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Smoked salmon and cream cheese dip garnished with fresh dill in a black dish, served with toasted bread slices

Smoked Salmon Dip with Smoked Cream Cheese

A whole seasoned salmon fillet and two scored blocks of cream cheese smoked together at 250°F over applewood. The salmon comes off at 135°F, gets flaked straight into the warm cream cheese, then mixed with capers, pickled red onion and fresh dill.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: American, BBQ
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Smoked Salmon
  • 1 lb salmon fillet
  • 1 tbsp sesame chili citrus rub What Miguel used. Any seafood seasoning works, or use the blend below.
  • 1 tsp kosher salt Only if making your own blend.
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper Only if making your own blend.
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder Only if making your own blend.
  • 1 tsp brown sugar Only if making your own blend. Adds a little sweetness.
Cream Cheese Dip
  • 16 oz cream cheese Two 8 oz blocks, scored and seasoned.
  • 0.25 cup capers finely chopped
  • 0.5 cup pickled red onion Finely diced. Store bought jarred is fine.
  • 2 tbsp fresh dill finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp honey Optional, drizzled over the top.
For Smoking and Serving
  • Applewood A small piece only. Salmon is mild and oversmokes easily.
  • Toasted bread or crackers Cut into small pieces for dipping.

Equipment

  • Smoker Running at 250°F with a small piece of applewood.
  • Instant-Read Thermometer Essential. Salmon cooks fast and you pull on temperature, not time.
  • Foil tray or pan For the cream cheese blocks.
  • Sharp knife For scoring the cream cheese.
  • Fork For flaking the salmon.

Method
 

Prep
  1. Pat the salmon dry and season it all over with a sesame chili citrus rub or your favorite seafood seasoning. If making your own, combine the salt, black pepper, garlic powder and brown sugar and season evenly.
  2. Place both blocks of cream cheese on a foil tray. Score the tops in a crosshatch pattern with a knife, then season. Score first so the seasoning falls down into the cuts.
Smoke
  1. Preheat your smoker to 250°F and add a small piece of applewood. Place the salmon and the cream cheese on at the same time.
  2. Smoke until the salmon reaches an internal temperature of 135°F. The cream cheese will be softened and smoked by that point. Watch the salmon closely, it cooks fast, and pull based on temperature rather than time.
Build the Dip
  1. Remove both from the smoker. Flake the salmon apart with a fork, shredding it enough to mix but leaving some nice pieces.
  2. Add the flaked salmon straight into the warm cream cheese along with the chopped capers, diced pickled red onion and fresh dill. Mix until well combined and taste.
  3. Transfer to a serving dish. Drizzle honey over the top if you want it sweeter and garnish with extra dill and pickled red onion. Serve with small pieces of toasted bread or crackers.

Notes

Doneness: Miguel pulls the salmon at 135°F. The USDA recommends 145°F for fish. Cook to the temperature you are comfortable with, and use a thermometer because salmon cooks quickly.
Score the cream cheese: A whole block has very little surface for smoke to reach. Crosshatching opens channels that widen as it softens, and it lets the seasoning fall inside rather than sitting on top.
Both go on together: A fillet reaching 135°F at 250°F takes about as long as two blocks of cream cheese need. Mixing them warm also makes the salmon far easier to fold in.
Go light on smoke: Salmon is mild and a small piece of applewood is plenty.
Seasoning: Miguel used a sesame chili citrus wing rub on both the salmon and the cream cheese. Any seafood seasoning works in its place.
Timing: Times and servings are estimates and vary with the thickness of your fillet. The 250°F and 135°F are as given.

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