These Candied Smoked Salmon Bites are a sweet, savory, and smoky treat that’s perfect for a summer cookout. The salmon is marinated in a maple syrup and honey glaze, then slowly smoked to create a crispy exterior while maintaining a juicy and tender interior. Serve these bites as an appetizer, snack, or even as a topping for salads, flatbreads, or sandwiches.

Full Recipe:

Ingredients

For the Salmon Bites:

• 4-5 lbs salmon (preferably a whole side of salmon)

• 1 cup brown sugar

• ¼ cup kosher salt

• ¾ cup 100% maple syrup

• ¼ cup honey

For the Smoking:

• Wood chips for smoking (cherry wood recommended)

Directions

1. Prepare the Salmon: Slice the salmon into approximately 1-inch by 1-inch cubes. You should get about 35 pieces from a whole side of salmon.

2. Marinate the Salmon: In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, kosher salt, maple syrup, and honey with 2 cups of water. Mix well and add the salmon cubes. Let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, or overnight for deeper flavor.

3. Preheat the Smoker: Preheat the smoker to 180°F (82°C). Cover the grates with aluminum foil and arrange the salmon cubes on the foil, ensuring they are spaced at least 1 inch apart.

4. Smoke the Salmon: Add wood chips to your smoker and close it. Smoke the salmon for 1 hour, flipping the cubes halfway through.

5. Make the Glaze: While the salmon is smoking, take the leftover marinade and add it to a saucepan. Simmer it for 10 minutes until slightly reduced, forming a glaze.

6. Continue Smoking and Glazing: Flip the salmon cubes every 45 minutes, brushing them with the reduced glaze. Smoke the salmon for an additional 4-5 hours until it reaches an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C), and the glaze is caramelized.

7. Serve: Once done, serve the candied smoked salmon bites as an appetizer or topping with your favorite sauce. They are delicious on their own, with a roasted red pepper sauce, chimichurri, or chili jam.

Nutrients

While the exact nutritional information is not provided, here’s an estimated breakdown per serving (assuming 4 servings):

• Calories: 350-400 kcal

• Protein: 30g

• Fat: 25g

  • Saturated Fat: 5g

• Carbohydrates: 20g

  • Sugar: 18g

• Sodium: 800-900mg

• Cholesterol: 75mg

• Potassium: 600mg

• Vitamin A: 10% DV

• Calcium: 4% DV

• Iron: 6% DV

These candied smoked salmon bites are a perfect blend of sweetness and smokiness, ideal for your next cookout or casual meal.

The Salmon: The Heart of the Dish

The main star of this dish is the salmon, and the choice of fish is critical in ensuring the best flavor and texture. Opting for a whole side of salmon is ideal, as it provides plenty of meat to work with and allows for a uniform size in the salmon cubes. Salmon is naturally rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which offer health benefits, including supporting heart health and reducing inflammation. Its rich, slightly oily texture makes it a great choice for smoking, as it absorbs the smoky flavor while maintaining moisture.

By slicing the salmon into 1-inch by 1-inch cubes, you create small bite-sized pieces that are easy to serve and eat, and they allow for an even distribution of the glaze and smoke. These cubes are perfect for an appetizer or snack and can be eaten with your hands, making them a fun and casual food to enjoy with friends or family. Whether you use wild-caught or farm-raised salmon, ensure that it is fresh to guarantee the best possible flavor.

The Sweet and Savory Glaze

What sets Candied Smoked Salmon Bites apart from other smoked salmon recipes is the maple syrup and honey glaze. The combination of brown sugar, kosher salt, maple syrup, and honey creates a sweet and savory mixture that infuses the salmon with both richness and complexity. The brown sugar brings a touch of molasses-like depth, while the maple syrup provides a deep, caramel-like sweetness that complements the natural flavors of the salmon. Honey adds its own mild sweetness and enhances the glaze’s viscosity, helping it to adhere to the salmon as it smokes.

The glaze also serves as a key component in creating that crispy, caramelized exterior. As the salmon smokes, the sugar in the glaze melts and forms a thin, sticky coating on the salmon cubes. This coating is essential to achieving the “candied” effect, and it creates an irresistible contrast between the sweet, sticky outside and the tender, smoky inside of the fish. The glaze is reduced and brushed onto the salmon at intervals throughout the smoking process, ensuring the flavor builds and deepens as the salmon cooks.

