Traditional Smoked Fish (Salmon & Mackerel)
Learn how to make traditional smoked fish using salmon and mackerel, featuring easy brining and both hot and cold smoking methods to infuse deep, smoky flavor.
Equipment
- Smoker
- Wire Rack
- Large Bowl
Ingredients
Brine
- 1 liter water
- 100 g kosher salt
- 50 g brown sugar
- 5 black peppercorns crushed
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tsp mustard seeds optional
- 1 lemon zested
For Smoking
- Wood chips Alder, Applewood, or Oak
- Olive oil for finishing
- Fresh dill optional
- 2 fillets salmon
- 2 fillets mackerel
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix water, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, bay leaves, mustard seeds, and lemon zest until dissolved to make the brine.
- Submerge salmon and mackerel fillets in the brine. Cover and refrigerate for 6–12 hours.
- Remove the fish, rinse under cold water, and pat dry. Let air dry on a wire rack for 1–2 hours to form a pellicle.
- Prepare your smoker. For hot smoking, preheat to 75°C (167°F). Add soaked wood chips (Alder, Applewood, or Oak) to the smoker.
- Smoke the salmon (cold smoke) for 6–12 hours or the mackerel (hot smoke) at 75°C for 2–3 hours until firm and flaky.
- Allow fish to cool completely before serving or storing. Refrigerate up to 7 days or vacuum seal and freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
For enhanced flavor, use alderwood chips for a light smoky taste. Always allow the fish to develop a pellicle before smoking for better smoke adherence.