Did you know you can make juicy, flaky, wood-fired smoked salmon on your pellet grill in just 25 minutes? With only a handful of ingredients and a few simple steps, this recipe proves that perfect BBQ salmon doesn’t have to take all day.
While low-and-slow smoked salmon has its place, I’ve found cooking it hot and fast gives it a juicy wood-fired flavor with an incredible texture that is arguably better than traditional BBQ salmon.
Why I love smoking salmon on the pellet grill
If you want juicy, flaky salmon with crisp edges and that signature wood-fired flavor, this hot-and-fast method delivers perfect results with minimal effort.
- Fast turnaround, big flavor – Real wood-smoked flavor in about 25 minutes of cook time.
- Use whatever salmon you have – You can use skin-on or skinless, whole or individual filets.
- Moist, flaky texture with smoke-kissed flavor – The quick brown sugar cure and BBQ rub keep the fish juicy while giving it that subtle smoky edge you only get from live fire.
- Works on any pellet grill (and more) – Whether you’re rocking a Traeger, Pit Boss, Camp Chef, or just a simple kettle setup with wood chips, this recipe adapts easily to your gear.
- Consistently delicious results – Pellet grills make it easy to hit that sweet spot of high heat and clean smoke, so your salmon turns out perfect every time.
Ingredients for pellet grill salmon
- Whole salmon filet – I used a whole wild-caught Alaskan salmon filet, however, any salmon works great. Look for a filet that is a consistent thickness so it cooks evenly.
- Sweet BBQ rub – I used Meat Church “The Gospel”, but you can use your favorite sweet BBQ rub or check out our smoked salmon seasoning recipe.
- Brown sugar – Used as a “quick cure” for the salmon in addition to the salt in the BBQ rub.
- Avocado oil – Used as a binder for the salmon seasoning, but any neutral cooking oil will work.
Equipment you’ll need
- Pellet smoker – I used my Traeger Ironwood pellet grill, but any pellet grill will work. You can also use an egg, kettle grill, offset, or drum smoker, as long as your grill can produce clean smoke at a high temperature. I just wouldn’t recommend a gas grill or a grill that cannot be used for indirect cooking.
- Pellets – I suggest using hickory, oak, apple, or cherry pellets. I used the Traeger Grills Signature blend pellets.
- Sheet pan – The salmon needs to sit on a pan or tray when in the smoker.
- Baking paper – This helps keep the salmon from sticking.
- Meat thermometer – I used an instant read thermometer; you can’t beat them for speed and accuracy. You can also use a wireless Bluetooth or a wired probe thermometer.
Wild-caught or farmed salmon?
In this recipe, I used a wild-caught Alaskan salmon fillet. I generally prefer wild-caught over farm-raised; it’s firmer, richer in flavor, and naturally vibrant thanks to its ocean diet.
Farmed salmon, raised in pens and fed processed feed, tends to be softer and milder, and some farms use additives to boost color or prevent disease.
While farm-raised fish is easier to find and more affordable, wild-caught salmon has a clean, natural flavor that really shines with a bit of wood smoke.
That said, I’ve tested this recipe with wild Alaskan, sockeye, Pacific, and farmed Atlantic salmon, and it works beautifully on all of them.
How to make smoked salmon on a pellet grill
1. Trim and check for bones
Trim any hanging pieces or pieces of the salmon filet that are less than ½ inch in thickness. This will ensure an even cook.
Run your hand over the filet to check for any pin bones. You can use tweezers to remove them, its quite satisfying and saves any choking incidents.
2. Season the salmon
Rub the top of the salmon with a light coat of oil.
Set the filet on a sheet pan and then season generously all over the top and sides with your favorite BBQ rub.
Sprinkle brown sugar evenly across the top, gently patting it down, so it sticks to the fish.
Place the sheet pan in the refrigerator, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes. You can marinate the salmon for up to eight hours without changing the texture.
