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All recipes#0226 · smoker

Hot Smoked Salmon

A 2-lb side dry-cured 8 hours, air-dried 1 hour for the pellicle, and hot-smoked at 180°F over alder for 90 minutes — flaky, glossy, honey-sweet salmon.

WeekendHigh proteinWeekend ProjectServes 8
Cook temp
180°F
82°C · preheat
Total time
600 min
30 prep · 90 cook · 10 rest
Pull at
145°F
USDA safe minimum
Rest
10 min
Before slicing
Hot Smoked Salmon
Meal Instructions Kitchen · 30 Aug 2026 · Reviewed for USDA food safetyPrint card
Watch the technique7:24

Hot Smoked Salmon · allthingsbbq
Chef Tom explains the dry brining process to form a pellicle on salmon fillets and smoking over alder wood at 200°F until flaky and glazed.

At A Glance // The Quick Brief
Fluff-Free Execution
  • Target //Cook at 180°F (82°C) low smoke for 90 min smoke + 8 hr cure + 1 hr air dry.
  • Doneness //Pull when internal temperature reaches 145°F (USDA safe minimum). Rest 10 mins before slicing.
  • Golden Rule //Save the peeled skin. Lay it back on the wire rack, brush with honey, and smoke another 20 minutes for chef-caliber smoked salmon skin cracklings — the best bar snack you'll ever put out.
  • Family Tweak //Serve smoked salmon flakes on plain buttered toast — no cream cheese, no capers, no onion. The smoke and sweetness are enough flavor for young palates.

Ingredients

Servings
  • 2 lbsSkin-On Salmon Side, Atlantic or wild king salmon, 1.5-inch thick
  • 1/4 cupKosher Salt, for cure
  • 1/4 cupBrown Sugar, for cure
  • 2 tbspHoney, for glaze
  • 1 tspWarm Water, to thin honey
  • 1 tspCoarse Black Pepper
  • 1 cupAlder Wood Pellets, or apple, cherry

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90:00

Get to the point

  1. 1

    Dry-cure 2 lb salmon side skin-down under 1/4 cup salt + 1/4 cup brown sugar 8 hrs.

  2. 2

    Rinse, pat dry, place on rack skin-down; air-dry in fridge 1 hr to form pellicle.

  3. 3

    Brush top with 2 tbsp honey; smoke skin-DOWN at 180°F over alder 90 min to 140°F.

  4. 4

    Cool 10 min on the rack; peel skin off in one sheet, flake and serve.

Step by step

Tap a step to cross it off

  1. Dry-Cure the Salmon

    480 min

    In a bowl, mix 1/4 cup kosher salt with 1/4 cup brown sugar. Place a 2-lb skin-on salmon side skin-down on a large sheet pan. Pack the entire cure mixture on top of the flesh in an even layer. Cover with plastic and refrigerate 8 hours.

    Why

    8 hours is calibrated for 2 lbs. A thicker side needs 10 hours, a thinner one 6. The cure firms and seasons the flesh without turning it into gravlax (which takes 24+ hours).

  2. Rinse and Air-Dry for the Pellicle

    60 min

    Rinse the salmon under cold water to remove all the cure. Pat completely dry with paper towels. Place skin-down on a wire rack over a sheet pan. Refrigerate uncovered for 1 hour to form the pellicle — the tacky protein layer that holds smoke.

    Why

    The pellicle is the whole game. Skip it and smoke slides off the wet fish; form it and the smoke bonds to the surface into that classic smoked-salmon glaze.

  3. Preheat Smoker to 180°F

    15 min

    Preheat your smoker or pellet grill to 180°F with alder or apple wood. Alder is traditional Pacific Northwest smoked salmon wood; apple is a slightly sweeter alternative.

    Why

    180°F is 'hot smoke' — cooks the fish through while smoking. Cold smoke (under 90°F) keeps the fish raw and requires curing salt for safety. Do not confuse the two.

  4. Brush with Honey and Load

    Brush the top of the salmon lightly with 2 tbsp warm honey (thinned with 1 tsp water). Sprinkle with 1 tsp coarse black pepper. Place skin-DOWN directly on the smoker grate.

    Why

    Honey glaze is what gives smoked salmon its glossy amber lacquer. Skip it and the fish looks flat and dull; brush it and it looks like the case at the smokehouse.

  5. Smoke 90 Minutes to 140°F

    90 min

    Smoke undisturbed at 180°F for 90 minutes until the internal temp at the thickest part reads 140°F. The surface will be tacky and glossy; the flesh will just start to bead sweat.

    Why

    Salmon over 145°F is a chalky brick. Hot-smoked salmon is best at 140°F medium — flaky but still moist. Use a thermometer, not the clock.

  6. Cool and Peel the Skin

    10 min

    Transfer the whole rack to a counter and cool 10 minutes. Slide a fish spatula under the flesh, above the skin — the skin will stick to the rack and the salmon will lift off in one piece. Serve warm, room temp, or chilled for spread.

    Why

    The skin peels away perfectly if you left it skin-side down the whole time. Try this with skin-up and you tear the salmon apart pulling skin off in ragged strips.

Dad pro tip
Save the peeled skin. Lay it back on the wire rack, brush with honey, and smoke another 20 minutes for chef-caliber smoked salmon skin cracklings — the best bar snack you'll ever put out.
Kid & toddler adjustment
Serve smoked salmon flakes on plain buttered toast — no cream cheese, no capers, no onion. The smoke and sweetness are enough flavor for young palates.
Serve with
Bagels, cream cheese, capers, and red onion · Cucumber-dill salad · Cold crusty bread with butter
Reheating
Smoked salmon is best cold or room temp — reheating pushes it past medium and it flakes into dry crumbles. Chop leftover into scrambled eggs, fold into pasta with cream, or spread on toast.
Calories
245
Protein
28 g
Carbs
5 g
Fat
12 g

Nutrition source: USDA FoodData Central #175167 (Atlantic salmon, cooked). Cook-time basis: Tested on a 2-lb skin-on Atlantic salmon side, dry-cured with 1/4 cup salt + 1/4 cup brown sugar for 8 hours, air-dried 1 hour, hot-smoked at 180°F on a pellet grill with alder pellets to 140°F internal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need curing salt (pink salt)?

Not for hot-smoking (temperatures above 140°F kill relevant pathogens). Cold-smoked salmon requires curing salt — pink salt with sodium nitrite — for safety. Never cold-smoke without it.

How long does it keep?

5 days refrigerated wrapped tightly. Freezes 2 months but texture softens on thaw. Cut into portions before freezing so you thaw only what you need.

How do you reheat leftover hot smoked salmon without ruining the texture?

Smoked salmon is best cold or room temp — reheating pushes it past medium and it flakes into dry crumbles. Chop leftover into scrambled eggs, fold into pasta with cream, or spread on toast.

What is the target internal temperature for this recipe?

Confirm internal core temperature reaches 145°F using an instant-read digital probe thermometer inserted into the thickest part. Allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes before slicing to let carryover heat equalize and lock in juices.

How do I adapt this meal for picky kids or toddlers?

Serve smoked salmon flakes on plain buttered toast — no cream cheese, no capers, no onion. The smoke and sweetness are enough flavor for young palates.

What are the best side dishes to serve with this?

Recommended sides include Bagels, cream cheese, capers, and red onion, Cucumber-dill salad, Cold crusty bread with butter.

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