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How to Smoke Salmon with a Smoker in 4 Easy Steps

While there’s a link between a diet high in saturated fat and higher levels of LDL, there are some foods that have the opposite effect. When you choose unsaturated fats, they’re a healthier option and can help improve your cholesterol levels. One example of unsaturated fat is salmon. 

In this article, explore how to smoke salmon. Read on to learn the exact tips to have the perfect salmon that you can cook in a smoker for a delectable experience. 

Why Eat Salmon? 

Not only is it an unsaturated fat, but it has plenty of Omega 3 DHA. You’ll find that salmon has Vitamin D as well. 

Besides smoking it, you can bake, grill, or place it in a frying pan. For the whole salmon, baking is the best option. 

You’ll want to opt to eat fish about twice a week. It’s a great choice as well for those who don’t like white fish. 

  1. How To Smoke Salmon With a Smoker? 

Before you begin, you’ll want to decide between an electric vs propane smoker. You’ll also want to include charcoal, a wire rack, wood chips, and a smoker box.

A smoker box is what you use to store wet wood chips for producing the smoke. Also, for the salmon, your best options are either frozen wild salmon or wild-caught. 

  1. Beginning the Process

First, you’ll want to marinate your salmon 24 hours prior to smoking it. For the best marinade, you’ll want to combine garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, water, salt, and brown sugar. 

Place it in your refrigerator for 24 hours with the skin-side up. Make sure not to let it sit for more than 24 hours since it can become soggy. 

  1. Using the Smoker

You’ll want to prepare the wood chips. First, place the wood chips with water and whiskey into a mixing bowl. Stir it and let it soak for 30 minutes. 

Next, you’ll want to heat the smoker to 250-270. When the wood chips are smoking, that’s when you can smoke the salmon. 

It’s best to smoke salmon for 3-4 hours at 225 degrees F. Once you set it to smoke, you’ll want to let your grill preheat with the lid closed for 5-10 minutes. 

Next, you can place the salmon right on your grill grates skin side down. Cook them for 3-4 hours or until the internal temperature is 145 degrees. Once it’s done, you can slice it thin and enjoy it. 

  1. Serving Smoked Salmon

Once it’s done, you can serve smoked salmon with crackers and Boursin cheese. You can also put it in or on pretty much anything such as pizza, pasta, and salad. If you don’t have a smoker, you can try a propane or regular gas grill. 

Exploring How To Smoke Salmon

Now that you’ve explored how to smoke salmon, you should have a better idea of how to attain the perfect salmon. Would you like to read more healthy eating content? For everything from low-calorie to vegetarian, check out our other articles today.