Making smoked salmon at home is surprisingly approachable and rewarding. This recipe guides you through brining and cold-smoking a fresh fillet to silky, deeply flavorful perfection. The result is far superior to store-bought, with unbeatable texture and aroma.

Why You’ll Love This Smoked Salmon

• Unbeatable Flavor & Quality: Control smoke, salt, and sweetness for a perfectly balanced result.
• Make-Ahead Staple: Keeps for over a week, ready to elevate meals and entertaining.
• Simple Process: Mostly hands-off; just follow a few key steps for success.
• Endless Possibilities: Great on bagels, in pasta, salads, omelets, or solo.

Ingredients & Tools

• 1 side of fresh, skin-on salmon (about 1.5–2 lbs / 700–900 g), pin bones removed
• 1/2 cup (120 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal is preferred for its milder salinity)
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp (30 g) lightly crushed black peppercorns
• 1 large bunch of fresh dill, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp (5 g) grated lemon zest
• 2 cups (480 ml) cool water

Tools: A smoker (or grill set up for indirect heat), wood chips/chunks (alder or applewood are classic), a wire rack, a baking sheet, a sharp fillet knife.

Notes: The quality of your salmon is paramount—seek out the freshest, brightest fillet you can find. The sugar in the brine isn’t just for sweetness; it helps balance the salt and promotes that beautiful, glossy finish on the fish.

Nutrition (per serving)

Serves: 8 | Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus 12-24 hours brining) | Cook Time: 4-6 hours | Total Time: 16-30 hours

Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes

• Why is the skin left on? The skin acts as a protective barrier during the smoking process, helping the fillet hold its shape and making it much easier to slice off once everything is finished. It’s your best friend here.
• Can I use a different type of salt? You can, but be very careful with table salt. It’s much finer and saltier by volume, so if you substitute, use only about 1/3 cup to avoid an overly salty result. Kosher salt is really the way to go.
• What’s the deal with the “pellicle”? This is the tacky, shiny skin that forms on the fish after brining and air-drying. It’s not just for looks—this layer is crucial for the smoke to properly adhere to the salmon, giving you that deep, smoky flavor and beautiful color.
• Why cold smoke and not hot smoke? Cold smoking cures and flavors the fish without cooking it through, giving you that classic, silky, sliceable texture. Hot smoking would fully cook the salmon, resulting in a flakier, warmer product—which is also delicious, but it’s a different thing entirely.

How to Make Smoked Salmon

Storage & Freshness Guide

• Fridge: Keep tightly wrapped or in an airtight container for 7–10 days.
• Freezer: Portion and vacuum seal; freeze for up to 3 months.
• Reviving: If too salty, soak in cold water or milk for 10–15 minutes before serving.

Serving Suggestions

Complementary Dishes

• Classic Bagel Spread — There’s a reason it’s a classic. The creamy, tangy cheese, the chewy bagel, and the salty, smoky salmon are a perfect textural and flavor symphony.
• Scrambled Eggs or an Omelet — Gently fold flaked smoked salmon into softly scrambled eggs or a herb-filled omelet right at the end of cooking. It adds a luxurious, savory depth that transforms a simple breakfast.
• Creamy Pasta — Toss flaked salmon into a lemon-dill cream sauce with pasta. The heat from the pasta just barely warms the salmon, making it incredibly rich and satisfying.

Drinks

• Champagne or a Dry Sparkling Wine — The crisp acidity and effervescence cut beautifully through the richness of the salmon, cleansing the palate with every sip.
• A Crisp, London-Dry Gin Martini — The botanical notes in a good gin complement the herbal dill and the smoky notes of the fish in a surprisingly elegant way.
• Ice-Cold Vodka — The traditional Scandinavian pairing. The neutral, bracing chill of the vodka is the ultimate palate cleanser for the fatty, flavorful salmon.

