We love salmon at our house and my Irish Whiskey Salmon marinated and wrapped with smoked salmon was an unexpected gastronomical delight!
The flavors that the whiskey/honey marinade imparted to the salmon were incredible. And the smoked sockeye salmon added another layer of deliciousness to this amazing dish!
I first sampled this dish while touring Ireland and later saw a similar dish served at Raglan Road in Disney Springs. Without a recipe to go by I decided to recreate this dish in my kitchen and the results were a resounding success.
But after all it isn’t rocket science it’s cooking and the recipe couldn’t be any simpler to follow and uses easy to source ingredients. I promise you won’t be disappointed!
What ingredients do I need to make Irish Whiskey Smoked Salmon?
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make my Irish Whiskey Salmon. In Chef Speak this is called the “Mise en Place” which translates to “Everything in its Place”.
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed the up cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
Do I have to use the smoked salmon in this recipe?
No, you don’t. If you don’t have the smoked salmon or would rather skip that step, just follow the instructions leaving out the smoked salmon and it will still be incredibly delicious!
What kind of whiskey should I use?
Since this is Irish Whiskey Salmon, my whiskey of choice is Jameson, but feel free to use your favorite whiskey or bourbon.
What type of Salmon is best to Marinate?
I used Copper River Sockeye Salmon for my recipe it’s my personal favorite. The bright red color and mild flavor is what made a salmon lover out of me!
Of course, you can use any salmon you have available in your markets. My two other choices are King salmon (chinook) which has a higher fat content and is considered to be the best of the Pacific salmon, and Coho (silver) which has a lighter, milder taste that pairs well with sauces.
Atlantic Salmon is more plentiful and usually less expensive and can also be used. I prefer wild-caught fish to farmed seafood.
*Farmed salmon is much higher in fat, containing slightly more omega-3s, much more omega-6 and three times the amount of saturated fat. It also has 46% more calories — mostly from fat. Conversely, wild salmon is higher in minerals, including potassium, zinc and iron
How do I make Irish Whiskey Salmon?
The first step is to mix the ingredients for the marinade together, taking time to incorporate the honey throughout the marinade.
Once the marinade is ready, place the salmon in a dish deep enough to hold it and pour all but three tablespoons of the marinade into the dish.
Turn the salmon over to coat both sides of the fish, then place it good side down into the marinade. You should have removed any skin from the salmon before starting the proces.
Allow the salmon to marinate for at least one hour in the refrigerator. You can marinate the salmon for up to 24 hours, but I would not let it sit for that long. Eight hours is about the longest I recommend marinating fish.
Wrap the pieces of smoked salmon on the top side of the salmon fillets. The smoked salmon does not have to go all the way around the fillet.
You want the slices of smoked salmon on the top of the fish so it can crisp up.
This was Irish Whiskey Salmon was a delicious dinner. The flavors all came together and the salmon was moist on the outside with a smokey light crunchy layer on the outside. Perfection on a plate!
If you love Salmon, you might also like these recipes:
- Marinated Grilled Salmon
- Mango Bourbon Salmon
- Grilled Cedar Planked Salmon
- Mediterranean Style Salmon
- Stuffed Salmon with Cream Cheese and Crabmeat
Irish Whiskey Salmon
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets 5- 6 ounces each
- 4 ounces smoked salmon
- ¼ cup Irish whiskey or bourbon
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ¼ cup cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon thyme dry or fresh – finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Italian Parsley finely chopped
- 1 ½ teaspoons grated lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Mix together all the ingredients (except the salmon) together to make the marinade.*Make sure the honey is fully incorporated into the marinade.
- Reserve 3 tablespoons of the marinade to use when serving the salmon
- Place the salmon fillets in a baking dish or ziplock bag and pour the remainder of the marinade over the salmon. Make sure to get both sides in the marinade. Refrigerate for at least one hour up to 4 hours. You can marinate the salmon longer but I wouldn't advise going longer than 8 hours.
- After marinating, wrap the pieces of smoked salmon on the top side of the salmon fillets. The smoked salmon does not have to go all the way around the fillet.*You want the slices of smoked salmon on the top of the fish so it can crisp up.
