House of Q’s pal, Chef Tom at All Things Barbecue, shared in his YouTube video all the steps to prepare, cure, smoke, and glaze a filet of salmon. We think this is a great video to learn how easy it is to do and how to achieve great-tasting hot smoked salmon!

Chef Tom shares this recipe, which utilizes a short cure for texture and a sweet-tangy glaze that features House of Q Slow Smoke Gold BBQ Sauce for a glossy finish. It is smoked at 250°F, allowing for great smoke without drying out the fillet. The salmon can be used for dinner tonight, and then you can pile the leftovers on bagels or salads tomorrow. For salmon, BBQ, and smoke fans, this method is a keeper!

Why Hot Smoke Works for Salmon

Cold-smoked salmon provides a silky and salty-flavoured fish. Grilled salmon is juicy and quick. However, hot-smoked salmon can be right in the middle. By preparing the fish with a cure, it tightens the flesh, adds flavour, and draws out moisture. The smoking of the fish adds colour and flavour while keeping the texture dense and sliceable.

The steps we will take to prepare this salmon will include:

• Quick cure: provides great texture.
• Low heat smoke: provides more smoke exposure and even cooking.
• Glaze: provides a glossy coating, sweetness, and tang.

Preparing the Fillet: Removing Pin Bones

Being excited about having a bite of smoked salmon can be great; however, having a mouthful of bones can detract from the experience. Let’s review how to remove the bones and enjoy a clean eating experience by removing all the bones.

Run your fingers along the center line of the fillet to check for pin bones. Use clean needle-nose pliers to grip each bone and pull it in the direction it is pointing. Take your time and be careful not to tear the flesh. If a bone breaks, go a little deeper and try pulling again until it comes free.

Check twice by running your fingers across the line. A smooth pass means you’re set.

Build a Pellicle? What’s That?

Follow the steps below in the recipe to cure the salmon. This provides flavour and texture for the fish. It is an important step when you want to achieve a flaky texture that is also easily slicable with a knife. However, once cured, there is still one more step to prepare the fish for the smoker: developing a pellicle. A What?

Once cured, the fish needs to be prepared for smoking. Or, differently worded, ensuring the fish is ready to withstand smoke. A pellicle is a thin, tacky surface that helps smoke stick to the fish. To do this, the cured fish is dried in a refrigerator for a few hours. The key is to have lots of air circulation around the fish. When ready, the fish should feel slightly sticky to the touch, not wet. That is a pellicle!

When is it Ready?

Like all well-cooked dishes, the clock is not the best indicator of when it is ready. A thermometer is your best solution to this important question. For fish, the target temperature is approximately 140°F. Hot-smoked salmon deteriorates in moisture rapidly above this temperature. Check the temperature in the thickest part of the fish. For some filets, it will take an hour to reach this temperature. For other, thicker filets, it might take a couple of hours. It all depends on the thickness of the fish, amongst a long list of other things to consider when cooking. However, the best way to determine this is to check the temperature with a thermometer.

Hot Smoked Salmon on the Grill with Maple Mustard Glaze

Print Recipe

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine Smoker

HoQ Product Competition Beef Rub, House Rub, Slow Smoke Gold BBQ Sauce

Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 3 hours hrs

Servings 3

Author House of Q

Ingredients

• 1 1.5 lb salmon fillet, pin bones removed

For the Cure

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup kosher salt
• 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/4 cup House of Q Competition Beef Rub or House Rub

For the Glaze

• 1/4 cup House of Q Slow Smoke Gold Mustard Sauce
• 1/4 cup maple syrup

Instructions

• Combine the cure ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Place the salmon fillet skin side down in a baking or casserole dish. Pour the cure over the salmon and make sure all edges are coated. Place in the refrigerator and after two hours, turn the fish, flesh side down. Refrigerate for two more hours.
  
• Remove the salmon and rinse with cool water. Place the fish on a cooling rack and inside a tray to catch any drippings. The point here is to dry the fish but making sure there is plenty of air circulation. Return the salmon in the fridge, uncovered, for up to 24 hours, to form the pellicle.
  
• Preheat your smoker to 250°F, set up for smoking. Place the salmon in the smoker and cook until the internal temperature reaches 120°F.
  
• At this time, combine the ingredients for the glaze and brush the glaze onto the flesh of the salmon. Continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 140°F. Remove from the grill.
  

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