Something Sweet

• Simple Lemon Sorbet — After a rich, savory meal featuring smoked salmon, a scoop of bright, tart lemon sorbet is the perfect refreshing finish. It’s light and palate-cleansing.
• Dark Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries — The bittersweet chocolate and sweet, juicy berry provide a lovely counterpoint to the savory umami of the salmon, ending the meal on a sophisticated note.
• Almond Biscotti — A crunchy, not-too-sweet biscotti with a hint of almond is wonderful for dipping into a post-dinner coffee and provides a nice textural contrast.

Top Mistakes to Avoid

• Mistake: Skipping the pellicle formation. I know it’s tempting to rush, but if your salmon is wet when it goes into the smoker, the smoke will just slide right off. You’ll end up with a pale, bland-tasting fish instead of that beautiful, smoky crust.
• Mistake: Letting the smoker get too hot. This is the most common error. If your temperature creeps above 90°F (32°C), you’re essentially slow-cooking the salmon, which will make it opaque and flaky instead of silky and sliceable. The low-and-slow mantra is key here.
• Mistake: Using green or un-soaked wood. Dry wood will burn too hot and fast, creating harsh, bitter smoke. Always soak your wood chips for at least 30 minutes to ensure they smolder and produce that sweet, thin, blue smoke we’re after.
• Mistake: Slicing the salmon before it’s fully chilled. Slicing warm smoked salmon is a messy, difficult affair. It will tear and shred. Letting it chill completely firms it up, making it easy to achieve those perfect, paper-thin slices.

Expert Tips

• Tip: Use a digital thermometer to monitor smoker temp. Don’t guess. A probe thermometer placed near the salmon (but not touching it) will give you an accurate read and help you maintain that crucial low temperature throughout the entire process.
• Tip: Experiment with wood varieties. While alder is the classic, don’t be afraid to try applewood for a fruitier, milder smoke, or even a small amount of maple for a touch of sweetness. Mixing woods can create a unique signature flavor.
• Tip: Slice against the grain for the most tender bite. Look closely at the flesh—you’ll see faint lines running the length of the fillet. Slicing perpendicular to these lines (on a slight bias) will give you the most delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
• Tip: For longer storage, vacuum seal it. If you’ve made a big batch, portion it and vacuum seal it. It will keep beautifully in the freezer for up to 3 months, letting you enjoy your homemade delicacy whenever the craving strikes.

FAQs

How long does homemade smoked salmon last in the refrigerator?
Properly stored in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, your smoked salmon will keep beautifully for 7 to 10 days. You’ll notice the texture might firm up a bit over time, but the flavor will remain fantastic. If you see any signs of spoilage like a sour smell or slimy texture, it’s best to discard it. For even longer storage, the freezer is your best friend.

Can I hot smoke salmon using this recipe?
You can, but the process and result will be different. For hot smoking, you’d smoke at a temperature around 225°F (107°C) until the internal temperature of the salmon reaches 145°F (63°C). The texture will be flaky and fully cooked, more like grilled salmon with a smoky flavor, rather than the silky, cured texture of traditional cold-smoked salmon. It’s still delicious, just a different preparation.

Do I have to use a smoker? Is there another way?
While a smoker is ideal, you can create a makeshift cold smoker using a cardboard box, a hot plate, and a smoking maze or pie tin with wood dust. It requires more monitoring, but it can work! There are also stovetop smoking devices available. For a no-smoke “cured” salmon (gravlax), you would skip the smoking entirely and just extend the curing time with the salt-sugar-dill mixture.

Why is my smoked salmon so salty?
This usually happens for one of two reasons: either you brined it for too long, or you used a finer-grained salt (like table salt) without adjusting the quantity. Next time, try reducing the brining time by a few hours or using the recommended weight/volume of kosher salt. You can also briefly soak the finished product in cold water or milk for 10-15 minutes to draw out some excess salt.

What’s the white stuff that sometimes comes out of smoked salmon?
Don’t worry, that’s completely normal! That white, albumin protein is forced out of the muscle fibers during the curing and smoking process. It’s harmless and edible, though some people prefer to wipe it off with a damp paper towel for a cleaner appearance. It’s more common in hot-smoked salmon but can appear in cold-smoked as well.