This is how to smoke salmon on Traeger at 225 right at home! This is the best salmon with dry rub you will ever make that melts in your mouth with every bite. If you have never smoked fish, or looking for something new we will walk you thru step by step. A healthy dinner idea.
I got my husband a smoker last year and we’ve been making the most amazing salmon in it. Here’s how to smoke salmon in your smoker so you can enjoy the deliciousness too! ๐ It’s one of our favorite easy smoker recipes. (affiliate links present)
Table of Contents
- Smoked Salmon at 225
- How to Smoke Salmon with Dry Rub in Electric Smoker
- Ingredients
- How long should you leave dry rub on salmon?
- How to Smoke Salmon on a Traeger
- Can you cook frozen salmon on Traeger?
- How Long to Smoke Salmon
- How do you eat smoked salmon?
- Is it healthy to eat smoked salmon?
- Does Smoked Salmon Freeze Well?
- How do you reheat frozen smoked salmon?
- How to Smoke Salmon Recipe
Smoked Salmon at 225
Ok so this is probably our favorite meal ever. If we had the time (and it was on sale) often enough we would eat it for dinner every single week. Not only is it so healthy for you but smoking salmon on a Traeger is just delicious. If you have had this at a restaurant you’ll be surprised at just how easy it is to make yourself.
Yes you can just enjoy the flavors of the wood chips or pellets and salt and pepper but if you use our salmon dry rub it will take this from good to out of this world. Are you ready???
You can make this as an electric smoker recipe too, either machine works.
To get your meats absolutely perfect we have this printable meat smoking chart to refer to so each and every time it will be fork tender.
- Recently we upgraded to this Traeger pellet smoker and grill and love it.
- We started with an electric smoker that was a Charbroil which worked well to start with.
- I like applewood pellets, we always have those on hand and make almost everything.
The key to success for your Traeger salmon fillet really is the rub. If you have your own go to mix then by all means whisk that up. Ours gets five stars from everyone who tries it so if you don’t I would highly suggest making ours. You can amp it up with some heat or keep it mild.
You can have a really expensive piece of fish but if you have an amazing rub even an average piece of fish can become incredibly flavorful.
Of course both including a wild caught or Atlantic salmon filet are best. ๐ Here’s the secret to the best baked salmon (and now smoked) my husband swears by. This time I asked him to actually write it down for me so I could share with all of you.
How to Smoke Salmon with Dry Rub in Electric Smoker
You’d follow the same instructions and timing below but use wood chips instead of pellets. We have done it both ways and it turns out great in either one. I like the hickory or apple variety in this case for the best flavor duo.
You could use an electric smoker as well if that is all you have. We have owned both at one point in time and didn’t find a huge difference other than the type of chips you use in each. My husband prefers wood chips now that we’ve used both over time.
Ingredients
- Salmon fillet (leave skin on), this needs to be defrosted
- Salmon dry rub
- Brown sugar gives it a bit of sweet
- Paprika is a nice touch
- Sugar or sugar free alternative works
- Salt and pepper are basic seasonings
- Garlic powder we love on everything
- Chili powder (more or less depending on what heat level you desire)
It is amazing how different salmon tastes when you massage a good rub into it before smoking. It’s so much better than leaving it off in our opinion. Ours is a salty and sweet rub for fish that people comment on all the time and say this is now their go to smoked salmon recipe. You’ll have to let us know what you think…..
How long should you leave dry rub on salmon?
You can either put a thin or thick layer of rub on your fillet. For a more intense flavor, coat and then wrap in plastic wrap. Keep in fridge for up to 12 hours to deepen flavors. I refrigerate for about an hour or so myself.
How to Smoke Salmon on a Traeger
- Once you’ve rinsed your beautiful piece of salmon, pat fish dry and lay it on a cutting board. Then begin to prepare your rub.
- We’re all about using spices when it comes to smoking fish. Combining sugar salt ingredients gives your smoked salmon an incredible flavor. You can add a bit of heat too if you desire.
- Combine your ingredients for the rub. Then massage it on to the top and bottom (yes on the skin side too) of your fillet, and you’re ready to cook.
- Add wood chips or pellets into your smoker by filling the container 3/4 of the way full.
- Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees F
- Lay your fillet flat on a rack with the skin side facing down.
- Smoke fish for approx. 2 hours.
- Check after about 1.5 hrs. to ensure all is going well.
- Salt and pepper to taste at end if you want more seasoning (we like it as is). Enjoy.
Can you cook frozen salmon on Traeger?
