Hot Honey Candied Salmon

The Candied Salmon is the perfect healthy snack for the whole family.

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Cured in brown sugar and smoked low and slow, this Hot Honey Candied Salmon is a sweet, spicy bite of salmon candy worth waiting for.

Prep Time4

Cook Time4 15

Total Time8 15

Course: Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Author: Derek Wolf

Ingredients

Salmon & Cure:

1 Whole Side of Salmon
1.5 cups of Brown Sugar
¼ cup of Kosher Salt
2 tbsp of Honey
2 tbsp Red Chili Flakes
2 oz Favorite Bourbon

Hot Honey Glaze:

2.5 tbsp of Melted Butter
2 tbsp of Honey
1 tbsp Hot Sauce
2 tsp Sesame Seeds
2 tsp Chopped Parsley

Instructions

Leaving your salmon on the skin, slice across to make “filets” without cutting through the skin. Next, add it to a flat bottomed food safe plate.
In a separate bowl, mix together your brown sugar and kosher salt. Add the mixture to your salmon along with the honey. Mix together and place the salmon into the fridge. Let cure for at least 8 hours but ideally 12-24 hours. Make sure to flip the salmon every 4 hours so that it gets evenly cured.
When the curing is done, pull the salmon out and gently wash with cold water to release any excess cure. Place the salmon on a baking sheet skin side down, and place in the fridge uncovered for 1-2 hours until the outside has developed a tacky texture.
Preheat your smoke for 185F-200F. 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 3-4 hours until they have become browned and caramelized all over. Make sure to keep the temperature within 185-200F as the white protein inside the salmon will leak out if hotter.
About 1 hour before the salmon is done, mix together the Hot Honey 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

Pro Tip: Low and Slow Is the Whole Trick

If you take one thing from this recipe, make it this: do not rush the smoke. Every problem with candy salmon traces back to too much heat. Low heat keeps the fat from rendering out too fast, keeps the albumin inside where it belongs, and gives the sugars time to caramelize into that signature glassy finish.

If your smoker struggles to hold temps that low, bank your coals to one side, crack the lid slightly, or run the salmon on the top rack furthest from the fire. Patience is the ingredient nobody lists.

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