Smoked salmon on a pellet grill is flavorful, surprisingly easy, and always better when you make it yourself. This traditional hot-smoking method uses a simple salt-and-sugar dry brine, called a cure, plus low-temperature smoke to create tender, lightly smoky salmon with a rich color and deep flavor. Serve it as part of an appetizer spread, for brunch with eggs, or flaked into salads, grain bowls, or in pasta.
Most people are familiar with cold-smoked salmon-thinly sliced and silky, often served on bagels or charcuterie boards. But smoked salmon on a pellet grill is different. Pellet smoked salmon is hot-smoked, gently cooked at 180°F, until tender and flaky with a lightly smoky flavor and a subtle lacquered finish. It's delicious served many ways and easy to do at home wtih a pellet grill or smoker.
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Why You'll Love Pellet Smoked Salmon
- Incredible flavor - Gently smoked with a hint of sweetness and subtle spice.
- Better than store-bought - Fresher taste, cleaner ingredients, no preservatives.
- Versatile - Serve flaked into salads, grain bowls, pasta, as appetizer platters, and many other ways
- Simple ingredients - Just salmon, salt, sugar, and a few pantry spices.
For a relatively quick smoking recipe, try my smoked chicken breasts, with boneless skinless chicken breasts.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Salmon - My preference is fresh wild King (Chinook) salmon when it's available. Choose a center-cut fillet for even thickness and the most tender results. Coho or farmed salmon also work, and frozen fillets as well. Notes below.
- Sugar - Light brown sugar adds a subtle molasses depth, while white sugar gives a cleaner, more neutral flavor. Either will balance the salt and help with caramelization.
- Salt - Use kosher salt. Because salt densities differ, the amount must be adjusted by brand (see below).
- Spices - A simple blend of granulated garlic, onion powder, and smoked paprika enhances the cure without overpowering the natural flavor of the salmon.
Please see the recipe card for measurements, and pepper (optional).
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 an easy, fast salmon recipe, try these steamed salmon fillets.
The Best Salmon for Pellet Smoking
Here's what to know:
- King salmon (Chinook): The richest and fattiest of the wild salmon, with a buttery texture that stays moist during smoking. Thick fillets may take a little longer to reach temperature, but King is the most forgiving.
- Coho salmon: Leaner and milder than King, with medium fat content. Often sold in thinner fillets, so it may smoke a bit faster at lower temperatures.
- Sockeye salmon: Famous for its deep red color and bold flavor. Very lean, so it can dry out quickly-watch the internal temperature closely.
- Farmed salmon: Widely available and a reliable option if wild isn't on hand. Most farmed salmon is Atlantic (a different species than King), with flavor and sustainability ratings that vary. Scottish and British Columbia farmed salmon are often better, while premium New Zealand Ōra King is considered the gold standard.
For sustainability ratings, check Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch guide on salmon.
Fresh Salmon vs. Frozen Salmon
Frozen, thawed salmon can be smoked as well as fresh. Sometimes it's preferred because freezing kills parasites and may firm the flesh. Success depends on proper handling:
- Freeze quickly in airtight packaging to minimize ice crystals.
- Thaw slowly in the refrigerator for best texture.
- After thawing, follow my curing process, then place the salmon uncovered on a rack in the refrigerator. This step forms a pellicle-a dry, slightly tacky surface that's essential for helping the smoke adhere and builds flavor.
Substitutions and Variations
- Spice it up - Try a pinch of cayenne, chipotle powder, ground coriander, or cumin in the dry brine for added flavor.
- Glaze at the end - For a different finish, glaze the salmon during the last 15 minutes of smoking. Maple adds a subtle caramel note, while a Dijon-honey glaze brings tangy balance. For spice lovers, stir maple with a pinch of cayenne or chipotle.
Love salsa? Try this smoked salsa recipe!
