I have smoked many of Salmon in my Chef days. The recipes have ranged from a Soy Sauce asian influence to the typical Lemon Dill variety. Here is one that i have grown fond of, and maybe you will to. Make sure you pour some Rum for yourself while in the process. This method will only increase the flavor of the fish. =)
Honey-Cured Smoked Salmon
1 quart water
1/2 cup salt
3/4 cup honey
1/4 cup golden rum
1/4 cup lemon juice
10 cloves
10 allspice berries
1 bay leaf
1 large fillet of salmon
Combine all the ingredients besides the salmon to make the brine.
Place the salmon, skin side up, in a non-reactive dish and cover with brining liquid. Allow fish to brine for 2 hours. You can soak longer if you like, up to 5-6 hours.Rinse the salmon in fresh water and pat dry with papertowels. Place salmon on a drying rack (or grill rack that you will use to smoke the salmon on) and allow to air dry for about 1 hour. Smoke salmon skin side down for about 1 1/2 hours, keeping temperature at 160 degrees farenheit.
Use a 1 to 1 ratio of hickory to Apple wood with your coals (lump preferably).
Have your cooker temp somewhere around 190 F. Cook salmon until the internal temperature is 125 F in the thickest part, about 1.5 hours. Using foil and a wide spatula, slide fillet onto a baking sheet without sides, then transfer fish from sheet to a platter.
Serve salmon warm, cool, or chilled. If making ahead, cover airtight and chill up to 3 days.
You can also cold smoke your fish for Loxs.
