Yay Kosher

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Recipe Index
    • Passover Recipes
    • Shavuot Recipes
    • Healthy Eating
    • Kosher Breakfast Recipes
    • Side Dishes
    • Kosher Dinner Recipes
    • Barbeque
    • Kosher Soup Recipes
    • Spice Blend
    • Kosher Dessert Recipes
    • Treif Hack
    • Bread Recipes
  • Cooking Tips
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Passover Recipes
  • About Us
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Passover Recipes
  • About Us
×
  • crispy chocolate puffed quinoa bites feature
    Chocolate Puffed Quinoa Crisps (Kosher for Passover)
  • classic jewish beef brisket feature photo
    Classic Jewish Beef Brisket (Kosher for Passover)
  • angel food cake feature photo
    The Best Passover Sponge Cake With Strawberries (6 Ingredients)
  • eggplant and red pepper dip
    Easy Roasted Red Pepper Matbucha Dip with Eggplant
  • passover apple crisp feature
    Easy Sweet Apple Cinnamon Kugel without Noodles
  • mcdonald's tangy bbq sauce feature photo
    McDonald's Tangy Barbecue Sauce (Copycat)
  • gluten free chocolate fudge brownie feature
    The Best Passover Brownies (No Flour)
  • hamentashen feature
    Easy Hamantaschen Dough Recipe
  • slow cooker london broil with onion soup mix and beer feature photo
    Easy Slow Cooker London Broil with Onion Soup Mix and Beer
  • israeli salad feature
    Easy Israeli Salad with Cucumber and Tomato
  • matzo meal pancakes on a plate topped with strawberries and blueberries
    The Best Matzo Meal Pancakes (Bubbeleh)
  • chocolate mousse cake feature
    Chocolate Mousse Cake With Strawberries (Kosher for Passover)
Home » Recipes » Barbeque

Brown Sugar Smoked Salmon

June 7, 2021 by Ben Leave a Comment

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This kosher Brown Sugar Smoked Salmon recipe uses a simple rub to dry brine the fish. I love this smoked salmon rub because it really lets the natural flavors of the fish and the smoke be the highlights of the dish. This recipe is kosher, non-dairy, pareve, and gluten free. Read on to learn how to make the best homemade smoked salmon recipe.

Jump to:
  • Why This Recipe Works
  • Quick and Easy Preparation
  • How to smoke a salmon step by step
  • Recipe FAQ
  • Serving Suggestions
  • More recipes like this one
  • 📖 Recipe
  • Serving Suggestions
  • Subscribe
  • 💬 Comments
homemade brown sugar smoked salmon with a fork
This is the best of the smoker recipes for salmon.

Why This Recipe Works

  • Easy to make because it does not require a lot of cooking experience or technique.
  • Quick preparation time. Just like our Smoked Chicken Quarters, mix the smoked salmon rub and you can be ready for smoky salmon in under 5 minutes.
  • Cost effective. Homemade smoked salmon will cost you little more than the price of the fish.
  • Tons of flavor. Some refer to this recipe as smoke salmon because the smoke does all of the work. The simple salt pepper rub along with the smoking brings out the natural flavor of the fish.
homemade brown sugar smoked salmon on a bamboo cutting board
Salmon smoked!

Quick and Easy Preparation

Fish and rub. That's it, two ingredients to make Brown Sugar Smoked Salmon! The salmon rub is also referred to as a dry brine and is quick and easy to put together. You only need a few ingredients. Plus, if you make a lot of it beforehand, all you need to do is rub it on the fish and you are set for smoking. Here is what you will need for the rub:

smoked salmon rub ingredients
This is all you need to make a homemade smoked salmon rub
  • Salt - all good smoking rubs start with salt. This is because the salt is what begins the curing process and takes some of the excess moisture out of the meat or fish. The salt also brings the other flavors together nicely. Kosher salt works best for this.
  • Black pepper - gives the rub a little bit of a kick.
  • Brown sugar - this is the star of the show for this recipe. The brown sugar adds sweetness to the rub and caramelizes slightly during smoking.
  • Chili powder - brings a little bit of smokiness to the rub.
  • Crushed red peppers (optional) - strictly for heat.

