The dishes that ride along with the main cook. Most of them slot into the last two hours of a brisket or butt, at whatever temperature the grill is already holding.
Start here: Salmon is the one that wants its own cook: a mild wood like alder or cherry, 225°F, and off the grill at 125 to 130°F in the thickest part if you like it moist.
Put the skillet on uncovered at 250°F with apple or cherry pellets (or whatever the meat is running), stir once at 20 minutes, add the panko at 30, and pull at 165°F in the center. It takes 45 to 60 minutes.
Set the grill to 250°F with pecan pellets and put the loaded foil pan on uncovered, stirring at 30 and 60 minutes. Pull it when it is smooth and about 160°F in the middle, usually 60 to 90 minutes.
Run the grill at 225°F with alder pellets and cook the brined salmon skin side down without flipping. A 2 lb side reaches 130 to 135°F in the thickest part in about 45 to 55 minutes; pull it there.
| Recipe | Grill temp | Pull at | Total time | Pellets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smoked mac and cheese | 250°F | 165°F in the center, bubbling at the edges | 1 hour 30 minutes | Apple or cherry on its own, or whatever the main cook is running |
| Smoked queso | 250°F | Fully melted and smooth, about 160°F | 1 hour 50 minutes | Pecan |
| Salmon on a pellet grill | 225°F | 130 to 135°F (125 to 130°F for wild sockeye) | 1 hour 30 minutes | Alder |
Times assume a grill holding temperature on a mild day. Cold or wind adds 30 to 60 minutes; the thermometer, not the clock, decides.
Get a start time and pull temperature for your exact cut and grill setting.