How to Smoke a Delicious Salmon Wellington

Posted on: January 17, 2023

Cooking is an art that takes time to perfect. For most people, smoking their meat poses a challenge they tend to shy away from. However, thanks to the discovery of better ways to smoke meats, it is fast catching on.

There are various ways to achieve a mouth-watering meal when it comes to cooking salmon, including smoking. Through Bradley tips and tricks, you’ll see that you can make a mean smoked salmon wellington quite easily with your food smoker. In this guide, we will walk you through the step-by-step preparation of how to achieve a tasty smoked salmon wellington.

What is a salmon wellington?

To start, a salmon wellington, also known as salmon en croûte, is a savory dish of seasoned salmon wrapped in puff pastry dough with spinach. It is presumed to have first originated in England between the mid-1400s to early 1600s.

At the time, beef wellington was a popular dish that was served in different settings. As people enjoyed the incredible dish, others started experimenting with various proteins, giving birth to the salmon wellington. Years later, the recipe has greatly evolved, and we hope to see more tips and tricks in the future. Advances in technology have also made it easier, and now we can achieve a delicious and impressive meal by just putting our salmon wellington in the food smoker.

How to make smoked salmon wellington

Depending on the taste you want to achieve, you can use various recipes to prepare your salmon wellington. For some, they may want their smoked salmon wellington less spicy or want to add more spinach. Others may enjoy it less creamy with an extra smokey flavor. Generally, the list of ingredients remains the same, but your quantities/portions depend on what you want to achieve.

What do you need for a serving of two?

  • 1 salmon fillet
  • 5 oz fresh spinach (140 g)
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 sheet puff pastry (softened to room temperature)
  • ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese (30 g)
  • 4 oz cream cheese (110 g)
  • ⅓ cup breadcrumb (40 g)
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt (for spinach)
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt (for salmon)
  • ½ medium onion, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon pepper (for spinach, optional)
  • 1 teaspoon pepper ( for salmon, optional)

Tools for smoking

  • Meat thermometer – to monitor the temperature
  • Pan – to fry the onions and spinach
  • Plastic wrap – to wrap the pastry
  • A quality food smoker – advanced controls on a smoker make it easy to keep track of the temperature and cook time.

Preparation

  1. In a pan, add the melted butter and fry the onion and garlic until translucent. Then add spinach, pepper, and salt. Simmer and wait until the spinach has wilted.
  2. Mix the cream cheese, bread crumbs, parmesan, and dill in a bowl, then stir until evenly mixed.
  3. Roll out the puff pastry on a clean cutting board and place the washed and dry salmon in the middle.
  4. Carefully season both sides of the salmon using salt and pepper.
  5. Evenly spoon the spinach mixture over the top of the salmon and then fold the edges of the puff pastry.
  6. Brush the tops and sides of the pastry with the beaten egg.
  7. Using a knife, cut shallow diagonal lines in each direction to allow for steam to escape and again brush the top with the beaten egg.
  8. Smoke the salmon wellington in your food smoker.
  9. The cooking time depends on your smoker and how you like your meat. For a Bradley Smoker, set the temperature between 145°F to 225°F (63°C to 107°C) and cook until golden brown.

What to serve with your smoked salmon wellington

Your salmon wellington is ready, and as much joy as it brings you, it will bring even more to those who get to devour it. The question remains, what do you serve with it? Before you overthink it, keep things simple. First, look around at the ingredients you already have on hand. You could serve a range of perfect accompaniments for your smoked salmon. Remember, it serves as a snack and appetizer even on its own.

First, if you have bread with you, you can serve your smoked salmon wellington atop crusty bread and top it off with cream and some pepper. You can try many other variations with your salmon and bread, including layering cream cheese over the salmon and placing it on slices of bread. Bagels will also go great with this incredible delicacy.

If you want it as a heavier meal, you could serve it with mashed potatoes.

For more salmon recipes, check the links below:
How To Make Smoked Salmon
Hot Smoked Salmon Recipe
Smoked Candied Salmon Recipe

For more great ideas on how to get the most out of your Bradley Smoker, check out the awesome articles on our Bradley Smoker Food Smoking Blog for more tips & tricks.