I like to tell people, “Never say never!” I thought I’d never like salmon until I tried smoked salmon. And there’s an added bonus to the great flavor that smoking imparts. Smoking, which uses low heat, is a great way to maximize the health benefit of salmon’s omega-3 content. (Omega-3s are easily oxidized by heat; see sidebar, opposite.)
But whenever I ask a butcher or smoke shop what ingredients are in their smoked salmon, I find that they season it with some sort of sugar and often soy sauce, which contains wheat. That is why I love to smoke my own! Not only are you in charge of the ingredients, but you can also control how smoky you make your foods. The longer you smoke something, the more smoke flavor the end product will have.
Marinade
- ½ cup coconut aminos or wheat-free tamari
- 3 tablespoons MCT oil
- 2 teaspoons Swerve confectioners’-style sweetener or equivalent
- 3 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Special Equipment
- Smoker
- 4 cups wood chips of choice
How to Make It
- Cut the salmon fillets into 4-by-3-inch pieces.
- Mix the marinade ingredients together in a large glass or nonreactive metal bowl. Place the salmon pieces in the bowl, cover, and place in the fridge to marinate for 2 hours or overnight.
- Thirty minutes before you smoke the salmon, place the wood chips in water to soak. Drain. To Smoke the Salmon
- Read the manufacturer’s directions for your smoker before you begin. There are wood, electric, propane, and charcoal smokers, and each type works differently. Start the smoker and, if your smoker came with a water bowl, add water to it. When the temperature reaches 180°F, you can start smoking the salmon.
- Rinse the marinade off the salmon and dry it with paper towels. Place the salmon skin side down in the smoker. Secure the lid so that it is airtight and no smoke escapes. Smoke the salmon for 30 minutes.
- Increase the heat to 230°F and cook the salmon for an additional 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Remove the salmon from the smoker. Let cool and cover tightly until ready to serve. Store in the fridge for up to 10 days. If you vacuum-seal it, the smoked fish will keep for up to 3 weeks. Or you can store it in the freezer for up to a month.
| Nutrition Facts |
Serving Size 1 |
Nutritional Value Per Serving | Calories 250 kcal Calories from Fat: 105.3 kcal |
|
% Daily Value*
|
| Total Fat 11.7 g 33% |
Trans Fat 0.0 g |
Protein 36.7 g 73% |
* Above mentioned %DVs (Percent Daily Values) are based on 2,000 calorie food intake.
DVs (Daily values) may be vary depending upon individuals daily calorie needs. Above nutritional values are estimates and should only be used as a guide for approximation. They are not allfoodchef.com recommendations. Calculations are based on average weight of 194 lbs. and ages of 19 to 50 years. |