The Best Hot Smoked Salmon Recipe – brined, then dry-rubbed and smoked sockeye salmon, that tastes amazing.
Sockeye salmon with its bright red color and rich flavor is a fabulous fish to smoke. When hot smoked correctly, sockeye salmon emerges from the smoker moist, tender and infused with a lovely smoky flavor. However, being a lean fish, sockeye can easily dry out if smoked improperly or for too long. So how long should you smoke sockeye salmon to get perfect results every time?
Why Smoking Time Matters for Sockeye
Other types of salmon, like king or Atlantic salmon, have more fat than sockeye salmon. This makes sockeye more prone to drying out when exposed to heat. Sockeye can become dry and flaky if it’s cooked for more than 5 or 10 minutes too long.
That’s why paying attention to smoking times is especially important for sockeye salmon. You want to smoke it long enough to cook through and impart flavor, but not so long that the fish dries out. Finding that sweet spot requires understanding how smoking temperatures and fillet thickness impact total smoking time.
Smoking Temperatures for Sockeye Salmon
The temperature you smoke sockeye salmon at is one of the biggest factors determining how long it takes.
Lower temperatures (180°F to 220°F) take longer but are gentler. If it stays this warm, sockeye can smoke for 45 minutes without drying out. The fish cooks slowly and gently, so the inside can reach safe eating temperatures before the outside dries out.
Higher temperatures (225°F to 250°F) require less time but risk overdrying. Smoking around 250°F cuts the cooking time nearly in half compared to lower temps. However, sockeye salmon can toughen and lose moisture rapidly above 225°F, so frequent checking is a must.
For the best results, I prefer smoking sockeye salmon at around 225°F. This provides a good balance between smoking quickly while minimizing moisture loss.
Fillet Thickness Matters Too
The thickness of your salmon fillets is another key factor in how long they need to smoke.
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Thin fillets less than 1 inch thick may only need 15-25 minutes at 225°F.
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Thicker fillets from 1 to 1.5 inches can take 25-35 minutes.
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Very thick fillets over 1.5 inches may need upwards of 40-45 minutes if smoking at 225°F.
In general, figure about 30 minutes per inch of thickness when hot smoking sockeye at 225°F. Thinner pieces will smoke faster, while thicker cuts need more time.
Use an Instant-Read Thermometer
While smoking times provide useful guidelines, the only way to definitively know when your sockeye salmon is done is to use an instant-read thermometer.
For best results, smoke sockeye salmon until it reaches an internal temperature of 130°F to 135°F. This ensures it’s cooked through while minimizing moisture loss that happens above 140°F.
Ideally, insert the thermometer into the thickest part of fillets to check for doneness. This prevents overcooking thinner ends and tails.
Smoking sockeye exclusively by time risks over or undercooking. A good instant-read thermometer takes the guesswork out of when your salmon is perfectly smoked.
My Favorite Smoking Time for Sockeye Salmon
I prefer smoking sockeye salmon fillets and steaks at around 225°F. This provides a good balance between quick cooking and retaining moisture.
For 1 inch thick fillets, I find approximately 30 minutes gives the best results. Thinner or thicker pieces may need slightly less or more time.
I always rely on an instant-read thermometer to confirm the fish reaches 130°F at the thickest area. This ensures moist, flaky and perfectly smoked sockeye salmon every time, regardless of variations in thickness.
My wife is on a special diet that requires her to eat wild-caught fish. Using these simple tips helps me smoke wild sockeye salmon so it stays tender and juicy instead of dried out.
Tips for Moist Smoked Sockeye Salmon
Follow these tips for smoking sockeye salmon that stays succulent:
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Smoke at 225°F or less to prevent overdrying.
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Cook to 130°F internal temperature, not by time alone.
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Check often as it nears doneness to prevent overcooking.
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Brine first to keep it moist during smoking.
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Rest 5-10 minutes after smoking before serving.
What if You Don’t Have a Smoker?
You don’t need fancy equipment to enjoy smoked sockeye salmon at home. A basic charcoal or gas grill can be turned into a smoker with a little creativity:
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Use indirect heat by heating coals on one side only.
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Add wood chips to generate smoke – soak first for 30 minutes.
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Place salmon opposite the coals to smoke gently around 225°F.
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Close the lid to contain the smoke flavor.
While it requires some effort, you can mimic hot smoking on a standard backyard grill with great results.
Fantastic Recipes for Smoked Sockeye Salmon
Smoked sockeye salmon tastes amazing on its own, warm or chilled. But you can also use it in endless recipes like:
- Smoked salmon hash with potatoes, onions, and eggs
- Pasta with smoked salmon, peas, and creamy sauce
- Tacos with smoked salmon, cabbage, avocado and spicy mayo
- Smoked salmon and goat cheese quesadillas
- Eggs benedict with smoked salmon instead of ham
- Smoked salmon salad with greens, capers, and lemon vinaigrette
- Smoked salmon dip or spread with cream cheese and fresh dill
With so many possibilities, smoking up a batch of sockeye salmon means you can enjoy it throughout the week in different ways.
Master Smoking Sockeye Salmon
Smoking sockeye salmon correctly results in tender, moist and delicious fish that makes an amazing meal. Follow these simple tips to smoke sockeye of any thickness perfectly:
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Smoke at around 225°F to balance quick cooking with moisture retention.
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Cook to an internal temperature of 130°F-135°F.
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Allow 30 minutes per inch of thickness as a general guideline.
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Use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness instead of relying solely on time.
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Rest for 5-10 minutes after smoking before serving.
Frequency of Entities:
how long to smoke sockeye salmon: 18
sockeye salmon: 39
at 225°F: 6
for 30 minutes: 3
to an internal temperature of 130°F-135°F: 2
My wife is on a special diet that requires her to eat wild-caught fish: 1
https://www.vindulge.com/smoked-sockeye-salmon/ : 1
https://honest-food.net/how-to-smoke-salmon-recipe/: 1
How do I make smoked salmon?
There are lots of ways to do it, and each cook likes to use the one that works best for them.
I’ve tested a few different ways, because I wanted to try try smoking salmon without any sugar.
Most hot smoked salmon brine recipes call for the use of brown sugar, salt and water.
Brown sugar is used as a preservative for salmon. No, the final result doesn’t taste too sweet, if you decide to use brown sugar in the brine.
I made two kinds of salmon, and one of them didn’t need any sugar, so I only used salt and water to make the brine.
I brined the salmon in water and salt in the fridge for 8 hours. You can do it for as little as 4 hours or up to 12 hours.
After a good rinse, I put it on a drying rack over a baking sheet and put it in the fridge for 12 hours to get pellicle on the fish skin.
This is an optional step, but highly recommended.
The shiny layer that forms on top of the salmon after it has been cured (brined) and dried is called the pellicle.
What kind of wood is best when you smoke salmon?
You can use your favorite pellets, either Traeger or Green Mountain grill wood pellets.
Oak, hickory and maple are all good choices.
This is How I get PERFECT Smoked Salmon EVERY Time
FAQ
How long does it take to smoke salmon at 225 degrees?
Is sockeye salmon good for smoking?
How do you know when salmon is done on the smoker?