It’s worth your time to learn how to brine salmon if you want to make a smoky low-carb dish. It’s a simple way to add flavor to a healthy seafood meal that’s already chunky. You’ll be surprised with how quick and simple this recipe turns your regular night into a fancy dinner!.
No matter what time of week they come to visit, my in-laws love my super easy smoked recipes. What caught their attention the most is the flavor-filled salmon recipe that’s just brimming with flavor. They always ask me how my fish is perfectly cooked yet remains perfectly moist.
Since I love my in-laws so much, I shared my secret! “It’s all in the brine”, I said. Of course, I also share my recipe with you because I also want you to impress your in-laws. No hassle, no fuss, and most importantly, no complicated steps!.
Just like beef, pork, and poultry, seafood also brines well especially with the right juices, herbs, and spices. The flavor often depends on your preference.
Simple: 1 tablespoon of salt to 1 cup of water is all you need to make a brine.
The main purpose of brining is to infuse our desired flavors in the meat. Besides that, it helps the meat stay moist while it cooks in a smoker, oven, or fryer. Talk about hitting two birds with one stone; or in this case, catching two fishes in one line!.
I want to show you the different ways to brine before I talk about how I make my salmon brine. Bear with me because it’s really important especially if you want to get value for your money.
One of the most common ways to brine meats, and in this case, fish, is to put them in a solution of salt, sugar, water, spices, and other things. This method works best for low and slow cooking.
Average Brining Time – 8-10 hours depending on the size of the fish and ingredients used.
You know what I love most about this method? It brines the whole salmon evenly and keeps a lot of the water, which is great for smoking!
Salmon is one of the most popular fish used in home cooking. When prepared properly, salmon fillets result in tender, flaky and moist fish. However, salmon can also quickly become dry and overcooked if mishandled. This leaves many home cooks wondering: should you brine salmon before cooking for the best results?
In this article we’ll explore everything you need to know about brining salmon. You’ll learn what brining achieves its science and benefits, brining methods, tips, mistakes to avoid and answers to frequently asked questions. Let’s dive in!
What is Brining Salmon?
Brining refers to soaking meat, fish or poultry in a saltwater solution before cooking When it comes to salmon, brining means submerging raw salmon fillets in a diluted saltwater brine for 15 minutes up to a few hours before cooking
The saltwater permeates the salmon flesh and seasons it throughout The salt also alters the protein structure of the fish, resulting in juicier, more tender and flavorful cooked salmon.
The Benefits of Brining Salmon
In what ways does brining salmon fillets help? Here are the main ones:
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Enhances moisture – The salt allows the salmon to retain more moisture during cooking so it doesn’t dry out.
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Salt helps break down muscle fibers, which makes the salmon flaky and tender.
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Boosts flavor – The brine seasons and enhances the natural flavor of the salmon.
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Prevents overcooking – Brined salmon is harder to overcook since the moisture and salt preserve the fish.
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Allows forgiveness – Even if you overcook it slightly, brined salmon stays juicy.
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Quick and easy – Just a saltwater bath for 15-30 minutes before cooking.
The Science Behind Brining Salmon
The science behind brining lies in osmosis – the movement of water across a membrane.
When salmon fillets are soaked in a saltwater brine, the salt works to gently denature the proteins. This allows the brine solution to penetrate the meat more deeply.
Simultaneously, the salmon fillets release some of their natural moisture into the brine through osmosis. Once removed from the brine, the salmon soaks up some of that moisture again.
This exchange of fluids hydrates the salmon fillets throughout and alters their ability to retain moisture during cooking. The result is juicier, tender salmon with seasoned flavor.
How to Brine Salmon fillets
Brining salmon at home is simple. Here is a basic brining process:
Ingredients:
- 3 cups cold water
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- Optional spices: lemon, pepper, herbs
Instructions:
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Make the brine by mixing water and salt until dissolved. Add any extra flavorings.
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Place raw salmon fillets in a shallow dish and pour over brine to cover.
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Refrigerate 15 minutes up to 2 hours.
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Pat salmon dry and cook as desired.
Tips for Best Results:
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Chill the brine before using.
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Submerge fillets fully in the brine.
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Brine skinless fillets for best penetration.
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Don’t reuse brine. Make fresh each time.
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Rinse fillets after brining if the salt level is too high.
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Pat fillets very dry before cooking to prevent steaming.
Common Brining Mistakes
While brining salmon is fairly straightforward, there are some mistakes to avoid:
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Using too much salt – This can make the salmon overly salty. A 3:1 ratio of water to salt is optimal.
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Brining too long – More than 2 hours results in overly salty salmon.
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Not rinsing after brining – This leaves excess salt on the surface.
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Not patting dry – Wet fillets will steam instead of browning.
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Reusing old brine – Always make fresh brine to avoid bacteria.
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Warm or hot brine – The brine must be completely chilled.
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Incomplete submersion – All fillets need to be fully covered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are answers to some common questions on brining salmon:
Should you brine farmed or wild salmon?
You can brine both farmed and wild salmon. However, since wild salmon is leaner, brining helps safeguard moisture.
Can you brine salmon too long?
