How to Smoke Salmon Recipe [+Video]

Smoked salmon is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed as a snack, appetizer, or part of a main course. Learn how to smoke salmon at home with our easy-to-follow recipe and video tutorial below.

We start this recipe with a dry brine that loads the salmon fillets with flavor and prepares them to soak in all the smoky flavor. This is a hot-smoked salmon recipe made on a wood pellet smoker.

We have covered all our bases when it comes to salmon here on the blog. We have air fryer salmon, grilled salmon, baked salmon, salmon in a salad, salmon bowls and stuffed salmon. We have been working on a smoked salmon recipe for years, and we have finally nailed it!

Ingredients for Smoked Salmon

Aside from the salmon filets, you’ll need just a few ingredients for the dry brine rub and then a few ingredients for the seasoning mix you rub all over it before smoking it. Here is what you will need:

Dry Brine

• Kosher Salt: adds flavor
• Brown Sugar: adds sweetness and flavor
• Black Pepper: adds flavor and tiny bit of heat

Smoked Salmon

• Salmon Filets: You can get smaller individual filets or get one big filet and then slice it into servings afterward
• Dijon Mustard: adds flavor
• Butter: adds rich flavor and helps keep the salmon moist
• Brown Sugar: adds a little sweetness and helps caramelize the outside of the salmon
• Dill: I almost always prefer fresh herbs for recipes, but for this one, I prefer dried dill.
• Smoked Paprika: adds more smoky flavor
• Salt and Black Pepper: adds flavor
• Maple Syrup: used to baste the fillets as they smoke

The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

What is the Best Salmon for Smoking?

I always look for farm-raised salmon when it comes to smoking. They tend to have a higher fat content which helps them stay tender and flaky through the smoking process. King salmon is my go-to. Coho or Atlantic salmon is my backup. You want to avoid really lean salmon like sockeye salmon.

Why Brine Salmon

This brining process will eliminate some of the moisture from the inside of the fish while simultaneously infusing it with salt, which will help preserve the salmon and its moisture and help create a pellicle (see section below).

What is a Pellicle?

The Best Oven Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey Ever [+Video]

A classic turkey recipe for making the best oven roasted Thanksgiving turkey ever! It starts with a brine, gets smothered in lemon herb butter, and ends with a perfectly roasted whole turkey to feed your Thanksgiving crowd!

I’ve done it all. Over cooked, undercooked, bland, you name it. Thanksgiving has always been a stitch lame to me because the turkey was absolutely never exciting, hence why I loved the leftover sandwiches the best!

Mmmmm, potato rolls, mayo, turkey and a little cheese! Or, lately I’ve been doing a little cream cheese, poppyseed dressing, cheese and turkey on a roll and oh my goodness it’s life-changing.

But back to the turkey, you guys I’m serious I have spent every year for the past 15 years trying to figure out the best Thanksgiving turkey recipe and this is it. The secrets are for sure brining and proper herbs and rest time three things to make the perfect combo.

Turkey Basics

Before we jump in to making this roasted whole turkey, I want to cover a few of the basics:

• A frozen turkey will need thaw 24 hours per every 5 pounds.
• Turkey will need to cook for 13-15 minutes per pound.
• Safe internal temperature for a turkey is 175 degrees F the thigh and 165 degrees F in the breast.

So let’s assume you are going to roast a 12 pound turkey that is frozen when you purchase it and you want to have your meal on Thursday afternoon. Here is your brief timeline:

• Remove turkey from freezer to thaw in the fridge: 4 1/2 days ahead of time (Sunday morning – Tuesday afternoon)
• Brine: 24 hours (Tuesday afternoon – Wednesday afternoon)
• Turkey rests in fridge: 4-12 hours (overnight Wednesday to Thursday morning)
• Turkey rests at room temperature: 1 hour
• Turkey roasts in the oven: 3 hours
• Turkey rests: 30 minutes

Now the turkey is ready to carve and eat Thursday afternoon! Now here are those same steps in a little more detail…

How to Roast a Whole Turkey

Roasting a whole turkey starts with a 24 hour brine. Head to our favorite turkey brine recipe for all the details of why to brine, how to brine and what goes into the brine.

Turkey Prep

After the turkey brines, remove the turkey from the brine, pat it dry with paper towels and put it on a baking sheet uncovered. St

My Favorite Turkey Brine Recipe [+Video]

Looking for the perfect turkey brine recipe? Look no further! This delicious brine not only adds flavor to your turkey, but also keeps it moist and juicy. Watch our video tutorial and try it out for yourself!

Every year I test, and test and test recipes for Thanksgiving. But not my simple turkey brine recipe. It’s perfect, and I use the same one every single year regardless of how I make my bird.

Whether your roasting turkey or making Thanksgiving turkey in a slow cooker, I use the same brine on both of them.

There’s nothing quite like a perfectly cooked turkey and that 100% starts with a turkey brine. You CANNOT skip it. Trust me, I’ve tested enough to know that it really is a game changer.

Turkey Brine Basics

Brining a turkey needs two specific ingredients and then the remaining ingredients vary based upon your own individual recipes.

1. Liquid- Your turkey breast (or whole turkey) will sit in a liquid anywhere from 8-24 hours. The kind of liquid does in fact make a difference as they will help to flavor the meat. Brining, as well as marinating, is not made to soak into the center of the meat, but to flavor the outside so well that as it cooks that flavor emerges.
2. Salt- It’s preferred that you use Kosher salt for brining as it’s a more coarse salt which will help to break down the meat, soak in the liquid for a more juicy meat and finally, the salt helps to flavor the meat more than just a rub later on.

How to Brine a Turkey

Brining a turkey might sound fancy or complicated but it’s as easy as dunking a turkey in salty liquid with some extra flavors if desired and letting it sit. Easy peezy! The brine is used to lock flavor and moisture into the turkey.

A few simple ingredients is all you need for my best turkey brine recipe:

• Apple Cider – apple juice can be used if you can’t find cider
• Water
• Brown Sugar
• Kosher Salt
• Bay Leaves
• Garlic Cloves
• Fresh Rosemary
• Orange Peel
• Lemon Peel

Grab a large stock pot and pour all the ingredients into the pot. You can also use a brining bar if you want. They are great! Stir everything together until the sugar and salt dissolve. Place the turkey carefully into the brine, put the lid on the pot, and set it in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

PRO TIP: If your stock pot doesn’t fit into your fridge, put it in a cooler and surround the pot with ice. It will store great for 24 hours.

How to Make A Turkey Brine