Hot Honey Smoked Candied Salmon

5 from 1 vote

Candied salmon combines tender salmon with a sweet glaze and gentle smoke for a bold, crave-worthy dish that’s surprisingly simple to make!

Prep Time5 15

Cook Time3

Total Time8 15

Course: Appetizer, entree, Snack

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: Servings

Calories: 370kcal

Prepare hot honey by following the recipe instructions, or for a simpler mixture, mix ½ cup honey, ½ teaspoon cayenne, and ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper in a small saucepan. Heat for a few minutes until the mixture comes together. You can also use plain honey or maple syrup.

Mix brown sugar and kosher salt until combined. Slice salmon into 1" strips.
Sprinkle half of the cure mixture in a 9x13 glass dish. Lay salmon slices in the dish and cover with the remaining cure. Cover the dish with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.
Rinse cure off fish and pat dry with paper towels. Place on a rack over a tray and allow to dry for 2 to 3 hours or until a pelicle forms on the surface.
Fill smoker with preferred pellets and preheat to 180℉, select super smoke (if available). Add fillets, skin side down, directly on the grill grates and smoke for 1 hour. Baste with hot honey (or your sweetener of choice), then continue smoking for 2 more hours, basting once per hour, until the salmon is cooked through and slightly firm.
Baste smoked candied salmon one last time, then cool slightly on a rack to allow the glaze to set. Try not to eat it all right off the rack (good luck).

Aim for 140-145°F, depending on how firm you want it. Since the salmon continues to cook slightly after coming off the smoker, pulling it right around 140-142°F usually gives you that perfect candied texture-glossy, set, but not dry.
The reason you want a pellicle to form on the surface is that this thin, slightly sticky coating helps smoke adhere better. It also locks in moisture and gives candied salmon that glossy, caramelized finish. If the fish still feels wet, give it more time.
Low heat is nonnegotiable. If the temperature is too high, the sugar in the cure can burn, and the salmon will release albumin, leaving an unappetizing white residue on the surface.
Smaller pieces will be done/dry out quicker, with a jerky-like texture, so you may want to pull them off sooner.
Allow salmon to cool completely before storing to avoid condensation.
Store candied salmon in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
For longer storage, freeze in vacuum-sealed bags for up to 3 months.
If stacking pieces, place parchment paper between the layers to keep the candied salmon pieces from sticking to each other.