This Traeger Grilled Salmon is simple and incredibly delicious. The wood-fired flavor infuses the fish with a deep smokey flavor. You only need is a good piece of fish, ghee, lemon, your favorite dry seasoning, and a pellet grill. This recipe comes together quickly, making it the perfect weeknight meal.
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We purchased a Traeger Pellet grill a few summers ago, and let me tell you…, I’m impressed! I love this thing, and I now cook everything I can on it. Pre-Traeger, I baked my fish in the oven, and while it worked fine, this is now my go-to preparation method as it imparts such a great flavor.
This recipe pairs so well with Smoked Asparagus, Truffle Mashed Potatoes, or Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts. If you are looking for more seafood recipes, check out my Traeger Smoked Salmon, Baked Lobster Cakes, Salmon Stacks, or Pasta Alla Salmone.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy to Make: You only need a handful of ingredients to make this easy meal.
- Smokey Flavor: Using a Traeger grill to cook the fish provides a very unique flavor that cannot be replicated in the oven.
- Customizable: Use your favorite seasonings to customize the flavors to your liking.
Ingredients
- Salmon: For best results, I recommend using wild-caught salmon, as it's far more flavorful. Thankfully, you can find good quality wild salmon in most grocery stores. Look for filets with a deep pink color, and try to avoid Atlantic salmon. For this recipe, I used coho, but you can use any type you like, such as sockeye, or king salmon. Both would be delicious.
- Ghee: I love using Ghee for its flavor and higher cooking temperature, but you can also use butter, avocado oil, or olive oil.
- Lemon: You will want to use fresh lemon for this recipe.
- Seasoning: Use your favorite seasoning blend or dry rub. I enjoy using herbs de Provence, New Bae, Amore, or Jerk Seasoning from Primal Palate. Any of these would be good choices.
- Sea Salt or Kosher Salt: You will want to adjust the salt based on the dry rub or seasoning you use. If your seasoning already has salt, just add a pinch. If you use something like Herbs de Provence, you might need to add a little more salt.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Change Up The Fish: If you don’t have salmon on hand, this recipe works well with wild cod or sablefish!
- Fat: If you don’t like ghee or butter, you can swap it out for Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Avocado Oil.
- Play Around With The Spices: You can swap out any spice mix to keep things interesting! Want a little heat? Try using a Chipotle spice mix. Want to add a French twist? Try using Herbs de Provence. Enjoy a touch of sweetness? Add some brown sugar to your spice blend. The options are endless.
How To Make Traeger Grilled Salmon
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Step 1. Preheat your pellet grill to 350 degrees f.
Step 2. Gently rinse your filets, then pat them dry with a paper towel.
Step 3. Combine the ghee, lemon juice, spice rub, and salt in a small bowl. Next, use a basting brush to evenly distribute the ghee and spice mixture over the top of the salmon fillet.
Step 4. Place salmon skin-side down onto the grill grates of your wood pellet grill.
Step 5. Cook with the lid closed until the internal temperature of the fish has reached 140 degrees F, which is about 15-20 minutes for 6” filets. (The amount of time may vary depending on the size of your filet.
Step 6. Once the fish is done, remove the filets from the grill and serve with an additional squeeze of lemon juice.
Expert Tips And Notes
- Check The Internal Temperature: Depending on the size and thickness of your fish, cooking time will vary. Start checking the internal temperature using an instant read thermometer at about the 15-minute mark.
- Use Fresh Organic Ingredients: This easy recipe only requires a handful of ingredients, so you must use good quality, fresh ingredients for great results. Not only are higher-quality ingredients better for you, but they also allow for a more robust flavor.
- Use Good Quality Fish: Do your best to use wild salmon, and if you can try using wild king salmon as it has a higher fat content resulting in a very juicy salmon.
What To Serve With Traeger Grilled Salmon
- Traeger Smoked Asparagus
- Mango Habanero Salsa
- Potato Salad With Spring Onion
- Crispy Smashed Potato Salad
- Mediterranean Orzo Salad
- Truffle Mashed Potatoes
- Maple Smoked Brussels Sprouts
- Sweet Potato Truffle Fries
Storage and Reheating
Storage: You can store any leftover salmon in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheating: To reheat, place the fish in a 275-degree oven for 5-7 minutes or until warm. Watch it carefully as you do not want to overcook your fish, or dry it out.
Recipe FAQs
No. You do not have to flip it when grilling. Place the fish skin side down on the grill grates of your Traeger smoker and leave it there for the entire cook time.
You can season the fish in many ways before grilling it. You can use any dry rub that you enjoy, or keep it super simple and season with salt and pepper. If you are using a leaner variety like coho or sockeye, you may want to brush the filet with olive oil or butter before grilling, as the additional fat will help keep the fish moist.
It is done when it has reached an internal temperature of 140 degrees f.
I really like using Applewood, Hickory, or Mesquite to enhance the smoky flavor, but you can use any wood pellets that you like.
Other Related Seafood Recipes
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Traeger Grilled Salmon
Ingredients
- 2 6oz Salmon Filets wild
- 2 tablespoon Ghee
- ½ Lemon squeezed
- 1 teaspoon Seasoning Herb de Provence works well, or use your favorite.
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
Instructions
- Preheat your pellet grill to 350 degrees f.
- Gently rinse your filets, then pat them dry with a paper towel.
- Combine the ghee, lemon juice, spice rub and salt in a small bowl. Next, use a basting brush to evenly distribute the ghee and spice mixture over the top of the filet.
- Place salmon skin-side down onto the grill grates of your wood pellet grill.
- Cook with the lid closed until the internal temperature has reached 140 degrees F, which is about 15-20 minutes for 6” filets. (The amount of time may vary depending on the size of your fish).
- Once the fish is done, remove the filets from the grill and serve with an additional squeeze of lemon juice.
Notes
- Check The Internal Temperature: Depending on the size and thickness of your fish, cooking time will vary. Start checking the internal temperature using an instant read thermometer at about the 15-minute mark.
- Use Fresh Organic Ingredients: This easy recipe only requires a handful of ingredients, so you must use good quality, fresh ingredients for great results. Not only are higher-quality ingredients better for you, but they also allow for a more robust flavor.
- Use Good Quality: Do your best to use wild salmon, and if you can try using wild king salmon as it has a higher fat content resulting in a very juicy fish.
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