Sugar based smoked salmon brine

[7mmfan]

I’m getting ready to do a big batch of smoked salmon this weekend. I want to try something different, thinking a sugar or brown sugar based brine. I want a sweeter salmon is the goal. Thinking maybe brown sugar, maple syrup, a little garlic, chipotle, and maybe some soy sauce for color and salt? Anyone have something they think fits the bill? I’d even try a dry brine if it sounded right.

Just looking for opinions and experience.

[Lightning_Rider]

Brush some honey on there about an hour before you pull the fish from the smoker 

[h20hunter]

3 to 1, brown sugar to kosher salt. Dry brine,  cover it for 5 to 24 hours.

Smoke

Near the end...light brush with high quality maple syrup.

Little more time,  take it out.

Salmon candy.

[7mmfan]

Have you found a longer brine time makes it significantly stronger flavor?

[blackpowderhunter]

heres a brine i just did the other day
2 quarts ice cold water
1 cup Kosher salt
4 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup lemon juice
tbsp. garlic powder
tbsp. onion powder
tbsp. black pepper
1 cup of pure maple syrup

most of below was summer kings, but found some pink fillets in there too.
brine overnight, pull out and rinse all of the brine off and set it out with a fan LIGHTLY blowing on the salmon for a few hours to form the pellicle.  then smoke to your desired doneness.

[7mmfan]

heres a brine i just did the other day
2 quarts ice cold water
1 cup Kosher salt
4 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup lemon juice
tbsp. garlic powder
tbsp. onion powder
tbsp. black pepper
1 cup of pure maple syrup

most of below was summer kings, but found some pink fillets in there too.
brine overnight, pull out and rinse all of the brine off and set it out with a fan LIGHTLY blowing on the salmon for a few hours to form the pellicle.  then smoke to your desired doneness.

Looks good. Thanks for the input everyone.

[gaddy]

Are those jalapenos ? hmm?

[luvmystang67]

I simply do layers of brown sugar and rock salt only, for probably 24 hours (maybe 48 if its thicker).  The brown sugar will liquefy and turn into kind of a brown syrup.  If you use big kernel rock salt, then you need more than you think.  I layer slabs in a disposable turkey pan and can usually get about 4 layers of salmon in each one.

Smoke 2 pans of chips (bout 2 hours with chips replaced in the middle), then let dehydrate a few more hours (2-3) and voila, pretty awesome stuff.

You don't need to get fancy with other ingredients, sugar, salt and smoke does a pretty darn good job.

To each their own though.  It makes a recipe seem more unique when you put more stuff in, I'm just skeptical that the average person can taste it.   

I do think its a bit like sharpening a knife.  Dad says if you get lost in the woods, sit down and sharpen your knife.  Someone will come show you how to do it and you'll be saved.

[HikerHunter]

3 to 1, brown sugar to kosher salt. Dry brine,  cover it for 5 to 24 hours.

Smoke

Near the end...light brush with high quality maple syrup.

Little more time,  take it out.

Salmon candy.

I do this except 4 to 1 maple brown sugar to non-iodine salt ratio. Haven't tried syrup near the end, but it still comes out like salmon candy!

[762Armo]

heres a brine i just did the other day
2 quarts ice cold water
1 cup Kosher salt
4 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup lemon juice
tbsp. garlic powder
tbsp. onion powder
tbsp. black pepper
1 cup of pure maple syrup

most of below was summer kings, but found some pink fillets in there too.
brine overnight, pull out and rinse all of the brine off and set it out with a fan LIGHTLY blowing on the salmon for a few hours to form the pellicle.  then smoke to your desired doneness.

Which smoker do you use?

[7mmfan]

I do think its a bit like sharpening a knife.  Dad says if you get lost in the woods, sit down and sharpen your knife.  Someone will come show you how to do it and you'll be saved.

