• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
Fox Valley Foodie
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • About the Fox Valley Foodie
  • Subscribe
  • Recipe Index
  • Contact
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Smoking Grilling & BBQ

    Honey Smoked Salmon

    Published: May 18, 2021 · Modified: May 24, 2022 by Fox Valley Foodie · This post may contain affiliate links

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Honey Smoked Salmon

    Honey smoked salmon is a sweet and smoky treat that is a must-try for any seafood lover. The delicious honey glaze is spiked with fresh ground black pepper and a hint of cayenne for a kick. This is great to enjoy by itself or serve on a bagel topped with cream cheese.

    Honey smoked salmon on plank.

    How to choose your salmon

    Wild-caught salmon is the best choice. It has the best flavor and it is free of artificial colors. Fresh salmon is recommended, of course, but you can grab frozen salmon filets out of the freezer selection as well. Sockeye salmon, Atlantic salmon, Chum salmon, or whatever your local store carries, will work well. Although Chinook salmon is often preferred.

    You can purchase an entire side of salmon or pre-cut filets. This is a personal preference. I find an individual salmon filet is more maneuverable and fits in my smoker more easily. These are also great for making salmon bites!

    Best wood for smoking salmon

    Alder wood is the traditional choice, as it has a delicate delicious smoke flavor. It is what I used in my previous homemade smoked salmon recipe, however, when that is not available I like using fruit woods such as apple or cherry. Personally, I avoid overly strong-smelling woods like hickory wood or mesquite.

    What ingredients you will need

    • Salmon - Fresh or thawed.
    • Kosher salt
    • Brown sugar
    • Honey
    • Black pepper - Fresh ground pepper is recommended.
    • Cayenne pepper - This can be omitted if you are sensitive to heat.

    Equipment Needed

    • Smoker - I like using an electric smoker for this recipe because it is easier to maintain lower temperatures. With some skill, a charcoal smoker or charcoal grill can also be used. However, it will be more difficult to maintain the proper temperature.
    • Plastic wrap - This is needed to cure the fish.
    • Meat thermometer - This is needed to check for doneness.
    • Baking pans - You will need two of them while curing the salmon.
    Smoked salmon with a honey glaze shown from above.

    How to cure the salmon

    No one likes bones, or pins, in their smoked salmon, so begin by removing those from your filets. Then we will cure the salmon with a dry cure mixture of kosher salt and brown sugar. It is basically a really thick dry rub.

    To do this, mix together the sugar and salt in a small bowl and then lay out a long sheet of plastic wrap. Sprinkle half of the mixture onto the plastic. Set the salmon on it and sprinkle the other half of the mixture on top of the surface of the fish. The meat should now be fully covered.

    Wrap the salmon tightly with the plastic wrap and set it on a baking sheet or sheet pan. Set a second baking sheet on top of the salmon and weigh it down. Finally, place it in the refrigerator for 12 hours to cure.

    After 12 hours remove the salmon from the cure and rinse well under cold water. Then pat dry with paper towels. Return the salmon to the fridge for 3 more hours, uncovered, to dry the exterior of the meat, which will help form a delicious crust.

    How to smoke it

    You are now ready to hot smoke your salmon fillet. However, first, we need to add the honey glaze. This is simply done by painting the meat with a thin layer of honey and then dusting it with fresh grinds of black pepper and a little bit of cayenne pepper to taste. Alternatively, you can mix the honey, black pepper, and cayenne together in a dish and then paint the honey mixture on the fish. However, that takes more work.

    Place salmon inside a 165 degree smoker, skin side down. It can be placed directly on the rack or some people prefer to use cedar planks. Wood chips should be added at this time for smoke.

    Smoke until it the internal temperature of the salmon reaches 150 degrees when tested with a meat thermometer. This should take three or four hours. Then remove from the smoker and set on cooling racks. When cool enough to handle place in the refrigerator until cold.

    Smoked salmon with a bowl of honey.

    More Smoked Fish Recipes

    • Smoked Tuna Steaks
    • Smoked Trout Dip
    • Salmon Salad Sandwich
    • How to Smoke Salmon

    Can you do me a favor? If you enjoyed my post would you mind sharing it with your friends? You can see more of my recipes by liking me on Facebook and follow me on Pinterest too. Otherwise, stay up to date by getting each new post sent directly to your inbox by subscribing today.

    Honey smoked salmon recipe.

