a good supply!!!!! LOL!

Our "Dip" recipe is pretty simple.

Soften one block of cream cheese
Add finely crumbled smoked salmon until it looks about right
ADD:
finely diced yellow bell pepper
finely diced red onion
capers
black pepper
Stir in enough Miracle Whip to make it soft enough to not break chips/crackers.

My favorite "dipper" is Frito "Scoops"!
😋
 
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Kyle C

Kyle C

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
May 28, 2017
Messages
245
Location
Puyallup WA
I had eaten smoked salmon dip. I liked it, but it was so expensive and hard to come by, I just kinda wrote it off as "Far out and groovy! That's good!" and went on.

In 2010, a friend talked me into going to Kodiak, AK on a fishing trip. Bought a couple of pounds!
Got it home and me and the wife went nuts making dip! Not to mention the grilled salmon from my share of what was caught! GOOD STUFF, MAYNARD!!!!!!
It didn't last long!!!

Went back in 2012. Made it back with more smoked and lot's of salmon!
Gorged on smoked salmon dip!

Back again in 2015 and made it home with 5 pounds!
That's when I found out you can order the stuff through "Island Seafoods" in Kodiak!
Wish I had a couple of grand to order a good supply!!!!! LOL!

Our "Dip" recipe is pretty simple.

Soften one block of cream cheese
Add finely crumbled smoked salmon until it looks about right
ADD:
finely diced yellow bell pepper
finely diced red onion
capers
black pepper
Stir in enough Miracle Whip to make it soft enough to not break chips/crackers.

My favorite "dipper" is Frito "Scoops"!
😋
The dip is definitely a fan favorite. I like that recipe you have. Easy to make and cheap when you got people coming over. Keeps them out of my booze cabinet 😉

I run this recipe
-6 oz smoked salmon
-3 tbsp green onion (couple 2 or 3)
-3 clove garlic
-3 splashes "washyoursistersauce"
-8 oz cream cheese
-2 tsp fresh chopped dill
-couples splashes of milk/half&half
-couple spoon fulls of mayonnaise
-2 tsp horseradish
-couples splashes of lime juice
- salt and pepper to taste

Sit back and watch everyone get fat!
 
Last edited:
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Kyle C

Kyle C

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Messages
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Location
Puyallup WA
Yes, starting out low and gradually increasing keeps the albumin from oozing out, which isn't bad, it just looks kind of strange. Getting the pellicle formed is also key. I'll put mine in the garage with a massive fan blowing on it for 2-3 hours.
I've noticed that as long as I don't get above 165° and brush often I can keep the albumin away. This only works if that pellicle is on point though I've noticed.
 

Backyard

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Jan 24, 2014
Messages
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Location
Minnesnowta
I've noticed that as long as I don't get above 165° and brush often I can keep the albumin away. This only works if that pellicle is on point though I've noticed.

Yep! Keeping the temp low is key. Its hard to get chips smoking at low temps. I found that by using a smoke tube in my electric smoker, I don’t have to worry about having to have enough heat to make smoke. I have an 8 inch tube that last about 3-4 hours. Game changer.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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Kyle C

Kyle C

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Joined
May 28, 2017
Messages
245
Location
Puyallup WA
Yep! Keeping the temp low is key. Its hard to get chips smoking at low temps. I found that by using a smoke tube in my electric smoker, I don’t have to worry about having to have enough heat to make smoke. I have an 8 inch tube that last about 3-4 hours. Game changer.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Their's a fine line with smokers and I have a cheap gas one. I've found the only way I can achieve a low temp is to turn the dial opposite of low and get it to where it's almost about to shut off. That's the only way I have found with mine to keep it going good and still achieve a heavy smoke.
 

gerry35

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Jan 16, 2021
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Location
Mara Lake B.C.
I do 2 parts brown sugar to 1 part pickling salt and keep it in the brine for 2 days. Smoke till you reach your desired moisture level. I always rinse and dry before smoking.

Smoked canned is a bit different, same recipe but it only gets about 1-1.5 hours of smoke and then is canned like regular fish. Stays nice and moist that way and makes great dip for crackers when mixed with cream cheese or mayonnaise. I always add lots of finely cut up pickles either way.
 

pirogue

WKR
Joined
Jun 28, 2012
Messages
1,149
Do a google search on "Hank Shaw smoked salmon birch". This is all I use now. I smoke A LOT of salmon and my family loves this. He uses Birch syrup but I substitute maple syrup as the Birch syrup is a bit pricey. I have also tweaked the brine recipe a bit.
The Maple in the store I frequent is $10 for a small bottle. What in the world does Birch cost?
 
Joined
Dec 31, 2023
Messages
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4 parts brown sugar, 1 part rock salt. Generously coat in a container, refrigerate for 32 hours, rinse and pat down, and dry for 4+ hours
 
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