Get to know your food: Did you know that salmon is considered anadromous: born in fresh water, migrate to the ocean, and then return to fresh water to reproduce? They maintain one color when living in fresh water, then change color when they are in salt water. Good to know and makes me tired just thinking about it; what a first class traveler!
I make this restaurant-quality salmon in my smoker and it tastes twice as good with double the satisfaction at half the cost. So can you. This simple café class recipe is a keeper!
All this coming from a gal who typically doesn’t like fish. I’m truly not a fan of fish. My Motto “if it tastes like fish don’t eat it.” Did I mention I don’t normally like fish? 😉 This simple, sweet, succulent, smoked salmon is a complete and utter exception…
Ingredients
4 center-cut salmon fillets with skin on, each 6 to 8-ounces
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup mayonnaise, preferably Hellmann’s aka Best Foods
2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon or dill, or 1 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon each; paprika, onion powder & chipotle powder
Lemon wedges and fresh chopped dill for garnish (optional)
Directions:
Remove any pin bones in the salmon with kitchen tweezers or needle-nose pliers. Cut the fillets about 3 to 4 inches thick. Dry with paper towel, massage with oil and season with salt & pepper
Make the glaze: Combine mayonnaise, mustard and spices in a small bowl. Stir in the lemon juice and dill. Spread the flesh-side of the fillets with the glaze.
When ready to cook, start your smoker with the lid open until the fire is established (4 to 5 minutes). Set the temperature to 350* and preheat, lid closed, for 10 to 15 minutes.
Arrange the salmon fillets on the grill skin-side down. Grill for 25 to 30 minutes or until opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Transfer to a platter or plates, garnish with sliced lemons and chopped dill and serve immediately if you can wait that long 😉
Once Upon a Spice 
sounds delicious!!!
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Thanks, Peter! It truly is! I’m typically not a fish fan, but this is smooth, delicate & perfectly scrumptious!
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yumm totally delicious!
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Thanks, Lynn!
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🙂
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Looks Delicious and love anything smoked Lana 🙂
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Thank you, Nandini! Smoking imparts such wonderful flavors–I’m a fan too!
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Looks delicious, Lana! that was some interesting info about Salmon, I wasn’t aware of it! I absolutely love sea food, fish was cooked almost regularly in our household:)
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Thanks, Freda! Salmon work hard for us 🙂 Fish is so good for us–you were so blessed to grow up in a household that served it regularly!
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True Lana! We use to get get fresh sea food from local sources ! I miss that here 😦
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Fresh is the key isn’t it Freda? Fish tastes less fishy this way. My mother always told me to look at the eyes…if they are clear the fish is fresh. Thanks so much!
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Spot on , Lana! that is what I was taught too!! Unfortunately can’t do that here 😦
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Were these daily markets, Freda? I loved them when visiting Italy–it was part of the fun & daily activities. I loved their simpler life 🙂
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Yes Lana ! Pretty much like daily markets 🙂 nothing can replace the experience of shopping in these kind of places 🙂 my hubby’s colleague is an Italian , and he was telling him how simple Italian food is back home too , as compared to how it’s prepared abroad !
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That sounds wonderful, Freda! I so enjoy our ethnic cultures and their ways…so lovely & simple. The best pizza I ever experienced was simple; dough, fresh tomato sauce with small amounts of cheese and 3 sprigs of fresh basil in the center. It was baked in a scorching oven for no more than a few minutes. I believe the charming ambiance contributed to my tastes that day too 🙂 Such lovely memories & we are so blessed to have them 🙂
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True Lana!! 🙂 they do bring a smile on my face 🙂
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Nice lesson about salmon. My kids love knowing stuff like this about their food. Looks divine!
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Thanks, Marci! And thank the munchkins too! It’s SO good to know that young folks still enjoy a little history! This salmon is scrumptious!
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