The Best Hot Smoked Salmon Recipe

Step 1

In a large plastic container with a lid, combine the water and salt. Add fish skin side up. Brine for 4-8 hours in the fridge.

Step 2

Remove from the brine, rinse well with cold water and pat dry. Set a drying rack on top of large baking sheet and place the fish, skin side down on it. Let the fish dry for 8-12 hours in the fridge to form a pellicle.

Step 3

Preheat your pellet grill. Set the temperature to 180 F. You can start smoking the fish at 150 F and gradually increase the temperature to 180 F.

Step 4

Remove fish from the fridge.

Step 5

In two small bowls, combine the ingredients for the sweet and savory rubs.

Step 6

Rub one piece with the sweet rub and the other with the garlic dill rub.

Step 7

Place salmon on the smoker skin side down and smoke for 3-5 hours, until the internal temperature reaches 135 -140 F. You can baste the fish (the sweet rubbed piece)while it is smoking with maple syrup or orange juice.