Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

dee's sweet & salty smoked salmon

(1 rating)
Recipe by
Dee Stillwell
Citrus Heights, CA

I bought my son Casey a Masterbuilt Electric Digital Smoker for Christmas. So far he was the only one who has used it. I got a whole salmon on sale and decided I was going to tackle this by myself...it was my first try at smoking anything, and the first smoked salmon ever, but it definitly won't be the last. I must say I impressed myself in how well it turned out. It was a huge hit with my family. Casey wanted to know how I made that delicious marinade, so I thought I had better post the recipe before I forgot what I put in it. Enjoy!

(1 rating)
yield 4 -5 lbs salmon
prep time 12 Hr 50 Min
cook time 7 Hr
method No-Cook or Other

Ingredients For dee's sweet & salty smoked salmon

  • 1 - 4 -5 lb
    fresh alaskan salmon, filleted & cut into approx 2" x 6" planks, skin on
  • MARINADE
  • 1 1/2 c
    brown sugar (i use dark)(start with 1 cup & add more later if u you like)
  • 1/2 c
    granulated sugar
  • 1/2 c
    kosher or sea salt (start with 1/3 cup & add more later if you like)
  • 1 tsp
    lemon pepper
  • 2 tsp
    webber smokey mesquite seasoning
  • 1 tsp
    garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp
    each of white & black pepper
  • 1 - 2 tsp
    crushed red pepper flakes (more or less to your liking)
  • 1/4 - 1/2 tsp
    cayenne pepper (more or less to your liking)
  • 1 c
    soy sauce
  • 1/2 c
    sherry
  • 1/4 c
    molasses
  • juice of 1 fresh lemon
  • 3 Tbsp
    olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp
    mesquite liquid smoke
  • 1 md
    onion, peeled & cut up
  • 5 clove
    garlic, peeled
  • 1 - 2 inch
    knob of fresh ginger, peeled

How To Make dee's sweet & salty smoked salmon

  • 1
    Mix all except the last 3 ingredients together in a deep bowl until sugars are dissolved. Chop the last 3 finely in the food processor or mini chopper and add to marinade. Taste marinade at this point to see if u want to add any extra of the ingredients. Place all in a large deep lasagna pan or equivilalent.
  • 2
    Fillet one whole 4 - 5 lb salmon and cut into approx. 2" x 6" sticks. Add to marinade and weight down to submerge all of the salmon pieces. Marinate overnight(about 12 hours or more).
  • 3
    Prepare smoker and soak mesquite wood chips in water. In water tray cut up 2 apples, and add 2 cups apple juice, 2 cups water and about 1 cup of the marinade. Spray racks with non stick cooking spray. Shake excess marinade off and place salmon pieces on racks so they don't touch.
  • 4
    Smoke for 4 hrs @ 175 degrees and 3-4 hours @ 215 degrees or to desired doneness and dryness I like mine dry but still pliable...so check yours after about 5 hours to determine how much longer you want to smoke it. Add soaked wood chips every 1 - 1 & 1/2 hrs. Sprinkle chips with mesquite liquid smoke each time you add new ones(a tip from our Smoking Diva, Sherri). My son said, "This was some of the best smoked salmon I have ever had." I have to say, "I agree" Enjoy!
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT