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    Home » Smoked Meats

    Traeger Smoked Salmon (Dr. Pepper Brine)

    Published: Aug 2, 2021 · Modified: May 15, 2022 by Will · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my privacy policy.

    Save some money and start making your own smoked salmon. It's WAY better than store bought and incredibly easy to make. Sweet, smoky, and delicious! Let's roll some smoke!

    smoked salmon on a bed of lettuce with lemon slices
    Jump to:
    • Video - Step by step
    • Why smoked salmon?
    • What salmon is the best?
    • Removing pin bones
    • Brining the fish
    • Pellicle
    • Choosing a smoker
    • Wood pellets
    • Smoking salmon
    • Testing the fish
    • How to eat smoke salmon
    • FAQ
    • Old pro tips
    • Try smoking THIS!
    • Traeger Smoked Salmon (Dr. Pepper Brine)

    Video - Step by step

    Why smoked salmon?

    If you have never had salmon dip or bagel and locks is the only reason you could ask this question. Smoked salmon is AMAZINGLY delicious and easy to make. It costs way less when you make it yourself and tastes twice as good.

    Here we make a salmon with a glaze and one without on our pellet smoker. Whether you like sweet salmon or salty, this smoked salmon recipe has you covered. Fire up that smoker and let's make some Traeger smoked salmon.

    What salmon is the best?

    I like buying wild caught salmon, here I used wild caught sockeye salmon. This will work well with any salmon though, so use what you can get!

    wild caught sockeye salmon filet for jerky

    Here are the types you likely will come across, king and sockeye are my favorite to use.

    • King Salmon
    • Sockeye Salmon
    • Atlantic Salmon
    • Pacific Salmon
    • Coho Salmon
    • Pink Salmon

    Removing pin bones

    I started with a wild caught sockeye salmon fillet that I purchased from my local grocery store. I always buy wild caught salmon when smoking or making my favorite salmon jerky. 

    The taste is sooo much better when it is wild caught. You can tell wild caught from farm raised because of the dark red color of the meat.

    Removing pin bones from salmon filet

    Run your fingers over the meat to feel for any pin bones. I have had salmon fillets with a lot of pin bones (see above) and others that don't have any. They will feel hard and be white in color.

    I use standard needle nose pliers to pull them out. They should pull out easily with a little wiggling. Don't forget this step, no one likes bones in their smoked salmon!

    Brining the fish

    The first step when making traeger smoked salmon is to brine it in a salt mixture. This will help draw moisture out of the fish, help preserve the fish after drying, and give it some flavor as well.

    We are using some Dr. Pepper soda for this wet brine! Throw a little salt with it and we're good to go. That sugar from the soda gives it a nice sweet flavor.

    Salmon fillets in brine

    Brine

    • Pour 24oz of Dr. Pepper into a 9x13" deep sided dish
    • Add salt and stir with a whisk to distribute and dissolve
    • Place salmon filet skin side up into the dish
    • Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator 8hrs to over night.

    Once the fish is finished brining, the next step is normally to rinse the fish filet off with fresh cold water. I did not use a lot of salt in this brine and want to keep the Dr. Pepper flavor, so I am not rinsing this salmon. Simply dry with paper towels thoroughly after removing from brine.

    Pellicle

    A pellicle is a thin film that needs to form on the meat of the fish before the smoking process. This pellicle will help the smoke adhere to the fish as well as slow down the cooking process.

    There are two ways to create a pellicle.

    • Place the fish filet in front of a fan in a cool room for 3-5 hours.
    • Place the fish filet on a cooling rack uncovered in the fridge for 6-8 hours.
    Salmon fillets in front of fan creating a pellicle on meat

    Both of these ways will create a pellicle, It just depends on how much time you have. I like using the fan because it's faster.

    When a pellicle is formed on the fish, a shiny sheen or film can be seen. Once this has formed, it's time to smoke the fish.

    Choosing a smoker

    I'm smoking this salmon on my pellet smoker, just like the Traeger 780. Pellet smokers are an easy and great way to impart fantastic smoke flavor on salmon, and other meats for that matter, without having to babysit a firebox all day.

    a pellet smoker next to an offset smoker

    A traditional offset smoker, like this Oklahoma Joe's Smoker can also be used when smoking salmon. They take a little more attention with maintaining a consistent temperature, but produce great flavor.

    Wood pellets

    The best wood to use when smoking salmon is a light wood that is not too overpowering. Fruit woods work great with fish. Cherry or apple wood chips are my go to when smoking salmon.

    Bag of trophy blend hardwood pellets

    If I don't have any fruit wood pellets handy, I'll go with a competition or trophy blend. These are a mixture of several hardwoods that go great with just about any meat or fish.

    So grab your favorite wood pellet and get your Traeger grill fired up.

    Smoking salmon

    Low and slow is the way to smoke salmon. I am using a pellet smoker on the lowest setting of about 180°F.

    180°F is a good temperature and we will maintain that the entire time. Place the fish directly on the smoker grill grate skin side down. No need to oil the skin, it should not stick to the rack.

    Four salmon fillets on cooling rack

    Lower the grill lid and smoke the salmon for the first hour without putting anything on the fish. After the first hour, you can decide to let it ride or brush on a glaze. It depends on whether you want a strong sweet flavor or a mild flavor from the Dr. Pepper.

    Glaze

    Like a sweet smoked salmon? If so, brushing on a glaze is probably for you. My favorite glaze is simply equal parts honey and maple syrup. 2 tablespoons of each mixed together is plenty.

    smoked salmon on smoker being basted with glaze

    After the first hour of smoke, start to pat or begin brushing on the glaze with a brush every 20 minutes or so. The fish should only take about 2 hours total, so getting 2-3 coats of glaze works great.

    Testing the fish

    After about 1.5 hours, start checking the internal temp of the fish with an instant read thermometer. Using a thermometer to check the internal temperature is the best way to know when the smoked salmon is finished.

    Our target is 145°F internal temperature. This is when we will pull the fish off and allow to cool down.

    Always cook to temperature, not time. This should take about 2 hours, but make sure to use a thermometer to really know when the fish is finished.

    How to eat smoke salmon

    There are MANY different ways to eat Traeger smoked salmon. You can eat it straight off the smoker with a fork, it's delicious. More than not though, it's added into dishes or made into dips.

    salmon avocado toast with bowl of salmon, cucumber, bread, and green onion on black cutting board

    My favorite way to eat smoked salmon is on a bagel with cream cheese. Making a salmon dip or salmon toast are also great ideas when it comes to salmon recipes.

    FAQ

    Is smoked salmon still raw?

    No. You are cooking the fish to 145°F.

    How long does it take to smoke salmon?

    This depends on what temperature the smoker is at and how thick the salmon is. Estimate about 2 hours at 180°F. However, smoke to 145°F internal temperature, not time.

    Why is smoked salmon so expensive?

    It doesn't have to be. You can smoke farm raised salmon and save money.

    Old pro tips

    • Buy wild caught salmon for the best flavor
    • Use an instant read thermometer to test the fish
    • Glaze the fish for better flavor
    Smoked salmon on bed of lettuce with lemon slices

    Try smoking THIS!

    • Pork Egg Foo Young (Wagner style)
    • Smoked Salmon Avocado Toast
    • Smoked Corned Beef
    • Buttery Smoked Lobster Tails
    smoked salmon on a bed of lettuce with lemon slices

    Traeger Smoked Salmon (Dr. Pepper Brine)

    It's time to stop BUYING and start SMOKING your own salmon. It's sweet, smoky, and delicious! Let's roll some smoke and make smoked salmon!
    5 from 40 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
    Prep Time: 8 hours 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 2 hours
    Total Time: 10 hours 30 minutes
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: American
    Type: Smoked Meat
    Servings: 5 servings
    Calories: 155kcal
    Author: Will

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 filet salmon (sockeye)

    Brine

    • 24 oz Dr. Pepper
    • ¼ cup kosher salt

    Glaze

    • 2 tablespoon honey
    • 2 tablespoon maple syrup

    Equipment

    Pellet Grill
    Pellet Smoker
    Red Meat Thermometer with digital read out with temperature.
    Meat Thermometer
    Marinade brushes with white background
    Marinade Brush

    Instructions

    • Combine ingredients for brine in a deep sided 9x13" dish and mix thoroughly. Add salmon filet skin side up to the dish, cover, and let brine in the fridge for 8-15 hours.
    • Remove fish filet from brine and dry with paper towels.
    • Form a pellicle on fish by placing in front of a fan for 3-5 hours or placing uncovered in fridge for 5-8 hours.
    • Once pellicle is formed, pre-heat smoker to 180°F.
    • Place fish skin side down on smoker rack and allow to smoke for 1 hour.
    • After 1 hour, if desired, start brushing fish with glaze every 20 minutes until an internal temperature of 145°F is reached and the fish is finished smoking.
    • Remove from smoker and allow to cool.

    Pro Tips

    • Buy wild caught salmon for the best flavor
    • Use an instant read thermometer to test the fish
    • Glaze the fish for better flavor

    Nutrition

    Calories: 155kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 5699mg | Potassium: 190mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 14IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
    Traeger Smoked Salmon (Dr. Pepper Brine)
    « Crispy Smoked Chicken Wings
    Buttery Smoked Corn on the Cob »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Gwynn Galvin says

      August 10, 2021 at 12:31 pm

      5 stars
      Such a creative recipe! I love the Dr. pepper brine!

      Reply
    2. Maria says

      August 09, 2021 at 6:08 pm

      So flavourful!

      Reply
    3. Liz says

      August 09, 2021 at 11:03 am

      5 stars
      So very good! Loved the unique flavor.

      Reply
    4. Maren says

      August 09, 2021 at 10:39 am

      5 stars
      Looks great! Family loves salmon so I’ll definitely be saving this!

      Reply
    5. Jeff Mac Lean says

      August 03, 2021 at 11:00 am

      What flavor of pellets did you use?

      Reply
      • Will says

        August 03, 2021 at 12:51 pm

        I used Pitboss's Competition Pellets. I've really liked these when smoking fish. You can get them online or Lowe's carries them a lot of the time.

        Reply

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