Smoked salmon is quick, forgiving, and all about the finish. Low heat, a good pellicle, and pulling it at the right internal temp are the whole game. Set your serving time below and the calculator plans the cure, the smoke, and the rest.
How long to smoke salmon
At 225°F a fillet runs roughly an hour to ninety minutes, but thickness matters more than the clock. Pull it at 145°F internal, or a touch lower (around 125°F) if you like it silky and are using sushi-grade fish you trust. It is done when it flakes and the white albumin just begins to show.
The pellicle: do not skip it
Before smoking, dry-brine the fillet (equal parts sugar and kosher salt), rinse, then rest it uncovered in the fridge for one to two hours until the surface turns tacky. That tacky skin is the pellicle, and it is what the smoke actually clings to. Skip it and the smoke slides off.
Salmon on a pellet grill
Pellet grills are ideal for salmon: set 225°F, alder or fruit wood, skin-side down, and let it ride. No flipping. A water pan keeps it from drying at the thin tail.
FAQ
What temp is smoked salmon done? 145°F is the USDA-safe number and gives firm, flaky fish. Hot-smoked salmon is usually pulled 135 to 145°F; silky, barely-set salmon runs lower but only with fish you trust raw.
Best wood for smoked salmon? Alder is the Pacific-Northwest classic, with apple, maple, and cherry all flattering the fish. Keep the smoke light; salmon takes it fast.
How long does smoked salmon take? About one to two hours at 225°F for a hot-smoked fillet, depending on thickness. The calculator times it to your exact serving.
How Much Salmon Do I Need to Buy and Cook?
Fine-tune trim & cook loss
Lost to trim: - · lost to the cook: -
How Much Salmon Per Person (Serving Size Chart)
| Guests | Raw Salmon to buy | Trimmed (on the smoker) | Cooked (served) | Good pick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-5 | 2.2 lb | 2.0 lb | 1.7 lb | - |
| 6-10 | 4.5 lb | 4.0 lb | 3.3 lb | - |
| 11-15 | 6.7 lb | 6.0 lb | 5.0 lb | - |
| 16-20 | 8.9 lb | 8.0 lb | 6.6 lb | - |
| 21-30 | 13 lb | 12 lb | 9.9 lb | - |
| 31-40 | 18 lb | 16 lb | 13 lb | - |
| 41-50 | 22 lb | 20 lb | 17 lb | - |
Raw weight to comfortably feed the top of each range at an average appetite (~0.33 lb cooked per person), no leftovers. Bump up a size for hearty eaters, light sides, or leftovers.
Times & temperatures
| Style | Method | Pit temp | Approx time | Pull / done temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hot-Smoked Fillet | Slow and Low | 225°F / 107°C | ~1.5 hr | 145°F / 63°C |
📊 See the full smoking times & temps chart for every cut →
Written by John Kirker, who built the first meat smoking calculator in 2011. Times come from cooks we have actually run and logged; temperature and feel decide the finish, never the clock alone.
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The MeatSmokingCalculator will help you plan the timeline for any meal.
Planning, ingredients, preparation, and timing are the most critical elements to making and serving great food.
Having enough time is the most important part when it comes to slow and low!
Meat Smoking Calculator takes the thinking out of the process.
It makes cooking and serving amazing tasting smoked meats every time, on time.
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