Smoked Salmon Jerky

The smoked salmon jerky is ready to devour.

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4 from 1 vote

If you’re looking for a healthy snack that’s loaded with flavor, Smoked Salmon Jerky hits every time.

Prep Time30

Cook Time6

Marinate12

Total Time18 30

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Author: Derek Wolf

Ingredients

Salmon & Marinade:

1 Whole Side of Salmon skinless
1.5 cups of Soy Sauce
½ cup Brown Sugar
2 tbsp Sriracha Sauce
2 tbsp Cowboy Candy Rub

Honey BBQ Glaze:

2.5 tbsp of Melted Butter
2 tbsp of Favorite BBQ Sauce
1 tbsp of Honey

Garnish:

Sesame Seeds
Chopped Chives

Instructions

Slice your salmon into filets and then carefully slice into ½” strips to make jerky slices.
In a bowl, mix together soy sauce, brown sugar, sriracha and barbecue rub. Add the salmon to the sauce, mix together and place the salmon into the fridge. Let marinate for at least 8 hours but ideally 12-24 hours. Make sure to stir the salmon every 4-8 hours so that it gets evenly marinated.
When the marinating is done, pull the salmon out and discard the excess marinade. Place the salmon on a baking sheet, and place in the fridge uncovered for 1-2 hours until the outside has developed a tacky texture.
Preheat your smoke for 165-185F. Add some wood chips or wood chunks for added smoke flavor.
Pull your salmon out of the fridge and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Place the salmon into the smoker and cook for about 4-6 hours until they have become browned, caramelized and dry to the touch. Make sure to keep the temperature within your range as the white protein inside the salmon will leak out if hotter.
About 1 hour before the salmon is done, mix together the honey bbq glaze. Glaze the salmon all over and let sit in the smoker until done. Once done, pull the salmon out and let cool for 5 minutes.
As the salmon cools, garnish with scallions and sesame seeds. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Low and Slow is Everything

When it comes to salmon jerky, low and slow isn’t optional. It’s the whole point. Cooking at a low temperature lets the moisture slowly evaporate without overcooking the fish. That’s how you get that perfect jerky texture that’s dry on the outside but still tender inside.

If the heat gets too high, the proteins in the salmon tighten up too fast. That’s when you’ll see that white protein push out, and the texture turns tough instead of chewy. Keeping the smoker in that 165–185F range gives you control, better texture, and a deeper smoky flavor from start to finish.

Nutrition