During this resting time, the brown sugar and salt work together to draw out a little moisture, then pull it back in, locking in flavor and creating a quick cure that also doubles as a simple marinade.
Pro tip – If using farm-raised salmon, I suggest you marinate the salmon for at least one hour.
Cut a piece of parchment or butcher paper to fit a baking sheet. Place the salmon filet directly onto the paper.
Pro tip – If you have a piece of cedar plank large enough to smoke the whole salmon filet, that works as well. Just make sure you soak it in water before using.
3. Fire up the smoker
Preheat your pellet smoker to 375°F. If you want the most smoke flavor, you could lower the temperature to around 275°F. You’ll get a slightly softer texture, and I prefer the taste of cooking the salmon hot and fast.
If you do lower the temperature, plan for a 40-60 minute cook time.
Hickory, oak, cherry pellets, or a sweet blend are your best options for smoking salmon. The sweeter pellets will produce a clean, hot, fast smoke that’s subtle enough not to steal the show.
4. Smoke the salmon
Place the tray in the pellet grill, close the lid, and smoke for 25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F.
I like to use an instant read thermometer for this so that I can track multiple parts of the salmon without over-puncturing the meat.
The duration of the cook is dependent on the size of the salmon filet, so tracking the temperature over time is key.
An average whole salmon filet weighs about 2 lbs. After 15 minutes of cooking, I recommend checking the thickest part of the salmon. When that piece reaches 145°F, the salmon is ready to remove from the grill.
5. Rest and serve
Let the salmon cool off before serving.
I prefer to serve smoked salmon within 20 minutes of being taken off the grill.
The best bite is when the salmon has rested for just a few minutes.
This hot-and-fast method gives you all the flavor of a long smoke without the wait. Whether it’s a weeknight dinner or the centerpiece of your next backyard BBQ, this recipe proves that great barbecue doesn’t have to take all day. It just needs the right heat, a touch of smoke, and a good piece of fish.
You can’t go wrong serving this hot smoked salmon with our grilled Caesar salad or this creamy potato salad.
If you try this recipe, please let us know if you’re a convert in the comments below, and remember to leave a rating.
More great BBQ salmon recipes
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How to Make Smoked Salmon on a Pellet Grill
Juicy, flaky salmon cooked hot and fast on the pellet grill. Sweet BBQ rub, brown sugar cure, and clean wood smoke create bold, rich flavor in minutes.
Course Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes minutes
Cure time 30 minutes minutes
Total Time 1 hour hour
Servings 4
Calories 374kcal
Prepare the salmon filet by trimming any hanging pieces or pieces of the salmon filet that are less than ½ inch in thickness, and remove any pin bones.
Rub the oil over the salmon, and season the top and sides with the BBQ rub.
Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the top and gently pat it down. Store in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes up to eight hours.
Preheat your pellet smoker to 375°F.
Cut a piece of parchment or butcher paper to fit a baking sheet and place the salmon filet directly onto the paper. This will help stop the salmon sticking.
Place the tray in the pellet grill, close the lid, and smoke for 25 minutes. I recommend checking the thickest part after 15 minutes of cooking. When that piece reaches 145°F, the salmon can be removed from the smoker.
Let the salmon cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.
Farm-raised salmon – I suggest marinating the salmon for at least one hour. You can marinate for up to eight hours without changing the texture.
Wood –I recommend using hickory, oak, cherry, or a sweet blend of pellets.
Not using a pellet grill -If you’re using a grill that doesn’t run on pellets, I highly recommend adding soaked hickory or cherry wood chips to the coals before cooking the salmon. The soaked wood chips create a “hot smoke” from the reaction of the wood chips with the coals.
Salmon size matters – An average whole salmon filet is about 2lbs. I would recommend checking the thickest part after 15 minutes of cooking. When that piece reaches 145°F, the salmon is ready to be removed from the grill. Calories: 374kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 125mg | Sodium: 104mg | Potassium: 1130mg | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 91IU | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 2mg
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