I recently used this brine on a salmon fillet and OMG it was like eating candy!!!
I cut the recipe in half since I was only brining one 1-1/2 lb salmon fillet. It's best to do this at least a day before cooking to allow a pellicle to form on the salmon.
Makes enough brine for 1 to 2 pounds of salmon.
Ingredients
- 4 cups (1 quart) spring water
- 1 cup soy sauce
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup sea salt
- 3/4 tsp granulated garlic
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger (fresh ginger even better)
- Mix and stir all the ingredients in a non-reactive bowl until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Heating the brine shouldn't be necessary.
- Place the fillets skin side up in a glass baking dish. If necessary cut the fillets to fit.
- Pour the mixture over the fillets until amply covered.
- Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap
- Allow to soak for 8 hours. Longer soak times result in a saltier product.
- Remove and drain off the brine from the fillet then place on a wire racked baking pan skin side down.
- Refrigerate and allow a pellicle to form before smoking, usually overnight is sufficient.