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–+ servings
Two smoked salmon filets on a white serving dish.
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5 from 31 votes

Smoked Salmon with Maple Orange Glaze

This Smoked Salmon with Maple Orange Glaze is the most delectable, smoky, melt in your mouth salmon you will ever have. While this process requires a little bit of time and patience, it is totally worth it! Believe me when I say you've never had salmon quite like this before.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time3 hours
Brining and Developing a Pellicle18 hours
Total Time21 hours 5 minutes
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American, Barbecue, Seafood
Keyword: Smoked Salmon
Servings: 8 people
Author: Susie Bulloch

Ingredients

  • 2-3 pound salmon fillet cut into individual portions

Brine

  • 4 cups cool water
  • 1 cup maple syrup
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ⅓ cup kosher salt
  • zest of 1 orange

Maple Orange Glaze

  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • ¼ cup orange juice

Instructions

  • Brine the salmon. In a glass baking dish, combine all of the ingredients for the brine and stir until the salt is dissolved. Gently submerge your salmon portions in the brine, cover, and refrigerate for 8-12 hours. If your salmon fillets are thin, 8 hours should be enough. Thicker fillets will take 12 hours.
  • Develop the pellicle. Remove the salmon from the brine and transfer it to a cooling rack positioned over a cookie sheet. Place the salmon in the refrigerator for 8 hours, or overnight to develop a pellicle.
  • Preheat. Preheat your smoker to 165-170 degrees F using your favorite hardwood. I used maple for this recipe, but pecan or alder are also great options. You can also use orange wood if you can get your hands on some.
  • Make the glaze. In a small bowl, combine the maple syrup and orange juice and set aside.
  • Smoke the salmon. Place the salmon on the grates skin side down and smoke for 3-4 hours, or until the internal temperature of the salmon reaches 145 degrees F. Brush your salmon with the maple orange glaze every hour while smoking.
  • Enjoy. Once your fish has reached 145 degrees F, remove the salmon from the smoker. Serve immediately if you want a hot dinner or chill and serve cold in a salad or sandwich the next day.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 219kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 52mg | Potassium: 616mg | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 61IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg