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Smoked Salmon - Pitch the Plank

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Cooking with a wood plank is a popular culinary practice. However, we are here to tell you to #PitchThePlank. When you’re using a wood-fired Traeger grill, there’s no need to use a plank to infuse your food with wood flavor. The Traeger already does that for you, naturally, with any flavor of hardwood pellets you use. Infuse salmon with Alder, Cherry, Maple, Oak, or any flavor of Traeger hardwood. Shop Traeger hardwood here.

When selecting salmon, always look for a filet with a beautiful pink, reddish color. The best filet will be fresh caught or wild salmon; try and veer away from farm-raised salmon, as it contains significantly more saturated fat and fewer nutrients.

How to Cook a Salmon Filet on the Traeger

  1. Season salmon filet, skin-side down, with salt, pepper, or your choice of seasonings.

  2. Place salmon skin-side down on grill. The skin acts as a protective layer to keep all the juice and flavor inside the filet.

  3. Cook until you can insert a fork in the side of the salmon. If grilling, set temperature to 350° F and cook for 15-25 minutes, see more information here. If smoking salmon, smoke for 30 minutes then cook for an additional hour at 225° F, see more information here.

  4. Enjoy the natural wood-fired flavor from your Traeger grill.

If you’re looking for more salmon recipes, find them here. Remember to pitch the plank and infuse your food with all-natural hardwood pellets, ignited in your wood-fired Traeger grill.

Teriyaki Salmon

by Traeger Kitchen

Prep Time

20 Min

Cook Time

10 Min

Serves

2

Pellets

Mesquite

This easy teriyaki salmon marinade gives Traeger baked salmon a sweet coating that even the kids will flip for. Serve it up as the main event tonight, then use the leftovers in a teriyaki salmon bowl tomorrow.

Ingredients
1 Cupsoy sauce
Zest of 2 oranges
Juice of 2 oranges
6 Tablespoonbrown sugar
4 Clovegarlic
1 Tablespoonfresh ginger, minced
4 (6 oz) salmon fillets, skin-on
1 Tablespoonwhite sesame seeds
Scallions, both white and green parts, chopped, for garnish
Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
    Steps
  • 1

    Make the teriyaki marinade & sauce. In a saucepan over medium heat, add the soy sauce, orange zest and juice, sugar, garlic, and ginger. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low and slowly simmer until a syrupy consistency is achieved, and the volume is reduced by half, 20 minutes. Let cool completely.

  • 2

    In a medium bowl, add cooled teriyaki marinade, sesame seeds, and salmon. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to marinate.

  • 3

    Remove the salmon from marinade and set aside. In a saucepan over medium heat, transfer the marinade and bring the marinade to a boil.

  • 4

    When ready to cook, set the Traeger temperature to 450°F and preheat with the lid closed for 15 minutes.

  • 5

    Insert the probe horizontally into the center of the salmon filet. Place the salmon fillets directly on the grill grates, skin-side up, and close the lid. Cook the salmon, occasionally brushing the salmon with the teriyaki sauce, for 3-5 minutes per side, until the internal temperature reaches 125°F, or until done to your personal preference.

  • 6

    Remove the salmon from the grill and garnish with chopped scallions and toasted sesame seeds. Enjoy!