Smoked SALMON with Cajun Honey Butter on a PIT BOSS! | Pellet Grill Smoked Salmon

salmon fillet

🥗Healthier: trout

💰Cheaper: mackerel

Mackerel is often less expensive and still offers a rich flavor.

cream cheese

🥗Healthier: Greek yogurt

💰Cheaper: ricotta

Greek yogurt provides a healthier option with similar creaminess.

Welcome to Mad backyard, today we're smoking salmon fillets on a Pit Boss pellet grill.

Discuss the difference between cold smoked and hot smoked salmon, noting that today we'll be hot smoking.

Select salmon, mentioning Atlantic farm-raised or wild-caught options, and state that we're using Atlantic farm-raised salmon.

Prepare a brine by boiling 6 cups of water, then removing it from heat and stirring in 1/4 cup kosher salt and 3/4 cup brown sugar until dissolved.

Let the brine cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold.

If using a whole salmon fillet, cut it into portions; we are using pre-portioned fillets.

Rinse the salmon under cold running water and pat dry.

Check for pin bones and remove them with tweezers if necessary.

Pour about a third of the brine into a glass dish, place salmon fillets meat side down, and cover completely with the remaining brine.

Cover the dish and refrigerate for 2-4 hours, or up to 12 hours for more flavor.

Remove the salmon from the brine, rinse under cold running water, and pat dry with paper towels.

Place salmon on a wire rack over a foil-lined baking sheet and let air dry in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours to form a pellicle.

Set up the Pit Boss pellet grill by loading the hopper with knotty wood almond pellets and turning it on to the smoke setting.

Aim to keep the cooking temperature low, ideally starting at 100-120 degrees Fahrenheit, but note that the Pit Boss runs at 180-200 degrees on smoke setting.

Smoke the salmon on the top rack, placing a water pan underneath to add moisture and block direct heat.

Start the water pan with ice to maintain a low cooking temperature.

Use a smoke box with charcoal briquettes and wood chunks for extra smoke flavor, placing it strategically in the grill.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens