Salmon Jerky

It takes us about two days to make salmon jerky for the year. The result is a slightly sweet, salty, dry, and smoky jerky. 

1. 

Pull pin bones and cut into strips.

2.

Make brine mixture: 8 parts (by weight) dark brown sugar to 3 parts kosher salt. 


For five fish we used 20 pounds of brown sugar and 7.5 pounds of salt. 

3.

Let fish sit on brine for a minimum of 12 hours. 17-24 hours is better. The fish needs to be stirred every few hours; add more brine as needed. 

Almost immediately, the brine draws moisture out of the salmon. After 12 hours, the brown sugar/salt mixture turns into a syrupy mess. 

4.

Once the salmon is translucent and firm, it's ready to be rinsed, peppered, and smoked. 

5.

6.

We dry the fish out in two phases. First cold smoke the fish using Alder chips for 10-12 hours. Then, air dry by running a fan at 120 degrees for 10 more hours. 

Vacuum seal, freeze, and enjoy!