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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
Equipment
- 1 Smoker We use a Traeger but any smoker or grill will work
- Large bowl or bag
Ingredients
- 2 lbs fresh salmon
Dry Brine
- 1 cups brown sugar
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
Instructions
- Cut salmon into 2-3” wide strips through the center bone. We like to remove the skin fist since it makes it less fishy tasting but that’s optional. You can also use tweezers to remove the bones before cutting into strips if you’d like to but we typically just pull them out when eating it.
- Stir all dry brine seasonings together in a large bowl. Add salmon and toss to coat.
- Place bowl with seasoned salmon in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours, preferably 24 hours. About half way through the brine time, move the salmon pieces around to make sure each piece gets evenly coated and drain off any liquid that has accumulated in the bottom of the bowl.
- Remove the salmon from the refrigerator and rinse the brine off of each piece of fish.
- Line a large tray with paper towels (or clean kitchen towels) and place the salmon pieces on top of them, leaving space between. Pat the tops dry and let the salmon rest and come to room temperature for 1-2 hours. Do not skip this step!
- Add wood chips (apple, cherry and mesquite are best) to the Traeger and preheat temperature to 180° F (82° C).
- Place salmon skin side down (or side where skin would have been if skin is removed) onto the grill grate. If using a probe, set it to 125° F (52° C) inserting it into the fattest part of the fish towards the middle of the grill.
- Cook for approximately 3 hours until salmon is done. Exact time can vary from 2-4 hours depending on thickness of salmon pieces. Let sit for at least 10 minutes before eating and let cool completely before storing leftovers in a tightly sealing container in the refrigerator. If you plan to eat some of the salmon fresh right away, pull it off at 125° – °130° (52-54° C) for a cooked but less well done texture. If you like your salmon firm on the inside or plan to keep it in the refrigerator for awhile and/or freeze it, smoke it until it reaches 135 – 140° F (57-60° C) for best results.
Notes
- Recipe can easily be adjusted 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.
- Store in a tightly sealing container for 1-2 weeks in the refrigerator or vacuum seal and freeze for up to 6 months for longer term storage.
- For sweeter salmon or a different flavor, brush with honey or teriyaki sauce 2 -3 times during the cooking process, waiting about 30 minutes between each glaze.
- Nutrition information assumes all sugar and salt is used in recipe but most of brine is thrown away.
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
Hi. Trying this recipe right now and will smoke it on my Traeger on SuperSmoke at 165F for an hour plus tomorrow. Used maple sugar for the sweetener and coarsely ground Aleppo pepper instead of the paprika. Marinating overnight right now. With a bit of massaging.
Oh, and i added an amount of Prague Powder #1 based on the weight of the sockeye salmon fillet I am using.
Truly the best recipe for smoking salmon. Seems to be the only way I eat all of the fish I catch.
Isn’t it the best?! We make it all the time, especially this time of year!
That’s so kind of you to say! Thank you for coming back to let me know you liked the recipe! 🙂
Glad to hear you liked the recipe as much as we do!
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!!
We’ve made it with a little chief smoker too and it turns out great! It definitely takes longer than a Traeger but does the job. So happy to hear you liked the recipe!
I’m new to using my Traeger but have lots of salmon. This was my first smoking attempt. It is soooo very delicious. I improvised and diced some shallots rather than using onion powder, I used smoked garlic powder, sea salt grated coarsely and about half what the recipe called for. I did everything else exactly as stated. So very amazing! Gotta try this one.
That’s so lovely to hear! My daughter requests we make it at least once a month! It’s a family favorite recipe. 🙂
Thank you, Christy. You never know what might turn up when you’re using an internet search, but every once in a while you find a pearl.
This recipe is a pearl, a gem, a treasure!
Made it for the first time and my family loved it. I used a Manuka honey glaze, but used your timing and ratios for the dry brine, resting, and cooking.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I have bookmarked this as well as printed (so I don’t lose it!).
Much love to you and yours!
I love hearing this! We smoke salmon at least once a month (I know I’m spoiled) and this is always my favorite way to do it. Brushing on honey is the chef’s kiss. 🙂
I totally agree on removing the skin to avoid the fishy taste. I have tried the Traeger recipes posted by Traeger, but this one beats it. Thanks for sharing.
Yes! The skin is fine left on for quick cooking methods but for smoking it just makes the meat taste fishy. And that makes my day hearing you say it beats the Traeger website recipe itself!
Consistently delicious!
Thank you for letting me know you liked it! 🙂