Incredibly moist, flaky, and melt-in-your-mouth-tender pellet grill salmon delivers wood-smoke infused perfection. An easy dry brine technique gives you the absolute best taste and texture you could imagine.
I can’t believe my baby has grown up and is getting ready to leave for university soon. So I decided to break out my pellet grill and create a celebratory dinner. Actually, I smoked two so I could make my favorite smoked salmon dip afterward.
But what I really wanted to do was try out my new dry brine recipe. Why?
Why Dry Brine Salmon
Salt and sugar pull out moisture for firmer, flakier flesh that’s easier to slice. Then, that moisture dissolves the salt and sugar and absorbs back into the fish, taking all the flavor with it.
A dry brine also tightens up the proteins for a gorgeous, glossy finish. And, finally, it works more magic in the smoker by better adherence for more intense smokiness.
How to Cook Salmon With a Pellet Grill
- Mix the brine, prep the salmon, and cover it with the dry brine.
- After it’s done brining, rinse well and let it dry in the fridge. Season if desired, and smoke it. Sorry, I was so excited about how good it looked that I forgot to take pictures while it was smoking.
Recipe Tips
- Place the salmon filet on top of a cedar plank soaked in water, and smoke for a delightfully woodsy flavor.
- Up the flavor factor with a honey glaze. Brush it on the salmon about 30 minutes into smoking time, and brush more on every 30 minutes after that.
- I love my Traeger pellet grill for salmon, but this recipe works on any smoker.
- Milder wood chips, such as alder, cherrywood, apple, and pecan, provide a subtle flavor that complements the salmon’s delicate flavor.
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
Smoked salmon is a great make-ahead addition to your weekly meal prep. Let it cool completely, tightly wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for up to a week or freeze it for up to 6 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before using it.
Use leftovers in dip, on bagels with cream cheese, avocado toast, and light main-meal salads. It also goes great in omelets and salad bowls.
Pellet-Grilled Salmon Pairings
Smoked salmon pairs beautifully with asparagus and a fresh wedge salad. And garlic mashed potatoes are always a welcome side dish.
More Delectable Seafood Recipes to Try
By Imma
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Prep: 5 minutes mins
Cook: 1 hour hr
Brining & Resting Time: 8 hours hrs
Total: 9 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
American
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Mix the brown sugar, salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, celery seeds, and white pepper in a small bowl until thoroughly combined, and set aside.
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Remove any small bones from the salmon that might have been missed when filleting. Put it in a shallow bowl and cover it with the dry brine. Press down gently, making sure the filets are completely covered.
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Let it brine in the fridge for 4-24 hours, depending on the thickness of the filet and the desired saltiness.
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Thoroughly rinse the brine off the salmon under cold running water to remove excess salt. Pat dry with paper towels.
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Place it skin-side down on a rack on top of a baking sheet, and place it in the refrigerator, and let it dry for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight) until the surface is lightly tacky. That helps the smoke flavor adhere to the fish.
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Preheat the pellet grill to 180-225°F (80-110°C) with the lid closed for 15 minutes.
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Remove the salmon from the fridge, sprinkle with optional seasonings, place the filets, skin-side down, directly on the grates, and insert a meat thermometer into the center.
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If the smoker is at 225°F (110°C), it may take 45 minutes to 1½ hours. If you’re smoking it at 180°F (80°C), it may take up to 4 hours. You’ll want an internal temperature of 140-145°F (60-63°C) for tender, flaky fish.
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Remove it from the smoker and serve it warm with lemon wedges or chilled.
- Wild-caught salmon is best, but feel free to use some of its cousins, like trout, whitefish, char, and grayling. Actually, any firm-fleshed cold-water fish will work.
- The thicker the filets, the longer you can brine them. And don’t worry if the brine turns into liquid because the salt and sugar will pull moisture out of the fish, which will dissolve them.
- You can glaze smoked salmon with honey. But if you put the glaze on too soon, it could burn. Halfway through the smoking time is a better time to brush it with your honey glaze.
- Please remember that the nutritional data is a rough estimate and can vary immensely based on the ingredients used in the recipe.
Serving: 100g| Calories: 289kcal (14%)| Carbohydrates: 12g (4%)| Protein: 35g (70%)| Fat: 11g (17%)| Saturated Fat: 2g (13%)| Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g| Monounsaturated Fat: 4g| Cholesterol: 94mg (31%)| Sodium: 953mg (41%)| Potassium: 931mg (27%)| Fiber: 1g (4%)| Sugar: 8g (9%)| Vitamin A: 227IU (5%)| Vitamin C: 9mg (11%)| Calcium: 61mg (6%)| Iron: 2mg (11%)
Course: Main
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
