Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 4 lb sockeye salmon (2 pieces, 2 lb each)
  • 1 quart cold water
  • 1/3 cup kosher salt
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Instruction

  • In a large plastic container with a lid, combine the water and salt. Add fish skin side up. Brine for 4-8 hours in the fridge.
  • Remove from the brine, rinse well with cold water and pat dry. Set a drying rack on top of large baking sheet and place the fish, skin side down on it. Let the fish dry for 8-12 hours in the fridge to form a pellicle.
  • Preheat your pellet grill. Set the temperature to 180 F. You can start smoking the fish at 150 F and gradually increase the temperature to 180 F.
  • Remove fish from the fridge.
  • In two small bowls, combine the ingredients for the sweet and savory rubs.
  • Rub one piece with the sweet rub and the other with the garlic dill rub.
  • Place salmon on the smoker skin side down and smoke for 3-5 hours, until the internal temperature reaches 135 -140 F. You can baste the fish (the sweet rubbed piece)while it is smoking with maple syrup or orange juice.