Maple Glazed Smoked Salmon
Brined salmon slow-smoked over alder or apple wood and repeatedly brushed with a maple syrup and rub glaze for a glossy, sweet-smoky finish.
⏱️ Prep: 15 min🍳 Cook: 360 min
Ingredients
| 2-3 lb | 905 g – 1.4 kg | salmon |
| 1 quart | 945 ml | cold water (brine) |
| 1/4 cup | 60 ml | Kosher salt |
| 1 cup | 240 ml | brown sugar |
| 3/4 cup | 180 ml | maple syrup (brine) |
| 1/4 cup | 60 ml | Jeff's rub (brine) |
| 1 tbsp | 15 ml | Dijon mustard |
| 3/4 cup | 180 ml | pure maple syrup (glaze) |
| 2 tbsp | 30 ml | Jeff's rub (glaze) |
Instructions
- Make the brine: add the cold water to a plastic or glass pitcher, stir in the salt until dissolved, then add the brown sugar, rub and maple syrup and mix well.
- Lay the salmon on a cutting board and remove any pin bones with clean needle-nose pliers. Cut the fillet in half for easier handling.
- Place the halves in a gallon zip-top bag and pour in enough brine to cover. Press out the air, seal, set the bag in a foil pan and refrigerate to brine overnight, 8–10 hours.
- Remove the fish from the brine and lay it on a rack to dry. Pat the surface dry with paper towel. Refrigerate 2–4 hours until a shiny, slightly tacky pellicle forms.
- (Option 1) Brush the salmon with a little Dijon/spicy mustard and massage in about 1 Tbsp of rub. (Option 2) Leave it plain and add all the rub via the glaze later.
- Preheat the smoker to 100°F (about 38°C) using alder, oak or apple wood. Set the fish on parchment paper on the rack and smoke 2 hours at 100°F to dry further and keep the albumin inside.
- Raise to 150°F (about 65°C) and smoke 2 more hours. Mix the maple glaze (maple syrup + rub) and brush it over the salmon once every hour.
- Raise to 175°F (about 80°C) and continue until the internal temperature reaches 145°F (63°C). If any white albumin appears, wipe it off gently with a damp paper towel.
- Serve immediately with mixed vegetables or asparagus — it is also excellent cold.