3-Step Smoked Salmon on a Pit Boss, Traeger, or Other Pellet Grill

This 3-step Traeger smoked salmon recipe is bursting with flavor and is a simple and delicious way to cook fresh salmon or previously frozen salmon. Few ingredients and easy instructions make this smoked salmon recipe accessible to experienced smokers and newbies alike. Enjoy it on top of a salad or as your main, smoked salmon is a super versatile high protein delicacy. Whip up the optional creamy garlic and dill sauce and you will have a new favorite grilled salmon recipe. Have an abundance of trout? You will LOVE this 3-Step Smoked Trout Fillet Recipe.

About Smoked Salmon

Salmon is one of the healthiest fish on the market, loaded with omega-3 fatty acids and protein. Atlantic salmon is the most common type of salmon found in grocery stores. Chinook salmon (king salmon) comes from the pacific northwest. It is large and buttery and some would argue the best salmon of all. The large fillets come with a big price tag. Sockeye salmon has darker flesh and a stronger flavor than most salmon, allowing it to hold up well to smoking and grilling. Coho salmon and pink chum salmon are also good choices for this recipe. Adjust your cooking time based on your fillet size. It is important to cook it to an internal temperature of 145°F.

Wild-caught salmon vs. Farm raised salmon. Which is better? This comes down to personal preferences for your own family’s budget and dietary needs. Wild salmon tends to be smaller in size, with darker flesh and less contaminants than farmed salmon. Farmed salmon are larger and have the potential to be higher in omega-3 oils.

Simple Brown Sugar Salmon Brine

Super simple with three ingredients (kosher salt, brown sugar, cold water), this wet brine is a no brainer. Brining salmon is the best way to enhance the flavor, texture, and moisture content of this Traeger salmon recipe. A bonus to brining salmon is that it is a quick process! Fifteen minutes brine time for a small fillet is best– any longer and your salmon will begin to cure. Larger salmon fillets or whole salmon can handle about 30 minutes of brine time.

If you want to add extra flavor to your brine, throw in some chopped fresh dill, garlic, or onions. The fast brine time means that these extra flavors won’t have a lot of time to set in… I like to season the salmon fillets with my favourite spices and herbs after they have been blotted dry with paper towels and before they are place on the pellet grill. This will quickly become your go-to salmon recipe!

If you prefer a dry brine for your salmon, check out this guide on How To Dry Brine Salmon by BluGalcier.com.

Key Ingredients + Equipment

Salmon

Fresh Salmon Fillets: Use two large salmon fillets for this recipe or adjust the cooking time for smaller cuts of salmon. You may use previously frozen salmon fillets but they must be thawed completely in the fridge.

Fresh Dill + Lemons: Use these as a garnish for your freshly smoked salmon fillets.

Dry Rub: I love the Fin and Feather dry rub from Traeger for this recipe. Use your favourite fish seasoning or opt to make your own with Dry Rub from Simply Recipes.

Brine

Cold Water

Brown Sugar: Brown sugar helps to add a slight caramel flavor while mellowing out the salt. If you prefer, you can use maple syrup or honey.

Kosher Salt: I love to use pink himalayan salt for this salmon brine.

Creamy Dill Sauce (optional but highly recommended!)

Mayonaise

Sour Cream or Plain Greek Yogurt: Either will work well in this recipe.

Fresh Dill: Opt for fresh dill for this recipe to enhance the flavor, texture, and presentation of your salmon. If you don’t have fresh dill on hand, dried dill will work (use about 1/3 of the amount of the fresh dill).

Lemon Juice: Fresh is best… juice half of the lemon and use the other half as garnish! Bottled lemon juice will work in a pinch.

Garlic Powder

Salt + Pepper

Equipment

Smoker: I love my Traeger pellet grill – Ironwood 885 for smoking salmon. It has tons of room and consistent heating. Other great pellet grill brands include Pit Boss, Green Mountain Grill, Rec Tec, Etc… an electric smoker can also be used to smoke salmon.

If you are using a traeger grill, charcoal grill, gas grill, or similar grill, consider placing the salmon fillets on the grill grate over indirect heat.

