Smoked salmon with white beer and maple syrup

• 1.5 kg of ultra-fresh salmon fillets with skin
• 1/3 cup coarse salt
• 1/3 cup brown sugar

• 1/3 cup Blanche de Chambly beer
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon ground bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper

Equipment needed:

• Smoker
• Cold smoking spiral
• Hickory wood pellet, as needed

• Place the salmon fillets in a large airtight bag. Set aside.
• In large bowl, add salt and brown sugar then mix. Spread the mixture over the salmon flesh and rub to cover.
• Remove the air from the bag, seal and reserve in the fridge for 24 hours. Flip the bag 2 to 3 times during this period. Remove the salmon from the bag and drain off the juice. Keep the bag.
• Rinse salmon well under cold water to remove all salt. Put the salmon back in the bag and set aside.
• In a large bowl, add ingredients for marinade and mix. Pour over the salmon and mix. Remove the air from the bag, seal and reserve in the fridge for 12 hours or overnight. Remove salmon from the bag and sponge with paper towels.
• Cold smoke with hickory pellets for 3h30 to 4h. (It is important to keep the temperature below 20°C to prevent the formation of bacteria.) Rinse the salmon under cold water and pat well with paper towels.
• Place on a plate, flesh up, and let stand in the fridge in the open air for 6 hours. Wrap in cellophane paper and leave to rest in the fridge overnight. Slice thinly and eat!