How to Smoke Salmon (Easy Recipe on Pellet Smoker)

Wondering How to Smoke Salmon? It’s a simple way to enjoy a restaurant favorite on your smoker or on your grill. Try this smoked salmon recipe today! This is the easiest way to make the best smoked salmon recipe! Loaded with smoky flavor! 

Cooking salmon on the outdoor smoker is one of my favorite things to do during the summer months.

It’s a great way to cook raw salmon with simple steps, and I love that it doesn’t take a huge amount of time.

Since salmon has a mild flavor, the steps on the recipe card show how simple it is to add your own seasonings. 

You can top the salmon with garlic powder, a dry rub, salt, black pepper, lemon juice, or anything else that you think tastes good with fresh salmon.

That’s what I love about this easy recipe! As the salmon cooks, it gets that smoke flavor throughout the meat – so good! 

The cooking process and smoking process are simple, and do a great job at making sure that the flesh of the salmon stays tender and flaky.

The good news is that this easy smoked salmon recipe proves that great options to share with family and friends can be simple! 

How to Smoke Salmon

Sometimes people shy away from cooking salmon on a grill or smoker because they worry about it being too dry. 

If you follow my tips below, you’ll enjoy smoked salmon from a pellet grill that is moist and full of flavor.

Keep in mind — this hot smoked salmon recipe is meant for entrees, not the type used as lox for bagels.

There are so many easy ways to make salmon at home that I find myself making it more often. 

Have you had a chance to try this air fryer salmon with honey mustard glaze? It’s an absolute must.

Or, if you’d like another type of seafood, lemon garlic shrimp is bursting with flavor, truly better than any restaurant. A one-skillet meal, made in just 20 minutes!

What is the best type of salmon to smoke?

The most important thing to look for when choosing salmon is that you get the freshest possible piece of fish. 

Salmon should not smell fishy. And if you buy it whole, the eyes should be relatively clear. 

• Farm-raised salmon is raised in a fish farm or a pen in the ocean. The fat content in this type of salmon is often higher, and the fish itself is larger. 
  
  This is the best type for smoking because the extra fat helps keep the fillet tender.
  
• Wild salmon is caught on a line. It has spent its life in its natural habitat. This type of salmon is much leaner and will cook faster.

How to Make Smoked Salmon on a Pellet Grill

First, select the type of wood you prefer. I recommend a more mellow flavor like oak, maple, pecan, or alder.

Applewood is my personal favorite for this hot smoked salmon recipe! 

1. Fill your pellet smoker with wood pellets of your choice.
2. Preheat smoker to 225°F. 
3. Place your fish fillet on a tray — I like the marinade tray from William Sonoma. 
4. Using two paper towels, pat the fish dry.
5. Combine the spices for the rub, whisking until well combined. Rub and press over the entire surface of the fillet.
6. Place on the smoker skin side down. Smoke for about 50-55 minutes, depending on the size of the fish.
7. Remove smoked salmon from the pellet grill, then let it rest for about 10 minutes before you serve it.

Smoked Salmon Internal Temp

Whether you’re just learning how to smoke salmon or are a seasoned pro, you should always rely on a trusty digital thermometer when cooking proteins.

Insert the probe into the very center of the thickest part of the fillet for the most accurate reading.

According to the USDA, the safe smoked salmon internal temp is 145°F.

Because the fish will continue to cook a bit as it rests, it should be fine to remove it from the smoker once it reaches at least 142°F.

Smoked Salmon Recipe FAQ

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

If you have leftover salmon, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Choose a shallow container or wrap it with tin foil to keep it from drying out. Use your leftovers within 3 days.

If you want to keep it for longer than 3 days, you will need to freeze it. Cooked salmon can be frozen for up to three months as long as it has been wrapped tightly in tin foil.

Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.

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Originally published March 2021, updated and republished July 2024

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