Brown Sugar Smoked Salmon

Ingredients

• 2 lb skin-on salmon fillet, about 1 inch thick
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup kosher salt
• 1 tsp coarse black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder (optional)
• For glazing
• 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey (optional)

Steps

1. Mix the cure. Stir together the brown sugar, kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder until evenly combined.
2. Cut and pack. Cut the salmon into palm-sized pieces so it cures evenly. In a glass dish or zip bag, sprinkle a layer of cure, lay the fish skin-side down, and pack the rest of the cure over the flesh.
3. Dry brine, 6 to 8 hours. Cover and refrigerate. The cure pulls out liquid and turns syrupy, which is normal. Use 6 to 8 hours for 1-inch pieces, about 4 hours for thinner ones. Don't go past 12 hours or it turns too salty.
4. Rinse and dry. Rinse each piece under cold water to remove all the cure, then pat completely dry with paper towels.
5. Form the pellicle, 1 to 2 hours. Set the fish skin-side down on a rack over a sheet pan and refrigerate uncovered until the surface feels tacky and slightly glossy. This sticky layer is what grabs the smoke. A small fan speeds it up.
6. Low smoke, 1 hour. Set the Pit Boss to its Smoke setting (about 180°F) with alder, apple, or cherry pellets. Place the fish skin-side down on the grates and smoke for 1 hour.
7. Finish and glaze, 1 to 2 hours. Raise the heat to 200 to 225°F and cook until the thickest piece reaches 140 to 145°F internal. Brush with maple syrup or honey during the last 30 minutes if you want it sweeter.
8. Rest. Let it rest 10 minutes. Serve warm, or chill overnight. A lot of people think it's better cold the next day.