How to smoke a salmon step by step

Step 1: Apply the smoked salmon rub.

If you have not yet prepared the spice rub, prepare that before applying anything. Once you have the rub, slather it all over the surface of the salmon using your hands. (It's not called a sprinkle its called a rub). It should start to melt immediately as the moisture is drawn out of the salmon and the sugar in the rub starts to break down. Rub for about 30 seconds and you will see some of the excess fall to the side, this is ok.

salmon rubbed with spice rub
This rub is amazing on salmon.

Step 2: Let the salmon sit while you prepare the smoker and wood.

I like to let the salmon sit on a wire rack while I start my grill or smoker. This will give the rub a chance to draw out some more of the excess moisture while the heat is prepared. The rub tenderizes the fish as it does this so it is never a bad thing to wait for up to an hour before smoking. During this step, you should also soak your wood chips or wood chunks in tap water.

salmon with rub on a wire rack
Let it really get in there.

Step 3: Place the salmon on the smoker or grill.

I use a dedicated gravity feed smoker and not a grill. This means that I can just place the fish on to a piece of aluminum foil and the smoker does the rest. (It almost feels like cheating). If you would like, you can also place the salmon on to a baking sheet. For those of you that are using a simple charcoal grill, you will want to use indirect heat. This means that you should have your coals on one side of the grill and the fish on the other side not directly above the coals. When the temperature of the grill or smoker has reached 225ºF, it is time to place salmon on the grill or smoker. Place it skin side down.

fish on aluminum foil in a smoker
The best smoked salmon recipe.

Step 4: Add the smoking wood

After the fish has been on the smoker for 15 minutes, add 2-3 wood chunks to the dedicated wood chip/ wood chunk box. (If you are using a charcoal grill, add 1 cup of wood chips directly to the coals. Close the lid and finish the smoking.

adding wood to a smoker
This is where the flavor comes from.

Step 5: How long to smoke salmon...

This is always a subject of controversy in our house. I like my fish on the less cooked side and everybody else likes it more cooked. If you like the fish on the lighter side of medium then remove the fish after 45 minutes. If you like it on the more well done side of medium, remove the fish after 1 hr. Either way, the internal temperature should reach 145ºF and the outside of it should look like this:

fully smoked salmon
This is how to smoke a salmon.

Step 6: Cut away the skin.

In some ways this is the most fun part of the recipe. When the salmon has finished smoking, peel back a small part of the skin and slide a butter knife along the bottom of the fish between the skin and fish. The knife should just glide along the bottom and separate the two layers without much resistance.

removing the skin from smoked salmon using a butter knife
Butter soft.

Recipe FAQ

How do I keep my smoked fish from drying out?

Most times, dried out smoked fish comes from overcooking it. There is no shame in checking the fish midway through the middle of the smoke in order to see if it is done to your liking. You can always cook for longer if the fish is not yet done, but you can't reverse it if it is over cooked.

What kind of wood is best for smoking?

We used hickory for this recipe but any wood with a lighter smoke profile is good for fish. Other options are cedar, cherry, and apple woods.

How much wood should I use for smoking fish?

Fish is a lot lighter and less dense than chicken thighs or beef and do not need as much smoke to give it the same smoky flavor. We recommend that you use enough smoking wood to burn for 15 minutes. This should give you enough smoke to really flavor the fish without overpowering the other flavors. If you like smokier fish then double that amount.

How do I store smoked fish?

Smoked fish is really easy to store. Just get a resealable plastic bag and place any leftovers inside. You can refrigerate homemade smoked salmon for up to 7 days. Smoked salmon also freezes very well and can last up to 6 months in the freezer.