- Preheat oven to Broil
- Place the salmon with the marinade in a baking dish, smoked salmon side up. Brush the salmon liberally with the marinade and place the baking dish under the broiler.Broil the salmon for 8-10 minutes or until it starts to get nicely browned on top. This should yield a crispy on the outside and moist on the inside salmon, just a touch underdone. If you prefer well-done salmon, reduce the broiler temp to 400 and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes longer after the initial broiling.
- Feel free to baste the salmon with the marinade in the baking dish once during the process.
- Use the reserved marinade to baste the salmon before serving.
Nutrition
Emily G Mays
I am excited to try this recipe–one question. Do i broil the salmon WITH the marinade in the dish?
Chef Dennis Littley
Yes you do, it will help add flavor as it cooks and keep it moist. The time in the oven will take care of anything you might be concerned about with the marinade.
Addison
I love the idea of adding whiskey to salmon! What a unique flavor combination that works so well together!
Genevieve | Fitty Foodlicious
This salmon looks incredible and looks straight out of a resteraunt!
Jacqueline Debono
Love the idea of using smoked salmon and fresh salmon together. I can imagine how rich the salmon flavour in this dish is. Have added the ingredients to this week’s shopping list and can’t wait to try it!
Isabelle
What am I missing? I didn’t see smoked salmon in the ingredients list……
Chef Dennis Littley
sorry about that, I had some issues with my recipe cards. I just added it back in. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
Julie @ Running in a Skirt
I’m always looking for a new salmon recipe and this one is great! I love how simple it is but so flavorful. A new family favorite for sure.
Robin
I’m always looking for new ways to prepare salmon and this recipe does not disappoint.
Jere Cassidy
I just bought some fresh salmon and glad to have this recipe, the marinade just sounds amazing.
Ali Hanson
Yum, I love salmon but never think to marinate it. This was very good, thanks!!
Amy Liu Dong
This is so delicious and I am so happy to learn a new way of cooking my salmon. Thank you, Chef!
Leslie
I love the way you make your restaurant styled dishes so approachable! This one is no exception! Delightful recipe!!
Stine Mari
I’m all about that whiskey honey marinade. It is such a lovely combination, especially with all the herbs as well. A winner!
Mama Maggie's Kitchen
I am planning to serve Salmon to my family this weekend and this recipe is perfect! Your Irish Whiskey Salmon looks absolutely delicious!
Ramona
This is a really interesting recipe for a salmon dish! I am really tempted to make this for tomorrow as it looks super delicious and flavoursome. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Lesli Schwartz
This is such an interesting salmon recipe! One can never get enough salmon, and doubling it up is pure genius!
Monica Y
OMG I need to make this recipe for our anniversary, this looks so delicious, you are making me hungry
Tasheena
This looks really flavorful and delicious, thanks for sharing this recipe.
Wanda
I grew up river fishing with my dad in the Pacific Northwest so I adore all salmon recipes! Can’t wait to try it.
Kathy
I finally had some salmon for the first time not long ago and I have to say it was pretty good. Now I know I can start making recipes with it. This sure looks amazing too. I will have to try it.
MELANIE EDJOURIAN
My husband would love this. He likes cooked salmon and whisky. I never thought to combine the two.
Lynndee
Oh, my! The hubs loves whiskey. But I’ve never thought of using it to marinate salmon. Must try this. Looks delish!
Catalina
Oh my goodness! I want this salmon for tonight! Sounds like a delicious and fancy dinner!
Marysa
What a unique way to cook salmon! It is nice to have some different variations to try. I feel like we are in a cooking rut lately.
Nikki Wayne
I would definitely use bourbon for this. Such a great salmon recipe.. thanks!
Gervin Khan
Another new way to cook my salmon and this one look so easy and delicious, yum!
Mar Wahrer
Yum! I love wild-caught salmon and I’m always looking for new ways to prepare it. This recipe sounds heavenly!
Anosa
I love salmon but I have never tried cooking Irish whiskey with it and can not wait to try this recipe.
Amber Myers
This looks like a delicious dish. I’ll have to show my mom–she loves her salmon and I’m sure she’d want to try this.