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Time to read 2 min
Sweet Smoked Salmon with Onion and Lemon
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Sweet smoked salmon — light, fresh, healthy, ready in 30 minutes. The lemon-and-onion topping caramelises while the salmon picks up gentle alder smoke. Perfect dinner with steamed vegetables or a fresh green salad. Equally good cold the next day on rye with cream cheese.
Photo by Hyeonyoung Yang on Unsplash
Sweet Smoked Salmon
Serves: 3-4 · Prep: 5 minutes · Smoke: 30 minutes · Wood: alder (one small handful)
Photo: Frolicsome Fairy / Unsplash
Ingredients
- 3-4 fresh salmon steaks, skin on
- ½ teaspoon fresh dill, chopped (or ¼ tsp dried)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 lemons (1 sliced thin, 1 for juice)
- 1 brown onion, sliced into thin rings
- Pinch of salt
Method
1. Wash and pat dry the salmon fillets. Place skin-side down on a baking sheet or sheet of foil.
2. Season: sprinkle salt, pepper and dill across each fillet.
3. Layer with onion and lemon: first cover each fillet completely with sliced onion rings, then top with lemon slices. Don't be shy — the layer protects the salmon from drying out and infuses flavour.
4. Squeeze the second lemon over the top of each fillet — fresh lemon juice cuts the richness and helps caramelise the onions.
5. Pre-heat smoker to 107°C (225°F). Add ONE small handful of alder chips — alder is the traditional salmon-smoking wood for a reason: it's gentle, sweet, doesn't overpower the fish.
6. Smoke for 30 minutes on the bottom rack. The salmon is done when it flakes easily with a fork — usually right at 30 mins, but check at 25.
7. Serve immediately with the onion-lemon topping intact. Pair with steamed asparagus, roast potatoes, or a fresh green salad with lemon dressing.
Tips and notes
- Quality of salmon matters. Tassie or NZ farmed Atlantic salmon is the standard; ocean-caught Australian salmon is a different fish entirely (oily, dark, less sweet) but works with this recipe
- Don't over-smoke. Salmon takes smoke fast — one small handful of chips is plenty. Adding more makes the fish taste like creosote
- Skin on. Always smoke skin-on; the skin holds the fish together and you can peel it off after if you don't like it
- For a fancier version: drizzle 2 tbsp maple syrup over the fillets before smoking. The maple caramelises with the lemon for an incredible glaze
- Leftovers keep 3 days fridge; flake into pasta, scramble eggs, or pile on bagels with cream cheese
Our take
The simplest smoked salmon recipe that consistently impresses — 5 ingredients, 30 minutes, restaurant-quality result. Perfect for a Sunday lunch or a midweek dinner that doesn't require fuss.
Common questions
Which wood is best for smoking salmon?
Alder, and only one small handful of chips. It is the traditional salmon-smoking wood because it is gentle and sweet and does not overpower the fish. Salmon takes smoke fast, so adding more chips makes it taste like creosote. Smoke at 107 degrees for about thirty minutes.
Why layer onion and lemon over the salmon?
The layer protects the fillets from drying out while it infuses flavour, so cover each one completely with onion rings then lemon slices. Squeezing the second lemon over the top cuts the richness and helps the onions caramelise. Serve with the onion-lemon topping still in place.
Should I leave the skin on the salmon?
Yes, always smoke it skin-on and skin-side down. The skin holds the fish together through the cook, and you can peel it off afterwards if you would rather not eat it. The salmon is done when it flakes easily with a fork, usually at thirty minutes, so check at twenty-five.
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