Cold Smoked Salmon Recipe
by Sommer Collier — on May 11, 2026 There’s nothing I love more than thick slices of cold smoked salmon on a toasted bagel with cream cheese, but I don’t love the price tag. That’s why I make my own smoked salmon recipe at home using just 5 simple ingredients for all that rich, salty, smoky flavor at a fraction of the cost. I cure and prepare it myself, and it’s just as perfect for breakfast as it is for appetizers and easy entertaining.
This easy smoked salmon recipe is a perfect main dish protein to set out for a dinner buffet, to use cold for breakfast with toast or bagels and cream cheese, or even to use in my smoked salmon dip recipe. We have a really simple “oven smoked” salmon with horseradish sauce on the site. The salmon is served cold and the horseradish sauce over the top makes it extremely decadent for holiday parties or cocktail parties. Here, I created a simple smoker recipe for salmon to serve cold, where the texture is just as firm, but the salmon is still moist and flavorful!
Table of Contents
Sommer’s Recipe Highlights
Only 5 Ingredients – And simple ingredients at that! This recipe is written for the two most common sizes of salmon fillets you find at the grocery store – smaller 1-pound fillets, or large 2-pound fillets. Then all you need is some brown sugar and a few spices to make the most amazing cold salmon recipe!
Easy Steps – Smoked salmon sold at grocery stores seems fancy, and possibly intimidating to make at home from scratch. But it’s not! Like my salmon gravlax recipe, for the same price as a small package of lox you can smoke a whole salmon filet in as little as 45 minutes. I show you how to do it perfectly with my easy step-by-step instructions and no-fail tips.
Serve Your Way – You can eat the salmon right off the grill, or chill it to be served later. When the salmon is chilled, the firm texture is extremely appealing, and the flavors are intensified. That’s when it’s perfect to use for making dips, spreads, or even old fashioned salmon patties. Or simply keep it in the fridge to serve with bagels or other breakfast foods!
Key Ingredients and Tips
- Whole salmon filet – I always, whenever possible, buy wild-caught salmon filets with the skin left on. There is no comparing the taste versus farm raised fish. Either purchase the fish deboned, or be sure to use tweezers to remove the pin bones before seasoning and smoking.
- Light brown sugar – A tablespoon or two of brown sugar gives the salmon an almost candied taste, which goes well with the savory seasonings.
- Seasonings – I use a combination of garlic powder, kosher salt, and fresh cracked black pepper.
- Cooking oil – I wipe a bit of oil on the smoker grates so the fish doesn’t stick. Any high-heat oil do, like canola, vegetable, or avocado oil.
How to Make
Find the full ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, storage tips, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Prep the Smoker and Fish – I start by preheating my wood pellet Traeger smoker (obviously, preheat whatever smoker you have) to 180 degrees F. As it preheats, I load in applewood pellets, which are my favorite. But you can use whatever wood pellets you like!
Then I place the salmon filet skin side down on a baking sheet. Pro Tip – You can line the sheet with parchment paper to cut down on mess. Next, I use a clean paper towel to gently blot any moisture on the surface of the fish. Be careful not to smoosh the delicate salmon meat as you dry it.
Season Salmon – In the recipe card below, I offer a sliding scale of the seasonings and sugar, like “1-2 tablespoons of sugar” and “1/4-1/2 teaspoon” of spice. When I’m smoking a filet that’s on the smaller side of 1 pound, I use the lower amount of sugar and spices. However, if I am preparing a salmon closer to 2 pounds, I bump up to using the high end of my suggested quantities. Whichever I’m using, I start by sprinkling on the garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Then I evenly sprinkle on the brown sugar and use my hand to gently press the seasonings into the flesh… Again, no smooshing!
Oil the Grates – Once the smoker reaches 180 degrees, I add a bit of cooking oil to a clean piece of folded up paper towel. Then use tongs to hold on to the paper towel, and carefully wipe the cooking oil onto the hot grates. It needs to be applied thoroughly and evenly to keep the fish skin from sticking.
Add Salmon – Next, I move the salmon filet from the baking sheet onto the smoker grates. Yup, it goes right on there, skin side down! Now close the smoker quickly to keep the heat trapped in and the temperature just right.
