There are a number of ways to smoke salmon. You may be familiar with the fully cured smoked salmon, like lox, that you find on bagels or cured platters. It’s dense, often salty and fully cured and safe to eat without cooking with heat. There is also the option of hot smoking fresh salmon with little more than seasoning on the surface of the fish to affect the final product. This recipe, however, lives somewhere in between. By giving the salmon a quick cure, you can force flavors into the flesh while pulling some water out and concentrating the flavors. The fish is not fully cured, so we finish it on the grill, which imparts smoke flavor and makes the fish safe to eat. The end product is flavorful, tender, juicy and quite versatile. Partially cured Hot Smoked Salmon is great served hot off the grill or cooled and eaten on salads, sandwiches or as a snack.
WHAT YOU’LL LOVE
- Four-hour partial cure: A mix of brown sugar, maple syrup, kosher salt, balsamic, and Tri-tip seasoning flavors the salmon and pulls out some water, which firms the flesh and concentrates the taste.
- Dried to a pellicle: After rinsing, leaving the fillet uncovered in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 24 hours forms a tacky surface that grabs smoke and helps the glaze stick.
- Low smoke, then a glaze: Smoking at 250°F, then brushing on a maple-mustard glaze at 120°F, gives the fish a glossy finish without the sugar burning.
- Served hot or cold: The partly cured fish is tender and juicy hot off the grill, and it holds up chilled on salads, sandwiches, or as a snack.
