How to Smoke Salmon Bellies

Salmon bellies are rich, oily, and full of flavor. They take smoke better than any other cut because smoke loves fat. It settles in, clings to it, and brings out everything we love about this fish. That is why bellies are perfect for the smoker.

The recipe is simple, forgiving, and in the same ballpark as salmon candy. Tough to mess up and easy to make your own.

Here is how I do it:

Ingredients

2 pounds salmon bellies skin on
2 thirds cup brown sugar
1 third cup kosher salt
Maple syrup

Optional: Add a splash of bourbon or a little Sriracha to the syrup for the final glaze if you want to experiment.

The Cure

Mix the brown sugar and salt in a bowl. Sprinkle a light layer into the bottom of your container. Lay the bellies on top, meat side down, and cover them with more cure. If you are stacking pieces, keep enough mixture between each layer so the fish never touches.

You can flip the pieces halfway through the cure to keep things even. The mixture will turn wet as it pulls moisture from the fish. This is normal.

Let them cure in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours.

The Dry

Give the bellies a quick rinse under cold water to remove the cure. Do not soak them. Pat dry and place on a wire rack, skin side down. Now let them dry.

You want a tacky surface called a pellicle. It helps the smoke cling to the fish. I dry mine near an open window with a fan blowing from the side for about 2 hours.

The Smoke

Set your smoker to 180 F. Alder and applewood both work well.

Place the bellies on the grates, skin side down, and smoke for 4 to 6 hours depending on how firm and smoky you like them. Every 90 minutes, brush the tops with maple syrup. Less sweet? Skip a round. Want something close to salmon candy? Brush generously.

When they look glossy and deep in color, give them one last brush and let them cool on the rack. They will firm up a little as they reach room temp.

Storage

Once cooled, enjoy. They will keep in the fridge for 5 to 7 days, though they rarely last that long. This recipe is easy to scale and tough to mess up.

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