How to Make Smoked Salmon Like Alton Brown

Some people need to be taught to like smoked salmon, but once they do, they love the unique and intense flavor of the treat. Not to be confused with lox, smoked salmon is a type of preparation that involves smoking fish with wood to make it taste better. No matter if the filet is cold smoked or hot smoked, it can be dry cured, wet cured, or not cured at all. It can be eaten raw or cooked.

Of course, food science aficionado Alton Brown has done this at home (and thinks you should, too). Brown likes to cure the fish first, before the smoking process even takes place. But Brown does one more important thing before he cooks the salmon: he weighs it down. This is done after he rubs the salmon all over with seasoning and lets it cure in the fridge for 24 hours.

Why? Because adding weight and applying pressure to the fish will ultimately enhance its final taste and texture. “Compressing the meat will make it take the cure better,” Brown says in an episode of “Good Eats.” The salmon will also “end up with a finer texture.” “.

Smoked salmon is a delicious and impressive appetizer or main course that seems intimidating to make at home. However, with a few simple steps you can make restaurant-quality smoked salmon right in your own kitchen.

Overview of the Process

The basic process for smoking salmon involves:

Curing the raw salmon in a salt sugar, and spice mixture. This draws moisture out of the fish seasons it, and preserves it.
Air drying the cured fish to form a tacky outer layer called a pellicle. This allows the smoke to adhere to the fish.
The fish is smoked at a low temperature (less than 175°F) until it reaches 140° to 150°F inside.
Allowing the smoked salmon to rest before eating or storing.

While this seems like a complex process, it just takes a bit of time and the right techniques. Following a recipe from a trusted source like Alton Brown ensures success.

Alton Brown’s Method

Alton Brown is a chef known for his meticulously tested recipes and scientific approach in the kitchen. His smoked salmon recipe produces incredible results by focusing on a few key areas:

1. A Basic Dry Cure

Alton uses a basic dry cure of 1 cup kosher salt, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and 1 Tbsp crushed peppercorns. This is rubbed all over the salmon, which is then wrapped tightly and refrigerated for 24 hours, flipping halfway through.

The salt draws moisture out of the fish while dissolving some proteins, making the flesh firmer. The sugars add sweetness and balance the saltiness. Pepper provides warmth.

2. Careful Drying

After rinsing off the cure, Alton dries the fish thoroughly. This could take 2-4 hours in front of a fan or in a breezy spot.

Forming the pellicle is vital so the smoke can adhere and so albumin (fish proteins) don’t weep out during smoking. Rushing this step ruins the texture.

3. Low, Slow Smoking

Alton brings the smoker up to only 150-175°F. Much hotter, and albumin will escape. The salmon smokes for 2.5-3 hours until cooked through.

4. Resting

After smoking, the salmon rests at room temperature for an hour before refrigerating. This allows the texture to further firm up.

Tips for Success

Follow these tips to get perfect smoked salmon like Alton Brown:

Use fresh, sushi-grade salmon if possible. Make sure thick areas are under 2 inches.
Weigh down cured salmon tightly so the cure draws out moisture evenly.
Dry thoroughly to form the pellicle. Drying in a breezy, shady spot works well.
Use a thermometer to monitor smoker temp. Add ice to the pan if needed to keep it cool.
Use apple, cherry, or other mild wood for flavor. Soak chips 30 minutes before use.
Smoke until it reaches 140-150°F internally. Check in a thick spot with a thermometer.
Let rest 1 hour before refrigerating or serving. This improves texture.
Slice thin on a bias. Serve with lemon wedges, capers, toast points or bagels.

Making It Your Own

Once you have the basic method down, feel free to experiment:

Play with different wood types like hickory, pecan, alder for varying smoke flavors.
Add spices like coriander, mustard seed, or chili flakes to the cure.
Brush with maple syrup during smoking for sweetness.
Try smoking trout, mackerel, or other oily fish. Adjust cure and smoking times.
Use a stovetop smoker to make smaller batches. Monitor temperature closely.
Cold smoke for lox at under 70°F before serving raw. Takes 12-24 hours.

With Alton Brown’s foolproof instructions, you can learn how to make incredible smoked salmon at home. Experiment with flavors and techniques once you have the basics mastered. Impress your family and friends with your own homemade version of this luxe appetizer.

Frequency of Entities:
Alton Brown: 7
smoked salmon: 14
smoke: 5
salmon: 13
make: 4
fish: 5
temperature: 3
cure: 5
sugar: 2
dry: 4

how do you make smoked salmon alton brown

How to dry cure salmon at home

You should start with a good, large filet of salmon that has had the skin left on and any bones or pins taken out, just like Alton Brown did. Brown’s dry rub recipe only calls for kosher salt, sugar, brown sugar, and peppercorns. But you can add more flavor with fresh herbs, garlic, citrus zest, or more of your favorite spices. Stick to an equal amount of salt and sugar—about 1 cup of each for every pound of salmon—and about a teaspoon of any other flavoring for every pound of fish.

Then comes rubbing, wrapping, and weighing down the fish. First, spread the dry cure out slowly on a piece of plastic wrap. Then, put the fish on top of it, skin side down. Spread more of the seasoning on top, rubbing it generously into the piece of fish. Next, wrap the salmon tightly in plastic wrap (Brown likes to add foil). Place the filet between two flat surfaces, like baking sheets or planks, and put it in the fridge. You can use a Dutch oven, a phone book, or heavy cans to weigh it down.

Brown recommends leaving it to sit and cure in the fridge for 24 hours, flipping it halfway through. After the time is up, wash the fish, pat it dry, and set it aside in a cool place for one to three hours to dry 100%.

Alton Brown Makes Smoked Salmon | Good Eats | Food Network

FAQ

How is traditional smoked salmon made?

After the salmon is rinsed, it is dried on wire racks. At this point, the salmon is already largely preserved from the curing. After a quick drying process, the salmon fillets are loaded into the smoker. Cold smoking, which yields a smooth, silky texture, requires a temperature of less than 90 degrees fahrenheit.

How to prepare and eat smoked salmon?

Easy Pairings for Smoked Salmon Tossed into a green salad with a lemony dressing. Stirred into hot pasta with a light tomato sauce, green onions, fresh parsley and extra-virgin olive oil. As deconstructed sushi: Eat it with steamed short-grain rice, avocado, cucumber, and seaweed strips for folding up the bites.

Do you have to prepare smoked salmon?

Because it has been smoked and can be served as is, there is very little need for preparation when it comes to this fish.

Do you cook pre smoked salmon?

Portion size. Serving: As soon as the salmon arrives, place in the refrigerator (or freeze if for use at a later date). Smoked Salmon is already cooked, so it typically needs no further cooking. Preparing it as often as simple as pairing it with herbs, bread, wine or other foods and drinks.