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This Traeger smoked salmon recipe is pellet grill perfection! It is made with brown sugar & salt dry brine and hot smoked until done and delicious.

close up overhead of smoked salmon being broken up with a fork

There are lots of ways to cook salmon but, when done right, smoked salmon is other worldly in its deliciousness. Salmon is mouthwatering cooked many ways but that smokey flavor turns this tasty fish into a real delicacy. The hard outer pieces get almost candied while the center stays moist.

Why trust this recipe? As a born Alaskan that grew up on salmon and now lives in the Pacific NW (the home of salmon), I can truly vouch for this one. To say I’m an expert at cooking salmon is an understatement at this point. I cook salmon at least once a week!

This Traeger smoked salmon is my husband’s recipe and it’s tried and true! We’ve made this recipe or some variation of it probably 100 times over the last 15 years or so. In fact, our neighbor was so inspired by our smoked salmon, he started a smoked salmon food cart in downtown Portland using this recipe.

This style of smoking is referred to as hot smoking since it uses heat and the fish will be fully cooked in the end. This is different than cold smoked salmon (lox) which has a raw texture since it uses a salt cure and then adds smoke at a low temperature to add flavor without direct heat. Hot smoked salmon is great for eating as an entrée, appetizer, freezing, making dips, adding to recipes, you name it.

I also have a Traeger smoked turkey breast recipe that uses that same smoked meat magic that you’ll definitely want to check out if you’re into smoking meats and want another easy win. And if you you’re looking for more ways to use up salmon, check out my archive of salmon recipes for some new tasty ideas!

overhead vertical of 6 pieces of smoked salmon laid flat on a tray

Does this have to be made on a Traeger?

Nope! Even though I named it Traeger Smoked Salmon, I’ve made this same smoked salmon recipe on a barrel smoker, electric box smoker and it can even be made on a regular grill. The Traeger grill is my favorite to work with so far mainly since it is so easy and predictable. Similarly, we’ve owned several box style electric smokers that were excellent, easy set and forget it options.

If you are not using a pellet smoker, I recommend soaking your wood chips in water before adding them to the smoker to keep the salmon moist. Also, make sure to check the grill temperature regularly to make sure it stays near the proper temperature. Similarly, it can be helpful to use an electric temperature probe for the salmon as well.

featured review

This is a great and pretty easy to follow recipe for smoked salmon, works with any kind of salmon! Straightforward and amazing recipe! My new favorite goto recipe for smoking salmon, I use it with my little chief smoker, might take just a little bit longer but definitely worth the wait!!

-Josh

Ingredients for this Traeger smoked salmon recipe

The dry brine is a simple mix of ingredients that can be adjusted to your taste preference and scaled to the amount of salmon you are using. Aside from the salmon, you’ll need some simple pantry staples including brown sugar, kosher salt, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. If you want spice, you can add a little bit of cayenne powder or black pepper.

fresh salmon, salt, brown sugar, and spices laid out in bowls from overhead angle

How to pick the best salmon

In the Pacific NW we are truly spoiled when it comes to salmon. In most areas you can find good salmon if you know what to look for though. Of course, fresh is best. I’m lucky my husband catches most of the salmon we eat locally but I’ve bought my fair share too. Here are my tips on choosing the best salmon:

Make sure you buy from a reputable place. Seafood is not something to buy from a bargain grocer unless they’re specifically known for fresh fish.
Ask when the fish was caught and/or when it arrived at the store.
Smell is harder to isolate in a fish market or grocery store but if you can smell the salmon filet up close that is a good indicator of freshness. It should smell fresh and not have a strong off-putting odor.
Color can range from pink to orange-red to deep red and does not always indicate quality. It can be indicative of the fish’s diet, species, or time of year it’s caught. Most farmed salmon has dye added to make it a more appealing color. Look for consistency and a nice pink to red color.
When buying fresh, the filet texture should appear glossy, oily and moist not dried out or curled up at the edges.
Don’t be afraid to buy frozen! Freezing is a great way to get wild-caught (or farmed) salmon that is frozen at its freshest for a decent price. Look for pieces that are tightly sealed and appear consistent without freezer burn and defrost thoroughly before using.
Buy wild if possible and your budget allows. King (chinook) and coho are best since they have a higher fat content but any salmon will work here.

Sourcing Tip

Sourcing Tip: sockeye salmon isn’t farm-raised so if you see it labeled that way, you can usually safely assume its wild caught.

