Hot-Smoked Whole Side of Salmon

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Appears in Cook's Illustrated May/June 2021

For the moist, flaky texture of perfectly roasted fish and a salty-sweet, smoky flavor, relax and let the refrigerator and the grill do the work.

SERVES16

TIME1½ hours, plus 8 hours curing and drying

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WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

We love the sweet, salty flavor and silky yet firm texture of hot-smoked salmon, but we're not as fond of its price: about $40 per pound. Making our own—a full side—cut the price by about three-quarters. We started by blanketing our salmon ...

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