Smoked Salmon Brine

4.82 from 53 votes

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Smoked salmon brine is the key to perfectly moist, tender smoked fish. This recipe and video explain how to make and use salmon brine!

Looking for instructions on how to smoke salmon? You’ll find them in my post on how to smoke salmon. This post explains how to make the brine for smoked salmon.

fish in brine for smoked salmon


On occasions like Christmas brunch or a New Year’s Eve party, nothing is quite as delicious as smoked salmon. The fish is fantastic with bagels and cream cheese, on a salad, or served as an appetizer with pumpernickel bread, quick pickled red onions, and crackers.

The problem is, smoked salmon is expensive to buy. The solution is to make it yourself and it isn’t difficult at all. It’s a mystery to me why there are so many people smoking without brining salmon first.

Sure, the brining process takes several hours, but skipping this step leads to the fish being dry and lacking flavor. Nobody enjoys that, so let me show you how simple it is to make and use a brine for smoking fish.

Some people refer to the process as curing, and the solution as a cure. Whatever you call it, this one imparts a lot of good flavor and helps in the preserving process.

Smoked salmon brine FAQ

Do I need to brine salmon before smoking?


If you want flavorful and moist smoked salmon, then brining is a necessity. Without it, the fish will be dry and lack flavor.

How long should I brine my salmon before smoking?


Allow at least 3 hours and up to 8 hours for the brining solution to soak into the fish. Keep in mind that whole salmon filets can be very thick, and you want the brine to work all the way through the flesh.

Can you brine salmon too long?


Unfortunately, yes. Smoked salmon brine has a hefty amount of salt in it; leaving the fish in the solution for longer than 8 hours will lead to an unbearably salty flavor. Also, the firm salmon flesh will begin to break down, which can lead to a mushy texture and mouthfeel.

curing salmon in brine

Ingredient notes and substitutions

The typical fish brine has three elements – sugar, salt and water, and most recipes call for equal parts of sugar and salt.

I use a slightly different ratio; a quarter cup salt to one third cup sugar and four cups of liquid. The liquid can be just water, but for flavor, I include some soy sauce and dry white wine. Feel free to use low sodium soy sauce or adjust to less per your taste.

Video: making and using salmon brine

The brine is simple to make, and the actual process of brining the fish is really more about hands-off time than anything else.

To see the process from start to finish, watch the video in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Instructions

For this recipe, mix together the sugar, salt, soy sauce, water, wine, onion and garlic powders, pepper and Tabasco sauce in a bowl with a whisk to incorporate and thoroughly dissolve the sugar and salt.

After making the brine, it will be ready to use immediately. Otherwise, transfer it to a covered container and store it in a refrigerator for up to 5 days.

How to use smoked salmon brine

  1. Pour some of the brine in the bottom of 13×9-inch pan.
  1. Place the salmon filets in the pan and pour the remaining brine over the salmon to cover. Ensure that the fish is fully submerged in the brine.
  1. All that’s left at that point is to brine the fish for 8 hours and it will be ready to put on the smoker. After brining, you may refrigerate the brined salmon for up to two days before smoking, or you can immediately begin the process of making smoked salmon. The first step is drying it to create a pellicle.

What is a pellicle?

A pellicle seals moisture inside of the fish and creates a sticky surface for the smoke to adhere to.

To create a pellicle, place the brined salmon in front of a fan to dry and develop a shiny skin. This process takes about 4 hours, and it is vital to do so. Another option is to leave the fish uncovered on a baking sheet in the refrigerator. The cold, circulating air works great.

pellicle on salmon

For instructions on smoking the fish, click here to see my recipe for smoked salmon.

slices of smoked salmon next to whole smoked salmon

This post, first published on Kevin Is Cooking Jan 5, 2014, was last updated with new content on Oct. 12, 2021.

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fish in brine for smoked salmon

Smoked Salmon Brine + How-To Video

4.82 from 53 votes
Smoked salmon brine is the key to perfectly moist, tender smoked fish. This recipe and video explain how to make and use salmon brine!
Servings: 1
Prep: 10 minutes
Total: 10 minutes

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • To a large bowl, add sugar, kosher salt, soy sauce, water, wine, onion and garlic powders, pepper and tabasco sauce. Use a whisk to incorporate and thoroughly dissolve the sugar and salt.
  • Pour a little of the brine in the bottom of a 13×9-inch pan. Transfer salmon to the pan and pour remaining brine over the salmon to cover. Refrigerate for 8 hours.
  • This brine is for 3 pounds of salmon as in my Smoked Salmon recipe.

Video

Notes

  • Nutritional information shown is for a full batch of salmon brine. Only a small portion of the brine is actually absorbed into the fish and consumed. To see nutritional information for smoked salmon including the brine, see my post, how to smoke salmon.

Nutrition

Serving: 1oz | Calories: 737kcal | Carbohydrates: 119g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 45446mg | Potassium: 1149mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 78g | Vitamin A: 303IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 146mg | Iron: 12mg

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Course: Marinades
Cuisine: American
Have You Made This Recipe? Let Me Know on InstagramTag @keviniscooking or tag me #keviniscooking!
hand pulling salmon from brine

Kevin

Whether in the kitchen or on the grill, you’ll find me cooking American favorites with a love for BBQ, Mexican and Tex Mex. I’m passionate about making tasty food because life’s too short to be bland!

