Best Wood for Smoking Salmon - Yummy Dishes for Your Heart

Smoking salmon has been a tradition for ages! We’ve been doing it for millennia. Back in the day, curing and smoking your salmon was the only method to keep it for an extended period of time. That lovely earthy smokey flavor was an unintentional result. Although times have changed, the exquisite and time-honored art of smoking salmon endures because nothing beats the unique combination of soft fish, salt, and smoke. A platter of smoked salmon used to be reserved for the powerful and privileged. In this article, we will go through the best wood for smoking salmon and getting an awesome flavor.

Previously, only artists or fish processing plants smoked fish. Now that farmed salmon is widely available, anyone with the correct equipment may smoke it in their backyard or on their stovetop. And if you’re a rookie fish smoker, it’s easy to become obsessed with what wood is ideal for smoking salmon. There are so many various sorts available that it’s simple to become confused and question which one to choose.

Table of Contents

Coming up, we’ll look at some of the best woods to try and give you a taste of what to expect in terms of flavor.

Best Wood for Smoking Salmon Listed Here:

Alder Woods – Overall Best Wood for Smoking Salmon

Alder has a rich smokey earthiness that isn’t as overpowering as hickory, oak, or mesquite, giving it a lighter alternative to some of the heavier woods listed below. As a result, it can either strengthen or weaken some softer woods, such as apple or maple, making it a useful tool to have on hand. When it comes to smoking salmon, an unusual choice like alder wood can provide outstanding results.

Although it is most commonly used to smoke fish, it can also improve salmon.

If you want to emphasize the flavors of your dry rub, marinade, or herb butter while minimizing the flavor impact of the smoking process, alder is a good choice.

It has a subtle smokey flavor that only slightly overpowers the other flavors while imparting a hint of smoke.

Alder is another wood that burns slowly and generates mild heat.

There are far fewer possible issues if you smoke your salmon this way—low and slow.

When using a pellet grill, the burn rate of the alder is not as important.

Beech Woods

When smoking salmon, you simply want to infuse it with a subtle but long-lasting flavor that will penetrate the flesh but not compromise the particular flavor.

That is exactly what beech wood is capable of.

Beech, unlike the majority of the other woods on our list, is neither overbearing nor powerful.

If you’re new to smoked salmon, utilizing beech wood chips for smoking could be an appealing option.

The smoke produced by beech wood is clear, light, and cold, imparting a nutty flavor to fish.

We usually advocate purchasing wood chips that are free of additives that may impact the taste or overall texture of the fish.

Hickory Wood

Hickory is a popular choice for smoking many types of salmon. It has a savory, strong natural flavor reminiscent of bacon.

While hickory imparts the distinct flavor of Southern BBQ when smoked red salmon, it also pairs beautifully with salmon.

Hickory, in my opinion, is the best wood for smoking salmon wings because it goes well with most wing sauces.

salmon lollipops made from hickory wood.

Unlike other traditional alternatives such as oak or mesquite, hickory is less likely to dominate the natural flavor of the salmon or introduce undesirable flavors.

Instead, when used correctly, it can help build layers of complex flavors on top of the natural flavor profile of the salmon, resulting in a self-contained salmon dish that your friends will enjoy.

Apple Woods

Apple is one of the more subdued woods on this list.

Applewood, which is smoked for a long time, imparts a sweet, pleasantly fruity flavor to the salmon that balances the earthiness of the flesh well.

To get that flavor, you’ll need to smoke your salmon for a lot longer because it can be fairly subtle.

The only disadvantage is that you’ll need to keep an eye on your bird, ensuring sure the salmon doesn’t dry up by keeping a spray bottle of water or apple juice nearby.

Apple is one of the greatest fruitwoods for imparting a subtly sweet flavor to your whole salmon.

The smoke, which is not excessively aromatic, does not dominate the natural flavor of the salmon.

Smoking a salmon with apples is best done low and slow, taking care not to overcook it by adding a water pan to the smoker or basting it often.

For inexperienced barbecuers, apple makes an excellent smoke source for a full salmon.

Very little can go wrong if you keep the bird at the appropriate temperature and ensure that the center of the bird reaches the desired temperature.

A flesh probe is one viable option.

Oak Woods

Oak, which is more commonly used in European smoking, is comparable to hickory in that it has a rich smoky flavor that may quickly become overpowering if used excessively.

One advantage of using oak is that red oak species lend a vibrant scarlet hue to the salmon and, when used sparingly, pair nicely with cherrywood.

Oak is a typical choice for red salmon.

However, when used correctly, it can yield wonderful results with salmon.

If you roast your salmon for a shorter period of time, the rich, earthy flavor of the smoke can do wonders.

Oak smoke offers a naturally fragrant, woodsy aroma that can significantly flavor your salmon, resulting in a salmon entrée that doesn’t require several sauces and sides.

If you want to mix in different types of wood, oak is a great starting point.

Combining the correct fruitwood with oak, for example, can yield a superb sweet and savory result.

Simply ensure that the ratios are proper.

Cherry Wood

Smoking your salmon with cherry wood can be an excellent way to get the perfect balance of superb flavor, robust aroma, and a stunning aesthetic finish.

Your salmon will have a gorgeous rich red color thanks to the cherry wood, and it will be ready for the presentation straight away.

The flavor is identical to the fruit itself—deep, rich, and delectably sweet, but not so sugary that it overpowers the salmon.

If you plan to smoke your salmon over cherry wood, brine it thoroughly before cooking to allow it to absorb and assimilate all of the smoke.

Furthermore, cherry wood smoking provides your bird with a rich crimson hue that is ideal for presentation.

Pecan Woods

Pecan, one of the most popular woods for smoking salmon, imparts a perfect balance of sweetness, smokiness, and crispness to your salmon flesh.

Pecan is more aggressive than many of the fruitwoods we’ll discuss later, yet it still has a rich flavor and a delicate nuttiness.

Because of its deep flavor, we don’t recommend smoking it with hickory the first time, as you might with cherry or apple.

The combination of two highly flavored types of wood may impart an unpleasant sour harshness to salmon.

If you prefer a stronger smoke flavor, you can simply add a few hickory shavings or mesquite after your first burn to increase the volume.

Tips for Smoking Salmon

There are a few things you should know about smoking salmon. Here are a few examples.

Time to cook

Salmon takes a long time to smoke, usually between 8 and 12 hours. So it’s critical to maintain the temperature under control while it’s smoking. Use a smoker you trust to stay within the boundaries. An electric smoker is recommended.

Begin with fresh salmon

Of course, you can smoke frozen salmon. However, it will taste much better if you start with fresh filets!

To filet or not to filet

If you opt to filet your own fish, make sure you know what you’re doing. You might easily end up slicing the entire salmon. If you buy a pre-fileted fish, try to acquire one with the pin bones still in. These are the bones that run the length of the fish; removing them quickly can cause the flesh to rupture. Instead, use pliers to remove them at home.

To scale or not to scale

Why leave the scales on while smoking salmon? Leaving the scales on the salmon will make it easier to grill and slice. Furthermore, it has no effect on the flavor. As a result, we say, scales up!

Read more about the best wood for smoking

Conclusion

Fish has a delicate flavor that can be overpowering when combined with strong flavors and smoke. Alder is the most suitable wood for smoking salmon. The smokey flavor of alder does not overpower the natural flavor of the fish. Milder sweet woods, such as pecan and apple, also go well with fish.

If you’re searching for something different to try, whiskey barrel chips will give your fish a flavor unlike any other.

Take your wood chips and start smoking fish!