Smoke Time – I usually smoke a 1 pound filet for about 45-55 minutes, depending on the thickness and how soft or well done I want the fish. A 2 pound salmon filet will cook for about 100-140 minutes. If you like a nice firm, flaky fish, smoke it for the slightly higher cook time. I prefer a medium cook on my salmon, but if you like yours well done and want to be sure it’s well done, use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature has reached 140 degrees in the thickest part of the filet.
While the fish is smoking, I clean the baking sheet to use again. (Or I just remove the parchment paper.)
Remove and Refrigerate – Once the salmon is done smoking, I carefully use two spatulas to transfer it from the smoker back onto the clean baking sheet. Then I set the pan on the countertop to cool for 30-60 minutes. When the fish reaches room temperature, I wrap the filet tightly in plastic wrap and pop it into the refrigerator. I chill the salmon for at least an hour, or overnight if I’m serving the next day.
Expert Tips
It should be noted that electric smokers work hard to keep their temperature at a consistent heat. If you’re smoking the salmon in the dead of winter and the temperatures are low, it may take longer to smoke the salmon because the smoker is fighting the cold.
I know the smoked salmon is done when the meat is deep pink and slightly caramelized around the edges. Touch the thickest part of the salmon, if it bounces back when touched, it’s cooked through, if your finger leaves an indentation, leave it on the smoker.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve the freshly cooked salmon while warm as a main dish with rice and veggies, like asparagus or broccoli. The sweetness of the caramelized brown sugar makes a great balance with more savory dishes!
And of course, I love to make this chilled smoked fish as a favorite to pair with bagels and a schmear of cream cheese for breakfast and brunch. Or get a bit fancy and use the salmon to make eggs Benedict or a delicious salmon omelette!
Also, as I mentioned, I recommend making it into a smoked salmon dip, or bathing the salmon with spicy horseradish sauce and briny capers for an elevated appetizer.
Storage Notes
I wrap the salmon tightly in plastic wrap to keep it fresh for up to a week in the fridge. If it’s loosely wrapped, or just stored in a plastic ziploc bag, I recommend eating within 4-5 days.
Cooked salmon also freezes well for up to 2 months. I first cut it into portions, wrap them individually super tight in plastic wrap, then place all together in a ziploc freezer bag.
If I want to store the filet for the maximum amount of time, I’ll use a vacuum sealer to close it up tight before placing portions in a ziploc bag and refrigerating or freezing.
PS – A great way to use up leftovers is in my kids’ favorite fish recipe, my salmon sushi bake!
Frequently Asked Questions
Dry salmon might be the result of cooking the fish at too high of a temperature and/or cooking it for too long. Try to keep the heat to 180 degrees – or at least definitely under 200 degrees – and check for doneness a minute or two before the low end of the suggested cooking time.
After many trials, I’ve found fruity wood pellets, like applewood or cherrywood, are best to use in my salmon recipe. They have a mildly sweet flavor that complements the salmon and brown sugar, without being overwhelming. Alder wood is also a good option, as it has a light flavor that lets the taste of the fish really shine.
Nope, I don’t flip the salmon while it smokes. Leave it alone, and it’ll turn out perfectly, I promise.
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More Seafood Recipes
Cold Smoked Salmon Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 – 2 pounds whole salmon filet
- 1 – 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- ½ – 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ – ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ – ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Cooking oil for grates
Instructions
- Preheat a wood pellet smoker (like a Traeger) to 180°F. Add your favorite type of wood pellets. I used applewood.
- Place the salmon filet on a baking sheet and gently pat the surface with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
- Sprinkle the salmon fillet with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Then evenly sprinkle brown sugar over the top. Gently press the seasoning mix into the salmon. *If your salmon fillet is 1 pound, use the smaller portion of sugar and spices; if your salmon fillet is 2 pounds, use the higher proportion.
- Once the smoker is hot, pour a small amount of cooking oil on a paper towel. Use tongs to hold the paper towel, and carefully wipe the smoker grates with oil so the salmon fillet doesn’t stick. Move the salmon from the tray directly onto the grates. Close the smoker.
