- 1). Place a fresh salmon fillet, skin down, on a clean surface. Slice strips through the fillet that are 1 inch wide. The strips need to remain attached to the skin so that the fillet is still together.
- 2). Finely chop 10 cloves of garlic. Use a food processor to do this job quicker than by hand. Garlic flakes may be used, but they may not provide as much flavor.
- 3). Mix four cups of brown sugar, one cup of canning salt and the garlic. Other types of salt may be used as long as they are non-iodized.
- 4). Rub your brine mixture over the fish, being sure to cover all parts of the fillet. Place the fish in a large container in an alternating style so that flesh and skin are placed together. For example, place the first layer of fish with the skin down and the next layer with the flesh down.
- 5). Cover the container of fish and place it in the refrigerator for several hours. The longer the fish is left sitting, the better the flavor.
- 6). Rinse the fillets in cold water. Do not scrub or rub, just gently rinse the brine away.
- 7). Place the fillets on racks and allow them to air dry for several hours. The racks from the smoker may be used if needed.
- 8). Preheat the smoker for 15 minutes to reach a good temperature. Use any type of wood that you prefer.
- 9). Place the fillets in the smoker, with the larger pieces at the bottom and the smaller ones near the top. Allow the fish to smoke for five hours, then check to see if longer smoking is needed.
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