Even in Brooklyn, we’ve managed to finagle a hearty grill and smoker setup; while we don’t explore the smoker much, we have gotten pretty good at a couple things, like this hot smoked salmon recipe. It’s now a staple at any large party we host and we always buy more salmon than we need so we have leftovers for a couple days after.

Since we were hosting the same day I filmed this, I didn’t get to take my usual photos, so these are all Francois’s snapshots.

It’s a little sweet and lots of spices to balance out the sweetness. We serve it with lemon wedges and whatever mayo/creme fraiche thing Francois conjures up. But a basic shawarma white sauce is pretty delicious with it.

Hot Smoked Salmon Recipe

for a 2-3 pound fillet of salmon

Brine ingredients:
3 cups brown sugar
1 cup kosher salt
2 tbsp each cumin, onion powder

Rub:
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp salt
1 tbsp each: paprika, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder
1 tsp black pepper

Summary: In a tray large enough to fit the entire fillet, make a shallow layer with the brine mixture. Add salmon skin side down and fully encrust the salmon with the brine mixture. Let sit, covered in the fridge, for 12-24 hours. Scrape off remaining brine, rinse salmon, and pat dry. Set out on a wire rack or tray for 2 hours, to develop a film. Lightly cover the salmon in the rub mixture. Heat smoker to 200F and add salmon. Cook for about 2 hours or until internal temp is 130-140F. *We use a mixture of apple and hickory wood.