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232 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Thank you
    I have made this recipe probably 8 times and it always receives rave reviews. Every time someone asks, I make sure to send your page.

    Looking forward to bringing this tomorrow to family for Easter. Thanks from Wisconsin

    1. Hi Eric! I was out in Madison not too long ago. Beautiful part of the country. Hope your Easter smoked salmon was a hit! Thanks so much for the feedback and letting me know. Cheers!

  2. Hi Kevin,
    I bought a Bradley Smart Smoker, read your recipe and I like to try it. My only dilemma is that my smokers lower temperature is 120 F. Any advice how to proceed with the recipe? Thank you, Amira.

    1. Hi Amira, thanks for stopping by. In my recipe I have temps and times as such: Start @ 100°F for 2 hours, then 140°F for 2 hours and finally 175°F for the final 2 hours. What I would do if your lowest is 120°F is maybe do this: Start @ 120°F for 1 1/2 hours, then 140°F for 2 hours and finally 175°F for the final 2 hours. My thoughts are you’re going to have to do some testing, but as long as the end result is a firm fish you should be good to go. Let me know how this turns out.

      1. 5 stars
        Hi Kevin
        This method worked perfect, we absolutely love it. I followed your recipe, didn’t change a thing and turn out perfect. I’m doing it again tomorrow, have big crowd to feed for my husband birthday.
        Thanks!

      2. So happy to read comments like this. It’s a great one and I’m glad you guys enjoyed it. I love it myself, thanks for coming back and letting me know Amira and tell your husband Happy Birthday!

  3. I am getting a smoker for Christmas (Smoke Hollow 36” Propane). Can’t wait to use it. My absolutely first item I am going to try is Salmon. Saw your recipe and it looks great and easy for me as I will be a novice at this. I did not see on your recipe if the salmon had skin on or off? Which do you prefer or does it matter? Just want to be sure before I try it.

    Thank you in advance!

    1. This walks you through the entire process Bob. I do leave the skin on for a little stability and when you are ready to eat the smoked salmon it’s not an issue, the meat just comes right off. Let me know how it all turns out and best of luck with the new smoker! Cheers! 🙂

  4. Kevin, When you pull the salmon out to dry for 4 hours under a fan is that being left out on the counter? Is it okay food prep wise to leave uncooked fish out that long in room temperature. I am not familiar with this technique. Just bought a camp chef 24″ smoker and converted it to natural gas. Your recipe will be my first cook.

    1. Hi Ryan! Feel free to leave uncovered in the refrigerator to do this also. Basically after it’s brined for 8 hours it’s pretty safe to do it. I have never had any problems and have done it both ways when I had no fan available. Just bring salmon to room temperature before smoking.

  5. My wife bought me an electric smoker for Christmas. First time smoking Salmon. I fish Alaska every year and come back with loads of salmon (Sockeye, Kings and Silvers) I followed your recipe and it was the best smoked salmon I’ve ever tasted. Moist and tender. I took it to the office and my staff loved it. I or should I say you, have created a monster with this recipe. Many thanks for posting it.

  6. I love smoked salmon, but hate the high price for such small portions, so I thought I’d try this on my husband’s smoker. It was a tiny bit on the salty side, but still totally delicious!! I didn’t have any wine, so I just used extra water. Next time (and there will absolutely be a next time) I’m going to reduce the salt in the brine. I think we’ll be trying your pastrami recipe next!!

    1. So glad you enjoyed this Kami. I have adjusted the soy sauce to a low sodium one in the recipe, just a head’s up on that for your next batch. With the typical brine being three elements – sugar, salt and water and most being equal parts sugar and salt, I use a quarter cup salt to one third cup sugar to four cups liquid. The liquid being water, soy sauce and a dry, white wine here. Feel free to use low sodium soy sauce or adjust to less per your taste. Let me know how the pastrami turns out for you!

  7. The salt ratio in this recipe is totally bs. This is a terrible recipe. I wasted $175.00 worth of salmon on the crap.

    1. David, sorry to read of your experience. I have been making this same recipe to smoke salmon for years and have had no issues. As for the salt ratio, this is my personal recipe, not sure what could have happened while you were making this. This is for 3 pounds of salmon, if you paid $175 I am assuming you made more than that and possibly the ingredients amounts were off when you made yours. Not sure.

  8. – “Next you’ll want to place these in front of a fan to cool…”

    This sounds a bit odd considering that this instruction comes after removing the salmon from the refrigerator, where it’s been sitting for 8 hours.

  9. Have you ever used brown sugar in place of the white sugar? My dad had this great recipe also and he used brown sugar. Going to try using that in place of the white sugar. Thanks for the great recipe!

    1. No I have not, but you know I’m gonna do just that next time. Great one Becky and Becky’s dad! Thanks and have a great weekend!

  10. I can’t wait to try this – in fact buying the salmon today. My smoker (ancient Little Chief) has only one temp; On. Will rotating shelves be enough to compensate for the increasing temp you suggest? Other ideas?

    Thanks also for the clear explanations on your recipe!

    Katherine

    1. So sorry for the late reply here Katherine! I was scrolling through to respond to a new one and saw yours. Apologies! I would think rotating is a great idea. How did it turn out? Would love to hear back and I promise to respond. 🙂