Pellet Grill Salmon

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This Pellet Grill Salmon is buttery, flaky, and smoked long enough to get a bit of wood-fired flavor to make a simple salmon dinner feel extra. The salmon cooks skin-side down on the pellet grill with a lemon garlic herb compound butter that melts over the top,

Pull the salmon at 120°F to 125°F for a moist medium-rare finish, then let it rest briefly before serving with fresh lemon and the melted butter from the grill.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: grilled salmon, salmon

Servings: servings

Author: Joshua Boquist

Equipment

Ingredients

3 ½ pound salmon skin on, pin bones removed, one fillet
1 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp black pepper
½ cup salted butter softened
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tbsp fresh dill chopped
1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp lemon juice
¼ tsp kosher salt
1 lemon cut into wedges for serving

Instructions

Preheat the pellet grill to 350°F using a mild pellet.
Pat the salmon dry with paper towels and check for and remove pin bones. Place it skin-side down on a sheet pan, or if it is skinless, place it on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Brush salmon with olive oil.
Season it evenly with kosher salt and black pepper.
Stir the softened butter, garlic, dill, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, and kosher salt together until evenly combined.
Place dollops of the compound butter over the salmon fillet.
Spread the compound butter over the top of the salmon in an even layer.
Place the salmon skin-side down on the pellet grill. If you are using parchment paper, place the parchment paper directly on the grill grates. Close the lid and cook without flipping until the thickest part reaches 120°F to 125°F internal temperature, about 18 to 25 minutes depending on thickness.
Remove the salmon from the grill and rest for 5 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

Notes

Skin-On Or Skinless Salmon

Skin-on salmon is easiest on the grill. Place it directly on clean, oiled grill grates with the skin side down. The skin protects the fish and helps the fillet hold together.

Skinless salmon needs support. Place skinless salmon or steelhead on parchment paper, then set the parchment directly on the grill grates. Trim away excess parchment so it does not hang over the heat.

Doneness

Pull the salmon at 120°F to 125°F. That gives you moist, medium-rare salmon with tender flakes. The temperature will rise slightly as the fish rests.

Cook longer if you prefer it fully done. USDA recommends cooking fish to 145°F, so use that temperature if you want the salmon cooked all the way through.

Compound Butter

Use softened butter, not melted butter. Softened butter spreads over the salmon and melts slowly as the fish cooks instead of running off right away.

Spoon the melted butter back over the fish. Some butter may collect around the salmon after grilling, and it makes a quick sauce for serving.

Pellets

Use a mild wood. Alder, apple, cherry, pecan, and maple all work well with salmon. Hickory can work, but use it lightly so it does not overpower the fish.

Leftovers

Reheat gently. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and warm them slowly so the salmon stays moist. Cold leftovers are also great over salads, rice bowls, wraps, or eggs.

Nutrition