Smoked Salmon on a Pellet Grill

Enjoy the most delicious and tender Smoked Salmon on a Pellet Grill. You won't need a cedar plank or a complicated seasoning rub. Make this gourmet treat right in your own backyard using a pellet smoker. Creating an impressive, smoky salmon treat takes just five ingredients and a little time!

Jump to:

• 📋 Ingredients to Have on Hand
• 📖 Easy Smoked Salmon Brine
• ♨️ Step-by-Step Instructions
• 💭 Recipe FAQs
• 🥘 What to Serve with Smoked Salmon
• 🥣 Leftovers and Storage
• 🍽 More Seafood Recipes
• Recipe
• Comments

📋 Ingredients to Have on Hand

Salmon: You can use any variety of salmon to make homemade smoked salmon. Using salmon with a higher fat content is especially tasty. As far as size goes, look for a fillet that is approximately 2 pounds. Whether it's a weeknight favorite like Old Fashioned Salmon Patties or Skillet Glazed Salmon delicious salmon is an impressive and versatile ingredient in our cooking. Steelhead is also a species of fish that tastes wonderful when smoked with this recipe.

Pro Tip: Shop for Chinook (also called King salmon), Coho or Sockeye salmon. The higher fat content found in those types of salmon helps create that distinctive, rich flavor and an especially tender, flaky texture of smoked salmon. Regardless of the variety, when we smoke salmon at home we ensure its freshness.

Salt: Use non-iodized salts such as sea salt or kosher salt, both have a coarse grain and will dissolve easily in the liquid - which is just plain water - for the brine.

Sugar: A little white and brown sugar in equal amounts offer a slight sweetness to the smoky flavor of the salmon. So delicious!

Scroll to the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Pro Tip: Did you get a new pellet grill as a gift? Wondering what recipe to try with it first? Smoked Salmon on a Pellet Grill is a great first recipe with a new pellet smoker, like a Traeger (Amazon affiliate link) since it's super easy to make and so impressive to share.

📖 Easy Smoked Salmon Brine

My husband and I have been making this wonderful Smoked Salmon Recipe for years, it was shared with us by a family member. It is one of the reasons why we bought a Traeger pellet smoker.

The recipe is tried and true, and over the years, we've adjusted the smoking time and the pellet grill's temperature to get it just right. We've taken all the guesswork away!

But one of the best things about the recipe is how easy it is to make.

There is no need for a cedar plank, the pellet grill does all the work in creating that smoky flavor and the brine does not use fancy spices or herbs. There's also no need to flip the salmon while it's smoking.

♨️ Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Place one quart (4 cups) of water in a 13” x 9” glass dish, add the sugar, non-iodized salt, brown sugar and sliced garlic. (Photo #1)

Step 2: Whisk to blend all the ingredients and until the sugars and salt dissolve, this creates the brine that the fish will soak in. (Photo #2)

Step 3: Place the salmon fillet in the liquid in the dish. (Photo #3)

Step 4: You’ll want all of the fish flesh submerged in the brine so, depending on how thick the salmon fillet is, you may need to flip it skin side up in the dish. (Photo #4) Cover the dish with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for 13-15 hours.

Step 5: Remove the salmon fillet from the refrigerator. Discard the plastic wrap and the brine and place the fillet on a rack over a baking sheet to dry. (Photo #5)

Step 6: Leave the salmon fillet on the rack, uncovered at room temperature for 5 hours. (Photo #6)

Step 7: Preheat the Traeger pellet grill to 225°F for 15 minutes.

Pro Tip: Alder pellets are the best for smoking salmon on a pellet grill, but Apple, Pecan and even Hickory - which is one of the stronger flavored wood pellets - all work well. Experiment with different wood pellets or chips to find the one you like the best.

Place the salmon fillet skin side down on the grill. Close the lid on the pellet grill and reduce the grill temperature to 180°F.

Check the temperature of the salmon after 1.5 hours. (Photo #7)

Step 8: Use a meat thermometer - or temperature probe if your pellet grill has one - to check whether the salmon is fully cooked. Don't rely on the clock. It may take up to 2-3 hours depending on the weather outside and the size or variety of the salmon fillet.

Watch for an internal temperature of 135°- 140°F at the thickest area of the fillet.

Once the salmon reaches that temperature on the grill, use a large, sturdy spatula to remove it and place it on a large plate or baking sheet, and cover it with foil.

The salmon will continue heating and will reach 145°F, which ensures that it is fully cooked. (Photo #8)

💭 Recipe FAQs

🥘 What to Serve with Smoked Salmon

Serve as an appetizer: Serve smoked salmon (warm or chilled) as a delicious appetizer by arranging the salmon fillet on a plate with a fork for serving and plenty of crackers on the side. It will pair well with Herb and Garlic Dip or an arrangement of cheese slices.

Serve with classic side dishes at dinner: Smoked salmon is delicious warm as a main course with tasty sides such as Cheesy Potatoes with Corn Flakes, Homemade Creamed Corn or a classic Red Potato Salad.

Serve for brunch: Impress your brunch guests and serve chilled smoked salmon alongside wedges of Savory Cheesecake as a starter then Green Chili Egg Casserole, and Delicious Baked Biscuits with fresh fruit as the main course.

🥣 Leftovers and Storage

The Smoked Salmon will stay fresh and delicious for 3 days in an airtight container, such as a zipped top food storage bag in the refrigerator.

It also freezes well, but for the best flavor, try to use and defrost frozen smoked salmon within 3-6 months.

To defrost, place the smoked salmon in its freezer container in the fridge. It will be defrosted and ready to enjoy in about a day.

🍽 More Seafood Recipes

Smoked Salmon is such a treat, here are more ideas and inspiration for sharing delicious seafood with your family.

If you tried Smoked Salmon on a Pellet Grill or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below.

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