How to Smoke Salmon on the BBQ Like a Pro

Smoked salmon is a tasty and impressive dish that can make any meal more interesting. People might think that they need special tools and knowledge to smoke salmon, but if you follow a few simple steps, you can smoke salmon on any BBQ grill.

In this comprehensive guide I’ll walk you through everything you need to know to smoke salmon on your BBQ from choosing the right type of salmon to preparing the cure mixture to setting up your grill for optimal smoking. With just a little time and effort, you’ll be able to make restaurant-quality smoked salmon at home.

Getting Started

Before you can start smoking, you need to get your ingredients and equipment ready.

Ingredients

• Salmon fillet – Go for a nice thick center cut fillet. Skin-on is best for smoking.
• Cure mixture – Most recipes call for a combination of salt, sugar, and spices. This helps draw moisture out of the fish and adds flavor.
• Wood chips – Most experts recommend fruitwood chips like apple, cherry, or alder for smoking salmon. Soak before using.

Equipment

• BBQ grill – You’ll need a charcoal or gas grill that allows you to set up indirect heat on one side.
• Wood chip box or aluminum foil – To hold the wood chips for generating smoke.
• Meat thermometer – To check the internal temp of the salmon as it cooks.

Curing the Salmon

Before smoking, salmon needs to be cured. This helps remove moisture, allowing the fish to take on smoke flavor.

To make a basic cure:

• Combine 1 cup brown sugar and 1⁄2 cup salt. Add any extra flavorings like black pepper, garlic powder, rum, etc.
• Coat the fillet evenly on all sides with the cure mixture.
• Place in a shallow dish or pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours up to overnight.
• Rinse the fillet under cold water to remove excess cure mix before smoking.

Curing draws moisture out of the fish, so you’ll likely see liquid accumulate in the dish.

Setting Up Your Grill for Smoking

You’ll want to use indirect heat to smoke salmon low and slow. Here’s how:

For a charcoal grill:

• Pile charcoal on one side of grill and light it. Leave the other side empty.
• Place a disposable aluminum pan filled with water on the empty side to act as a drip pan.
• Set cooking grate in place, position salmon fillet skin-side down over pan.

For a gas grill:

• Turn the burners on one side to medium-low. Leave the other side off.
• Place disposable aluminum pan filled with water on the unlit side.
• Place salmon fillet skin-side down over pan when ready to smoke.

The pan of water helps regulate the temperature and prevent drying out.

Getting the Right Smoke

Good smoke flavor is key! Follow these tips:

• Use wood chips like apple, alder or cherry which give off milder smoke.
• Soak chips in water for 30 minutes before using.
• Add soaked chips to a smoker box, foil pouch or directly over the hot side of the grill.
• Keep replenishing chips every 15-30 minutes to maintain steady smoke.
• Keep grill temp between 200-250°F throughout smoking process.

Smoking the Salmon

Once your grill is prepped for smoking, you’re ready for the main event!

• Place cured salmon fillet skin-side down on cool side of grill.
• Close lid and smoke for about 1-1.5 hours until done.
• Salmon is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 140-145°F.
• Use a meat thermometer to check temp periodically. Don’t rely on appearance alone.
• Remove from grill when desired internal temp is reached.

As salmon smokes, you’ll start to see the color deepen and the glossy sheen develop on the surface. But always go by temperature rather than appearance to gauge doneness.

Finishing Touches

Your salmon is almost ready! A few final steps:

• Optional: Glaze salmon with honey, maple syrup or brown sugar about 5 minutes before removing from grill. This adds a lovely caramelized crust.
• Let salmon rest 5-10 minutes off heat before serving.
• Take care when removing from grill as fish will be delicate. Use a wide spatula to keep it intact.
• Serve salmon warm, at room temp or cold. Enjoy on crackers, in salads, sandwiches and more!

Properly smoked salmon has a lovely deep orange-red hue with a glossy sheen, firm but flaky texture, and rich, smoky flavor. Refrigerate leftovers for 5-7 days.

Smoking Salmon Troubleshooting

If you follow the steps exactly but still have issues with your smoked salmon, here are some common problems and solutions:

Salmon is too dry:

• Fish was smoked at too high a temp. Keep grill under 250°F.
• Salmon was smoked too long. Reduce cooking time and monitor temp closely.

Salmon has bitter, acrid flavor:

• Smoke was too heavy. Use milder wood chips and less smoke next time.

Salmon is unevenly smoked:

• Hot spots or uneven temp in grill. Reposition salmon and rotate periodically for even exposure to smoke.

Smoke flavor is too mild:

• Wood chips were soaked too long before using. Soak 30 mins max.
• Not enough smoke generated in grill. Replenish chips more frequently.

Smoked Salmon Recipe Inspiration

Once you’ve mastered the basics, try mixing up your smoked salmon game by using different woods, marinades, rubs and even types of fish. Here are a few tasty recipe ideas:

• Maple-bourbon smoked salmon – Soak salmon in a maple syrup, bourbon and brown sugar marinade before smoking.

• Lemon-dill smoked salmon – Coat salmon fillet with a mixture of lemon juice, dill, salt and pepper before curing and smoking.

• Cajun smoked salmon – Cover salmon in Cajun seasoning before cooking for a little kick.

• Fruit wood smoked trout – For a twist, try smoking butterflied whole trout with apple, peach or cherry wood chips.

• Tequila-lime smoked salmon – Cure salmon in a mixture of lime juice, tequila, garlic and chili powder.

The possibilities are endless when it comes to smoking salmon on the BBQ. Armed with the fundamentals, you can confidently smoke salmon tailored to your taste. Impress your family and guests with your own homemade gourmet smoked salmon!

Frequency of Entities:
Salmon: 36
BBQ: 8
Grill: 7
Wood chips: 6
Smoke: 6
Cure: 5
Fillet: 4
Temperature: 3
Maple syrup: 2
Bourbon: 1
Trout: 1
Tequila: 1
Lime: 1