Smoked Salmon on a Pellet Grill
Smoked salmon on a pellet grill, made with a simple salt-sugar cure and gentle wood smoke. This recipe yields enough for 8 appetizer portions or 4 main servings for salad or pasta.
Servings: 8 2 ounces per serving
Equipment
- Pellet grill or other smoker
- pellets
Ingredients
Salmon
- 1 - 1 ½ pounds fresh salmon see salmon notes in post
Smoked salmon cure
- 6 tablespoons brown sugar or white
- 2-3 tablespoons kosher salt notes below on salt brands
- ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper optional
Optional glaze
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup for spice add a pinch of chipotle or cayenne
Instructions
24 hours ahead
- Mix the cure. After removing salmon from the wrapping, be sure to remove any pin bones, place the salmon skin side down on a rimmed baking sheet on parchment and cover the salmon top well with the cure mix. You might not use it all depending on the size of your salmon fillet. Pat it on the salmon. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10-12 hours.
- After the salmon has cured, rinse off cure and pat dry well with paper towels. Place salmon on a rimmed baking sheet with parchment on top of a wire rack for air circulation and allow to dry to create the pellicle, 10-12 hours.
Smoke salmon
- Remove the salmon from the refrigerator 45-60 minutes ahead of smoking. Be sure the grill is full of pellets and the grates are clean. Set the temperature to 180°F and super smoke (if you have the setting).
- When the grill is hot, place the salmon fillet on the grill center. Use either a bulit-in probe or a wireless thermometer to be able to monitor cooking temperature. Salmon will take approximately 3- 3/12 hours depending on multiple factors. Cook to temperature not time.
- When the salmon has reached 140°F, remove from the grill. Carefully turn the fillet over and peel off the skin. With a paring knife, scrape off the bloodline, the darker purple gray area under the salmon skin. Turn salmon over, and serve.
Storing and Freezing
- Hot-smoked salmon keeps well in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days in an airtight container. The flavor actually deepens a little after resting overnight, so don’t feel like you need to eat it all right away. To freeze, wrap well and use a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. Label and date it, then freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator for the best texture.
Notes
Salt notes: If using Diamond Crystal kosher salt use 3 tablespoons for the cure. If using Morton, La Baleine, or Redmond kosher salt, use 2 tablespoons instead, as those salts are denser.
Chef’s Tip – How Much Salmon to Buy
Smoked salmon loses about 25–30% of its weight during curing and smoking. A 1 ¼-pound fillet will finish closer to 13–14 ounces after shrinkage and trimming the skin. Plan on 4-6 ounces cooked salmon per person for a main dish, or 2 ounces if serving as an appetizer. For serving suggestions, please see the post.
Smoked salmon loses about 25–30% of its weight during curing and smoking. A 1 ¼-pound fillet will finish closer to 13–14 ounces after shrinkage and trimming the skin. Plan on 4-6 ounces cooked salmon per person for a main dish, or 2 ounces if serving as an appetizer. For serving suggestions, please see the post.