Chef's Tip - The Pellicle
The pellicle is the thin, tacky surface that develops on cured salmon during drying allowing smoke to better adhere during the smoking process. It may look shiny and feel sticky, but that's exactly what you want. It also helps create richer flavor, a glossy finish, and deep color. Don't skip this step: a well-formed pellicle is the difference between average smoked salmon and exceptional results.
How to Smoke Salmon on a Pellet Grill
Plan ahead: Smoked salmon takes approximately 24 hours start to finish-allow up to 12 hours for curing, 12 hours for drying, and about 3 hours of smoking, depending on the thickness of your salmon and the smoker temperature you choose.
- Unwrap the salmon and remove and pin bones. Leave the skin on as it protect the flesh and make easier to handle.
- Mix the cure and cover the salmon in a good layer, patting it on. Use a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
- Wrap curing fillet well in plastic film. Place in the refrigerator for 10-12 hours.
- After curing, unwrap the cured salmon fillet.
- Rinse the cure from the fillet and pat dry with paper towels.
- Place the fillet on a wire rack if possible (for air flow) and dry 10-13 hours in the refrigerator.
- The cured and dry fillet, now with a pellicle formed for smoking.
- Set pellet grill to 180F and smoke for 3 - 3 ½ hours or until 140F is reached. Check the grill occasionally and pellet levels.
- After smoking, turn the fillet over and peel off the skin, and if desired, scrape off the bloodline with a paring knife.
- The finished smoking process and smoked salmon, ready to enjoy.
How Long to Smoke Salmon on a Pellet Grill
- Cook to temperature, not just time. Salmon is done when it reaches 140°F internal in the thickest part.
- At 180°F grill temp, a 1-1.5 lb fillet usually takes 3 - 3 ½ hours.
- Thicker King salmon fillets may run a little longer; thinner Coho or Sockeye may finish sooner.
- You can run the smoker hotter (200-225°F) to cook faster, but you'll get less smoke flavor and risk more albumin leakage (the white protein spots), which is not as attractive. I do not recommend going hotter.
Serving Ideas for Smoked Salmon
Smoked salmon is a versatile ingredient that works for breakfast, brunch, appetizers, and main dishes:
- With classic bagels and cream cheese.
- Flaked into fresh, colorful salads.
- Creative appetizers like topping deviled eggs or cucumber bites.
- Breakfast favorites: with eggs, avocado toast, or smoked salmon hash.
- Lunch & dinner: tossed into pasta, risotto, or grain bowls; layered on pizza; rolled into sushi or wraps.
- Appetizer platters: with capers, onions, and dill, or simply served on crackers with cream cheese or whipped ricotta.
Storing Smoked Salmon
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.
Freezing Tips
Pellet smoked salmon freezes well. Once cooled, portion into serving sizes, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and place in 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.
While it might not be as tender and moist as freshly smoked, it's still excellent flaked into salads, pasta dishes, or scrambled eggs.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Some recipes hot-smoke salmon at higher temps (around 225°F) for a firmer, flakier texture. Others, like this recipe, use a more traditional hot-smoking method-lower and slower at 165-185°F-for tender salmon with deeper smoke flavor. There's also cold-smoked salmon, which is cured and smoked at temps below 86° (usually done in commercial settings with special equipment), not usually done at home.
Gravlax is salmon that's cured with a mixture of salt, sugar, and fresh herbs-traditionally lots of dill-for 2-3 days in the refrigerator. Unlike smoked salmon, it's never smoked, so the flavor is delicate, herbal, and silky.
The USDA says 145°F, but you can take it to 140°F for a more tender texture, up to 150°F for firmer texture.
Many people prefer alder, apple, or cherry (mild woods). Avoid mesquite or hickory as they are too strong. Pecan can be nice. I generally use a blend.
Yes, but the salmon must be completely thawed first for even curing and smoking. Thaw it slowly in the refrigerator overnight, then follow the same curing, drying, and smoking process.
More Pellet Grill Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Smoked Salmon on a Pellet Grill
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
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.
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