I like that 

[blackpowderhunter]

I use a traeger and run it on smoke setting for 3 ish hours. Then bump it to 180 to finish off. Also yes. Those are jalapeños that I put on from the beginning. You get a hint of spice but they’re not really Spicey at all. I love jalapeños though. Give it a try


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[7mmfan]

I use a traeger and run it on smoke setting for 3 ish hours. Then bump it to 180 to finish off. Also yes. Those are jalapeños that I put on from the beginning. You get a hint of spice but they’re not really Spicey at all. I love jalapeños though. Give it a try


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Another guy I know does the same thing with the jalapenos, I'm going to give it a shot.

[The Weazle]

3 cups dark brown sugar, one cup non iodized salt, 10 teaspoons garlic powder.  Layer fish skin side down with liberal amounts of brine for 12 or more hours.  Rinse fish and let air dry, then smoke at 140-150 with alder until done.

[7mmfan]

This is basically what I did, minus the garlic powder, and added jalapeno slices to the fish in the smoker. Turned out fantastic. Very happy with it all. Particularly pleased with the jalapeno pieces. Just a hint of heat in the meat. Delicious.

[lokidog]

I've always used half and half water/soy and about a quarter to a third cup of brown sugar per cup of liquid. After an overnight soak, I sprinkle onion and garlic powder and black pepper on it.

[7mmfan]

I've done the soy and Garlic/onion recipe in various forms many times, and I'm never particularly pleased with it. I was much happier with the simple salt/sugar brine, heavy on the sugar, this go around. I'll be fine tuning this in the future.

[cavemann]

how long do you guys smoke and what temp??  I have a crappy stand up smoker and use charcoal and wood chips.  hard to regulate temp, but I can get is close to 120 and keep it there.  I think other thing I'm doing wrong is full fillets, is everyone cutting them in chunks?

[270Flat]

has worked for me over the years. Started when we’d smack the crap out of the steal head on the snake below Pullman in college. Cut Fish into 1”-1 1/2” strips. makes for easier packaging. Equal parts dark brown sugar, soy sauce. Depending on qty of fish I add granulated garlic (1tbs/3lbs) and crushed red peeper flakes (1tbs/3lbs).
I use long tuberware (stacks in the fridge nicely) and marinate for 2-4 days depending on how much time I’ve got. I’ll shake and stir the batch 2x daily as the sugar will dissolve and create a nice slurry. The longer you let it set the richer the flavor will be. I smoke over applewood.
This is a good recipe for salmon and steelhead as they are fishy enough to keep the fish flavor and get a good salty sweet flavor as well.
Man it’s time to go fishing!

[7mmfan]

how long do you guys smoke and what temp??  I have a crappy stand up smoker and use charcoal and wood chips.  hard to regulate temp, but I can get is close to 120 and keep it there.  I think other thing I'm doing wrong is full fillets, is everyone cutting them in chunks?

Temp regulation makes a big difference, but you can only do the best you can do. I smoke for 2 hours at about 165 and then no smoke at about 185-200 until the fish is dried as much as I want, which is usually another 1.5-2 hours depending on the thickness of the fish. I usually do thinner pieces, I like tail sections a lot because they're thin and uniform. I do body pieces as well, but I prefer to eat those on the grill so they don't usually make it to the smoker.

[cavemann]

right on, thanks 7mm...  I think the higher temp at the end is what I'm missing

[lokidog]

I smoke as low as it will go and produce smoke. I found my propane smoker was too hot for fish, even after plugging half the holes with stainless nails. I prefer electric and have had good luck even with the Little Chiefs. I slice my filet in vertical strips 1/2 to one inch wide depending on how thick the fish was..

[AL WORRELLS KID]

7mmfan, Thanks for showing us how your Recipe turned out, looks pretty good!
We like to raid our Bay Leaf Tree out on the Patio and crumble up a few Fresh Picked Leaves and add them to the Recipe (Spices things up a bit too). 
Doug

https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/how-to-cook/how-to-make-a-brine