    Honey Smoked Salmon

    Honey smoked salmon is a sweet and smoky treat that is a must-try for any seafood lover.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate Save Saved
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 hours
    Cook Time: 4 hours
    Total Time: 19 hours
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 202kcal
    Author: Fox Valley Foodie

    Equipment

    • Smoker
    • Plastic wrap
    • Baking sheets

    Ingredients

    • 1 side of salmon with pins removed

    Cure

    • 1 cup kosher salt
    • 1 cup brown sugar
    • 1 tablespoon black pepper

    Rub

    • ½ cup honey
    • 1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
    • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

    Instructions

    Curing

    • Mix together the cure for the salmon and lay out a long sheet of plastic wrap.
    • Add half of the cure mixture on top of the plastic wrap and set the salmon on it. Sprinkle the remaining cure on top of the salmon, ensuring the surface of the meat is fully covered. Then wrap the fish tightly with the plastic wrap.
    • Set the wrapped salmon on a baking sheet and place a second baking sheet on top of the salmon to press it. Weigh it down with canned goods or other heavy objects and set in the refrigerator for 12 hours to cure.
    • After 12 hours unwrap the salmon, rinse off the cure under cold water and discard it along with the plastic wrap. Pat the salmon filet dry with paper towel and set it back on the baking sheet. Return it to the fridge for 3 more hours to dry the exterior.

    Smoking

    • Remove the salmon from the refrigerator and paint the meat with a thin layer of honey. Then dust the honey glaze with black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste. For best results, let the salmon come to room temperature (but this isn't 100% required).
    • Preheat your smoker to 165 degrees.
    • Set the filets in the smoker and add the wood chips. Smoke until the salmon reaches 150 degrees, which should take 3-4 hours.

    Notes

    You can smoke an entire side of salmon or cut it into smaller filets first.
    For a different flavor, you can swap out maple syrup for the honey.

    Nutritional Information

    Calories: 202kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 3555mg | Potassium: 167mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 44g | Vitamin A: 117IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it Today!Mention @FoxValleyFoodie or tag #foxvalleyfoodie!

    Get My FREE eCookbook

    mailer

    Subscribe to FoxValleyFoodie.com and get each tantalizing new post sent directly to your inbox, along with my complementary eCookbook just for signing up!

    « Meatloaf without Breadcrumbs
    Chicken Wings Brine »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ray Riordan

      August 30, 2021 at 10:22 am

      Aug. 30, 2021
      I’ve been following you for over a year and really enjoy your variety of recipes. Recently I tried your Honey Smoked Salmon recipe on a 10 lb. King Salmon I caught on a Lake Onterio fishing charter. I had never smoked salmon before although my wife and I have always enjoyed store bought products over the years. I followed the curing process and slow smoking with applewood chips on my Weber grill. We were extremely disappointed that the salmon was sooo salty! I followed the recipe to a “T” and wonder if the 1 cup of Kosher salt in the curing process may have been listed in error? Please advise with any expert advice on making my next salmon smoking experience a big success. Would making a smoked salmon dip with my salty salmon be a good alternative that wouldn’t choke my guests? PLEASE HELP!!!

      Reply
      • Fox Valley Foodie

        August 31, 2021 at 8:57 am

        I am sorry for any issues. Did you by chance you regular salt rather than kosher salt? That would make a big difference because of the size of the salt grains. And yes, you could use it for a dip, just don't add any salty ingredients to the dip with it (like Worcestershire sauce).

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Subscribe

    15834

    Get each tantalizing new recipe

    sent directly to your inbox.

    AND GET MY eCOOKBOOK FREE!

    Search for your favorite post!

    Popular Recipes

    Homemade mozzarella sticks with string cheese

    Homemade Mozzarella Sticks with String Cheese

    Fried chicken gizzards recipe.

    Fried Chicken Gizzards

    Venison Meatloaf Recipe

    Venison Meatloaf

    How to make paprika

    How to Make Paprika

    Close up Sloppy Joes

    Homemade Sloppy Joes - Better Than Manwich

    Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs - Bone In

    Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs (Bone-In)

    Brown Sugar Meatloaf with Secret Ingredient

    Brown Sugar Meatloaf - With a Secret Ingredient

    Big Mac Sauce Copycat Recipe

    McDonald's Big Mac Sauce (Copycat Recipe)

    As featured in yahoo, buzzfeed, oprah, msn and more!

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    Fox Valley Foodie, LLC

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Brunch Pro on the Brunch Pro Theme