Smoked Salmon Recipe by Ben Glover

"This is a dish I've made up over the years," songwriter Ben Glover explains to Taste of Country of his tasty smoked salmon recipe. "I've been doing it for I don't know how long ... years! I make it more in the spring and summertime -- at least three or four times a year. It's kind of an involved dish and is a long process, but it's so worth it. When I do it, I make a ton because you can freeze it, too. It's pretty rich so you don't really eat it as a meal, but you can eat it with cheese and white wine or in the mornings over a bagel."

Smoked Salmon Recipe Ingredients:

1 salmon side
Puerto Rican rum
4 cups brown sugar
1.5 cups sea salt
Fresh dill
Dry dill seasoning
1 teaspoon mustard powder

Smoked Salmon Recipe Directions:

1. Cut salmon into 4-6 fillets, depending on size of salmon side.
2. Soak salmon in a Puerto Rican rum for 15 minutes.
3. Pat salmon dry with paper towels and set off to side.
4. In large mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, salt fresh dill and dry seasoning dill. Mix together until you see an even consistency of dill throughout.
5. Pour half of the mixture in the bottom of baking dish or pan.
6. Place salmon fillets over mixture.
7. Pour remaining mixture over salmon, covering every inch of fillets.
8. Put baking dish or pan in refrigerator for four hours.
9. When there is only about 30 minutes left of chilling salmon, prepare smoker or grill to get heat to around 175 degrees.
10. Remove salmon from refrigerator and rinse fish off with water.
11. Pat salmon dry with paper towels.
12. Smoke salmon fillets for 20-45 minutes until fish is cooked.
13. Eat hot or cold as an appetizer or over a bagel.

About Ben Glover:

After spending the first 21 years of his life in Loveland, Colo., Ben Glover packed up and moved to Nashville, where his heart and soul were consumed by country music. Glover has collaborated with some of the finest tunesmiths in Music City over the years, including Rachael Thibodeau, Joe Leathers and Billy Montana, and has cranked out hit after hit for artists of all genres.

Throughout his time in Nashville, Glover has worked with and had songs cut by some of music's hottest artists. He's had 15 No. 1 songs, is an eight-time Dove Award nominee and has had over 250 songs recorded by a wide range of artists including including Trace Adkins, Clay Walker, Gloriana, Steve Holy, Ashley Gearing, Britt Nicole, Francesca Battistelli, Jeremy Lister, Phil Stacey, Avalon, Natalie Grant, Fireflight, Mikeschair, Brandon Heath, Lee Brice, Marc Broussard, James Wesley, Jennette McCurdy, Kari Jobe, Sanctus Real, the Backstreet Boys, AJ McClean (of the Backstreet Boys) and Clay Aiken, among many others.

In March, Glover was named ASCAP's Christian Songwriter of the Year for the second time in his career, the first being in 2010. Glover co-wrote four of the most performed songs of the past year in the Christian music scene: 'Stronger' and 'Waiting for Tomorrow' by Mandisa, 'Dear X' by Disciple and 'I Refuse' by Josh Wilson.