Hot smoked salmon

You need:

• Salmon fillets with skin
• Coarse salt with no additives

For curing brine per 1 liter/quart:

 Water – 1 liter/quart

• Soy sauce – 1/2 cup
• Brown sugar – 3/4 cup
• Honey – 1/4 cup
• Dark molasses – 1 tbsp
• Lemon juice – 2 tbsp

For glaze:

• Maple syrup

Curing:

• Cut the Salmon fillets into chucks about 3 inch each. Keep the skin on.
• Put some salt on the bottom of the container, place the fish on top and cover with a layer of salt as completely as possible so the fish is not visible. You can make more than one layer if necessary. Place the container in the refrigerator for about 10 hours but no longer.
• After removing from salt rinse the fish with cold water. The fish should feel firm by now.
• Prepare enough brine to cover the fish completely (about 1 cup per 1 lb of fish): mix together brine ingredients, pour over the fish and marinade in the fridge or cold place for minimum 24 hours. You can extend the brining time as per your personal liking.
• Remove Salmon from brine, place on the rack and let dry until the fish starts to develop sticky glaze (pellicle).

Smoking:

• Preheat your smoker to 45°C (115°F) and place the rack with the fish in the smoker
• Use Alder wood for smoking (you can change that according to your liking)
• For the thirst 30 minutes dry the fish in 45°C (115°F) without smoke
• Smoke with medium smoke for 2 hrs in 45-50°C. (115-130°F)
• After 2 hours of smoking, brush Maple Syrup on the fish.
• Increase temperature to 70-80°C (160-175°F) and smoke until the internal meat temperature reaches 60°C (140°F).
• The salmon is ready now for consumption.

At this temperature the fish will start to render oils and will become drier. You can lower the smoker temperature to 45-50°C. (115-130°F) and keep smoking until preferred dryness.