Brining salmon before smoking is a common practice, but is it absolutely necessary? The short answer is no – you can absolutely smoke salmon without brining it first. In this complete guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about smoking salmon without brining, including benefits, tips, and recipe ideas.
Why Smoke Salmon Without Brining?
There are a few good reasons you may want to skip the brining step and go straight to smoking:
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It’s faster – Brining salmon can take anywhere from 30 minutes to overnight Skipping this step cuts down on time.
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Simplicity – Brining requires an extra container, ingredient prep, and cleaning. Going sans-brine simplifies the process.
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Personal preference – Some people find brined salmon to be too salty. Skipping the brine leaves more control over the final seasoning.
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Moisture level – A dry brine with salt can draw out moisture. For quick smoking, the salmon retains more natural juices without brining.
So for a faster, easier smoking experience, brining is absolutely optional. Let’s look at how to do it right
Tips for Smoking Salmon Without Brining
While brining isn’t mandatory, there are some tips to follow for the best texture and flavor when smoking salmon without it:
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Use fatty fish – Opt for wild-caught salmon, arctic char, steelhead, and trout. The fat helps keep the fish moist. Lean fish like tilapia are likely to dry out.
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Portion the salmon – Cutting into individual 4-6 oz portions speeds cooking so the interior doesn’t overcook before the exterior is smoked.
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Season generously – Brining adds seasoning throughout. To compensate when dry brining, rub the salmon all over with salt, brown sugar, spices, and herbs before smoking.
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Watch the temp – Use a leave-in meat thermometer and smoke until it just reaches 140°F, then rest. Salmon overcooks quickly without brine.
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Use a water pan – Having water in the smoker insulates the fish and prevents it from drying out. Refill the water pan as needed.
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Glaze it – Brush salmon with an oil/sweetener glaze during smoking for moisture, caramelization, and flavor. Maple syrup or honey work great.
Follow those guidelines, and you can absolutely skip the brining step but still end up with delicious smoked salmon.
Step-By-Step Guide to Smoking Salmon Without Brining
Here is a simple walkthrough for how to smoke salmon without brine in 4 easy steps:
1. Prepare the Salmon
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Purchase high-quality wild-caught salmon fillets, about 1-1.5 lbs per 3-4 servings.
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Pat the salmon dry with paper towels.
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Cut the salmon into 4-6 oz individual fillet portions.
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Generously season both sides with salt, brown sugar, garlic powder, pepper, and any other seasoning blend.
2. Prep the Smoker
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Set up your smoker or smoker box attachment following manufacturer instructions.
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Use wood chips like alder or apple that pair well with salmon.
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Preheat smoker to 225°F.
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Fill a smoker box or pan with water to use as a moisture barrier.
3. Smoke the Salmon
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Place seasoned salmon fillets skin-side down directly on smoker racks.
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Smoke for 60-90 minutes until salmon reaches 140°F internally.
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During smoking, glaze salmon every 15 minutes with an oil/sweetener glaze.
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Maintain temperature and add more wood chips or water to smoker as needed.
4. Finish and Serve
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When salmon reaches 140°F, remove from smoker.
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Let salmon rest 5 minutes, then serve warm.
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Alternatively, let cool completely then store in fridge up to 1 week.
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Use smoked salmon in salads, sandwiches, dips, and more!
And that’s really all there is to it – well-seasoned salmon and low, indirect heat results in incredibly flavorful smoked salmon without needing to brine first.
5 Delicious Ways to Use Smoked Salmon Without Brine
Smoked salmon is versatile and pairs well with so many flavors. Here are 5 quick and easy recipe ideas:
1. Smoked salmon scramble – Add flaked salmon to scrambled eggs and veggies for a protein-packed breakfast.
2. Smoked salmon salad – Toss smoked salmon with greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, nuts, and a lemony dressing.
3. Smoked salmon dip – Blend smoked salmon with cream cheese, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and fresh dill.
