With just a handful of ingredients and almost no hands-on work, you can easily make cold smoked salmon at home - an elegant, velvety delicacy with a delightfully smoky flavor.
Trim the Salmon: Using a sharp knife, trim off any thin edges from the bottom or tail of the filet.
Remove Pin Bones: With fish bone tweezers, carefully remove any pin bones from the salmon flesh.
Cure the Salmon (24 hours):
Make the cure by combining the salt and sugar in a bowl. Lay a large piece of plastic wrap down in a baking dish or sheet pan. Spread about 1/3 of the brine mixture evenly on the plastic wrap.
Place the salmon skin-side down on the brine. Cover with the remaining brine, being sure to go over the edges to fully cover the fish with the cure. Tightly wrap in the plastic wrap.
Place another pan on top of the filet with a weight like a large tomato can to weigh down the fish as it cures.
Refrigerate for 24 hours.
Rinse & Dry:
Remove the salmon from the plastic wrap and rinse under cold water. Then pat the salmon dry with paper towels.
Air Dry & Form Pellicle (2-8 hours):
Place the salmon skin-side down on a wire rack set over a baking dish and refrigerate uncovered for at least 2 hours, or up to 8 hours, to form a pellicle (a dry, sticky surface).Tip: Spray the wire rack lightly with cooking spray to prevent sticking
Cold Smoke the Salmon (6-12 hours):
Set up your smoker for cold smoking. Use a smoke tube with wood pellets or chips for smoke. Aim for a temperature of around 80°F, and below 86°F. Use a pan filled with ice to help regulate the temperature.
Cold smoke the salmon for 6-12 hours, depending on the desired smokiness and thickness of the fish. Place the salmon in the smoker on the same wire rack used for drying, or directly on the grill grates. Check and refill ice and pellets as needed.
Chill & Serve:
Remove the salmon from the smoker and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap.
Refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours, or preferably overnight, to chill completely.
Slice thinly and enjoy!
Notes
Optional during the cure: Poke a few holes on the skin side of the plastic wrap to release excess liquid and place the salmon on a wire rack set over another baking dish to allow drainage as it cures.
To remove extra salt after the cure: Soak the cured salmon in a large bowl of cold water for 15 minutes to remove more salt.
The thicker the salmon, the longer the smoking time. For a very large 2" thick filet, you can cold smoke it for 16 to 24 hours.
Smoke the fish on a cool day or at night for better temperature control.
Do not use the heating element of your smoker or grill.
*Consuming raw or undercooked seafood may increase your risk of foodborne illness.