Smoked Candied Salmon on the Kojin Grill: Recipe

This recipe is from Hank Shaw at Hunter Gather Cook

After diving in to the deep end of the pool with the Snow Peak Kojin Grill the week prior and attempting to make a 18lb brisket, I wanted to get after something a little bit more manageable and entry level. But perhaps more importantly, something with a shorter smoke time that I would be able to make at home on the back porch. 

Having grown up in the Pacific Northwest, seafood and particularly salmon has been a staple of my diet. No matter how it was prepared it was always floating in our orbit, but when it was smoked or candied it never hung around long. While it doesn't last long, it also is relatively quick to make. Even though you can stretch it out over a weekend for a longer cure, it can easily be done start to finish in a single day. 

I used the Kojin Grill for my smoking, its big surface means that I can fit all 5lbs of salmon at once on a single rack. This allows for an even smoke and consistent temperature for each piece. You can use the Kojin right out of the box since you don't need additional Grill Plates or Inserts for this recipe. But a wireless thermometer will come in handy. For storage, I use the Jikaro Carrying Case, with the large main pocket I can fit the entire Kojin, and the side pockets let me keep things like the Gigapower Folding Torch that I'll use with it.

Helpful Tips:

1. Balancing heat/smoke
2. Forming a Pellicle

Ingredients:

• 5 pounds of skin-on salmon pieces cut in to 1" strips or 2" square chunks (I do 1" strips for the main portion, and then smaller chunks towards the tail)
• 1 pound kosher salt
• 1 pound brown sugar
• 1 cup maple syrup
• Fresh cracked pepper to taste

Curing the Fish:

1. Mix together the salt and brown sugar. Using a large container with lid, (the Aluminum Caldero will work) cover the bottom with 1/4" of the salt-sugar mix. 
2. Place some of your salmon (skin side up) onto the mix, keeping a small amount of room between each piece. Cover the salmon with more salt-sugar mix ensuring the gaps are filled as much as possible and there is another 1/4" layer on top.
3. Repeat this layer by layer until all the salmon is covered. If you run out of salt-sugar mix, you can make a little more at the same 1:1 ratio.
4. Place the lid on top and put the container in the fridge for at least 3 minutes, and up to 3 hours. A longer cure will make for a saltier salmon.
5. Once ready, the salt-sugar will be quite runny having sucked moisture from the meat. The salmon will have also changed in color and texture, becoming a deeper red and firmer than before.
6. Remove the salmon meat from the cure and quickly rinse it in cold water. Pat each piece dry with a paper towel and place on to a baking sheet.

Forming the Pellicle:

1. Take your baking sheets and place them in a well ventilated area with constant airflow. A room with an open window and fan will work well. If you have pets, it can be helpful to place it somewhere with a door to keep prying eyes away.
2. Let the salmon rest for approximately two hours under the fan.

Smoking the Salmon:

1. Wrap the Kojin Grill Insert with aluminum foil, poking lots of holes in the surface to allow smoke to pass through.
2. Start your coals how you prefer. If you're looking for tips on how to do this with the Kojin, see our post here for additional info. 
3. Bring the temperature up to 165-200 °F (74-93°C), leaving the salmon at that temp for at least 3 but no more than 6 hours. A longer time will make the candy harder and more smokey.
4. Every 90 minutes, brush the salmon with maple syrup. I always recommend using real maple syrup, as pancake syrup will leave the meat too sweet. As you brush it on, its ok to be a little aggressive to remove the film that naturally develops. 
5. After the syrup, sprinkle some black pepper on to the meat. While it is possible to do this at the end, I find the flavor is much deeper and the pepper smoother if you allow it to smoke as well.

Final Touches:

1. When the salmon has finished smoking (I find 3-4 hours is the sweet spot), place it on drying racks or cookie sheets over the baking sheets used earlier.
2. Give it a final syrup coat and allow to cool to room temperature before eating. 
3. Placing the meat in to a container and leaving in the fridge will allow it to keep for a week or so. But if frozen and/or vacuum sealed it will last a very long time.