Yes. More than 2 hours risks over-brining and extremely salty salmon. 15-30 minutes is optimal.
Is wet or dry brining better?
Wet brining ensures even seasoning and moisture. Dry brining can create hotspots of excess salt.
Can you brine salmon in milk?
Yes, milk brining adds flavor and tenderizes the flesh. Combine 1 quart milk with 1/4 cup salt.
Can you freeze brined salmon?
It’s best to brine salmon right before cooking. But you can brine and freeze it for up to 2 months.
Does brining work for smoked salmon?
Absolutely! Brining helps smoked salmon retain moisture and prevents drying out.
Cooking Brined Salmon Fillets
Brined salmon can be cooked many ways. Some top cooking methods include:
- Pan seared or pan-fried
- Baked
- Grilled
- Broiled
- Poached
- Added to soups, pasta, rice bowls
Make sure the fillets are patted very dry post-brining. Lightly oil the fish, then season the top side with salt and pepper. Cook skin-side down first to achieve a crisp skin.
Cook until just opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Don’t overcook or you’ll lose all the moisture benefits from brining.
Serving Suggestions for Brined Salmon
In addition to easy pan-searing or baking, here are some tasty ways to serve brined salmon fillets:
- Salmon tacos or burritos with avocado salsa
- Salmon salad with greens, veggies and citrus vinaigrette
- Broiled salmon with lemon-dill butter
- Teriyaki glazed salmon with pineapple salsa
- Blackened salmon with Cajun spice rub
- Salmon cakes or salmon patties
- Smoked salmon appetizers and spreads
- Poached salmon in tomato basil sauce over pasta
- Salmon and veggie foil packets
With its versatility, brined salmon works great in everything from easy weeknight meals to fancy dinner party menus!
Brining Salmon Provides Big Payoff
While brining does require a small time investment upfront, the rewards are monumental when it comes to preparing salmon with an ultra-moist, tender and flaky texture. The seasonings also penetrate deep into the flesh.
Give brining a try next time you cook up a salmon dinner. Just a quick soak in saltwater transforms the eating experience. Salmon lovers agree the extra step is well worth it.
- Brining salmon before cooking hydrates the flesh and seasons it throughout.
- The benefits include more moisture, improved texture, added flavor and forgiveness if overcooked.
- A basic brine is just water, salt and optional seasonings like lemon.
- Chill the brine fully before using and brine skinless fillets for 15-30 minutes.
- Avoid common mistakes like reusing old brine or incomplete submersion.
- Cook brined salmon by searing, baking, grilling or broiling until just opaque.
- Brined salmon works great in everything from tacos to pasta dishes.
- While an extra step, brining salmon guarantees tender, juicy fillets every time.
So for your next salmon dinner, take the time to brine. Your tastebuds and your guests will thank you! Let us know how brining improves your salmon cooking experience.
Variations and Ingredient substitution
You can’t find some ingredient from where you are? No worries! I have the answer to your problem. Here’s a list of substitutes you can use in case you’re having trouble looking for the ingredients above.
- White table sugar can be used instead of brown sugar to get the same flavor effects. Simply change the amount so that the meat doesn’t get too dry.
- If you don’t have onion powder, you can use onion salt instead. I just want to let you know that this takes some of the salt out of the original recipe. Take out the same amount of regular salt from the recipe as you use of onion salt, which is 1 tablespoon.
- Don’t be afraid to switch up the herbs in this recipe if you don’t have thyme. While not thyme, you can use dried oregano, basil, or even rosemary instead. They are all herbs in the same family.
Dry Brine (My Favorite)
Best for Quick Smoking, Baking, and Frying – I personally use this method for my smoked salmon. It’s super easy and involves directly rubbing dry ingredients to the surface of the meat. Amazingly, it uses its own moisture to flavor it internally.
Average Brining Time – 6-8 hours in a fridge, sealed in a zip lock bag or cling wrap. DO NOT FREEZE!.
The salt pulls the water out of the meat in this method, which then flavors the top. The moisture then re-enters the meat which flavors the whole dish. Although it takes a while to take effect, it tenderizes the meat as the process takes place.
The ingredients for a dry brine for salmon is quite simple, any kitchen would probably have these ingredients. if you don’t have it yet, I’m sure it’s readily available in your local grocery store. Here’s everything you need to create a seriously flavorful brine.
- Salt is an important part of brining because it pulls water out of the meat. It works just fine with regular rock salt, but kosher salt would work better.
- Brown sugar—This part of the recipe is great because it doesn’t make the meat too dry. The salt in the meat already dries it out, and the regular sugar will make the effect stronger. Since brown sugar is already wet, it just adds flavor and doesn’t need much or any water.
- Thyme: It’s best to use fresh herbs in this recipe, but dried ones will also work. It’s better to use dried thyme for this recipe because it lasts longer.
- Onion Powder: This dried seasoning gives the meat a rich onion flavor that spreads out evenly. When used in a brine, it gives the fish a sweet and fragrant taste inside.
- Pepper—What’s salt without pepper? This simple ingredient will give your smoked fish brine a kick of heat.
- Lemon Zest—Add bits of lemon zest to your food to make it taste better. Not lemon juice, just the zest! I’ll explain why in a moment.