Smoked Salmon Candy
Strips of salmon brined, sweetened, and slow-smoked until sticky, chewy, and deeply flavorful.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 240 min
- Total
- 270 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 190 kcal
Equipment
- •Smoker
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 190 kcal
- fat
- 7
- carbs
- 12
- protein
- 20
- calories
- 190
Instructions
- 1
Cut the salmon into long strips about 1 inch wide. Leave the skin on.
- 2
Mix the salt and brown sugar. Pack the mixture over the salmon strips in a nonreactive dish.
- 3
Cover the dish and refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours to cure.
- 4
Rinse the strips well and pat dry. Let them air-dry uncovered on a rack for 1 hour until a sticky surface forms.
- 5
Set up a smoker with alder wood chips. Preheat it to 160°F.
- 6
Smoke the strips for 3 to 4 hours. Brush with maple syrup every 45 minutes.
- 7
Keep smoking until the salmon is deeply glazed, dark, and firm but still slightly bendable.
- 8
Let the salmon cool completely on the rack before storing.
Chef's tips
Alder is the traditional Pacific Northwest smoking wood and gives the most authentic flavor. Cut strips along the grain so they hold together while smoking.
Storage
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or vacuum-seal and freeze for up to 6 months.
Reheating
Best served cold or at room temperature; no reheating needed.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Skipping the air-drying step, which prevents the smoke from sticking properly to the salmon.
- •Smoking at too high a temperature, which dries the fish out instead of glazing it.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Smoked Salmon Candy?
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