Pin this to your Fish Boards on Pinterest

Serving Suggestions

  • With coleslaw or potato salad
  • Alongside an Israeli salad
  • Cut into pieces and put on top of a bagel with cream cheese
  • At a Shabbat morning kiddush
  • Topped with capers
  • Shred and mix with mayonnaise to make a smoked salmon salad.
  • Serve hot with your favorite side dish for a full meal. We like this along with Easy Sweet Potato Medallions, Sheet Pan Broccoli, Asian Slaw, or Broccoli Cheddar Quiche.
smoked salmon on a bamboo cutting board
You can actually smell this photo... and it smells amazing!

More recipes like this one

  • Fish Tacos In A Bowl
  • Smoked Chicken Quarters
  • Salmon Tikka Masala
  • The Best Homemade Taco Meat
  • BBQ Chicken Salad
  • Oven Roasted Asparagus
  • Cobb Salad
  • Spanish Rice
  • Spaghetti Bolognese
  • Lo Mein Noodles
  • Quinoa Salad

📖 Recipe

smoked salmon with a fork

Brown Sugar Smoked Salmon

A tasty salmon treat made right on your own grill or smoker.
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dinner, fish, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Jewish, Kosher
Keyword: bbq, fish, smoked
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour
Servings: 4
Calories: 429kcal

Equipment

  • grill or smoker

Ingredients

Brown Sugar Rub

  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red peppers optional

Salmon

  • 2 lbs salmon fillets
US Customary - Metric
Get Recipe Ingredients
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Brown Sugar Rub Instructions

  • Mix together the brown sugar, salt, black pepper, chili powder, and crushed red peppers

Salmon Instructions

  • Using your hands, rub enough of the brown sugar rub into the salmon fillets to completely coat the top of each fillet.
  • Heat your grill or smoker to 225ºF.
  • Let the salmon fillets sit while the grill or smoker is heating up. Also, at this time soak the wood chips or wood chunks in tap water for 30 minutes.
  • When the grill or smoker has reached 225ºF, place the salmon on to a piece of aluminum foil skin side down and place it on to the grill or smoker for 15 minutes.
  • After 15 minutes add the wood to the coals or smoke box. Let smoke for 30-45 minutes. Smoked salmon internal temp should be 145ºF.
  • Remove the fish from the grill and run a butter knife in between the skin and bottom of the fish.

Notes

Serving Suggestions

  • With coleslaw or potato salad
  • Alongside an Israeli salad
  • Cut into pieces and put on top of a bagel with cream cheese
  • At a Shabbat morning kiddush
  • Topped with capers
  • Shred and mix with mayonnaise to make a smoked salmon salad.
  • Serve hot with your favorite side dish for a full meal. We like this along with Easy Sweet Potato Medallions, Sheet Pan Broccoli, Asian Slaw, or Broccoli Cheddar Quiche.

Nutrition

Calories: 429kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 125mg | Sodium: 7189mg | Potassium: 1162mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 240IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 2mg

Subscribe

* indicates required

More Kosher BBQ Recipes

  • slow cooker bbq chicken feature
    Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Thighs
  • london broil marinade recipe feature
    London Broil Marinade Recipe
  • smoked brisket feature
    Kosher Smoked Brisket
  • slow cooker pulled beef feature
    Slow Cooker Pulled BBQ Beef

Comments

No Comments

5 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

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

Recipe Rating




Popular

  • almond flour banana muffins feature
    The Best Banana Muffins With Almond Flour (Kosher for Passover)

  • GG's Matzo Farfel Kugel (Savory Passover Stuffing)

  • gluten free passover cheesecake feature
    The Best Crustless Passover Cheesecake (Gluten Free)

  • sweet matzo kugel feature-1
    Passover Sweet "Noodle" Kugel (Non-Dairy)

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Subscribe

  • Sign Up for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact

Copyright © 2025 YayKosher

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.

Terms and Conditions - Copyright - Disclosure Policy - Privacy Policy