4. Smoked salmon bagel – Top a toasted everything bagel with cream cheese, smoked salmon, red onion, capers, and tomato.
5. Smoked salmon pasta – Flake salmon over pasta, add fresh peas and tomatoes, and toss with a white wine sauce.
With so many possibilities, you’ll never get bored using up your batch of brine-free smoked salmon. It adds a delicious smoky richness to any dish.
Frequently Asked Questions About Smoking Salmon Without Brining
If you’re new to smoking salmon without brining, there are probably still some questions on your mind. Here are answers to some of the most common FAQs:
Is unbrined smoked salmon safe to eat?
Yes, smoking salmon to 140°F is safe with or without brining as long as it is eaten within 3-5 days. Brining primarily affects texture and flavor, not safety.
How can I make sure the salmon doesn’t dry out?
Cut into portions, smoke at low heat, monitor temperature, glaze during smoking, rest before serving, and use a water pan all prevent drying without brining.
What wood is best for smoking salmon?
Alder, maple, cherry, apple, and orange wood chips all pair beautifully with salmon. Avoid mesquite smoke which overpowers the delicate salmon flavor.
How long does unbrined smoked salmon last?
Store smoked salmon in an airtight container up to 1 week. Since it is not cured or brined, it has a shorter shelf life than lox-style salmon.
Can I hot smoke salmon without brining?
Yes, hot smoking also works great without brining as long as you follow the tips above like portioning the salmon and using a thermometer. Hot smoke at 225°F until it reaches 145°F internally.
Smoked Salmon Without Brine for Beginners
If you’re totally new to smoking salmon, don’t let the idea of brining intimidate you! Starting with this simple no-brine technique is a great entry point for beginners before working your way up to wet brining.
With a couple fillets of wild-caught salmon, a small bag of wood chips, and a smoker box, you can make restaurant-quality smoked salmon at home with minimal time and effort. It’s one of the most rewarding recipes for any home cook to master.
So give brine-free smoking a try and expand your culinary skills with delicious smoked salmon. Before you know it, you’ll be experimenting with your own custom brines and rubs. But this easy method is all you need to get started on the journey.
Should I Soak Wood Chips Before Smoking?
I tend to soak my wood chips for an hour before using them.
It isn’t essential, so don’t worry if you don’t have time, but I find that soaked chips last longer and create more smoke.
In the video I link to below, you’ll see that that the ‘chips’ I used are actually little slices of a hazel branch that I asked Jonny to cut into thin disks on his chop saw.
When I previously tested the recipe I used more traditional ‘flakes’ of woods that I’d nipped off a branch with an axe.
However I found these burnt through much quicker and I preferred the slices.
For the purpose of this recipe, I used a smoker to cook my salmon, but you could just as easily use a covered wok or a barbecue with a lid.
My Top Tip for Hot Smoking Salmon
My top tip for when you hot smoke salmon or any other fish is to make sure you monitor the time and the temperature.
This will help avoid drying the fish out.
The time it takes to hot smoke fish depends on its temperature and thickness.
Hot smoked salmon fillets can take 20 minutes and a full side of salmon can take up to 50 minutes.
The only way to tell for sure is to take the internal temperature of the fish you are smoking.
The Thermapen Professional is the ideal tool for this job.
British-made, the Thermapen Professional will read the temperature of the fish in just 3 seconds.
I especially appreciate the fact that the display adapts with an auto-rotating screen, depending on how you’re holding the thermometer.
This means I don’t have to set fire to myself just to read the temperature!
Importantly, the Thermapen removes any guesswork needed to tell if my hot smoked salmon is ready.
The internal fish temperature for hot smoking needs to reach a minimum of 60 degrees C, which is when you know that it is cooked to perfection!
I am happy for the temperature to go slightly higher, firstly as salmon is such an oily fish.
And secondly my smoker has a pan of simmering water underneath the food which helps keep meat moist and juicy.
Your hot smoked salmon should fall apart, often in big, juicy chunks!
This flavoursome fish is super versatile too, accompanied by seasonal vegetables, with a salad or as mentioned previously, as an ingredient in lots of tasty dishes!