This smoked cranberry salmon is a healthy, festive change to traditional turkey and ham, and it's packed with the flavors of the holidays.
4.78 from 18 votes
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By Christie Vanover | Published November 18, 2016 | Last Updated February 16, 2023

white plate with salmon filet covered in cranberry sauce

Feel free to use any smoker or even a gas grill, just be sure to use indirect heat, so you don’t burn the skin.

I used Halos mandarin oranges for this recipe, because I love that they don’t have seeds.

Pistachios add great texture to this dish, but they can be expensive, so I buy them from the bulk section. That way you only have to purchase the amount you need.

white plate with salmon filet covered in cranberry sauce

Smoked Cranberry Salmon

This smoked cranberry salmon is a healthy, festive change to traditional turkey and ham, and it’s packed with the flavors of the holidays.
Recipe by Christie Vanover
4.78 from 18 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Servings 4
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Ingredients
 

  • 1 large filet of salmon
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 3 mandarin oranges sliced
  • 1/3 cup toasted pistachios

Cranberry Rosemary Chutney

  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp shallot minced
  • 1 mandarin orange
  • 2 cups fresh cranberries
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 inch sprig fresh rosemary
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • pinch salt

Instructions
 

  • Heat the smoker to 275 with oak and alder wood*.
  • Rub the both sides of the salmon with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Add the salmon to the smoker, skin-side down. Top with mandarin orange slices. Smoke for 45 minutes.
  • Increase heat to 375F degrees. Spoon on the Cranberry Rosemary Chutney (recipe below). Continue smoking for 15 minutes.
  • Remove to a platter and sprinkle with toasted, chopped pistachios.

Cranberry Rosemary Chutney

  • Heat olive oil in a sauce pot over medium heat. Sauté shallot and zest from the orange.
  • Add juice from the orange and remaining ingredients. Increase heat to medium high. Cook and stir until berries pop and sauce forms, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Nutrition

Calories: 242kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 3gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 892mgPotassium: 332mgFiber: 5gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 690IUVitamin C: 31.5mgCalcium: 59mgIron: 1mg

This estimate was created using an online nutrition calculator

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