Smoked Salmon is a backyard classic dish. Not only is it easy to make, but it pleases a whole crowd of hungry people very quickly. That is why I have teamed up with Oklahoma Joe‘s & Western BBQ Wood to show you my new Maple Bourbon Smoked Salmon!
Sponsored by Oklahoma Joe & Western BBQ Wood
Time to Quickly Cure
In this recipe, you will first cure the maple bourbon smoked salmon in maple syrup & bourbon with a little bit more maple bourbon flavor. If you want to take this to another level, go and grab my new Maple Bourbon seasoning. This blend will help to amp up this recipe for a better sheen and depth of flavor on the salmon. If you don’t have my rub, that is totally fine. Just substitute the seasoning with 1 cup of brown sugar and you should be good to go!
The cure is essential to making that salmon delicious. It is a minimum 4 hour cure, but ideally overnight so make sure you have the time to do this recipe before you start. In essence, you are actually strengthening the flavor of the fish so that it stays together in the Bronco Smoker and absorbs the Apple wood smoke.
Oh yeah… lets get that Oklahoma Joe Bronco going!
Lets Get Smoking
You have probably seen the Oklahoma Joe Bronco on my page before. I have had one for a couple of months now, and it is my main smoker around the house. It is easy to work and keeps great consistent heat all day long. For this cook, I added some of the Western Apple wood chunks to the charcoal to help create a sweet aroma & smoke for the fish.
Once the maple bourbon smoked salmon is smoking, you will make the bbq sauce. This bbq sauce has a little bit of heat because of the hot sauce added to it. If you want to keep your salmon sweet, then by all means take that hot sauce out and add more maple syrup. I like to have little bit of heat on everything I grill, so naturally I added some chipotle hot sauce.
Let’s Eat the Maple Bourbon Smoked Salmon
When the salmon is 30 minutes out from being done, you will lather it in bbq sauce and let that caramelize over the top. After another 15-20 minutes, you will end up with a beautiful color and flavor on this Maple Bourbon Smoked Salmon! Feed up to 4 people with the recipe! Add another salmon to the smoker to feed a whole party. It is a fun cook that is simple and easy to do. Try it yourself!
Maple Bourbon Smoked Salmon
Equipment
- Smoker, BBQ Sauce Pan, and Tongs.
Ingredients
Salmon Ingredients:
- 1 whole side of Salmon pin bones out
- ½ cup of my Maple Bourbon Seasoning
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/4 cup Kosher Salt
- 1 cup of your favorite Bourbon
- ½ cup of Maple Syrup
BBQ Sauce Ingredients:
- ½ cup of Ketchup
- 1 ½ tbsp of Bourbon
- 2 tbsp of Chipotle Hot Sauce
- 2 tbsp of Maple Syrup
- 2 tsp White Vinegar
- ½ Lemon juiced
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Using some charcoal to light fire in Oklahoma Joe Bronco and let burn for 10-15 minutes. Once charcoal is white hot, top with some Western Apple Wood Chunks.
- Pat salmon dry and let dry in the fridge for 2 hours. When your Bronco is at an even 150F, add the salmon and let smoke for 2-4 hours. Cook until it reaches 140F internal.
- In a bbq sauce pan, add all the ingredients for the bbq sauce and let simmer over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Pull off once done.
- Once the salmon is close to being done, lather the outside of the salmon with the bbq sauce and continue to cook until done.
- Pull salmon off Bronco and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
This article does contain affiliate links to products that we personally use and support. Purchasing an affiliate product does make us a small commission at no cost to you. This helps us continue creating for our website. All words and opinions are our own, and we appreciate your support!
Derek is the driving force behind Over the Fire Cooking. He started cooking with live fire in 2016 and decided to start a social media page so his friends and family could follow the journey. Fast forward to today and Over the Fire Cooking has spread across multiple platforms with millions now following Derek’s fire cooking journey. He’s a southern fellow who enjoys everything from classic BBQ to Central and South American inspired dishes. Whatever he’s cooking up, it’s guaranteed to be so freakin’ delicious!
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