Two hot-smoked salmon sides with orange flesh resting on a wire rack
Posted on by Jimmy Thew

Hot-Smoked Dill Salmon

I treat this as fully cooked salmon with a gentle smoke and plenty of dill, not cold-smoked salmon. I use a probe rather than hoping the cooking time will be right for every side.

SERVES 4 · PREP 15 min + cure · COOK 1–2 hr

My setup is a Borniak UW-150 with an Inkbird Wi-Fi probe in the thickest part of the salmon. I find that a lot more useful than guessing from the smoker’s display or how long the fish has been in. Any well-controlled hot smoker works.

Ingredients

  • 600–800 g skin-on salmon side or 4 thick fillets
  • 12 g fine salt
  • 8 g light brown sugar
  • 1 tsp crushed black pepper
  • 1 tbsp chopped dill
  • 1 tsp lemon zest, optional
  • Apple or alder-style mild smoking wood
  • Probe thermometer
Salmon sides on a rack inside the Borniak electric smoker
The salmon sides in the Borniak.

Method

  1. I set up before lighting: check the smoker manual, ventilation, drip tray, clean racks, fuel, an independent rack-height thermometer and a sanitised meat probe. Keep raw food refrigerated until the smoker has stabilised. Record starting temperature and time.
  2. I check the salmon for pin bones, remove them with clean tweezers, pat dry and keep chilled. Do not wash it. Mix salt, sugar, pepper, dill and optional zest.
  3. Rub the cure evenly over the salmon and refrigerate covered for 30–60 minutes. This is a SHORT flavour cure, not a cold-smoked preservation process.
  4. Rinse the cure off briefly if the surface is salty, then pat completely dry. Put uncovered on a rack in the fridge for 30–60 minutes until the surface feels slightly tacky; smoke adheres better.
  5. I preheat Borniak to around 90°C for hot smoking. Ensure clean ventilation and use a mild wood, not an aggressive continuous cloud of oak.
  6. I put salmon skin-side down on an oiled rack. Smoke gently for about 45–90 minutes, checking periodically as the thickness dictates cooking time.
  7. I cook until fish is thoroughly cooked: flesh opaque and readily flaking throughout, with no translucent centre; follow the full cooking safety standard if cooking for anyone at increased risk.
  8. Lift the salmon carefully using a wide fish slice. Rest 5 minutes. Serve warm with dill, potatoes and green vegetables.
  9. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and eat within 48 hours or freeze. This is perishable cooked fish, NOT shelf-stable smoked salmon.