Decided to try for salmon for my second smoker run. Figured I’d blog it here so that a) others can share in the glory that is this recipe and b) I’ll have it for the next time I want to make it.
This is eatin’ fish, not something you use in a spread or on crackers. This recipe was for 1.5 pounds of salmon, adjust for more or less fish
Brine
4c water 1/4c brown sugar (packed) 1/4c kosher salt
Brine the fish for 4 to 8 hours. Remove from brine, rinse, and pat dry with a towel. Let the fish air dry until it develops a pellicle (a slightly sticky film).
Rub
1/4c brown sugar (packed) 1 tbsp. garlic powder 1 tbsp. onion powder 1 tsp. tarragon leaves
Mix ingredients together thoroughly. Sprinkle generously on the fish, giving it a nice, even coat. This is a very sweet recipe, so adjust the amount you put on to taste.
Fold some aluminum foil in half, making it just slightly larger than the fish itself. Spray foil with cooking spray and place fish on it.
Smoking
Since this fish is an entrée, we want it moist, so fill the water pan of your smoker all the way up. This helped me regulate the temperature since my smoker could run a bit hot as well as kept the interior nice and humid. I used apple wood chips soaked in water for at least half an hour which I replaced once. The smoker stayed at 250° and the 1.5# of fish took approximately one and a half hours to reach 155°. Total time ‘smoking’ was about an hour (I used a bit too much smoke on the pork butt the other day and I didn’t want this to be overpowering).
The result
OH. MY. GOD. This was some of the best fish I’ve ever put in my mouth. It fell apart easily and was amazingly moist. The sweet crust on the outside was balanced by the onion & garlic powders and the apple wood smoke was perfect. There wasn’t a morsel left as both of my girls and wife scarffed it down (the girls even asked for seconds). I cannot begin to tell you how wonderful this salmon was, but I can say if you have a smoker, you gotta try this.