Pellet Smoker Salmon Filets

In this recipe, I smoked at 225 degrees F, to speed up the process a bit. It took 45 – 60 minutes to reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. 

Obviously if you’re cold smoking salmon, it will take longer to finish since you’ll be smoking at a lower temperature. 

I’m no dietitian, but smoked salmon is full of vitamins and other nutrients that will positively impact your health. It’s safe to say that eating smoked salmon is healthier vs other smoked foods.

If you’re smoking 1 – 2 salmon filets like I did in this recipe, you really won’t want to freeze them. With that said, the short answer is “yes” you can freeze smoked salmon and it should last for months frozen. I recommend freezing smoked salmon when you cook an entire salmon side vs one filet.

It depends if you are cold smoking salmon or hot smoking salmon. For cold smoking, you should consume it within 1 – 2 weeks if refrigerated. Freeze it to extend its shelf life if you do not plan to eat it within that time window.

For hot smoked salmon, eat it within a week if refrigerated. If you vacuum seal smoked salmon, it will last longer in the fridge and even longer if frozen.

Smoked salmon recipes will differ depending if you hot or cold smoke it. In this recipe, I hot smoked the salmon at 225 degrees F. Given the higher smoking temperature, it will only take about 45 – 60 minutes to reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. 

You can consume smoked salmon in a variety of ways. You could just eat it as, add it to a smoked salmon dip, make a smoked salmon salad, or even add it to a chowder.

Yes, smoked salmon will eventually go bad. It will last a long time (several months) if frozen and a week or two if refrigerated.

Smoked salmon has this delicious flaky yet firm texture. You can taste the smoky pellet flavor of the wood chips too. In this Sip Bite Go recipe, I kept it simple with salt, pepper, and lemon juice, so it had quite a refreshing bite to it.

I used mesquite pellets for this smoke and it paired extremely well with the fish. It wasn’t overpowering, just a light smoky flavor. If you do not have those pellets on hand, you could use Traeger’s Signature Blend. Probably an alder wood would be nice for salmon. 

Now this one is the big debate. It is absolutely necessary to brine a salmon before smoking it…NO. Not brining keeps things quick and simple! As seen in this recipe, I seasoned the salmon with just a few ingredients and got it right on the smoker. There’s not much to it. 

With that said, you can totally decide to brine the salmon before the smoke. You can either wet brine it or dry brine it. In a standard dry brine, you’ll want to mix together salt, sugar (typically brown sugar), and some spices of your choosing in a small bowl. Then rub directly on the salmon. For a wet brine, just add some liquid like water to have the salmon sit in. 

If you decide to use a brine prior to the smoke, then be sure to brine it a day in advance of the smoke.

Yes, it is cooked if the internal temp reaches 145 degrees F. 

Smoked salmon pairs well with a lot of sides. While the salmon is cooking, I recommend making some couscous like you see in the Sip Bite Go photos to have with the salmon. Couscous really pairs well because it’s light and refreshing, similar to the salmon. 

Feel free to go to your local fishmonger or grocery store and see what they have fresh. You can’t go wrong with either Pacific or Atlantic salmon. 

When you’re smoking salmon, you will start to see a white substance protruding from it. This is called albumin which is a protein that pours out when the salmon is exposed to heat. It’s totally fine to eat and is not a sign of a bad salmon filet. 

One way to get rid of albumin is to smoke it at a very low temperature. Try cold smoking it or using a very low temperature like 180 degrees F to avoid albumin. Higher heat creates more albumin.