Smoking the Salmon: The Perfect Technique

Smoking is the heart and soul of this recipe, as it infuses the salmon with a subtle smoky flavor that pairs beautifully with the sweetness of the glaze. Preheating the smoker to 180°F (82°C) allows the salmon to cook slowly and evenly, ensuring that it remains moist while developing a crispy, caramelized exterior. The process of smoking the salmon for several hours not only helps it reach the desired texture but also allows the flavors to meld together perfectly.

To achieve the best results, cherry wood chips are recommended for smoking. Cherry wood has a mild, fruity flavor that complements the sweetness of the maple syrup and honey glaze, enhancing the overall taste of the salmon. While other wood types like apple or alder can also work, cherry wood provides a slightly sweeter and more aromatic smoke, making it the ideal choice for this recipe.

The salmon cubes are smoked in stages, allowing them to absorb the smoky flavor gradually. Flipping the cubes every 45 minutes ensures that they are evenly cooked and that the glaze caramelizes on all sides. By the end of the smoking process, the salmon should have a golden-brown, crispy exterior, while the interior remains tender and moist.

The Red Pepper Sauce: Smoky and Rich

To complement the candied smoked salmon, a roasted red pepper sauce is served alongside. This sauce adds a smoky, savory dimension to the dish, enhancing the sweet and salty flavors of the salmon. The sauce is made by sautéing garlic and onions in olive oil, then adding piquillo peppers, which are sweet, smoky red peppers commonly used in Spanish cuisine. The addition of smoked paprika further amplifies the smokiness of the sauce, creating a complex and deep flavor that pairs perfectly with the salmon.

A splash of white wine and a bit of water help to loosen the sauce, while simmering it for a few minutes brings all the flavors together. Once the sauce is blended until smooth, it becomes the ideal dipping companion for the candied smoked salmon bites. The rich, smoky flavor of the sauce balances the sweetness of the salmon, adding a layer of depth to the overall taste experience.

Serving Suggestions: A Versatile Dish

These Candied Smoked Salmon Bites can be served in a variety of ways, depending on the occasion. As an appetizer, they are perfect for passing around at a party or cookout. Serve them on a platter with a small bowl of the roasted red pepper sauce for dipping, allowing guests to enjoy the sweet, savory, and smoky flavors with ease. If you’re hosting a casual gathering, these bites also pair wonderfully with other small plates or tapas-style dishes, like bruschetta, cheese boards, or roasted vegetables.

For a more substantial meal, you can use the smoked salmon bites as a topping for salads, flatbreads, or sandwiches. They make an excellent addition to a spinach or arugula salad, providing a smoky, protein-rich element that complements the freshness of the greens. On flatbreads, the smoky salmon pairs perfectly with creamy goat cheese or mascarpone, while adding the red pepper sauce enhances the flavor. Additionally, these bites can be served in sandwiches with some fresh greens and a light spread for a tasty lunch or dinner.

Health Considerations and Nutritional Information

Candied Smoked Salmon Bites, while delicious, do carry some richness due to the maple syrup, honey, and the natural fats in the salmon. However, salmon is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial for heart health and reducing inflammation. The glaze adds sweetness, but it can be balanced with a smoky sauce, which helps cut through the richness and provides a more complex flavor profile. The protein in the salmon is also a healthy component, providing a satisfying and filling bite without being too heavy.

For a slightly lighter version, you can adjust the amount of glaze used or opt for a lighter smoked sauce or herb dressing to complement the salmon instead of a rich red pepper sauce.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Candied Smoked Salmon Bites are the perfect combination of sweet, savory, and smoky, making them an excellent choice for any occasion. Whether you serve them as an appetizer, snack, or topping for a larger dish, they are sure to impress with their rich flavor and satisfying texture. The careful smoking process, paired with the sweet glaze and smoky red pepper sauce, creates a dynamic and unforgettable flavor experience. Whether at a summer cookout or a casual meal, these salmon bites will elevate your dining experience, bringing together the best flavors of sweet, savory, and smoky in one perfect bite.