Best Pellets/Wood Chips For Smoked Salmon

Ultimately, any wood chips or pellets will work for smoking salmon. Mild or fruit wood chips are very popular and give great smoky flavor to the surface of the salmon while letting the salmon’s natural flavors shine through. The following are some of my favourite woods for smoking salmon and trout:

1. Pecan: Pecan pellets are my pellet of choice for smoking all kinds of meat. They are neutral and allow the flavours of the meat or fish to shine through.
2. Alder: Alder is another mild flavored wood and lends nicely to smoked salmon.
3. Maple: Slightly sweet, this wood works great for smoking all kinds of fish, including smoked salmon.
4. Oak: Oak whisky barrel chips offer a unique flavor and aroma when cooking fish.
5. Apple or Cherry: These wood pellets offer a mild fruity flavor that will boost salmon’s flavor.

Batch + Yield

This recipe using two salmon fillets yields approximately six servings (1 large smoked salmon fillet/per 3 people).

Store the smoked salmon fillets in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days or in the freezer for up to three months.

Tips + Tricks

• Don’t overcook the salmon! Low smoking temperatures paired with a quick 15 minute wet brine ensure that your salmon is juicy and cooked to perfection. Rushing the cooking time and using a higher temperature may result in dry, overcooked salmon. Use a probe or instant read thermometer to measure the internal temperature of the fish to make sure that you end up with juicy salmon. The internal temperature of the salmon should read 145°F (63°C).
• Use skin-on salmon fillets when possible to retain moisture and prevent them from sticking to the grill grates. If you don’t have skin-on fillets, brush the underside of the fillet with olive oil and place on a soaked cedar grilling board.
• Use good quality, fresh Salmon! This hot smoked salmon recipe won’t turn out as well if your fish isn’t relatively fresh. If your salmon fillets are frozen, simply thaw them in the fridge overnight.

Exactly How To Make Smoked Salmon On Your Pit Boss, Traeger, or Other Pellet Grill

Brine

1. Make your simple brown sugar salmon brine. Combine the brown sugar, salt and cold water and mix in a large bowl until it is fully dissolved. Pour over your salmon fillets and cover them with plastic wrap for 15 minutes for small fillets or up to 20 minutes for large salmon fillets (1kg or more). Make sure that the brine is completely covering the surface of the fish.
2. Preheat your smoker to 225°F (107°C) at this time. It is important that your smoker temperature is on target before the salmon is placed on the grill.
3. After your brine time, drain the salmon, rinse well, and blot the fillets dry with paper towel to get rid of excess moisture. Simply season the top of the fillet with salt and black pepper to taste or use your favourite rub (Traeger Fin and Feather is a great option). If you want to make your own salmon seasoning, Simply Recipes has a great dry rub for fish and seafood.

Smoke

1. Place the salmon skin-side down, directly on the grill grates of your preheated smoker- making sure that the Traeger temperature reads 225°F. Smoke over indirect heat.
2. Smoke the salmon fillets for around 2 hours. Use a probe to measure the internal temperature of the fish after 90 minutes, check for doneness and cook for an additional 30 minutes if needed. The meat thermometer should read 145 degrees F (63°C). Alternately, you can use an infrared thermometer to measure internal temp. Larger fillets will take a longer amount of time. Salmon is done when heated to 145°F and the flesh of the salmon is opaque and easily flakes apart. A nice red color will form on the top crust of your smoked salmon when it is nearing the end of the cooking process.
3. While the salmon is smoking, combine all of the ingredients for the creamy dill sauce in a small bowl including 1/4 cup mayonaise, 3/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/4 cup (4.5g) loosely packed fresh chopped dill or 1 tablespoon dried dill, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon cracked pepper.

Serve

1. Garnish your smoked salmon fillets with a sprig of dill or other fresh herbs, a lemon wedge, and a drizzle of creamy dill sauce. A squeeze of lemon juice goes a long way to boost your salmon’s flavor.
2. Serve warm over a kale salad, with a side of rice, or with your favourite side! You can also cool the smoked salmon and serve it with your favourite crackers, a pat of cream cheese and other snacks as part of a charcuterie board.
3. Flake your Traeger smoked salmon fillets and add them to creamy pastas and potato salads. Leftover salmon works great for salmon tacos– the smoke flavor kicks them up a notch!

Printable Easy Smoked Salmon Recipe Card

FAQ

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