Quick Look at this Hot Smoked Salmon Recipe
- Ready In: just over 2 hours!
- Serves: 6
- Main Ingredients: fresh salmon, brown sugar, kosher salt, garlic, & fresh dill
- Dietary Info: dairy-free, gluten-free, meal prep
- Best For: making ahead of time to use in appetizers, side dishes, or breakfast
- Why You’ll Love It: Purchasing smoked salmon at the store can get expensive, so let me show you just how easy it is to make a delicious hot smoked salmon right at home! Made with a dry brine that is made up of 5 real, simple ingredients and smoked to perfection on our Traeger Pellet Grill. Just follow these step-by-step instructions on how to make smoked salmon!
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Key Ingredients + Substitutions
Be sure to see the recipe card below for a full listing of ingredients, instructions, and estimated nutritional information.
- Fresh Salmon – pick-up a fresh piece of salmon at your local grocery store. We highly suggest wild-caught salmon – Sockeye salmon, king salmon, and Atlantic salmon are all great options!
- Brown Sugar & Kosher Salt – traditional dry brine ingredients for salmon and are used at a 3:1 brown sugar to salt ratio.
- Fresh Dill – always a perfect compliment to salmon, no matter how it is cooked.
How To Smoke Salmon (Step-by-Step)
Step 1 – Put the sugar, salt, dill, garlic, and pepper in a bowl.
Step 2 – Mix to create a dry brine.
Step 3 – Rub the brine on the flesh of the salmon.
Step 4 – Place in the fridge, uncovered, for 1 hour.
Pro Tip
For best results, the salmon needs to sit in the fridge, uncovered, for at least 1 hour (up to 4 hours). This is a crucial step to form a pellicle, which is a tacky skin that helps the smoke stick to the fish.
Step 5 – Move the salmon to a large piece of foil and place on the preheated smoker.
Step 6 – Smoke at 225 degrees F for about 40-60 minutes.
How To Serve Smoked Salmon
There are a variety of different options, a few of our favorites are:
- Main Course: enjoy it by itself with a side of smoked potatoes and smoked green beans.
- Side Dish: serve alongside any of your favorite main courses.
- Appetizer: use it in our amazing smoked salmon dip recipe! Or simply on some of your favorite crackers.
- Breakfast: add to a bagel with cream cheese for breakfast in the morning.
Smoked Salmon FAQs
To compliment the sweetness of the salmon, it is best to use sweeter wood chips, like apple, alder, or maple.
It is cooked. The internal temperature should reach 130 – 140 degrees F at the thickest part of the fish.
It is most likely over cooked, be sure to use a meat thermometer or probe to track the internal temperature and know that it will continue to rise a few degrees while the fish rests after cooking.
Hot smoking is smoking at a higher temperature (225 degrees F) resulting in a much stronger smokey flavor. Where cold smoked salmon is smoked at a much lower heat (about 90 degrees F) keeping the smokey flavor less strong.
Lox is cured with a very salty blend of spices and when smoking salmon it may or may not be cured first. Typically, lox will have less smoke flavor and more of a fresh flavor, similar to a cold-smoked salmon.
In an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
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Ingredients
- 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh dill, chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced or grated
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ½ pounds fresh salmon
Instructions
- Prep Brine: In a small bowl, combine 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon fresh dill, 1 teaspoon garlic and ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper.
- Brine Salmon: Place 1 ½ pounds fresh salmon on a wire rack on top of a baking sheet, skin side down. Rub brine mixture over the top of the salmon (no need to rub on the skin), ensuring it is fully covered. Place in the refrigerator, uncovered for 1 hour.
- Smoke Salmon: Preheat smoker to 225℉. Remove salmon from the refrigerator and pat dry with paper towel (no need to rinse off). Place salmon (skin side down) on top of a piece of foil and then transfer to the smoker. Let it smoke for 40-60 minutes or until the internal temperature at the thickest part of the salmon reaches 130-135℉ (see Notes).
- Serve: Serve salmon with some easy smoked potatoes and smoked green beans for a delicious dinner! Use leftovers to make the best smoked salmon dip!
Notes
- Cook Time: we used a 1.5 pound salmon fillet that was approx. 1 inch at its thickest part. Cook time will vary depending upon the thickness of the salmon, hot spots on your smoker, humidity, wind, outdoor temp, etc. The best way to track is to keep an eye on that internal temp using a meat thermometer.
- Sugar: the brown sugar does leave a little sweetness, but not much. Feel free to reduce or omit the brown sugar, if you desire.
- Storage: store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days – or use leftovers to make some Smoked Salmon Dip!
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