| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 3 hr 30 min |
| Prep: | 10 min |
| Inactive: | 3 hr |
| Cook: | 20 min |
| Yield: | 6 servings (as an appetizer) |
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup kosher salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 1 pound skin-on center-cut wild salmon fillet
- 2 slices lemon
- 3 to 4 sprigs thyme
Instructions
- Brine the fish: Combine the brown sugar, salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and 4 cups water in a large bowl. Stir until the sugar and salt dissolve. Add the salmon and weigh down with a can or skillet to keep it submerged. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Soak the wood chips and cedar plank in water 1 hour, then prepare your grill for smoking.
- About 30 minutes before smoking, remove the salmon from the refrigerator; drain and pat dry. Place the salmon, skin-side down, on the cedar plank and season with salt and pepper. Top with the lemon slices and thyme sprigs. Let stand at room temperature to dry out, 30 minutes.
- Once the grill reaches 250 degrees F, place the plank with the salmon on the cooler side of the grill. Close the grill and let smoke until golden and just cooked through, about 20 minutes. If using a gas grill, turn off the flame and let the fish sit 10 more minutes (this is not necessary if using charcoal; it imparts more smoky flavor). Remove from the grill and serve hot or at room temperature.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 223 |
| Total Fat | 5 g |
| Saturated Fat | 1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 29 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 27 g |
| Protein | 17 g |
| Cholesterol | 34 mg |
| Sodium | 290 mg |
Reviews
OMG!! I cannot believe how many people will fail to follow the instructions in any given recipe, and then blame Food Network when the result of their efforts comes out nasty and inedible!
I am fully familiar with my culinary abilities (or lack of them) and I would think twice before tackling an INTERMEDIATE recipe. But even I know that brining is NOT the same as marinating. And the instructions make it very clear that this recipe involves brining.
I’m not going to bore everyone by summarizing the differences, since most of you are, no doubt, already aware. But for those of you that aren’t, spending some quality time with Professor Google should enlighten you. Hint: search on ‘brine vs marinade’
Appreciated the salt, pepper, thyme, and lemon recommendation but definitely needed higher temp and more time than what the recipe calls.
Rediculous amount of salt called for in this recipe, as the other comment said, it was unedible, please don’t use this recipe if you’re reading this.
I must agree..WAY TOO MUCH SALT…almost inedible…I read the negative review after I placed the salmon in the brine..so I only brined for 45 min..ugh..so salty
If you disappointed in this recipe, try my tried and tested technique, family recipe handed from my grand father to me find it at http://propanesmokerreviews.com
Cheers
Cheers
Not overly salty for my tastes, but I might back off on the salt a bit in the brine or seasoning a little next time. For two full sockeye fillets @ 250 F with applewood smoke from a pellet smoker my cooking time was 50 minutes i.e. not steaks, which might have cooked a little faster, rather an entire side of a salmon. An instant-read thermometer saved us any underdone surprises and I stopped at 135F. A good Oregon Pinot Noir paired up really nicely. Get it right and this is a world-class treat.
Would you please amend your smoke instructions to include electric smokers.
Horrible, horrible recipe, and shame on the food network. First off, salmon will not cook in 20 minutes at 250 degrees F. So once i realized that was an issue and cranked up the grill temp to reach a reasonable internal temp, there was yet another issue. The recipe calls for too much salt in the marinade! After two bites I knew it was inedible and threw the entire dish out. I was very annoyed at waisting such a beautiful fillet. Never, ever use this recipe.