Recipes Breakfast and Brunch Meat and Seafood Seafood Dry-Brined Smoked Salmon 3.7 (6) 4 Reviews 2 Photos A perfect dry-brined smoked salmon recipe. We've been playing with smoked salmon recipes for years and this quick dry-brine process is easy and delicious. A go-to appetizer in our house any time there's a party. Try serving it with plain bagels and cream cheese. Submitted by Kaitlyn85 Updated on November 14, 2022 Save Rate Print Share Close Add Photo Prep Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs Additional Time: 8 hrs 15 mins Total Time: 10 hrs 30 mins Servings: 12 Yield: 3 pounds Jump to Nutrition Facts Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1x 2x 4x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. Original recipe (1X) yields 12 servings 1 ½ cups brown sugar, divided 1 cup kosher salt 3 pounds salmon fillets ½ cup honey 2 (12 fluid ounce) cans or bottles cola-flavored carbonated beverage (such as Coca-Cola®) (Optional) 3 cups wood chips, soaked Directions Mix 1 cup brown sugar and kosher salt together in a small bowl. Spread a thin layer of the brown sugar mixture in the bottom of a 9-inch baking pan. Arrange 2 to 3 salmon fillets on top; cover with some of the brown sugar mixture. Repeat layers until all the salmon fillets are coated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate, 8 hours to overnight. Preheat a smoker to 195 degrees F (91 degrees C) according to manufacturer's instructions. Rinse brown sugar mixture off salmon fillets. Brush fillets lightly with honey and sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar on top. Pour cola-flavored beverage into the smoker's water pan; add water to within 1 inch of the top. Place half of the wood chips around the perimeter of the hot charcoal. Place salmon on the cooking racks. Cook salmon, adding more wood chips if needed, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 145 degrees F (63 degrees C), about 2 hours. Cool before serving, at least 15 minutes. Editor's Note: Nutrition data for this recipe includes the full amount of brine ingredients. The actual amount of brine consumed will vary. I Made It Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 296 Calories 4g Fat 45g Carbs 21g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 12 Calories 296 % Daily Value * Total Fat 4g 5% Saturated Fat 1g 5% Cholesterol 49mg 16% Sodium 7653mg 333% Total Carbohydrate 45g 16% Total Sugars 45g Protein 21g 42% Vitamin C 1mg 1% Calcium 65mg 5% Iron 1mg 4% Potassium 429mg 9% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. ** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data. (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.