Angled shot of smoked salmon resting on a fork

How to smoke salmon

While making smoked salmon is a day long process, very little of that time is active time.

1. Preparing the fish

To prepare the salmon, you can remove the bones using tweezers if desired (I normally don’t since it’s time consuming). Then slice it into strips. In the last few years, we started removing the skin since that makes it less fishy tasting but that is optional as well.

close up of six strips of raw salmon on a cutting board

2. Making the dry brine

Next, toss the kosher salt, brown sugar, and spices into whatever container you’ll be brining in. We typically just use a large bowl but a food storage container or bag works too. Stir to mix all of those ingredients well.

side by side images of dry brine ingredients in a bowl before mixing and after

3. Dry brining the salmon

Add the salmon to the dry brine mixture and toss gently to coat each piece evenly. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours. It isn’t mandatory but it helps the texture to drain off any liquid that accumulates at the bottom of the bowl about half way through this brining period.

two side by side images of salmon in a large bowl of dry brine before and after brining

4. Letting it rest

When you’re almost ready to start smoking, you need to rinse the dry brine off of the salmon, dry it off with paper towels and let it sit for about an hour. I like to lay mine out on a baking sheet so it gets plenty of air flow. This creates that hard outer part called pellicle, which is critical for both locking in moisture and creating that candied bacon-like exterior.

pre-cooked brined salmon laid out on a tray with paper towels

5. Smoking the salmon

Now we’re finally ready to smoke that salmon! While the salmon is resting I normally start up the Traeger. Make sure the grill is clean and all ash is cleaned out of the fire pot (round part inside barrel that wood pellets empty out into). This is really important when smoking at lower temperatures since having that fire pot be clogged or dusty can lead to the dreaded LEr error code that shuts your smoker off.

Turn the smoker to 180° F and let it come to temperature. If you want to insert a probe to turn the smoker off when the internal temperature reaches 125° F make sure to insert it into the fattest part of the fish on a piece near the middle.

Place the salmon on the smoker and let your Traeger pellet grill do the work! Once the salmon is done cooking, remove it from the grill and let sit for at least 10 minutes before eating. Let leftovers cool completely before placing in the refrigerator or freezing.

Helpful Tips

Recipe Tips

Use good quality fish. Our guide on choosing salmon can help you with this.
You can easily adjust this recipe for the amount of salmon you have. The important thing is to keep the ratio of sugar to salt at 4 parts sugar to 1 part salt. Cayenne and other spices can be added to according to your preferences.
Store in a tightly sealing container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator or vacuum seal and freeze for up to 6 months for longer term storage.
For sweeter salmon or a different flavor, you can brush with honey or teriyaki sauce 2 -3 times during the cooking process, waiting about 30 minutes between each glaze. I have an awesome gluten free teriyaki sauce recipe if you want to make it yourself.
For best results use a mild wood like apple, cherry alder or mesquite wood pellets.
Check your smoker every half hour or so just to make sure everything is working properly.

overhead of smoked salmon pieces with one broken up by a fork

Uses for leftover smoked salmon

This is a recipe that lends itself well to leftovers. We often double it and then use it over the course of a week, freezing whatever we know we won’t eat. Here are may favorite uses for leftover smoked salmon:

In smoked salmon dip that doubles as a spread for sandwiches and bagels.
On a bagel with cream cheese. To make it more fancy, add fresh dill, capers, thinly sliced red onion and a sprinkle of fresh cracked pepper.
In my epic smoked salmon taco recipe.
In an omelette, frittata or to turn a veggie quiche into a meaty one.
Served on crackers or cucumbers with cream cheese and fresh dill (one of my favorite easy appetizers!).
With a bock of cream cheese and crackers (this is what we did growing up in Alaska).

close up of a fork with smoked salmon on it

What temperature should I smoke salmon at?

180° F (82° C) is best temperature to smoke salmon at. Some prefer to smoke it faster at a higher temperature but we’ve found slow smoked is best.

How long to smoke salmon at 180° F?

It will take approximately 3 hours, give or take, to smoke salmon at 180° F. This will vary depending on the thickness of the salmon, how large the pieces are and how fatty the fish itself is.

Can you freeze smoked salmon?

Yes! To freeze, let the salmon cool completely and then vac-seal and freeze for up to six months. To thaw, remove vacuum sealed salmon from the freezer and let defrost in the refrigerator overnight or place in a bowl of cool water for 30 – 45 minutes.

overhead close up of strip of smoked salmon with parsley and lemon wedge

Recipe

5 from 6 ratings

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