This Smoked Salmon-'How to' Guide recipe is going to be your new favorite smoked salmon recipe. A how to smoke salmon guide, to make the best-smoked salmon fillet.
- Salmon fillet boneless (skin on)
- Salt
- Pepper
- Seasoning of choice
- 1 :1 ratio of medium-sized Cherry & Apple Wood Chips
- Smoker
- Fan
- Skewers
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Rinse salmon fillet under water, pat dry with a paper towel.
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Make sure the salmon fillet is free from bones. Use sterilized pluckers to pick the bones out, if there are any.
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Cut the fish into even pieces (between 8 -16 oz each) - for faster curing & smoking, cut thicker part of the fillet into smaller pieces (about 3-4 inches in width for fillet closer to the head, and 5-6 inches width closer to the tail).
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Sprinkle salt, pepper and any other fish seasoning you like on both sides of the fish (fillet & skin side). Salt the fish as you would for roasting. Pan fry a small piece to check that there’s enough salt.
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Refrigerate for 24-48 hours, wrapped or in a closed container.
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Thread 3-4 pieces of fish on a skewer and hang between two raised pieces of wood (see picture for illustration), and set a baking dish underneath to catch any drippings.
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Set a fan in front of the fish, and blow dry it for 10-12 hours (preferably overnight, when the temperatures are lower), until the fish is dry to the touch and no longer sticky (this forms a pellicle film), this will help the smoke to adhere to the fish.
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Take the fish from the skewers and set it on the smoker racks, setting thicker fillets on the bottom racks and thinner (tail) on the top racks.
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Set the wood chips in the bowl, on the bottom of the smoker.
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Place the drip pan between the chips and the racks of fish. Close the smoker.
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Leave the fish to smoke for 5-6 hours, depending on the temperature outside. In the summer months, start checking for doneness after 5 hours. Change wood chips every 2 hours.
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Store refrigerated in a closed container for up to a week and a half, or vacuum seal and store for up to 2 months.