Chef Parisi’s Smoked Salmon

This smoked salmon tastes amazing, and you can serve it hot or cold. I would eat salmon for every meal if my wife would let me. The health benefits, the simplicity of preparing it, and the flavor sell me every time.

—
Recipe from @ChefBillyParisi on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com

Learn more about the Yoder Smokers YS640S here: https://www.yodersmokers.com/pellet/

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 cups water
  • 3/4 cups packed light brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup sea salt
  • zest of 1 orange
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 4 to 4 ½ pound side of salmon

  • GLAZE
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Juice of 1 orange
  • ½ stick unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

  • For the Salmon: Start by bringing the water, citrus zest, brown sugar, and salt to a boil.
  • Once the sugar and salt are dissolved, remove them from the heat and add the ice cubes to chill the brine. Set it aside.
  • Next, trim the side of the salmon, removing the belly fat and the tail end of the fish. You may also see a few bones on the backbone part of the salmon which should also be removed. See the chef’s notes below.
  • Add the salmon to a non-reactive dish and cover it completely by pouring it on the brine.
  • If the salmon doesn’t want to stay under the brine, you can flip it over so that it is scaled side up.
  • Cover and keep it in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours. Any longer than 24 hours and it can become too salty.
  • Remove the salmon from the brine and rinse it under cold water.
  • Place the salmon on a rack and pat it dry and let it cool for 2 hours to create the pellicle.
  • Brush the smoker grates with a neutral-flavored oil where you plan to place the salmon. Be sure it is as far away from the fire as possible.
  • Smoke at 150° F for 2 hours or until it reaches an internal temperature of 140° F.
  • For the glaze: With about 1 hour and 10 minutes left in the first intial smoking process, add the brown sugar, soy, butter, and citrus juice to a small-sized sauce pot and bring to a boil to dissolve the sugar and make a caramel.
  • Brush the salmon with a thin layer of the glaze after 1 total hour of smoking and then again every 30 minutes of smoking.
  • After 2 hours, turn the heat up to 200° and smoke for 1 hour. Continue glazing.

  • Remove the salmon and let it rest for 10 minutes before glazing it and serving. If you prefer to eat this cold, cool it to room temperature, which takes about an hour, wrap it and store it in the refrigerator until cold before serving.

    NOTES

    Make-Ahead: While eating the first day of smoking, it is best, you can make this recipe up to 5 days ahead of time.

    How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of smoked salmon to a pan and cook in the oven covered at 350° for 4-5 minutes or until warmed.  You can also heat it in the microwave until warm. You can also serve this cold straight from the refrigerator, an extremely popular way to serve it.

    How to Store: Cover and keep in the refrigerator for 7-10 days.  This will freeze covered for up to 6 months.  Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.

    The pellicle is the top layer created during the drying process to help seal the salmon. It creates an almost sticky-like coating on top that maximizes the smoke adhering to the salmon.

    It is ok if some white-like substance known as albumin starts to come through the top of the salmon. This is completely normal if a few pop-up. However, you do not want a lot of it popping through the top, which means your heat is too high and your salmon is already overcooked, making it dry.

    With the leftover un-brined and uncooked tail and belly fat, you can easily cook them and use them in any of your salmon recipes. The belly fat is hands down the most delicious part of the fish.

    A non-reactive dish would be glass, stainless, ceramic, or plastic.