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How to Brine Salmon
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How to Brine Salmon

Knowing HOW TO BRINE SALMON will surely give you a bang for your buck especially for a smoky low-carb dish! A super easy way to add some flavorful love to your chunky and healthy seafood meal. You’ll be surprised with how quick and simple this recipe turns your regular night into a fancy dinner
Course How To
Cuisine American
Prep Time 3 minutes
Brining Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 3 minutes
Servings 4 -6
Calories 170kcal
Author Imma

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup salt
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons celery seeds
  • 2 teaspoons white pepper
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper
  • 1-2 teaspoons lemon zest (optional)

Instructions

  • In a small bowl mix together all the ingredients until everything is evenly incorporated.
  • Take your salmon cut and place it skin side down.
  • Rub the mixture on all the exposed meat parts of the salmon
  • Place the salmon on a dish and lover it with cling wrap to trap any moisture that might escape.
  • Give it around 6-8 hours for all the flavors and moisture to resettle back to the meat.
  • Rinse off any salt or dry rub mixture to avoid overpowering flavors.
  • Now your salmon is ready for smoking.

Notes

There are general rules in brining but based on my experience, it’s the know-how that sets you apart. Here are my tips and tricks to make the best salmon brine for your really expensive fish.
  • Never reuse a brine solution Say you’re hosting a party and your guests are really into smoked salmon. I suggest you prepare a lot of brine because you can’t reuse brines even for other meats. the potentially harmful bacteria that’s been drawn out from the meat or fish gets suspended in the brine.
  • Brining for smoked salmon? I’d keep the skin on if I were you. This keeps the whole fish together while smoking and it’s also easier to move around this way.
  • If you’re dry brining salmon. I’d pretty much steer away from the lemon juice. Its high level of acidity pre-cooks the meat which can make it a bit hard and sometimes rubbery. This can also dry out the meat. Use lemon zest instead for a zingier burst of flavor.

Nutrition

Calories: 170kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 7087mg | Potassium: 95mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 40g | Vitamin A: 6IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 1mg