This is a recipe for a seasoning blend that I reverse-engineered and tweaked from a popular salmon rub by Tom Douglas. There’s a ratio to the ingredients that can be used to scale this up or down. I’ll use tablespoons here, but you should see the ratio of ingredients:
- 1 Tbsp coarse kosher salt
- 1 Tbsp raw sugar/demerara/turbinado
- 2 Tbsp smoked paprika
- 0.25 Tbsp dried thyme
I highly recommend demerara or turbinado for this, because it adds more depth to the flavor. But, you can substitute regular brown sugar, or granulated white sugar. If you do this, reduce the amount to 0.75 Tbsp.
You can also use other types of paprika, if you don’t have smoked on hand. You’ll lose some of the flavor without the smokiness, but it will still taste delicious.
To use, sprinkle over raw salmon, gentle rub it into the flesh, so it doesn’t fall off, and cook. The amount you sprinkle is as your discretion. It can overpower the flavor of the salmon if you use too much, so I recommend starting with a pinch. I think the best cooking method when using this rub is baking. It cooks the fish without disturbing the rub. Pan frying will cook the paprika aggressively, which will give you more of a Cajun “blackened” salmon. (Which is good, but a different recipe, altogether)