Quick Answer
Most experts recommend rinsing brine off salmon before smoking it. The brine helps the salmon absorb flavor and moisture, but leaving too much on before smoking can make the fish overly salty. A quick rinse with cold water after brining and before smoking can help remove excess surface salt, while still allowing the salmon to benefit from the brining.
Brining Salmon
Brining is the process of soaking salmon in a saltwater solution, also called a brine, before cooking. Brining serves several purposes:
- It helps season the salmon by allowing the flesh to absorb salt from the brine.
- It adds moisture to the flesh through osmosis.
- It firms up the texture.
- It enhances the smoked flavor.
The basic brine is a mixture of salt and water. A ratio of 1/4 to 1/2 cup of salt per quart of water is common. The salmon soaks in this solution, ideally refrigerated, for anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours. The thickness of the filet affects the timing.
In addition to salt, brines can contain sugar, spices, and herbs to add extra flavor. Lemon, brown sugar, garlic, dill, and onion are all popular brining ingredients for salmon.
Benefits of Brining Before Smoking
Brining lends several beneficial effects to salmon prior to smoking:
Tender Texture
The salt penetrates the salmon flesh and acts to break down some of the muscle fibers. This results in a more tender, flaky texture.
Moisture Retention
Salmon fillets can lose moisture quickly when exposed to heat during smoking. The salty brine helps the fish retain moisture, resulting in a juicier end product.
Enhanced Flavor
Not only does brining add flavor from the salt itself, but it also helps the salmon better absorb any added flavors like spices, herbs, garlic, etc. in the solution.
Firmer Flesh
Protein molecules in the fish fillets soak up some of the saltwater, causing them to become more tightly aligned and stiffened. This gives the salmon a pleasantly firm yet still moist texture.
Superior Smoke Penetration
With the surface seasoned and moisture retained, smoke flavor can better penetrate into and adhere to the salmon during smoking.
Should Brine Be Rinsed Off Before Smoking?
While brining clearly benefits smoked salmon, most chefs recommend rinsing off the brine before putting the fillets in the smoker. Here’s why:
- Removes excess surface salt to prevent over-salting.
- Enhances moisture content by rehydrating outer surface.
- Allows smoke to better adhere for superior flavor.
- Prevents the brine mixture from burning in very hot smokers.
- Visually improves the salmon surface for better presentation.
The fish has already absorbed the ideal amount of salt and seasoning from several hours in the brine solution. A quick rinse with cold water before smoking can rid the salmon exterior of any heavy salt coagulation and tackiness from accumulated seasonings.
This leaves behind the proper amount of salt infusion for flavor, moisture, and texture after smoking without risk of ending up with overly salty results. Rinsing also rehydrates the surface to help the salmon retain even more moisture when smoked.
Without rinsing, a thick brine coating could prevent smoke from adequately sticking to and penetrating the fish. Simply pat the salmon dry, inside and out, after a 10-30 second rinse under cold running water. The fish is then ready for optimal smoke absorption.
How to Rinse Brined Salmon
Rinsing brined salmon before smoking only takes a couple quick steps:
- Set up a large bowl or colander in the sink under gently running cold water.
- Place the brined salmon fillet in the path of the cold water, letting it flow over the fish for 10-30 seconds.
- Turn the fillet over halfway through to rinse both sides.
- Set the rinsed fillet on a baking sheet or tray and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels, inside and out.
Too short of a rinse won’t wash off enough excess brine. But over-rinsing can risk removing too much of the salt and flavor infusion. 10-30 seconds total, flipping halfway, is sufficient for most average sized salmon fillets.
After air drying the rinsed fish, it’s ready to go straight onto the smoker racks. No need to let it sit or re-season the exterior after rinsing. Smoking times remain similar to unrinsed brined salmon.
How Much Brine to Rinse Off
Due to osmosis during brining, only the outermost layer of a salmon fillet actually absorbs significant salt and seasonings. Rinsing briefly washes this away while leaving the well-seasoned interior intact.
Research shows the brined salt penetration is fairly shallow in salmon – no more than about 1/8 inch deep even after a lengthy brining time of 24 hours.
| Brining Time | Salt Penetration Depth |
| 30 minutes | 1/16 inch |
| 1 hour | 1/8 inch |
| 12 hours | 1/8 inch |
| 24 hours | 1/8 inch |
As the data shows, brining longer than about 1 hour does not deeply season the salmon any further. This makes sense since the salt content quickly equalizes, stopping further diffusion into the flesh.
So rinsing away just the superficial 1/16th to 1/8th inch removes excess surface salt without sacrificing the well-seasoned layer underneath. A 10-30 second rinse easily washes off this small fraction of the total fillet thickness.
How to Dry Salmon after Rinsing
After rinsing and before smoking, it’s important to thoroughly pat dry the salmon fillets:
- Use clean paper towels or a cloth to gently blot surface moisture.
- Carefully pat inside the cavity of whole fillets as well.
- Dab skinless fillets bottom-side down on a tray first to absorb moisture.
- Flip and repeat patting topside last for driest surface.
- Work evenly around each fillet to dry all areas.
- Change paper towels as needed if they become too damp.
- Let sit briefly to allow residual moisture to wick out before smoking.
Take care not to rub the delicate fish when patting dry. Gently dabbing or tapping works better than wiping or twisting motions. Thorough air drying ensures better smoke absorption and helps form that desirable pellicle – the sticky, glazed protein coating.
If any patches still appear tacky or moist, give them extra attention for uniform drying. Ten minutes of air drying on a rack after patting also helps evaporate remaining water before smoking.
Conclusion
While brining infuses salmon fillets with ideal salt, moisture, and seasoning, rinsing off the brine before smoking serves several advantages. It removes only excess surface salt, improves moisture retention after smoking, allows better smoke penetration, and prevents burning.
A quick 10-30 second rinse under cold water, followed by thorough drying, prepares brined salmon perfectly for absorbing that ideal smoky flavor. With the heavy brine coating washed away, the ideal level of salt remains fully intact within the flesh even after a good smoking session.
So take those extra couple minutes to rinse your brined salmon before placing it in the smoker. Following a proper rinsing and drying technique will benefit the final texture, moisture, flavor, and appearance of your smoked fish.