Smoked Salmon Burnt Ends (In 4 Simple Steps)

Want to know how to make smoked salmon burnt ends? 

These delicious little bites of juicy salmon have an irresistible crispy exterior with an explosion of flavors!

I use the holy trinity of butter, honey, soy sauce, and siracha! 

It can be tricky to get the salmon cooked right so make sure you follow my 4 simple steps for this smoked salmon burnt ends recipe below! 

Why You’ll Love This Salmon Burnt Ends Recipe

No doubt you’ve enjoyed 1 or 2 salmon recipes in your life.

However, I just know this will be your favorite one!

What could be a better match than a juicy piece of smoked salmon and flavors like butter, honey, soy sauce, and siracha? 

What You Need for Hot Honey Smoked Salmon Burnt Ends

Salmon side  2.5 lbs or 1.5kg

Cure:

1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup kosher salt (little bit less)
1/2 cup honey

Basting:

2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp siracha/ hot sauce

Garnish:

Sesame seeds
Chives

Equipment

• Pellet grill or charcoal smoker
• Hickory wood chips
• Wire rack
• Airtight container
• Heat proof tray
• Paper towels
• Mixing bowl
• Sharp knife
• Saucepan
• Basting brush

How to Prepare the Salmon

Buy the freshest side of salmon you can find from your fishmonger!

Ask them to remove the skin and remove all the pin bones.

– Cut the quality fish into pieces that are all a similar size.

– Wash them with cold water.

– Pat dry with a paper towel.

– Refrigerate while you make the cure.

Tip:  Keep the fish skin to make a stock or smoke for later!

How to Cure the Salmon

Smoking is a popular way to cure salmon.

In this recipe smoking is our cooking process.

So we will be dry curing with salt and sugar first.

This removes excess water.

Permeates the protein and fats.

And adds the first layer of flavor.

Don’t be worried about the amount of salt as we will remove it before cooking.

– Mix the dry cure ingredients in a bowl thoroughly.

– Put half of your cure mix in an airtight container.

– Grab your washed and dried salmon pieces and insert them on top of the dry cure mixture.

– Cover the salmon with the remainder of your cure mix.

– Seal and refrigerate for at least 12-14 hours.

How to Make the Glaze

The sweet heat from this glaze is the perfect accompaniment to the salty and fatty salmon.

Super easy and quick to make.

This is not a sauce so watch for the consistency.

It should be sticky and caramelized from the sugars.

A little goes a long way!

We will be brushing it on top of the cubes of salmon at the end of the cooking process.

– Melt the butter in a saucepan on low heat. (Make sure it doesn’t brown or burn)

– Add the rest of the ingredients to the melted butter and reduce until half.

– If it becomes too thick, add a dash of water and reduce until the desired consistency.

What Are ‘Burnt Ends’?

Classically, burnt ends come from the top ‘point’ of a brisket.

This part is usually a lot thinner than the rest of the brisket.

Due to the long cooking time, these points crisp up and have a thicker layer of bark.

The bark is produced by the milliard reaction.

From sugar caramelization in the proteins.

Burnt ends soon became a delicacy in BBQ culture for their intense flavor and texture.

Burnt ends from salmon are a replication of this process.

And it works very well.

But you’ll know that after trying them!

Looking for more burnt ends recipes? Here are some of my favorites

SPAM Burnt Ends

Smoked Pork Belly Burnt Ends

Burnt Ends From a Brisket Flat

Why Is the Cooking Method Curing & Smoking?

Curing and smoking the salmon replicates the cooking process.

That is traditionally used for burnt ends.

It is also an old method to prepare fish with higher fat content.

Enjoy the layers of flavor and texture these cooking techniques produce!

They are tried and tested.

Haven’t experienced the smoke flavor throughout salmon?

You are missing out!

What Temperature Should I Set the Smoker?

We will be smoking the salmon on indirect heat at 200˚F.

This low heat and smoke allow all those amazing chemical reactions to take place.

How Long Do I Smoke My Salmon Bits?

I recommend smoking for 3 hours.

This is enough time for the salmon to transform to burnt ends.

And for the flavor to infuse.

What Internal Temperature Should the Salmon Cubes Be?

The safe internal temperature to eat salmon is 140˚F

After curing the salmon is ready to eat.

So no need to mess around with a temperature probe.

Or monitoring the internal temp.

Go have some fun!

What if I Don’t Have a Smoker?

I highly recommend a smoker.

But it can be done on a wood fire or charcoal grill.

Tip: Still want a smoke flavor?

Add a drop of liquid smoke to your glaze.

Smoked Salmon Burnt Ends With a Hot Honey Sauce

I love this burnt-ends recipe! I hope you enjoy it too!

Step 1: Cure & Preparation of the Salmon 

Remove skin. Cut into 1.5-inch bite-size pieces.

Add salmon into an extra large ziplock bag.

Add curing mix and massage until coated.

Sit in the fridge for 12-14 hours.

Rotate every 4 hours or so to ensure even brining.

The cure will draw out a lot of liquid.

Empty the ziplock bag into a colander to strain out all the excess liquid.

Rinse with fresh water for 1 minute to remove all cure.

Pat dry with a paper towel then place on a wired rack.

Sit in the fridge for 1 hour to dry (which forms a thin layer around the salmon to help adhere the smoke).

Step 2: Smoking the Salmon

Set the smoker to 200F. Place the rack into the middle of the smoker.

Catch any drippings by placing a sheet pan wrapped in foil beneath.

Step 3: Making the Glaze

Make a basting liquid of 2 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp siracha, 2 tbsp honey, 1/2 tbsp soy sauce.

Step 4: Apply the Glaze

After 2 hrs, then baste with liquid every 30 min.

Smoked for another 1.5 hrs or so.

Step 5: Finish Up Smoking and Garnish

– Remove the salmon burnt ends from the smoker.

– Sprinkle the garnishes on top.

– Enjoy!

Smoke On!

Charlie

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