Yes and no. You would need to follow our frozen salmon grill directions here with a different temperature and timing. If you wanted to add the rub you’d need to do that halfway thru once it is a bit thawed so it sticks. Still turns out surpringly well!
How Long to Smoke Salmon
I say to set your timer for 1.5 hrs. to check on it. Typically it is perfectly done in about 2 hrs, but it depends on the thickness. You want the flavor of smoke to adhere to the fish so wrapping it in foil is not recommended.
How do you eat smoked salmon?
Well of course you can eat it as is with a side of mixed veggies in your air fryer, or smoked vegetables for a very healthy meal. Some like to drizzle a bit of maple syrup on it for a bit of sweetness.
Rinse brown or Ninja Foodi white rice with some cold water and serve this as a side dish as well. We think the seasonings added at the beginning are way more than enough (and the reviews below concur) but you could add more.
If you cook fish often and have a killer recipe let us know we’d love to try it next! This is of course the hot smoking method. If you have a cold smoking recipe we’d love to try it. This pink fish is not only great for dinner but on top of an everything bagel with a little cream cheese for lunch is amazing too.
We don’t really check the internal temperature when done. Fish just needs to be flaky to be perfect, and overdone isn’t good. A bit underdone is better than dry.
Is it healthy to eat smoked salmon?
This goes for both prepared and sold in the stores, and smoking salmon at home. YES! It’s a good source of protein, B vitamins, vitamin D, magnesium and selenium.
It does have a decent amount of sodium in it though so keep that in mind if you have high blood pressure. In that case you’d want to eat it in moderation since 3 ounces has 666 ml of sodium.
When you’re ready to take it a step further and smoke meats like beef and pork, there is a link to a printable meat smoking chart above to get you started.
Other easy smoker recipes you’ll love
- Make smoked baked potatoes as a side dish
- Or our smoked bread that is cheesy always rocks
Does Smoked Salmon Freeze Well?
- That is assuming you do have leftovers which is never true in our house.
- However, if you do: Of course you can freeze smoked salmon. It can stay in the freezer 6-9 months past the printed date on the package, or the day it was made at home.
- I personally prefer to eat it freshly cooked of course as I think the texture is a bit altered when it is reheated.
How do you reheat frozen smoked salmon?
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and place it in either a shallow baking dish or on a baking sheet. Then, lightly coat the top with a little butter or a spray of olive oil. Warm the smoked salmon in the oven for about five minutes, depending on the strength of your oven. You can print recipe below if you’d like.
How to Smoke Salmon
Equipment
- 1 smoker
- 1 Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 fillet salmon
Smoked Salmon Dry Rub
- 1/2 c brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/4 c sugar
- 2 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp chili powder, optional
Instructions
- Combine rub ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
- Massage rub into top and skin side of salmon fillet.
- Add chips to smoker by filling container/drawer 3/4 full.
- Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees, lay fillet flat on a rack once it reaches this temperature and smoke for approx. 2 hours. Check at 1.5 hrs. to ensure all is going well.
- Salt and pepper to taste at end if you want more seasoning (we like it as is). Enjoy.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Pepper is listed above with salt but not in the ingredients list, how much? And what brine or marinade?
Thanks
Katherine
This is not a marinade recipe but rather a dry rub for salmon. Pepper is just if you want to season at the end.
Is the timing the same if your salmon has no skin? I canโt wait to try this recipe! Thank you for sharing!!
Can you broil the fish or bbq it?
We used your recipe for out Christmas dinner today and I must say it was one of the BEST EVER!!!! Loved the flavor, the rub did not overwhelm the salmon flavor, it enhanced it! Will defiantly be doing this again, soon.
I have a gas smoker (propane source) good one I can adjust perfectly well…I will try and report. JV in the wood.dish I have one that water can be put there and in the center the chips…so water is use to keep moist.
I own a charcoal which I prefer better than electric. My question is can we used our charcoal smoker for this recipe? Any adjusments on setting temperture?
We don’t have one so I don’t know but would assume it would work just fine.
Would you put liquid in the smoker as well for this?
We have an electric smoker and no we just add wood chips to the bin. We don’t use liquid at all in our type of smoker.
Made this Salmon in my Big Green Egg smoker today and it was amazing! My whole family enjoyed it including my 2 grandsons who are 3 & 1. I have tried a lot of Smoked Salmon recipes and have to say this is my new favorite!
So glad you loved it too.
Internal temp?
Well it is fish so it can be eaten raw essentially as in sushi but typically 145 temp. is recommended however salmon does tend to continue to cook once taken out and is better flaky and not overcooked so 140 is probably best to take out.
So you cook the salmon to a temp of 225, that seems high, just want to make sure?